My mexican lime, which did well last year until the frost, now looks funny. By which, I mean that we had to cut some branches from it due to a freeze, and now it looks kind of like it has a halo. The center bough is all dead (even though it had leaves on it a few weeks ago) but the rest is doing OK. Should I cut the dead bough off and leave a ring of living tree from it, or leave it alone? I don't want whatever it is that killed the center to spread, but at the same time, I don't want to do more damage than has already been done. What do you suggest? Dr.G
If the limb is just turning brown as a result of the freeze damage, you can cut it back to just above the part that is still live. If you have picked up a disease due to the damage, you may have to be more agressive. Is the limb just turning from green to brown at the top?
As citrus tree hardiness goes, Mexican Limes, (also known as Key Lime and West Indian Lime) is the least hardy, therefore the easiest citrus variety to be killed or damaged by a freeze. In treating citrus trees injured by cold, three courses are open depending on the severity of injury. (1) Leave the tree alone; (2) cut the tree back to the ground; (3) cut the tree back part way. Everything considered, leaving the tree alone is the best plan. For some time following freeze injury it is impossible to determine how much pruning should be undertaken. If cut back to the ground, more of the tops may have been removed than necessary, and if partly headed back part way they may have to be pruned over again at a later date. There is no need for haste. Nothing can save trees or parts that have been frozen. Much expense and labor may be prevented by waiting until the exact extent of the injury can be determined. The actual extent of damage cannot be decided until growth starts. Usually cold damage occurs in December, January and February, and sprouts do not arise from uninjured branches until spring growth begins, if injury is sever new sprouting may arise MUCH LATER. When shoots have grown far enough to make it reasonably certain that the branches will not die back further, is soon enough to start the pruning. If a considerable part of the tree remains uninjured, the upper portion only should be cut away. The best place to cut is well below the line of division between the sound and the frozen wood. This point is not easily determined, and the best plan is to wait until sprouts have grown out. Good luck to this tree. - Millet
Here are photos. I should have said, if I didn't, that I am not in BC, but rather on the border of Mexico, so our cold weather happened back in December, and the now brown patches below were green a month ago, but now are as they are. Here are a few photos. The first one is from the Top http://doctorgamgee.com/limon1.jpg The second is from the side http://doctorgamgee.com/limon2.jpg And this is from the bottom. http://doctorgamgee.com/limon3.jpg Perhaps this will let you know what is going on. As you can see, the Green is green, and the brown is all from the same bough. This may be helpful, though you may stand by your statements. But after looking, if you could let me know, I would appreciate it. Thanks, Joe
I do not think that is freeze damage. You said it was fine a couple weeks ago but the freeze occured in Dec, and if the leaves had been damaged by freeze they would have died long ago. I do not know what is causing the limb to die, but I would cut that entire limb off to prevent any disease from spreading further---I would cut at the point where it makes a 90 degree turn near the bottom.
What your tree is showing is consistent with freeze damage. The damaged branch is the exposed branch of the tree. The branches near the fence, were provided some protection both by the fence and the exposed (damaged) branch. Although the exposed branch was not outright killed, it was weakened and did not survive. In any case the branch needs to be removed. - Millet
Let's see a photo of the trunk from right above the soil line up to the crotch of the tree. I am not convinced as of now that this limb died out solely due to freeze damage. It is what I am not seeing from the damaged twigs of the branch that makes me suspect there is more to this story than this tree losing this limb from a quick freeze. I see no real desiccation in the twigs and it is here that we will see our truer signs of freeze damage. Upon a freeze the twigs shrivel up as the moisture content in those twigs is freeze dried right out of them. We should see evidence of this from the uppermost and interior younger growth twigs from this limb. I would prune out all of the deadened areas of this limb but I am not sure the entire limb is dead yet. Let us know if there is any live wood left on this limb by selectively pruning back on it until you see green in the wood. What I am wanting to know is the coloration of the interior of the wood as you cut back to live wood. Another thing that caught my eye was that there are two pruning knobs (stem remnants) left on the lower portion of this limb. Was there a reason why you cut those parts of the limb off? Jim
I will see if I can get you some photos of the, Jim. In all honesty, I have never cut the tree, that was my gardner, who needed to get in with the mower before I sectioned it off from the rest of the yard. The tree is about 5 ft tall at best (I don't know if you can judge that from the pictures. And I noticed that one of the boughs in the healthy section has been broken. By what, I have no idea. I will try to get a picture of that too if I can. Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate them. Joe
Jim, good points to be considered. I would say that I have seen cold damaged trees that both have, and have not, showed signs of desiccation. What actually happens when a tree is frozen, is ice forms within the cells of the tree, and then expands, the expansion breaks the cell walls, and the cell dies. If enough cells are destroyed, the tree dies, but if the freeze is not sufficiently sever the tree is only weakened. Of course, it could be easily correct that the immediate cause of death could be from a source other then the initial freeze. A weakened tree is open to trouble of many kinds. Your suggestion of cutting back to green wood, if there is still green wood remaining, could possibly save part of the branch. Take care, and good luck. - Millet
Mystery Solved! So I got out my saw to take out the limb, and after removing it near the base, it became obvious what had happened. When my gardner had trimmed it with clippers, he had put much strain on the bough, and just below the limb was a hairline fracture which had disrupted the flow through the bark. Thus it died. But the rest of the tree is doing fine. Thank you all for your help and suggestions. Joe
Thank you for the reply. I would make one comment. Your gardener should not be trimming a citrus tree, when left alone they grow into a pleasing harmonious globe shape. Citrus produce fruit on new growth, pruning removes new growth, thus greatly reducing fruit production. Take care - Millet
I am totally with you on that one. He cut it the first time to remove the boughs near the ground so that he could mow under it easier. It wouldn't have been my choice, but I can respect his reasoning, and had it been done carefully, it would have been OK. However, his method of removal is what caused the death we have just seen. I have told him that I want it to be left alone and no more cutting. But thank you for the suggestion and the reasoning why. Perhaps this will help. Joe
