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eschmick

Please help my poor meyer lemon...

12 years ago

Hi all,
I am at odds with this poor Meyer lemon.

When I bought it in May from lemoncitrustree.com it was doing pretty darn good, with full leaves and lots of little lemons. Here's what happened next:

-Flowered over the summer and made new little lemons which have now fallen off
- Was planted in a mix of "Citrus and Cactus Mix" from Miracle grow, plus about 10-20% perlite.
- Gnats started to become a problem so I watered less an mixed in more Perlite, and sprayed neem oil if I saw gnats
- Fertilized 2x with Jobes Organic Citrus Fertilizer
- Leaves began to fall off after the first cold night, so I brought the lemon inside
- Leaves continued to fall off... and the ends of the branches began to turn brown...
-Added a 60W Grow Light (though a 150 watt light is in the mail, because I think it needed more)
- My poor lemon tree is now almost entirely naked, and the few leaves that are left look oversized and are not a deep, healthy green.

Please help, it would be so appreciated! More photos to follow.
Em

This post was edited by eschmick on Sun, Oct 19, 14 at 11:31

Comments (14)

  • 12 years ago

    Another Photo.

  • 12 years ago

    Your poor tree. I would agree it needs more light, and if possible get that light above the tree, not pointing up from below. Sounds like your soil is too heavy too, I'm not a container citrus pro by any means as all my trees are in ground with the exception of one, but most folks here on the forum fertilize with dyna gro foliage pro, the fertilizer you are using is what I use on occasion for my in ground citrus trees. I would also look at changing your soil to 5-1-1 mix which is much lighter and suited for your Meyer that will spend most of its time indoors. Did you have it outside at all during the summer or has it always been an indoors plant? It could have been adversely affected when you brought it back indoors, Meyer lemons are particularly sensitive to environmental changes or light changes.
    Evan

  • 12 years ago

    A 13 watt CFL daylight is fine. Incandescent are worthless: to much Heat / little usable light. You can also enclose your tree in a corner and close in the other 2 sides and a 23 watt CFL would be fine. Dry wall Or oriented strand board (OSB). Make 2 foot wide by 4 feet tall and you can raise the light as the tree grows. Click on the picture to see my Photo Bucket display of lighting options

    {{gwi:557507}}
    The picture above shows last winter and the link below shows a very current picture of my sweetlee tangerine tree from seed. It spent all winter under my lighting set ups.

    Steve

    PS use mouse thumb wheal to see 8 megapixel pic. Give it time to refocus for sharp image

    Here is a link that might be useful: https://plus.google.com/photos/111099372377958308731/albums/5961857381151877457/6065812818200218530?banner=pwa&pid=6065812818200218530&oid=111099372377958308731

  • 12 years ago

    Thanks for the advice, I will put up something to help keep the light in place. Also, the lamp I ordered is this one:

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DRBOJ8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Supposed to mimic sunlight.

    Also, does anyone have advice on watering? I don't know if I am over or under watering. Colorado is very dry, but I occasionally get some fungus gnats, so I really don't know. Since it moved inside, I water about 3 cups every 3-4 weeks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sunlight Lamp

  • 12 years ago

    Use a wooden dowel or kabob stick to put in your soil all the way to bottom of your pot and then pull it out and check to see if there's moisture all the way down. If there is then don't water, if there isn't then water until it flushes out of the bottom of the pot.
    Evan

  • 12 years ago

    "I water about 3 cups every 3-4 weeks."

    Sheesh, the thing needs water! Enough each time that it runs out the bottom drain holes.

    And If it runs out as soon as you pour it in, the rootball is dry that it has pulled away from the pot. So you need to soak it.

    And no timetable please. Best method is as needed.

    This post was edited by jean001a on Sun, Oct 19, 14 at 18:45

  • 12 years ago

    Miracle grow cactus citrus is the worst soil you can use too much peat moss adding perlite helps but just a bad soil. I have killed two trees using this soil I use E.B stone orchid mix,E.B STone Cactus citrus and perlite blended in 1/3s. Most people here is sware by 511 Gridley mix for me it drys out to quickly so I came up with own mix. Definitely not enough light meyers will shed all leafs and regrow new ones if light is to low. Go to Walmart and get cfl 6500k 13 or 25w day light bulb to give it light until your ordered bulb comes. I know you don't want to hear this but I would take the lemon off the tree so it can recover. Otherwise it will put all its energy into the fruit and not growing new leafs. I would also check the roots for root rot & repot if possible into better draining mix. I have 2 meyers and they have tempers get unhappy easily. If u have the 3yr warranty on the tree as I did with my trees from them. I would contact them for replacement they will send you a new tree at no charge all you have to do is send them pictures of your current tree. Hope it helps.
    Trace

  • 12 years ago

    When the tree lost its leaves did they turn yellow and fall off or did they curl up and dry up turn brown and fall off. Without seeing what caused leaf lose hard to say if u have pics of tree during its the decline it would be helpful.

