I purchased a tree from a local nursery here in Conn. The tree is potted and grew fast during the summer and while outside. Since I have brought in doors the tree has not blossom or had any new growth. And worst the leave have slowly fallen off, maybe 1-2 leaves a day. I have tried moving it to different areas in the house to see if it would stop the leaf drop. But the leaves continue to fall and now it only has a few leaves left. The leaves were not yellowing and seemed to be green and look healthy to me. Since moving indoors in early October, I have only used a 3-4-3 fertilizer and based on recommendations online slowed the watering down a lot. I usually wait till the top soil is pretty dry. I guess my question is the tree done for and no hope to make it till spring? Am I keeping it in the wrong spot in doors ?? Would air temps in the 60's be a problem.?? This is my first citrus and tree of any kind. So I am a rookie with this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I included a few pics if that may help.
The third photo shows there still much green in the stems at the top. However the mid-portion of the tree in the last photo appears to be brown, which is not a good sign. Scratch the bark lightly in that area; it's still alive if there's green underneath. As for your concern about the temperature, you should know that citrus roots become inhibited at lower temperatures and stop functioning at 13C/55F. If the tree is exposed to light in this condition the roots cannot supply the leaves with the necessary moisture to function and the result is leaf loss. Exposure to drafts, cold or warm, may have a similar effect. Also, a tree should be slowly acclimatized to its new environment when moving between indoors and outdoors. At this point I would remove the fruit. Also, further reduce irrigation and water only when the soil has dried somewhat. The tree will have very little need for moisture as a result of the loss of leaves. Do not fertilize until the tree shows signs of recovery. Give the tree as much light as possible; choose a spot behind a south or west facing window. Alternatively, the tree can be forced into dormancy by being placed in a dark location where temperatures are below the threshold mentioned above. It can then be brought out of dormancy once the outdoor environment is more favorable.
