I'm very concerned about a meyer lemon tree I've had to bring inside for the winter. This tree has sentimental value for me as my late mother gave it to me just before she passed away. The tree was doing very well when I first brought it in, it even blossomed, though the buds all dropped off. I looked it over carefully and found some fine webs, and one leaf with what looked like a coocon on the back. I sprayed it and the tree seemed to bounce back. However I'm afraid my sister has over watered it. I feel dampness in the soil way down into the planter. I caught her trying to water it again the other day. She says if the soil doesn't clump together it's too dry. I find this hard to believe since the soil still feels so damp. Can anyone tell me what I can do? I live in North Central Alabama and the tree thrives outside from March through October. I will be grateful for any help. Thanks.
Welcome to the forum. The tree's blossoming, in itself, is not necessarily a good sign; it could be an indication that it is under stress. Is the tree also losing leaves? If so, what condition were they in when shed and are the petioles still attached to them? There may be spider mites if there is fine webbing present. Do the leaves have a speckled appearance? The soil should be allowed to dry somewhat before watering. I would say it is too wet if the soil clumps. It is better to err on the side of dryness when it comes to citrus as they are susceptible to root rot. The recommended medium is one that is porous yet moisture retentive. Regular peat-based indoor potting soil could be amended with materials such as perlite and bark chips to increase porosity. What is the environment in which the tree is being kept? (i.e. Temperature, light, location, etc.)
Thank you very much for replying Junglekeeper. The leaves were curling and mostly yellow before I sprayed it with an organic pesticide. They looked better for a few days, but now are dropping again. I have the tree in front of a double window in my kitchen and I've wondered if maybe it is getting too warm during the day and cooling down too much at night. I think I might need to re pot the tree after reading that they do not like to be in too large a pot. I'm pretty sure that my sister has over watered it. Should I let it dry pretty well before the next watering? Half of the leaves have dropped off the tree. Mostly on the side closest to the kitchen, but the branches are still flexible and healthy looking. If I can keep it alive for a couple more months I can move back outside on the patio.
A cool root system combined with exposure to bright light and heat is a combination that would result in leaf loss. Under those conditions the roots cannot supply an adequate amount of moisture to cool the leaves which would explain their curling and eventual loss. Is the leaf loss mostly on the side with sun exposure? Change the conditions if you suspect this is the cause. For example you could add some shading to the windows to protect the tree from colder night temperatures and to shield it from excessive sun exposure during the day, particularly during the early hours after sunrise when the roots are still cool. A string of incandescent Christmas lights can be wrapped around the pot to warm the container; don't over do it though. Also ensure the tree is not exposed to either cold or warm drafts. Planting in an over-sized pot is not a good idea as that would cause the soil to remain moist for a longer period. It would also result in an uneven distribution of moisture in the medium. As mentioned before the soil should be fairly dry before watering.
Thank you. It does sound like many of the things you mentioned are present in the tree's location. I will try to correct them and see how it fairs. I have my fingers crossed it will help.
Also, if you are going to repot don't put a layer of material such as rocks in the bottom of the container in an attempt to improve drainage; it would only make it worse.
Oh, there is a deep layer of rocks in the planter now. It didn't seem to bother it outside, but here in Alabama we are blessed with rain off and on all year.
The following (PDF) document may be of interest to you: The Myth of Drainage Material in Container Plantings.
