How to Fix Most Citrus Tree Problems - Our Signature Citrus Treatment
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Christy Wilhelmi of Gardenerd shares her trade secret for boosting citrus tree production and restoring vitality to sad trees. These steps (with 2 check points before hand) will bring your trees back to health.
You’ll see improvements in your citrus tree’s leaf color, growth habit, flowering and fruiting in a matter of weeks after application. Find more resources in our related blog post here: gardenerd.com/...
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#CitrusTrees #FruitGarden #CitrusTreatments
Citrus Treatment
1. Clear away from trunk to drip line
2. 1/4" layer of Worm Castings
3. Mix Organic Citrus Fertilizer into castings
4. 1/4 - 1/2" Acid planting mix on top. 4" from trunk out to drip line
5. Mulch over top and water thoroughly
Apply as often as needed.
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Thank you so much,this tangelo tree I planted by seed it's not grafted it's close to three years old
I have been growing a Meyer lemon tree for at least 15 years and it was my usual routine to put 10-10-10 around the base and some handfuls of Epsom salt, but it was interesting to learn about the worm castings that I had never heard before! I'll look into getting that. Thank you
I just saw your video feb 6, 2023. I must say you explained it very well. I’m not to savvy on all this electronics stuff (phones, iPads etc ) I hope u are still around. I love grapefruits and bought a tree that’s not doing well in a pot.
I'm checking back in. I followed your advice and have had excellent results. Your plan worked beautifully and my trees are flourishing. Thank you!!!
Yay, so glad to hear your success story. Thanks for sharing!
Kind of informative for Hawaii. I live rainy side. Soil is acidic, extremely rocky. Needs composting all the time. Rains almost every night.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have an old and loved tangerine tree and about 1/3 of the tree died this year. It was possibly caused when my dog was digging underneath and probably damaged the roots. I read all of the comments here and appreciate what I learned from your answers. I'm going to try to nurse it back. Thank you so much!
Have you saved it yet?
I just want to share that this totally helped our Meyers Lemon in Southern CA, only 4 years old. Now she is 5 and off and running again! However, also needed some Leaf Miner Captain Jack to help her out . . . I also removed all the fruit she made last summer when her leaves started dropping in order to preserve her energy and took special care to bag diseased leaves and dispose of them properly.
Yay for testimonials! Thanks so much for reporting back. We're glad it helped and you did the right thing to remove the fruit. It really does help focus energy on root production and recovery until the tree is healthy again. Way to go, Betsy!
Your kitty is so cute! I smiled everytime I heard a meow or saw her tail in the camera shot :)
She's becoming a star. Definitely ready for her close up.
It’s like you read my mind with this topic. Exactly what I needed!
So glad you found this video helpful! Thank you for tuning in. More fruit tree advice still to come.
@@Gardenerd hi what about soursop trees
@@decreed9505 Not sure. Sourop is a tropical and has other commonalities with citrus: prefers acidic soil (5.5-6.5), grows in moderate / mild temperatures. So heck, worth a try. Keep us posted on how it goes.
@@Gardenerd yes I have two trees.. Both 1yr old but I realise a few leaves on one of the trees are curling upwards and a couple others are turning yellow... I don't know if it needs more manure since I have given them both already... Or maybe I'm over watering or underwatering... I live in the Caribbean... Thanx for your quick response 🙏🏾🙌🏾
@@Gardenerd the leaves curls upwards having a withery look but the other tree looks very healthy
Thanks for talking about watering for the citrus.
I'm so glad you found the video helpful. Thank you for watching!
Good information! Im trying to fix the citrus trees we have. Hope this helps them! Thank you!
Good stuff! Finished up your steps today and will be waiting for results soon. Mine aren't too bad, just can tell they need some help. Thanks!
Wow, thanks for sharing this info dear..watching from Uganda
Thank you for sharing your experience and expertise on this important topic. I will definitely implement your ideas for my orange tree. May you continue to move in abundance of fruitfulness by your contribution to healthy living. Thank you.
Wow, your mandarin looks so healthy and bears so much (yummy) fruits ❤
Very good advice about how to solve citrus trees problems. Very informative!
Living in NY zone 6, its so very difficult to get citrus to thrive. Ive probably lost over a dozen plants in the last 20 years yet I always keep going and learning. I will definitely try the worm castings, but the most difficult part is the 6 months of very cold weather. I have them inside next to a sunny window, with supplemental grow lights 12 hrs a day and they still barely survive. Anyway, I’ll keep trying. Also, Mittens is adorable and a real star. I agree with most that more Mittens is a real treat.
Glad to hear you will keep trying. And yes, noted - more Mittens.
Thanks Christy, you're aw'right man!
Lots of good advice in here, I think. Only thing-photosynthesis doesn't create Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll enables photosynthesis. I think you just misspoke. I have citrus in pots and never thought about a layer of worm castings. I will try a modified version of your plan. Thanks
Thanks for the correction. I misspeak a lot these days. Words...Let us know how the worm castings work out.
Thank you for your valuable information, I think it’s going to help my citrus tree,thanks again.
Thank you and Mittens a million! We're going to try your suggestions on all our citrus trees.
Was that your cat purring toward the end!? 😹😻 Great, informative video, thank you!
It very well could be. If not, it's an airplane flying overhead or a motorcycle going by. City living...
Found the channel through this video, staying for the channels name alone! Love it 😁
Glad you found us!
Awesome videos,u just saved my citrus trees
That is fantastic to hear! I'm glad your citrus trees were saved.
