Hi everyone, I enjoy reading these threads. There are many helpful people out there and I hope I can get a few suggestions to help my tree. I have an established Valencia orange tree. It was a 24 inch box when purchased and it has been planted in a raised planter. It has been in ground for roughly 5 years. It has done very well. I do not have a regular sprinkler or watering system for this tree. I have occasionally watered it by hand following the usual deep watering recommendation. I live in Southern California near the coast. The tree has enjoyed a southern exposure and has prospered for these years. Recently it has dropped a significant number of leaves. It still has some fruits on the branches but it is clearly in distress. The only recent change is that I removed an in ground vertical drain pipe that the original installer placed in the ground. It is a 4 inch drain pipe and was about 2 feet long. These are commonly placed in the ground with new trees in our area but I don't know why. The only other possible problem is that a nearby Tipou Tree has gotten rather big. While it does not touch the orange tree it does provide a considerable amount of shade for this orange tree that was once in full sun most of the day. The leaves show a brown coating almost like a brown dirt. I infrequently water this tree. It is in hard pack southern California 'sandy' soil. The raised planter was augmented and well mixed during the original planting many years ago. Help!!! Mousemaster
IT is difficult to say with the available info--could you post a picture. Is it possible you damaged some roots when the drain was removed? Is the ground wet or dry?
The ground is really neither wet nor dry. It doesn't get watered but because of the slope of the yard, there is moisture that apparently wicks up in that planter. I will try to post a photo or two. I am new to this web site so I may have some difficulty with that. It will take a few days. I was thinking that I have not fertilized in many months. Mousemaster
I have taken some photos of the tree and a leaf. The photos should show the tree in the planter with the nearby Tipou tree. The view is looking northeast with a morning sun. The tree is getting bare especially on the inside. The leaf photo may not show it very well but I am trying to show the light brown spots on this leaf that is beginning to curl along the longitudinal axis. Another view is of the soil. The darker brown spot is where the earlier piece of drain pipe was removed. I filled the hole with some mulch to keep it from becoming a home for a critter. I appreciate any help I can get on saving this tree. One final remark is that I gave the tree a soaking. My wife and I got mixed up and she forgot to turn off the water. The planter was a moat all the way up to the drain for several hours. That occurred about two months ago. My wife thinks that event may have started our problems but I don't know. Help! Mousemaster
Your wife is probably right. Especially if the soil is prone to holding water or if the raised planter does not have good draining soil underneath. That event may have damaged some roots and the tree is just trying to balance itself by dropping some leaves. Most likely the tree will recover without intervention. It may be getting a little late to fertilize now if you are in an area that gets frost. Skeet
Actually, I doubt that there is anything wrong with this tree, except for some neglect. Your tree being over watered two months ago, certainly has nothing to do with the tree at this time. The over watering of this citrus tree one time was probably good for the tree, and certainly will not do any damage. This is ESPECIALLY TRUE as the tree is planted in a raised planter. For citrus roots, a flooded condition must last for a MINIMUM of two full days before the absence of oxygen begins to damage the root system. It is not the flood water that causes a problem, it is the absence of soil oxygen that damages the roots. Citrus leaves have a life span of 1-1/2 to 2 years, then they are discarded by the tree. Further it is the leaves in the center of the tree that produce the least amount of energy. When a citrus leaf uses more energy than the leaf produces for the tree, it is quickly discarded. There is no welfare program for a citrus tree leaf. August/September is a common time of year that citrus discard a lot of leaves. My guess is --- the problem with this tree is that you have not been keeping up your end of the partnership between you and the tree, by applying the nutrition and irrigation required, ESPECIALLY by a tree bearing a fruit load. A citrus tree that is five plus years old should be fertilized THREE (3) TIMES A YEAR. A proper fertilization should have been carried out every year since the day this tree was planted. For a tree the age of your tree, you should have applied a fertilizer having the formulation of 10-10-10. Three applications: 1) early spring approximately two weeks to a month prior to bloom, 2) During the month of May, 3) July or early August. Applying between 11 to 14pounds of 10-10-10 with each application evenly spread 1-foot away from the trunk, out to 2 feet beyond the drip line. Or 14 to 17 pounds of an 8-8-8 fertilizer formulation. *IF* you do your part the tree will do its part. Good luck to this tree. - Millet
Thank you for your reply. I will get on a regular schedule with some good quality fertilizer. What do you think of the leaf spots? What are they and should I do something about them? Thanks again, Mousemaster
