Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
elliosc

Calamondin tree, leaf drop and now leaves are tiny

elliosc
10 years ago

I was wondering if anyone here knows what's happened. I've searched online to no avail.

I have a calamondin that was in a pot for about 1.5yrs. This spring, I planted it in the ground. Not too much later, all the leaves fell off, and then when they grew back, the leaves were about 1/4 the normal size.

Any idea how to fix this? They've been that way for probably 4-5 months now. The tree tries to flower, but won't set fruit for reasons which seem fairly obvious....

I assume there was some transplant shock going on, but I kind of figured it would correct itself.

Ground is not over-watered, and I fertilize monthly during the growing months along with my other fruit trees.

Thanks in advance!

Comments (6)

  • hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
    10 years ago

    Probably perfectly normal, elliosc. Without photos, hard to know for sure, but it sounds normal. The leaves will grow, but if you're getting lots and lots of new flush all at once, the leaves will all be a bit smaller. Just a bit of transplant shock, not to be unexpected. Citrus are tough, especially the Calamondin. Just give it a few months, I'm sure you'll see all those little leaves get much bigger.

    Patty S.

  • citrusweekendwarrior
    10 years ago

    I agree with hoosierquilt.
    If given the right conditions Calamondins will bloom even when they are weak. But the fact that it's blooming means its on an upswing.
    As a side note, my calamondin never had a consistent leaf size. But mine is in a large container and brought in for the ohio winters. Often it will drop over half its leaves before it can be taken back upside.

  • elliosc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the replies. I guess I will continue to wait it out.

    I'm so disappointed that I'm starting to get ripe pomegranates and no ripe calamondins to go with them. Pomegranate juice mixed with "calamondin-ade" is absolutely delicious.

  • johnorange
    10 years ago

    Elliosc, maybe we can work out a trade. My calamondin is doing well but my pomegranite not so well. Last year it set one fruit that was half grown when a squirrel cut it off and tasted it. Wondering what fruit goes best with baked squirrel.

  • elliosc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Ugh. I hate that. My orange tree has dropped all its fruit the past 2 years (just bought the tree 2 years ago). So disappointing.

    Did the pomegranate flower but not set fruit? If so, maybe the female flowers simply were not pollinated. That's what happened to me last year (first year growing them). By the time I figured it out, I was able to hand pollinate three of them.

    This year I hand polinated a bunch, but also watched a couple and saw one that pollinated on its own.

    If you can't tell the difference between male and female, the female flowers are bigger and more swolen at the base. Inside the flower, there is the "female part" (for lack of knowledge of the proper term) sticking out in the center. Once you figure out which is which, they are easy to recognize. And I think it is all male at first, and even when the females start forming, they are greatly out numbered.

    You can hand polinate them with a soft paintbrush.

  • johnorange
    10 years ago

    elliosc, ahhh, maybe you are right about the pollenation. My tree only had one or two flowers at a time so there probably werent enough to get adequate pollenation. Maybe next year I'll go down and collect pollen from a neighbor.