My lemon trees, Ponderosa, have good leaves, but only produces about 15 blooms several times a year. They are about 10 ft tall and 7 ft dia driip line. I live on the Gulf Coast, south of Houston, 15 miles from the beach. I have used Epson salt and iron sulfate as well as Azealia and Citrus fertilizer. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. They tend to bloom more in December.
Give this a try and keep us posted how it goes.
@@Gardenerd I'm not sure what your are referring to. What did I miss?
@@Eugene2ndW I'm referring to the video and the strategy advised in it. Unless you've already tried it and are still having difficulties.
Nice video sharing 🤝
Thank you! Glad you found the video helpful!
Thanks for the updates
Nice gardening channel nice voice
Glad you enjoyed the videos. Happy gardening!
Interesting and really helpful 👍🏻Thanks 🌹
Great video I have a question. my tree is in my front yard the grass goes right up to the trunk. Should I cut that grass away to the drip line?
I do recommend that. It makes it easier to access the root system for fertilizing and mulching.
@@Gardenerd thanks
i guess i know what im doing this next weekend
I love mittens!
We feel the same!
My orange tree is not growing and leaves are curving unusually though the leaves look healthy
Thanks so much Lady.
I live in Arizona. My citrus trees have I think heat stress from the super hot July we just had. Leaves are crispy and the lemon tree is dropping its fruit. What should I do? I was told by a local nursery to water them often. I did. The trees still show some green in the limbs so they are not totally dead.
In extreme heat you may need to water more often. It's also a good idea to provide some shade for the tree during this time. Drape it with shade cloth and cover the root area with a 3-5" layer of mulch. That will help keep the roots cool and protect moisture from evaporation. Keep checking on the tree. If it recovers, it may take a while, so keep an eye on it for changes.
Thank you for this video.
Would you mind posting the steps, please?
I've watched multiple times and I am confused how far from the trunk I'm supposed to put in the mix.
1/4 inch of worm castings mixed with fruit or citrus fertilizer from the trunk to the drip line?
Then, on top of that, 1/4 inch of azalea mix 4 inches from the trunk to the drip line?
Did I understand this correctly? I have all of the stuff ready to be applied :-)
Start 4" away from the trunk of the tree and apply the worm castings first. Scratch in organic fruit tree fertilizer into that (mixing the two into the soil), then mulch over the top of all of it with acid planting mix. If you can apply all layers evenly as far out in diameter as the tree's drip line (yes, what you wrote is correct), that's best. Does that make more sense?
@@Gardenerd Yes, thank you for the explanation!
Two of my lemons are in 22" containers so I don't have much room to work with, but I'll try.
My 2 lemon trees are growing in pots because I have to bring them in in the winter. Would I apply the worm castings and acid loving mix 1/4" around the width of the pot? They are currently growing in 16" pots.
Thank you!
Thank you for watching!
My lemon tree’s leaves look burned. 😢 It’s still flowering and has new leaves, but the bigger leaves keep looking burned. Do you have any idea what that might be?
It could be a number of things. First check the irrigation to see if the tree is getting water. It could be sunscald if you've had sudden changes in temperature and the weather has been hot where you are. If you're near commercial agriculture or construction it could be a chemical burn (pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers). Those are the things to check for off the top. If it's none of those things, then do a soil test for nutrients and see what's lacking. Certain micronutrient deficiencies can show up in the leaves like that but rather than applying blindly it's best to do a soil test to find out first what's missing.
I like what you said I wish that the 4 or 5 steps if you can do it yourself with a video to be clear
Thanks!
We always add more information to the blog following the video. I hope that helps: gardenerd.com/blog/youtube-how-to-fix-most-citrus-tree-problems/ - I will keep things in mind for our next video. Thanks for letting me know.
I can’t produce worm castings unfortunately 😢. But I do have worm bins that do.😅
My Meyer lemon tree is in a container, it has tons of fruit but they turn yellow, then black and fall off.. every single lemon does this, got any tips?
Any reply?
Same thing is happening to mine
Mines so heavy and all green lemons. How do you support it. I've found 2 on ground rotten. The rest may get a yellow spot but I can seem to harvest a fully yellow lemon to pick.
I live in the FL panhandle, rather close to the beach (about a half mile away). I have heard that it's a good idea to add lime to the soil to help "sweeten the soil" -- I think people mean it makes the oranges sweeter. Not sure if it's just a local idea, or if there's some truth to it. If so, how would I add it? Mix it in with the worm casings?
Lime is a pH adjuster, so it will make soil more alkaline. If your soil is already fairly alkaline, I don't recommend it. But there are reasons that liming can benefit citrus trees: "Liming acid soils results in better crop yields by: a) raising soil pH, b) improving overall nutrient availability, c) reducing soluble aluminum and d) improving microbial activity." Use this PDF as a guide for which kind of lime to add depending on what you want to accomplish: www.canr.msu.edu/resources/facts_about_soil_acidity_and_lime_e1566
Another new subscriber.
Thanks so much, Andy. We appreciate it!
Lots of flowers and small fruit on my Meyer lemon in a pot. Then they all turn black and fall off!! Help! I use citrus organic fertilizer and worm casting but not regularly.
Thank you! Think this will work.
I planted a young citrus tree and within a month I noticed leaf miners and leaf curl. I found your video and applied your citrus treatment. The problem was pretty bad and I thought it would take months to recover. In two weeks I noticed improvement. In one month the tree looks great and has grown noticeably taller. A second stem has shot up from the base below the mulch. Should this be pruned? If I let it grow will it deprive the main trunk and tree?
