Here's a better picture of the leaves.

Your tree is very angry with you. It will probably do fine after the shock but it will take awhile. Dont over water it an be prepared for more cold. You can place jugs of hot water to help out for future cold snaps.

I KNOW! :( :( :( When I saw the leaves curling and dropping my heart dropped to the floor!, I felt like I hurt my child... so with the hot water should I fill milk jugs then place them around the tree? Is there something else I can wrap it with so that it insulates it a little better?

Okay, not sure that the tree is actually angry with you, but clearly your tree has suffered some cold damage. We are due for more cold temps, possibly colder in the next couple of days. Your best bet is to build a quick little frame of pvc piping, and drape frost cloth or a sheet over the frame. Two important things with a frost protection cover - the cover shouldn't touch the leaves (hence the frame needs to be larger than the canopy), and the cover needs to go all the way down to the ground and be sealed well with bricks or stones so the warm air can't escape. You can string the older type of Christmas tree lights (mini or larger, just not LED) on the tree, then cover. Steve mentions jugs of warm water, than helps, too, but the lights will generate more heat. Don't be surprised if the leaves drop, but if you continue to protect your tree, come springtime, your tree will push out a new flush.

Patty S.

Well, I would be angry if someone stuck me in the ground this close to winter at that trees age. Some people build a permanent structure that can be wrapped with shipping plastic for the cold months. This way all you have to do is place the top on.

Steve

Steve, normally here in California, planting in late fall or early winter isn't an issue. We rarely have these cold temps, especially this early in the year. We've had some very cold temps now going on the 3rd year. So much for global warming. We normally would never consider going to the extent of building a "permanent structure" here in Calif. to house our citrus trees. I'm sure Djkleen was caught by surprise, as the rest of us were, that we were facing such frigid temps period here, and most especially this early. When we do have these odd, rare cold snaps, they tend to occur in Jan/Feb.

Patty S.

Hi all

I was not aware of the California situation. I am use to instructions like "don't plant your citrus trees in the fall. The big advantage I have is tat I am building the structures that will keep my trees at 32F or higher unless we get record braking cold weather in the order of -10F or colder. Then my fig trees will loose their leaves and I might loose fruit on my cold hardy citrus. The ones with the real problems are those with orchards in zone 9ish People north of zone 9 are limited to greenhouses of sort or potted tree brought in for the cold. There are probably some lopsided places that despite being zone 8 their season is long like zone 9 and the tree can get their fruit ripe..

I did not mean that the tree was actually angry at anyone. These things just happen to good citrus'ers. Don't take me at all as serious.

Steve

I know, Steve :-) Yes, we're all freezing our collective fannies off out here. It is currently 41 degrees and it's 7:30 pm. So, again, we'll be very close to freezing tonight. Fortunately for us here in the S. California San Diego coastal area, our forecast was just revised due to a more persistent cloud cover over the next 3 or 4 days, so that brings our lows up to the low 40's/high 30's, now. So, hoping we dodge the freeze bullet here. Understand, I stand outside my front door and have a view of the ocean, so this is very, very unusual for us. Just to give you an idea - when I was growing up in Orange County, much more inland and north than my current location, I can remember ONE day where we actually had freezing temps and a little snow in Fullerton. I think we made the national news. Over my lifetime, temps have persistently become colder and colder during the winter months (and it's not even winter, yet).

Patty S.

Thats what worries me. We are going into multiple nights of single digits into next week. Not even winter and a near record low. I don't like it but I am very prepared for these strange year and my plants will have no more that expected problem and my plans move forward. What would be funny if all my tropicals live because a am prepared but my apples peaches plums and pears die where they stand because we got temp bellow -20F. I wish you all the best of luck and I hope John doesn't remember our global warming argument.

Steve

Yes, this cold spell was a very big surprise. Last year I don't recall having temps in the low 20's, especially not in early December... Okay. I'm going to create an enclosure for my tree and i'm going to do the light method and Christmas light that baby up! I really appreciate the help, even the condescending tones from the few...... ;)