I have a two year old meiwa kumquat that bears fruit but has not added new growth since planting. Branches are still 6-8 inches; the same size as original pruning for potted citrus at nursery. Any ideas why growth seems stunted?
You need to tell us what care you have given the tree. Is it in the ground or container? Do you fertilize the tree. When a citrus tree fails to grow, the cause is almost always due to the tree not receiving the care or attention that need to be provided. What is this trees history. - Millet
My kumquat tree is planted in the ground on west side of my yard at the edge of my garden. It was a potted plant that I purchased from a local nursery. I have been using a citrus fertilizer ground stake inserted approximately 18 inches from tree trunk. Winter of 2006/2007 it had ice build up on it but did bear about 18 pieces of fruit during summer of 2007. Presently, it has a few yellowing leaves and a shoot on trunk about 4 inches above ground. My Myers Lemon tree which I purchased at the same time has tripled in size; it receives similar care although location is about 20 feet from garden, close to drip-line of tall, lanky, water oak in backyard. Please let me know if more information is needed to help determine what is going on with my tree. Thanks so much.
I'm sure Millet will agree, fertilizer stakes are not the best fertilizer for your tree. The yellow leaves may be an indicator of low N or trace mineral deficiency. It would be better to fertilize with a granular fertilizer like 8-8-8 in a ring that is 1 to 2 ft from the trunk of the tree (as the tree grows fertilize up to 2 ft beyond the canopy). For a young tree, you can do that with about a cup 4-5 times a year from Feb to Aug or Sept depending on your frost date (stop fertilizer at least 2 months before frost).
So, do you think the reason there is no new growth on the tree is caused by a nitrogen and/or mineral deficiency? Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Lack of fertilizer will certainly limit growth. Depending on your natural soil conditions, minerals can be also be deficient (our soil here is white sand if you wash away the organic matter--definitely mineral deficient).
wannabgardener, from reading your posts, I assume that your kumquat tree is a small tree. Skeet gave you some excellent advice. I would only make one comment. If indeed your trees is quite small, than the root system will also be small. Therefore when you apply the fertilizer I would start the application approximately 6 inches from the trunk. Care should be taken to avoid root or trunk damage by uneven placement or mounding the fertilizer against the trunk. For young trees, apply fertilizer uniformly in a 3-ft. diameter circle around the tree. As the tree becomes older, the area fertilized should be enlarged as the root system expands. Just be sure not to apply fertilizer right up against the trunk. Your tree will require 5-applications between now and the first of September. If you use a 6-6-6 fertilizer apply 2-lbs. fertilizer each application, with a 8-8-8 apply 1.5-lbs. fertilizer at each application. DO NOT use a fertilizer with a nitrogen percentage greater than 8 percent for a two year old tree. - Millet