I'm so glad it worked well for you. That second shoot sounds like root stock. If it's growing from below the graft union, definitely prune it off with a removal cut.
@@Gardenerd Thank you for such a timely reply and for the great information you share in your videos.
There are scale bugs all over my fruit salad citrus tree. This is the first year I can remember it being so bad. There are a large number of lemons that have holes and bugs on them. A few lemons have white fuzz all over them. I believe the tree is a semi-dwarf with Meyer lemons, mandarin oranges, navels and limes. Mostly there are lemons. There are flowers, as well, so I know more fruit is coming. I've also seen many snails and some of the lemons have grown to be the size of a grapefruit with a thick skin. From what I heard, this could be a sign of a lack of nutrients. I live near the San Diego coast. Can I spray neem oil now? Should I remove the fruit first? I appreciate your advice.
Yes, it's a soil / nutrient issue. Do the citrus treatment mentioned in this video, and use neem as a last resort to reduce the population. Repeat the citrus treatment from the video every month until you see improvement. The worm castings will help with scale. You don't need to remove the fruit first.
Thank's for info Luv your Razorback hoodie!
Hi! Your explanation of the citrus treatment was so easy to follow. I just found your video and have been searching high and low for information regarding a citrus tree that my late father-in-law planted. The spring weather in northern Cali has been odd, it’s only barely warmed up. I have noticed the orange tree has new growth; however I do see few sporadic leaves turning yellow, and one bit of leaves having brown spots on it (sunburn? Fertilizer burn?) I am so lost. Can you help some?
I failed to mention I just recently did the organic citrus fertilizer treatment. Debating if your citrus treatment would do more of what it needs???
@@melkinz8972 It can take up to a couple weeks to see improvement with the citrus treatment, and it can be repeated monthly if you don't see improvement. A few leaves turning yellow is normal when it starts to flower. It's shifting energy to fruit production, away from making green leaves. Brown spots can indicate a number of things, from die off to pesticide drift, to a disease. But keep an eye on it for spread and make sure the soil is well draining. Over watering and poor drainage are main reasons for yellowing.
This was really good thanks!
Glad you found it helpful!
So was your mom. Thank you
@@abundantYOUniverse I am sorry
@@Wolf-xu1fj I am just kidding LOL!
@@abundantYOUniverse I knew It you bastard .
Great video - thanks!!
Thank you for uploading this information. I have some citrus in my plastic greenhouse, they're in large pots. This year the flowers were poor and whatever fruit they got fell off. Is it too late to add worm compost as I won't be watering them now for a while or can I just leave the worm compost on the top layer.
You could give them a little now, but I would avoid feeding them too much as the season is winding down. Then hit them when things warm up again in spring.
Good morning, do you have any information on what to do when the citrus trees had frost damage
Wrapping trees, timely pruning and other tips are mentioned in this article from UCANR: ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=45517
I’ve 4 skeletal citrus trees , by skeletal , lots of dead branches surrounded by yellow leaves , they aren’t young trees & there’s a couple of days work to cut all the dead wood out . Over the years I’ve done lots of cutting out , weeding, mulching ,deep watering but they’ve gone from reasonable amount of fruit to what looks like deaths door , I’ve also given them organic horse manure as fertiliser . They are just about surviving in central Portugal , long very hot summers & no frost winters . Help please , we’re awaiting the winter rains , we get very few cold months with practically no spring. Great video , when’s the best time to carry out your regime etc.?
Aw, poor trees. I'm sorry to hear they are not doing well. It sounds like your climate is similar to mine. Have you noticed any dark spots inside the wood when you pruned away the dead and dying material? I'm also wondering if there has been any environmental disturbance (construction, chemical spraying nearby, or irrigation leak) that might be contributing to the problem. You can implement the citrus treatment anytime you need to. And you can repeat it monthly until you see improvement. Just make sure to start 4" away from the trunk and keep the first root flare exposed on those trees. Keep us posted on how it goes.
Great information! Just what I needed for my new Meyer Lemon tree. Will be binge watching your videos. Thank you so much!😊
If you have particular questions we can answer in a video, let me know! Thank you for watching and enjoy the channel!
@@Gardenerd can I put pine bark mulch on top for the acid
@@bugsta2012 Okay, we're going down a nerdy rabbit hole here: the mulch doesn't change the soil pH simply because it is pine bark, but rather mulch is a fungal food. Meaning it helps feed fungi, and then fungal populations will grow, which helps lower soil pH. This about succession - forests are inherently fungal-dominant. The trees excrete acids that fungi love to consume, which increases fungal populations, and makes the soil more acidic. The same happens in grasslands with bacteria. The plants exude sugars that feed bacteria, increasing bacterial populations and therefore the soil becomes more alkaline. Pine is actually antimicrobial, but once the VOCs wear off, it will feed fungi and help work toward the end result of more acidic soil.
Maam, I am one among your subscribers and thanks for your informative video. Maam if I may ask, what is the best solution you can advice me regarding my citrus plants. Yes, some of their branches become dry and I see some like liquid plastic comes out from the stem. What shall I do to prevent and protect my plants from these desease?
