Potted Meyer Lemon Very Sick

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by buddlefish, Jun 24, 2007.

  1. buddlefish

    buddlefish Member

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    I live in Sydney Australia and have a Meyer Lemon on my balcony its only a few years old but not long after the hot summer it turned.All its leaves curled up and dropped then the tips all went brown and starting to die.there are new leaves always appearing but not staying on the tree for long.It has been very cold and windy but all this seemed to happen before all this bad weather.
    What needs to be done its still cold in Sydney so i am not sure on fertilizing or adding manure or mulch Help!
     

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  2. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Do you fertilize the tree? What has been the history of nutrients given to the tree. The systems of a SEVERE nitrogen deficiency is: Totally yellow leaves with no variation of color, or yellow-orange veins with some green out on the far leaf sides. - Millet
     
  3. buddlefish

    buddlefish Member

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    Hi Millet,I have been watering with seasol a seaweed extract and its been a long time since i have added rooster buster a chicken manure pellets.Its winter here in Sydney so don't want to over fertilized but i agree it needs something. what should i feed it with i am of to the nursery tomorrow.should i add a mulch, how often should i water.Thanks.What do you think about a fish emulsion fertilizer on lemons.
     
  4. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    buddlefish, it is your tree, and you can certainly fertilize the tree anyway you wish. I would say this: Citrus are heavy feeders, and require rather large amounts of nutrition, especially nitrogen and potassium. Organic fertilizer culture methods, have a very difficult time meeting these requirements. This is especially true of containerized trees. Further, seaweed extract offers some trace minerals but does not supply the nitrogen, nor phosphorus and potassium. My advice would be to fertilize the tree with a high nitrogen fertilizer with a formula like 30-10-10 or something similar. For a long term feeding plan, try to find a fertilizer with an ingredient ratio close to 5-1-3. When I say 5-1-3 this is not the percentage of nutrients it is a ratio of nutrients. When we are talking about a citrus tree that is container grown, and can be removed to a warm location during the winter, it SHOULD be fertilized at all times of the year. Generally, citrus is not fertilized during winter to avoid the tree producing new tender growth that would be easily killed by cold weather. However, this pertains ONLY to citrus growing outside in the ground, and NOT to containerized trees protected by indoor temperatures. I would recommend a winter fertilizer application at one half the spring/summer rate. At any rate you better fertilize the poor tree, and fertilize it quickly, if you wish to save it. Then continue feeding the tree AT LEAST monthly with a fertilizer that supplies nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium plus trace minerals. - Millet
     
  5. buddlefish

    buddlefish Member

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    Thanks Millet,Dose this sound good to you.I have found Miracid ratio 30-10-10 and a product called Dynamic Lifter it is a all over organic fertilizer ratio 5.2-1-3.6 i was thinking of giving it a good drink of Miracid and then regular feedings with the Dynamic Lifter and a few more applicants of the Miracid through the year.What do you think
     
  6. Nancy749

    Nancy749 Member

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    Millet,

    I found your suggestions to be very helpful . You are the reason that I have just joined this forum.
    I have 3 potted citrus trees..lime, orange and lemon...a few years old. All were kept indoors during the winter and have been outdoors since spring. They looked very healthy during the winter and now they are all looking very pale, sort of mottled pale green and yellow. I've given them a fertilizer especially made for citrus and after reading you post, I've discovered that the formula is 5-7-10+MgO. Apparently I need to run right out and buy some bonemeal!! Also, the instructions say that I should only add fertilizer 2 times per year. Should I ignore this advice and feed them more often?? They are clearly in need of help.
     
  7. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Bonemeal is exactly opposite of what you need-- it is high in P which is already being over supplied. You need N plus all the other trace minerals beside Mg (Fe, B, Cu, Zn, Mn). Citrus do need to be fertilized more frequently than 2 times a yr. In containers where frost can be avoided, they can be fertilized once a month with granular fertilizer all yr--just use 1/2 the rate in the winter. If you use a slow release fertilizer, apply once every 3-4 months.

