Orange leaves dropping

20 years ago

I planted an Orange tree in the ground that appeared healthy enough. The tree is 3 ft tall. I planted using 1/3 Manure, 1/3 planting soil, and 1/3 sandy soil that was there. I watered every day at first and there is excellent drainage in soil. Afetr a week I switched to watering once or twice a week. A month after planting I furtalized lightly with Miracle grow citrus and sprayed with fish/ water sollution. The tree just steady looses leaves. It has since I planted. It's down to about 10 leaves. The top ones are the only ones left. Help me save this tree please. Also, I cut off the little oranges becuae I read that its better for a tree this small to not put it energy towards fruit. That seeemed to be when the leaves really started dropping. I'm in merritt Island Fl. Please help.

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Comments (3)

rickjames
20 years ago
3 things stand out to me:

1.Was the manure composted/decomposed/well-rotted or fresh?

2.You're sure about your drainage?--with all the added planting soil and manure, you may have more water retention than you think...you may want to check...also that seems like a lot of watering to me but I have a much different climate and soil here....you may want to lighten up on the watering unless you're sure it's not constantly wet around the rootball...especially with that description of the top leaves remaining. Did you loosen or remove the rootball soil when you planted or just plopped it in?--->I guess what I am asking is that you are sure that the actual rootball is getting some water? If the rootball is in one soil type and the surrounding soil is another you can have problems with not enough water getting to the roots; or, conversely, the roots could be waterlogged. I'd vote for scenario numero 2... :(

3. Was the fish stuff sprayed on in sunlight? I'm kinda concerned about foliar applications of anything potentially oily in hot sun especially, can cause your tree to defoliate...was it fish emulsion? But, you do say it has been losing leaves from the day you transplanted it--did the foliar spray accelerate it at all?

And where is Merritt Island? Surely in FL your temps have been fine...Is there anything else maybe like excessive salt in your soil or something like that?... Is there thriving citrus in your neighborhood?

It's ok to remove the baby oranges.

HTH.
clarktree
Original Author
20 years ago
HTH, Thanks for responding. Here is what I know about and can answer. It is composted manure. The light was low when I spray the fish emulsion. It was actually evning well after the heat of the day.
I did not touch the root ball when planting. I didn't know about that. I just ploped it in. So you want to break it up a little huh.
I will try drying the soil out a bit. I quess maybe because we are in a drought here I have just been too concerned about waterring and maybe the plant is to wet. I'll let it go to a dry cycle for a week or so.
Please give me any info you can thanks.
Merritt Island is Central Florida.
Steve
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pedroza
20 years ago
it sounds to me like one third manure is a lot of manure.
maybe it burned the roots.