Hi Leonardo, it sounds like your tree is already diseased. The best thing to do is to cut off the infected branches. Hopefully it is only coming from a branch and not the trunk. If it is oozing from the trunk it may be too late for your tree. I would recommend consulting an arborist or your local nursery with pictures of the sap so they can help you diagnose it specifically. They may have a recommendation for treatment (probably not organic) to help keep the tree strong and fight the infection. But if the trunk is diseased, you may lose the tree.
@@Gardenerd thanks a lot maam. It is only a part of the branch infected so i have to cut it off. Keep safe.
My Lemon Tree has started losing strips of bark off the branches. Anybody know what this might be and how to treat this issue? I'm worried I'll lose this tree.....
If it's losing strips of bark, there is definitely something wrong with it. It could be phytophthora, a pathogen that grows in wet soils. It has no cure, but you can slow it down with beneficial compost tea applications. Add mulch and improve drainage if you have wet or poor-draining soils. And if you replant a new tree, be sure to do all the prep work to amend the soil for better drainage before planting the tree. It's the most important process in tree care.
@@Gardenerd Thank you so much for this info. I will check further into this pathogen with my local nursery. We live in southern California and had a very rainy winter. I truly appreciate your help. Patty Nixon
Sorry to ask so many questions but I bought some mulch from Lowe’s to put over the citrus treatment. Only problem now is the mulch I believe, or the flies came after the citrus treatment, was infested with little black flies and Beatles so of course after two days I removed the mulch. The insects are still flying above the tree and in the soil, is there anything I can do ?
Sorry to hear that happened. It's hard to say without knowing what bugs were brought in. But generally speaking, if there were soil gnats in the mulch, letting the soil dry down usually kills them off (interrupts the lifecycle and desiccates the eggs in the soil). As for beetles, you could try sticky traps or find a beneficial nematode that is a predator of that beetle. Those are my first thoughts.
Thanks for these tips. I keep coming back to this video. Regarding watering, does it need to be adjusted during a heat wave. For example we had a couple of > 100° F days last week. Is it okay to water more often than once a week in that case? Also, during a period of dry winds/ very low humidity? And lastly, if I don’t have a drip line set up, what should my watering be like ? How many gallons of water approximately does a mature citrus tree need?
In hot weather you can expect to have to water more often, but if you have a nice thick layer of mulch around your fruit trees, the need is less. Mulch holds moisture through hot days. I water my container fruit trees twice per week in hot weather, but in ground trees don't get anything extra because they are anchored in good soil and have mulch around them. High winds can dry out plants. In these cases I'd have a moisture meter on hand to test your soil for moisture levels and gauge watering needs from there. I wish there were a pat answer for your question about how much water. But it all depends on what kind of soil you have. Sandy soil will allow water to penetrate more quickly, but it dry out more quickly. Clay soil will hold water longer, but can take longer to penetrate soils. So get up close and personal with your soil and use a moisture meter to determine how deep the water goes after, say, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, and an hour. Many trees like a good slow soak anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. Experiment and see what works for your tree.
@@Gardenerd Thank you for the detailed response. This is very helpful.
I have two meyer lemons in containers that seem to be doing fine. I also have another lemon in ground that has quite a few yellowing leaves, but it also has a ton of fruit. This is the one I'm trying to troubleshoot. I applied worm castings/fertilizer/acid planting mix as you suggested but didn't notice any significant improvements. I had it on a drip line (10 minutes x 5 days per week) but turned it off and switched to a manual watering. I've been soaking it really well once every two weeks, and more often when we have a heat wave. I am in zone 9b. There are also a couple of other plants pretty close to this lemon (roses, lantanas, also on a drip line, so I assume the lemon tree must be getting some water from them.).
I'm going to reapply the citrus treatment next month if things don't improve. Thank you again for such an excellent content.
@@mateennique The irrigation change is going to make the biggest difference, I think. It may take a couple months to see improvement, especially if the tree has fruit on it right now. But it will green up once the fruit is picked and the focus shifts to new leaf growth. Stick with it. You're on your way.
Hello, great information on the video, My son has a lemon tree that is partly dead and has two large dead branches but one large one that is still bearing lemons. Should I cut the dead branches off or leave them alone? Thank you for any help you can give.
Yes, he can cut back the dead branches until he sees green in the cross section. Cut back all the brown until you start to see green inside the branch. Dead branches won't sprout new growth.
Hi Christy I have potted citrus trees in pots. How often should I water and fertilize Thanks
Watch the video she explains it
You really need a water meter with a pot, bc pots dry out much more quickly depending on how big the pot is. Water meter is only 20 bucks. You don’t have to use it every time but once you understand how long it takes for your soil to dry out then you can water accordingly, like once a week
great video, thank you. I do have a question. Is there a time or times during the year or growth cycle of the citrus tree you do not apply this method? I have read/heard that applying fertilizer during the flowering stages of citrus trees will prevent the further growth of fruit but increase the growth of foliage.
Hi Lisa, I have not experienced that. I try to apply fertilizer when I see flowers just starting to open or right before. That gives them the energy they need to set fruit and mature without much else. I suppose it's important to add that too much nitrogen will cause what you mentioned, but a balanced fruit tree fertilizer will have phosphorus and potassium for fruiting and flowering.
Do you have books regarding other plants/trees? Very interesting and easy to follow. Thank you!
I'm glad you find the info easy to follow. We focus on edible crops (fruits and veggies, herbs) so we don't have any books on non-edible crops except for pollinator plants mentioned in both books. You might look to your local native plant society for suggestions for the best books on native trees and shrubs in your area.