    Skeet
     
  8. Nancy749

    Nancy749 Member

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    Skeeter,
    Thanks for your warning. All my garden books suggest adding bonemeal for nitrogen, but you're right, there IS also a lot of phosphorus. Other suggestions are bloodmeal or even grass clippings.
     
  9. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Nancy, welcome to the UBC Botanical Forum. The fertilizer you are using (5-7-10+MgO) is a formulation intended for citrus planted outside in the ground. 5-7-10 would be a type of fertilizer formulation used only on young trees planted in the soil, and less than 3 years old. However, the recommendation of applying nourishment two times a year is CERTAINLY NOT a standard recommended application used in the citrus industry. The normal recommendation for fertilizing young in ground trees are 6 applications the first year, 5 applications the second year, 4 application the third year, followed by 3 application every year thereafter. However, your three trees are growing in containers, which is a completely different situation entirely. Your trees will require fertilizer a MINIMUM of once a month, twice a month would be much better. Fertilize your trees with a complete fertilizer, one that contains the tree macro elements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) plus all the trace elements (especially Iron Fe, Manganese Mn, zinc Zn and Magnesium Mg). Most fertilizers do not include magnesium Mg in their formulations, therefore you might have to add it separately. One teaspoon of Epson Salts (magnesium sulfate) in a gallon of water (3.8 l) applied once ever two/three months, or when a deficiency appears, should be fine. Try to find a fertilizer that is highest in nitrogen, lowest in phosphorus, and with a good amount of potassium. A formulation a close to a ratio of 5-1-3 is ideal. 5-1-3 is NOT the chemical percentage it is the ratio of the three elements. Whatever you use apply at the rate of 250 PPM nitrogen. The symptoms shown by your tree are rather common, with the proper nutrition your tree should be fine. Lastly, the NUMBER ONE KILLER of containerized citrus trees is over watering. When you water your tree, water it well until 10 percent of the water applied drains out the bottom of the container, then do not water the tree again until the top couple of inches feel rather dry. It is better to under water, than over water. Good luck to you, and good luck to your trees. Take care. - Millet
     
  10. buddlefish

    buddlefish Member

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    Hi Millet,its Buddlefish with the sick lemon tree.i have tyred all your suggestions & thanks but now it has started to die off.all the top steams are now just dead wood but it is still trying to stay alive with new leaves at the bass of the trunk weather is getting warmer do you think it will come good or should i get a new tree and start again.if so any suggestion's thought the Mayer lemon would of been fine.full sun balcony in sydney.thanks
     
  11. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Sorry to hear about your tree. If your tree is a grafted tree, what is growing from the bottom of the trunk will be from the rootstock and will not be eatable. With your next tree fertilize it correctly, and be more careful with the watering. Over watering is the number one killer by far of containerized citrus tree. It is better to under water than to over water. - Millet
     
  12. buddlefish

    buddlefish Member

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    Do you think i should try another Mayer lemon or should i try something else. any suggestions on a more hardy citrus tree. its a balcony corner full sun and hot.
     
  13. Nancy749

    Nancy749 Member

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    Buddlefish

    You certainly have my sympathies. I lost a little lime tree a number of years ago and it was quite disheartening. I found out afterwards that unlike orange & lemon trees, they can be brought into a heated home during the winter. I've been doing that for 3 years, now, and with the exception of apparent lack of nitrogen, it has been thriving and giving me lots of fruit. This past winter, I decided to bring all 3 of my trees indoors for the winter. They are in a fairly well lit room with skylights and an average temperature of about 16 C. The winter is definitely the tricky part of caring for potted citrus.

    I want to thank Millet again for your very thorough advice. I'm going to look for fertilizer today. I will let you advise B on whether to buy another Lemon Meyer, although I have read in more than one gardening book that this is a good, hardy variety.

    Nancy
     
  14. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Bubblefish, I would purchase the type of citrus that I enjoyed. More people ask for assistance for their Meyer Lemons than any other citrus variety. However, that could be because Meyer Lemons are a very popular variety, and more Meyer Lemons are sold than other citrus varieties, especially for container growers. As for a care, and chance for success, it really does not matter what you purchase, because the care is the same for all citrus types. - Millet
     

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