Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
cfox248

Strange shaped leaves

cfox248
9 years ago

My orange is mostly healthy, I think anyways, after it defoliating halfway. the new growth is looking mighty strange recently, though. Here are some pics... Long, super thin leaves, stay small. Why is that? They look healthy at least. They haven't gotten much bigger than this, and there's a few clumps all around the tree. Previous new growth was lush and full looking. Did some searching, but most of the things I could find about disfigured leaves was about curled or bumpy leaves, whereas these look healthy!

General info: Moro blood orange, full sun outside south side of the house. Potted in Black Diamond soil heavily amended with perlite and pine nuggets. Recently was repotted (a month ago?) because of defoliation. I fertilize with Foliage Pro, though I had skipped out on a few weeks because it's been raining and it didn't need additional watering. Lemon tree in the exact same situation (with the older cedar-chip soil), same fertilizing schedule, and does not show symptoms of weird leaves. I am getting a few green aphids here and there that are smushed as I see them, I check twice per day. Tree gets blasted with a hose when it's dry (not recently) to knock aphids off.

{{gwi:613726}}

Comments (12)

  • johnmerr
    9 years ago

    Small, thin leaves on citrus usually indicate root problems.... either too wet, or some soil borne critters.

  • cfox248
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Huh. I just repotted to a nice new mix that it's quite happy in. I might be watering too much now - it's so well draining that the top few inches dries out quickly, I've been watering near every day. I'll cut back.

    Anything I can put in the soil if there is critters about that'll take care of them?

  • johnmerr
    9 years ago

    Look for Diazinon; I think that will work for you, if you can find it.

  • cfox248
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    okay, sounds good. Wouldn't suppose there's anything "natural" that I can use until I can buy some? Purchasing of anything is going to have to wait until mid-september.

  • hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
    9 years ago

    Egad. DON'T use Diazanon! Why on earth would you want to use such an extremely toxic pesticide for a container plant? You don't have any "soil critters", cfox. Don't worry. Your tree is in a pot. Not in the ground. And, I would not resort to simply dousing a plant with toxic chemicals unless you have a very sound reason. And, you don't. Just water appropriately. Fertilize appropriately, keep you tree in the sun, and you should be just fine. New leaves often start out narrow, then grow larger, especially if you're getting a lot of new flush all at once. And, some oranges have more lanciolate-shaped leaves than others do. Same with certain mandarins. This could simply be perfectly normal for the cultivar, and Moro leaves tend to be narrower than some other orange cultivars. Your little tree looks just fine to me.

    Patty S.

  • johnmerr
    9 years ago

    Patty,

    I didn't exactly advocate the use of Diazanon; I only responded with one of the broad spectrum soil insecticides I have used in the past. I certainly would not classify Diazanon as a highly toxic chemical, although I do know the extremists have gotten it banned from home garden use in the US. There are lots of others that would work if you check your local nursery or garden store.
    My initial response was that those leaf types usually means a root problem; and I would certainly not rule out soil borne critters just because it is in a container; it could be root weevils or termites, both of which could be introduced from the wood products that you people advocate for container mixes. In my case when I see leaves like that, it is almost always termites, ants, or cut worms (what we call here Gallina Ciega).

    So much for trying to help; sorry to create a stir.

  • meyermike_1micha
    9 years ago

    Unless you know for sure you have bugs, or even what kind, I would do as Patty says..

    The only kind of bug that disfigures my new leaf growth are spider mites, but I make sure by using a magnifying glass..

    I would think that even cold to hot weather can stunt new growth...Has that been happening to you? Are you getting hot days, then very cool nights?

    The plant looks great to me, although I would still watch that mix you used Cfox..It could compact and not allow enough oxygen to the roots before winter is over)

    Have you checked the pH of your water solution? Why not fertilize more than you have been until it's time to bring it in for the fall?

    MIke

  • cfox248
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Okay, I won't do the Diazanon, haha. Would be nice if there was a way to test for soil critters!

    We haven't had huge fluctuations, though it did go from a few weeks of nice hot weather (in the 80s at least every day) to a few weeks of coulds and some rain. There are no spider mites, I check both trees religiously. I also have my garden's wasp population check my trees out, and from what I understand they're predatory to other insects.

    The pH is 6.5. I was previously fertilizing every other week, but it has recently been so rainy that I haven't had to water, and thus haven't fertilized in a bit. I picked back up today (and then of course it rained).

    I'll keep an eye on it. It seems very happy in the pine nugget mix - at least the pine nuggets are better than cedar shavings. Someone did mention in my thread that pine nuggets are usually mostly pine bark, but not 100% so they can't actually call it pine bark - I am hoping that is the case.

  • meyermike_1micha
    9 years ago

    Cfox...

    It's the soil you used I worry about..It will only fall around the bigger particles you used and prevent any air space your roots need to breathe..Make sure finer particles don't end up at the bottom of your pot making it very moist down there while the top of your pots dry out..

    This almost always happens with time..

    I would of used pine bark, perlite and only a very tiny fraction of soil...LIke 5 parts nuggets, one part soil and one part perlite, sifted and coarse if you could.

    Think of pouring pudding around a bunch of marbles in a pot..You still get a non porous product...

    MIke

  • cfox248
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I see what you are saying. I guess I will cross my fingers that it will be enough. It was very heavily amended - it's at least 50% nuggets and perlite, possibly more. It drains - so far, anyways - very well.

    I'll check on it periodically. I'm not sure how to check the bottom of the pot (or aerate it if it seems packed, I suppose I could repot), but I'll root around in there and see if it still seems loose. We'll have to see how it goes - when I repot my Meyer this autumn after the growth flush (so it's not sitting in the cedar chip stuff) I'll use more perlite and nuggets. I have vermiculite too I could add if it would do anything. The 511 mix isn't water retentive enough, I sometimes need to leave my plants unwatered for a few days.

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    Diazinon was removed from retail sales a number of years ago.

  • meyermike_1micha
    9 years ago

    Yes Cfox,

    that is where convenience for the grower comes in before what's best for our trees..That's why Miracle Grow makes such a killing.We all do it..
    But then we sacrifice what is best for our plants..

    A mix that dries out often and quickly is much better than a mix that takes time to dry out for days for the plant and root systems or their perspective..The more often you water, the more often you push much needed oxygen through the root zone and the less chances you have of salt toxitity.

    Keep a close eye since a mix with too many fine particles, even the amount you used, will compact, dry out unevenly, hold too much water over time, and possibly harbor fungus gnats.

    Have a good day)

    MIke

    This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Fri, Aug 29, 14 at 7:51