Did you ever post a video about diseases and pests? I can't find it
We haven't done one specifically on citrus diseases and pests yet, but we do have 2 videos called "What's Eating My Plant" parts 1 and 2 that will be helpful overall. We also have an organic pest control course called Creating a Healthy Garden that will be opening up soon for registration at Gardenerd.com
@@Gardenerd thanks. I have 2 plants suffering so badly and nobody can seem to help. I'll check the videos out
Hi Christy, I've watched this video numerous times and really like it! I have followed your plan. I was hoping to correct light green spots on my dark green leaves. I'm thinking not enough nitrogen. Maybe more worm castings?
If you've just applied the citrus treatment, wait a couple weeks to see how things improve. You can repeat the process every month until things balance out. Worm castings go a long way, so you may not need more. Just more time and consistency over the next few months. Keep me posted.
@@Gardenerd Thank you for the reply. I did wait 2 weeks for results, but there were no changes. Per instructions on the package I applied 1/2 cup of worm castings to a 16 inch pot. I may give it another try in a month.
@@pcaron3521 Got it. That sounds about right. Check your soil moisture as well, and make sure the drainage is flowing. Too much water can cause the plant to be unable to undergo photosynthesis - so yellowing would incur.
I am sure I did overwater a grapefruit tree I planted in the ground about 2 months ago. Many leaves dropped off and yellowed out - easily 2/3 of the tree. I pretty much stopped watering it except for once a week the last two weeks. Green leaves now are showing veins and fading to yellow. Some new growth on top. Do you recommend your fix with worm casting and acid soil for this ? Also, a drip line for 2-3 hours is really just drip sprinkler heads in the line ? Is that what you recommend for other fruit trees as well ? They are all on the same line and currently have 2-3 360 degree 7:49 sprinkler heads. It gets very hot here in the LA valley. Many thanks in advance !
There is a big difference between sprinklers and drip lines. They deliver water at a different rate. Drip line is best for efficiency and conservation. They have holes in the tubing every 6, 12, or 18" to delivery water right at the root zone. Sprinklers are inefficient in that they lose water to evaporation. If you can convert your system to drip, you'll save a lot in water costs over time.
It sounds like your tree suffered from transplant shock. Worm castings (and even better, kelp emulsion) help reduce transplant shock. Give the tree the treatment and see how it goes.
.....very informative
Thank you! Glad you found the video helpful. :)
@@Gardenerd 🤗
I had a branch that was damaged and fell off. . . It took some bark with it..will the bark grow back?
It depends. If you can trim up the break to the branch collar, the bark is more likely to grow back and heal the wound. But if it stripped down the tree, that part may not heal. Do not use any kind of "tree wound sealer". That will only prevent the tree from healing itself. If the wound is on the south side, you can cover the exposed area loosely with newspaper for a little while to protect it from sunburn until the canopy grows back in to cover it.
The Meyer has not been watered and it try to get lemons but there starting to grow but there very small tiny some have been burned and are black we can't see em water by the hose because the water prices are very high here so I am starting to water it with dish water from bottles that is the only way this tree is older and medium in height any advice out there that can help ?😢
There was an old lemon tree at my grandparents house it was really old but it wasn’t even a foot tall we mowed over it was there a way to fix if
Question - what mulch is preferred under Valencia Oranges - wood mulch, gravel, or nothing? Thank you very much.
I always favor chip bark / mulch around root systems over gravel because mulch feed microbes in the soil - it's a fungal food. Very good for fruit trees.
Liked and subscribed 😍
Thank you!
I have a dwarf, Meyer lemon tree in a pot, three years old, leaves are green. I just recently cut back to roots stock branches. I have no fruit and I fertilize two times a year. Should I mix in worm castings with my soil??
Try the citrus treatment in this video monthly until you see improvement. Most trees in pots need to be fertilized WAY more than 2x per year. Watering the pot flushes out nutrients. Give the citrus treatment a try and report back your results.
When I first repotted my tree early this year I had a tray under it and it stayed full of water for a month or so. I finally took the tray off but the tree was starting to look not so good already. The tree now has been without the water catching tray for a couple months. I have cut way back on watering and water once a week. Can I use this treatment and the tree will eventually get to the right amount of moisture in the soil or should I repot the tree again?
Your story sounds a lot like the one I told in my "How to save a pot-bound tree" video. My apple tree was drowning, but when we broke it free from it's pot and planted it in the ground it returned to life. It may take awhile, but it's worth a shot. This citrus treatment will give a shot in the arm to hopefully help generate some new leaves (I imagine many fell off while it was soggy). If you don't see improvement in a couple weeks, then consider examining the roots to cut away any dead/rotten roots and see if that helps.
@@Gardenerd it lost quite a few leaves but it still has a lot of leaves many of the leaves are curled under also they leaves are quite yellow with green veins. I have read the yellow with green veins is iron deficiency but don’t know what the curled under leaves means. The ph is not acid either! I have to help my tree! One man suggested azalea potting soil but so far I can’t find any. I have found azalea fertilizer, will that be a decent substitute even in your treatment? I’m heading over to a local nursery today.
@@Gardenerd Thank you for your response!