  • 12 years ago

    Gnats are always a sign of a very poor mix and decay..

    Now whether your tree lost root to desciation or to too much moisture is hard to determin exactly..But by your decription, I am going to assume with Jean that you are underwatering it and then the roots dry out. Then once you water it, you have roots dead that are not taking up moisture, rotting and decaying bringing gnats.

    Have you checked the roots to see if they are healthy? You would know that)

    Some parts of your mix are probably staying wet while other parts not getting wet at all? You would know that)

    Why are you watering in just cups? Are you giving your tree sips every time you water?
    If you are, watch for salt toxitity and uneven moisture..You would know that if the bottom saucer has white in it, or if the soil looks discolored and roots are dead brown and if areas in your mix are dry while other areas damp..)

    Almost always when branches turn brown your roots are gone that support that part of the tree..
    Leaves falling don't concern me as much as branches turning brown.
    Either your condition is something that has built up over time, or just a quick response to a simple solution.

    I would check the roots and make sure the roots look nice and biege or white and don't smell.
    I would make sure the mix is moist throughout after watering.
    I would make sure the mix is porous.
    I would be sure it's getting at least 8-10 hours of sunlight or a very bright light is use if you keep it at room temps.
    I would change the mix as a 911 if the roots are ok.
    I would not fertilize it until you can put it outside again or give it bright light.
    I would make sure to flush it if the mix is ok.
    I would water until the water runs out of the bottom every time I water.
    I would use a wooden dowel or kabob stick until I make sure my watering practices are ok and I can judge on my own, usually by nudging the pot or picking it up after wet and then when dry.

    If you need more help, let us know..)

    Mike

    This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Mon, Oct 20, 14 at 13:01

  • 12 years ago

    Zones for CO go from 6a down to 2b. Which section are you in.

    Steve

  • 12 years ago

    You have received great advice so far. I would take the tree out of the dark corner and move directly in front of the most sunny window in your house. Do you have any unobstructed south facing windows? As said earlier, any lights for the tree should be pointing down over the leaves.

    It is more challenging to grow citrus in colder climates, but I have succeeded in Zone 6 NY and now I live in Zone 7 WA. Here are some tips from my experiences. Most important factors are: well draining soil, light, humidity, temp, fertilizer. Plan accordingly for each factor. Also use tools like a temp/humidity meter and moisture meter.

    If your tree receives less than 6hrs of light you should consider investing in a grow light. Use humidifier if indoor air is too dry.

  • 12 years ago

    I believe you answered your own problem you said you began watering less.

    1. water the tree until water starts pouring out from the drainage hole at the bottom

    2. Get that poor tree some sunlight!

    3. get a wooden dowel, kabob stick like mentioned and stick in the soil at the bottom and use your judgment to figure when to water again.

    hopeful things should come around.

    Mile

  • 12 years ago

    first things first if the tree is in trouble and has no leaves get the last fruit off. then put in more near that window any natural light is good light just as long as the sun is not beating on it for more that a few hours a day. then get it out of that miracle grow stuff is so bad for long term growing and sometimes you will get bags with fungus gnat larvae or eggs in it. the cactus stuff i used before once and never used it again have such a gnat infestation and the plants just died in it. i would recommend coco coir 30-40% some good organic compost 30% and around 40% Pearl lite is great you can get good pre-mixes just like that at local hydroponics stores or online those organic mixes work best for me. then once in the new soil give it half strength of normal fertilizer and keep it consistently moist BUT NOT damp let it dry a bit before the next watering.

    Here is a link that might be useful: TheItalian Garden

  • 12 years ago

    Any fruit growing on freeze damaged branches should be removed immediately after the frost.Some of the fruit may be salvageable, but freeze burned lemons will not ripen.Protect the tree from sunburn,a problem when leaves are lost to the freeze.

    Here is a link that might be useful: casual shirts for men