I don't think weeds are your issue, all though having a lot of weeds could pose a problem, but that clearly is not the issue. From your picture, it appears to me that your tree is planted in heavy soil. You really need a porous soil so the water can drain away from the roots, otherwise your risking root rot, which will kill your tree.

My other concern would be that you said your tree is only receiving 3-4 hours of sun per day. Is that full sun? Even if it is, that is no where near enough sun light. I live in NY, so I grow my trees in pots, but I have them in an area in my yard where they get at least 7-9 hours of direct sun.

Do you have any other locations that get full sun? If you do, I would recommend putting it there BUT, make sure your soil is porous, and if it isn't your going to have to am end it. Maybe planting it on a mound would help? That way when it does rain, the water would naturally run away from the tree.

Like I stated above, I live in N.Y. state so clearly I don't have experience with growing citrus trees in the ground, but I do know what citrus require to grow and produce flowers and fruit. Full sun, free draining soil, and fertilizer because citrus are heavy feeders requiring lots of nitrogen.

Good luck, and keep us posted as to how you make out! I am sure others here will help you.

Andrew

Andrew, I thought weeds might be the problem because I read that Meyer lemon trees don't compete well. As for the soil, in the picture it was just watered but the soil is dirt with conditioner. I don't believe drainage is an issue. This is my first Meyer. The roots look like fine strands and a tan color.

Does occasionally digging up the surrounding soil help prevent root rot?

I don't have another space for them to get more sunlight, except in a pot. I might consider planting another in a pot for that. Actually I would lean towards a lime or clementine orange so I have something different.
Are those any easier to grow?

Jack...
A Meyer will do okay and produce a lot of fruit with that much sun; but you have to water and feed it on a regular basis. Do you know what rootstock it is on? Most likely, if you bought it at Home Depot, it is Cuban Shaddock, semi-dwarfing rootstock; so you can expect the tree to grow slowly for a few years; but with patience you will get plenty of fruit.

I think there is only one thing you need - patience!
Three months is not long enough to give the poor thing a chance to settle into it's new home.
Keep the weeds down, avoid disturbing the roots again, keep the base of the away from permanent damp and report back next spring.

Okay, a few things here:

1. WAY too close to the house/wall, unless you're planning on espaliering your tree. Your tree should be minimum 4 feet from your house. It may eventually start growing under the eaves, not good for the tree or the house.

2. 3 to 4 hours of sun really is not enough. I agree with Andrew, a sunnier location would better suit your tree. John is correct in that Meyer's will do okay in the shade, they are a very tolerant tree once well started, but all citrus will certainly do better with more sun if you can provide it.

3. You should not amend your soil unless you're on clay soil. Just be sure to top your tree with well composted manure and some compost, then mulch (keeping it all away from the trunk to prevent rot). Create a nice well around the tree, lower than the trunk so the water will drain to the drip line of the tree, where your feeder roots reside. Never plant a tree deeper than the top of the potting soil. Your tree looks to be planted a wee bit too deeply.

4. Never, ever dig up around the roots! Citrus trees have rather shallow feeder roots, and you'll damage your tree's root system. Better to make sure know know how well draining your native soil is to start with, then plant accordingly.

5. You see spiders making webs? Make sure what you're seeing isn't spider mites, and not real spiders. If you're seeing very fine, tiny webs, carefully look underneath the leaves with a magnifying glass and see if your little tree is actually battling spider mites. A hard blast of water every day to the leaves for about a week, or insecticidal soap sprayed once a week for 3 weeks will get rid of the mites. Very common this time of year in S. Calif (if that's where you're located).

6. And as Mike has already mentioned, patience with new citrus trees. Sometimes they don't do much of anything for a year. Maybe not even a whole lot in year two, unless in optimal conditions. Treat it well, and it will return the favor, as Meyer's are very, very prolific producing trees.

Patty S.