@@iknowheis Azalea mix (potting soil) is often labeled as Acid-loving planting mix or Rhododendron mix. The nursery should be able to help you with that. I imagine they will have some kind of potting soil for acid loving plants. The leaf discoloration has to do with the fact that the roots had no access to oxygen for quite some time (roots need oxygen in order to produce chlorophyll, through photosynthesis). Those leaves will most likely drop off, but the citrus treatment will encourage new leaf growth to replace them (hopefully soon). Acid fertilizer is a little different than acid planting mix, but both will help drop the soil pH, which citrus appreciates. Just don't overdue it. At the moment I would avoid using single nutrients to try to solve the problem. If the yellowing persists after the tree recovers (starts growing new green leaves), THEN consider the iron sulfate additionally. But usually trees don't need it once the citrus treatment takes effect.
@@Gardenerd Thank you!
How can I do worm casting on my own. I'm not a worm
It's pretty easy to start a worm bin (vermiculture) at home. It doesn't take up much space and you can feed it with food scraps. You'll find instructions on Gardenerd.com and in Gardening for Geeks, as well as a bunch of other sources. Just search "Start a worm bin".
Few of my citrus trees are a bit leggy; they are about 2 yrs old; it’s not full or rounded. I am trying to find a solution for this, and adding fertilizers
They need more time. After 3 years they will start to jump in size. The best thing you can do is remove the fruit and flowers so it can focus on root production. I know that's hard advice, but it will help a lot.
It isn’t clear to me if the the Azalea/Rhododendron Mix is a soil mixture or fertilizer. Could I use an organic acidified like Espoma instead? My citrus are in pots. The satsuma that I acquired last fall looks great. My Meyer lemon is about 9 years old and it periodically loses its leaves. We have had issues with spider mites and I found that treating with a little cold-pressed orange oil combined with a splash of organic dish detergent in a quart spray bottle with water is the best treatment I have found. I have overwintered my trees indoors and they will go outside once the danger of frost is past. The satsuma will likely go into the ground this spring but the lemon has to be moved indoors each year for the winter. I’m going to try your citrus treatment with my potted citrus. I should be getting a lot of lemons but haven’t had even one in the past couple of years. The satsuma should start to bear this year also. Fingers crossed! 🤞🏻
Acid Planting Mix is a soil mixture. I use it instead of a straight soil acidifier because folks tend to over-apply acidifiers (yours truly included) and that act has unintended effects (like making zinc more available in soils that have excessive zinc). Using acid planting mix as a mulch solves the problem and improves tree health. We use worm castings for spider mites and other sucking insects. You might try insect frass as well. I recommend those options over home made sprays.
Hi there. I just found you on RUclips. You seem very savvy about trees.
I transplanted a very small avocado and mango tree from seed into the ground. It’s been 2 months and they are not really growing. The avocado tree, I got rid of all the leafs when I transplanted it. It looks like it’s growing tiny greens, but it really never grown out those greens.
At transportation, I dug a huge, huge home and mixed the soil with native soil, potting soil, worm casting, peat moss,and organic fertilizer.
I’m being very careful with water so I would not over water them.
Both, mango and avocado tree are doing the same.
Any ideas of what us happening?
Dora, It could be a number of things. First, I generally don't recommend seed-grown trees (and you'll hear me say this a lot) because they most often don't breed true to type and they take about 10 years to fruit, if they ever fruit at all. So if you lose these trees, I wouldn't be heartbroken over it. Buy a grafted tree to replace them and you'll actually get fruit in a few years. Second, if the trees are buried too deep, they will struggle. Usually we use the guidelines of planting so that the graft union is above ground, but since your trees are seed-grown there is no graft union. Make sure the first root flare is showing at the base of each tree. That will be your guide. If you can't find it the tree is probably planted too deep. Lastly, it sounds like you amended the native soil with good stuff, but I would do a soil test to see if there are nutrient deficiencies. Fertilize based on those results. Simple soil tests are available from RapiTest at nurseries or online. I hope this helps.
Wow!! So much knowledge. I wish i found you last year lol. Im def subscribing!!! Question: My trees in pots are surviving, but not thriving. I repotted my dwarf keylime and meyer lemon just yesterday because i felt like my soil went anaerobic. I took off all the soil. I repotted with sand/perlitte/vermiculite/potting soil/crushed lava rocks/ with a little blood meal, citrus fertilizer and worm castings all mixed in. Then i sprinkled a tiny bit of worm castings on the top. Should I wait before I do your citrus treatment or should i do it now? Also i think my cypress pine bark that i usually use smells funny so i dont want to use it. Im not sure if it went bad stored in its plastic bag it came in. Is there another mulch u recommend? Rice hulls, cedar chips? BTW im in zone 8a
Thanks for subscribing, and I'm glad you found the info helpful. I would hold off on doing the citrus treatment until the tree recovers from transplant shock. For now, watering with diluted kelp emulsion will help reduce the transplant shock. Mulch is always good to add right away. It will help protect the roots (which are shallow in citrus) and retain moisture. As for mulch, I use whatever is available, but I usually avoid "color enhanced mulch".
@@Gardenerd IT WORKED!!!! After using my seaweed fertilzer for a few weeks. I applied the method to both trees and they both came back from near dead trees that I was going to throw out. Both were brown sticks in containers. After one treatment I saw some life. Most definitely after 2 treatment. They are now even budding. They have fresh new leaves. The keylime still have some brown branches, that I will probably prune off. But thank you so much for sharing this method!!!! I still cant believe it!!
@@TheJanicetunes So glad to hear!
Leaf miners destroy my trees every spring despite my efforts to pretreat for them. I will try adding worm castings and see if that helps. Thanks
Sorry to hear. I had great success by applying beneficial nematodes as a foliar spray. They haven't come back since. You'll find our video on that process here: ruclips.net/video/jPiVpC6RX-Y/видео.html. Check it out.
@@Gardenerd thank you very much!
Does this same thing apply to container grown orange trees?
Yes, you can use this treatment on container trees. You may have to feed more often and every year or so you may have to lift the tree to add more soil at the base of the container. Be careful not to bury the trunk and first root flare too much. Those should be exposed so just add amendments around it about 4" away from the trunk.
I’m in Zone 8b, and the lowest temp we’ve had this winter was 22 F. This is my second year with my Meyer lemon which I grow in a container. The leaves are looking a bit curled. I didn’t bring it in when the temps got that low. Any idea what I should do? Is it a gonner? Thank you!
It may have suffered some damage. Keep an eye on it for new growth and flowering. If it still has leaves, and they didn't all drop, that's a good sign. Use the treatment described in this video and you'll see new growth and fruiting soon, hopefully.
I just planted a Meyer lemon tree in my backyard. There is some yellowing and i am in southern California. @gardennerd i have seen some yellowing of my leaves would the recant rainfalls have anything to do with it, i did sprinkle some Epsom salt around the tree in case of a vitamin issue.
It sounds like transplant shock. Keep an eye on it for new growth, and make sure the soil is draining well. Soggy roots = death. Epsom salts are magnesium, which helps aid calcium uptake. Not really important for citrus trees unless they have blossom end rot. Better to amend with the citrus treatment above and see how it looks in a couple weeks. Repeat every month until you see improvement.
Im trying to grow lemon seedlings. My leaves are starting to get wilty, what can i do ? Their oly a few months old
Hard to tell from that description. Care to elaborate? What did you grow them from (seeds, cuttings?), what are they planted in? What color are the leaves? Are they grafted onto rootstock?
Started from seed , the leaves are still green , looking wilty, like they been lack of water.. although they definitely haven't..the dirt is moist.
Planted from seed, not grafted. They're about 6-6 in. Tall. They have about 8 leaves on them
@@goldenwhisper66 Sorry to hear. Seed-grown trees tend to be weaker than grafted trees, and there is no guarantee that the fruit will taste like the fruit you took the seed from. I always recommend starting from grafted trees to ensure success. That said, give the treatment in this video a try and see how it goes. Usually folks see improvement in 2 weeks from the first application.
I live in Phoenix and right now the temps are hitting 110+ daily and there are no clouds so it's intense sun. If I don't water every other day my improved Meyers and Navel orange trees are wilting. By watering every other day the leaves are yellowing and curling and dropping. I have not tried your citrus blend yet and will but right I believe getting the watering correct maybe more of an issue. Any suggestions?
My friend Greg Peterson of The Urban Farm has lots of info about growing citrus is Arizona. If I recall, it starts with making sure the surrounding soil is covered with at least 5 inches of mulch. That will keep soil temperatures down and help retain water. He also grows cover crops like cowpeas (blackeyed peas) and nasturtiums, and sweet potato vines to keep the soil covered all the time. You will have to water more often, but protecting the roots and keeping them cool will help reduce that need. Start there, if you aren't doing that already and see how it goes.
@@Gardenerd Thank you, I'll give that a try.
I would put a small canopy over your tree during those high temperatures
my bitter orange tree has a sticky clear substance on the leaves, and leaf stems what is going on here
It sounds like it's the start of either sooty mold, aphids, or scale. All of those things start with "honeydew" the sticky, sweet excrement exuded by aphids and other sucking insects. Sooty mold builds on top of that, and ants farm the aphids around. Look for ants, and if you see them, start by setting Terro Bait traps to reduce the ant population. Then the aphids and other sucking insects will reduce. Then apply the citrus treatment mentioned in the video (and Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden) and that will boost the trees natural defenses to ward them off.
Just found your site. We live in western oregon and have a meyer lemon tree over 30 yrs old that was given to me. It desperately needs to be repoted. We leave it in our mostly sunny garage Oct thru end of May. Then move it outside. It loves it. We have it currently in one if those big plastic tubs. We finally found a 65 gal poly watering tank that we are moving into. My hubby is bldg a cart to move it back and forth. What type of planting mix etc should I be using to repot this lemon tree? I have been reading alot on RUclips.
Any advice would be helpful..thanks
Wow, that's amazing, Sherry. I'm glad to hear your tree has been doing well under those circumstances. I usually plant citrus trees in acid planting mix, but I know a few people who recommend using a mixture of cactus mix and acid planting mix. Best to seek out products from your local nursery rather than big box hardware stores, which carry what's cheap, rather than what's good.
@@Gardenerdthat helps alot ..thank you so much!
What about if the citrus tree is in a container? Will this work for dropping new growth?
It usually does. It may be that you'll need to repot the tree into a larger pot at some point. You can add these ingredients to the bottom of the new pot for a longer-lasting boost.
@@Gardenerd I received the tree in February and repotted it into a 7 gallon fabric grow bag. When would i need to repot it into something bigger?
@@pureluck8767 Ah, grow bags are somewhat "self-pruning" since they allow a lot of air flow through the bag. The roots will air prune and that reduces the need to transplant them to the larger pot. The problem must be something else then. Hmmm. Try the citrus treatment and see how it goes.
@@Gardenerd will do, thank you!
Had a lemon water this morning. When opened had little black specs inside that I was able to remove with a spoon. Maybe about 8,10 in total. Anyone experience this? Lemon smelt fine but was a little strong.
I am growing my Meyers’s lemon tree in a container, can I follow those same steps as if it was in the ground? Thank you
Yes, you can. Just take care not to bury the first exposed root.
Home Depot has worm castings in a concentrated form 1 part casting to 3 parts soil. Should it be mixed with citrus soil and put on top of tree? I have a pomelo tree in 8 gallon container that I plan to put in ground and would like to adopt this method. I have another lemon tree in 5 gallon pot that I don't have space in the ground yet and would like to transplant to a 20 gallon pot. Does it make sense to upsize so much first of all? And can I also apply this method once upsized? Thank you in advance for your feedback.
I would use straight worm castings rather than a mix for our Citrus Treatment. Most nurseries carry bags of worm castings so check there for the real thing. And we recommend using acid planting mix to help drop the soil pH just a smidge. Citrus mix may have a lower pH, but check with the nursery first to make sure. As for sizing up, it's up to you. You can jump to a 20 gallon pot immediately when taking the tree out of it's nursery pot. The general rule of thumb is to move up 2" in size each time, but your plan doesn't sound too far off from that. Go for it. And yes, you can apply this treatment once upsized. Just make sure that first root flare is exposed. Don't bury the trunk too deep.
I have this yellow leaf problem on a young orange tree and I water mine with a water hose we do get some rain but I do use the water hose as well just not sure about the amount to get the soil wet enough or not any help would be appreciated
In the video we talk about frequency for watering citrus trees. More than 1x per week when it is in the ground is too much. If you think your soil is not taking in water well enough, get a moisture meter to diagnose the issue more clearly. They are an invaluable tool.
Thanks for all the info,
We have orange tree which gives small cutie oranges. This year we have lot of orange on tree, but most of the oranges are not getting juicy and they are dry from inside. So we can not eat them,
Could you please diagnose what is wrong with out orange tree??
What will be the good treatment for this??
Thanks
Sorry to hear. It's most likely that the tree didn't get the proper water it needed during the fruit's development stage. Or there was a frost sometime during that period that damaged the fruit as it was growing. Check your water supply to the tree and make sure it's working. Also check on your fertilization. It's possible (though less likely) that the tree is not getting the nutrients it needs. Here's a short answer on a university website: extension.arizona.edu/node/5353
@@Gardenerd thank you so much for replying. All the above is possible. We did not water the tree regularly, it’s very old tree. I should keep in mind next year about watering and fertilizer.
Thanks 🙏🏼
do coffee grounds, white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or cow milk (lactose intolerant pests), either together or some type of mix, get rid of spider mites or other pests?
I'll be honest. I don't mess with homemade remedies, because so many of them cause more damage than good. I take the biological approach and use beneficial nematodes that target mites or other pests. Check out our beneficial nematodes video for more details about that. Neem oil is the standard organic treatment for spider mites when it comes to sprays. If you haven't given that a try, consider checking it out.
@@Gardenerd than you!
Wat to feed-- to produce fruit
Hi there! I transplanted a tangerine tree a few weeks ago, it ended up loosing all of the leaves and most branches were easily broke off. The truck is green and the main branches are also still green underneath. Will this method work or do I need to do anything else?
Worth a try. It sounds like your tangerine has transplant shock. You can water it with kelp emulsion (which helps to ease transplant shock) as well.
Can I plant the Myers lemon in the ground in zone 7?
I found this great article on zone 7 citrus that I think you will find helpful. There are some orange varieties that are cold tolerant, and perhaps some kind of lemon, but check this out for some helpful hints: www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-7/zone-7-citrus-trees.htm
@@Gardenerd thank you so much. I already have my Myers lemon, it's in the house right now. I bhought it last year.
I appreciate the info. I actually have lemons and a lot of them but they are all on the bottom of the tree. The top branches don't flower or produce fruit and the leaves look very different from the bottom leaves. I did cut them back last year but they are back in force with no flowers or fruit and when I look it up it seems I am the only one with this problem. Could that be true?
Follow those unproductive branches back to their source branch. I'll bet you anything they are either water sprouts or root stock (both of which are unproductive). If they shoot straight up from a horizontal branch, they are water sprouts. If they are growing from below the graft union at the base of the tree, they are root stock. Cut them off using removal cuts. That will restore balance to the tree, and will reduce the burden on the rest of the tree so it can produce more fruit.
Hey my lemon tree is rather you g and its growing lemon balm or mint in my pot is this normal anybody knows?
Would you please tell me how long a lime tree can live. My one is 23 years old. I just wonder if i need to get rid of it and plant a new one. Thank you in advance.
Apparently they can live for over 50 years, so you have some time yet.
Hello, my soil is mostly red clay and I had mixed results when growing citrus. Some do well while other newly planted trees in the same area and under the same conditions just refuse to grow and remain stunted for years. Do you know what might be causing this?
It's important to check to make sure the trees aren't buried too deep. Many times the tree is buried too deep in the nursery pot, so "planting to the soil level", as is often advised, isn't actually a good idea. Make sure to expose the first root flare on the tree - sometimes that's 4-7 inches down! That can be causing stunted growth in the same location. Also, citrus prefers well-draining sandy soil, so aeration and organic matter are going to be your friend. If your trees that aren't performing well are still small, it is worth digging them up, amending the surrounding soil to a diameter of 3-5 feet with compost down to 12" and then replanting the tree.
That said, sometimes trees come with girdling (circling) roots, and there's not much you can do to fix that. They just don't do well. If you suspect any of these things, it may be time to inspect the root ball for other issues.