I can't help you beyond responding so your post comes to the top and someone else does see and can help

Thanks!!

Well, if it's been 12 years and no fruit, I'd probably opt to shovel prune the tree. Not sure what's going on with the 3 trunks. You don't say if this was a grafted tree or a seedling tree. If grown from seed, it can take even as long as 20 years for a grapefruit to produce fruit. The 3 trunks are problematic due to the very sharp angle at the base, which makes the tree prone to disease, which may be what you're seeing at the base - foot rot. And, if you see that the leaves are different on each branch of this tree, or one of the branches has different shaped leaves (and thorns), then this could have been a grafted tree that someone has allowed the rootstock to develop into a large trunk, which will of course NOT produce grapefruits at all, but some sour fruit akin to the rootstock variety. So, provide some photos of the leaves of each branch, and let's see what you've got. You are in a marginal zone for all citrus, and grapefruit in particular need lots of heat units to sweeten up. Rio Red is probably the least demanding of heat units as far as 100% grapefruits go, though. But, still need more info about your tree to really be able to give you good advice.

Patty S.

Thanks, the tree is 12 feet tall not 12 years old. I only put the picture of the bottom since I described it. I thought the shape was nice so maybe I should have asked questions before it got big. The black is just pruning paint so I think that is ok. It will take a few days probably to get more pictures, we are in a steady storm cycle that is going to last at least that long. Just with today's rain all day the tree is looking a little better. This year is the first that it got blooms but i'm not sure that any have turned to fruit. It is only this year that I am seeing this problem and on the bad trunk, the lower leaves look good and it gets worse as you go up. Last year was the first time I needed a ladder to prune it and it grew a lot- even in winter. I will check back in as soon as I can take more pictures. Thanks again.

Okay, so let's get back to my questions - is this a seedling tree or did you buy a grafted tree from the store or nursery? How old is the tree? What do you mean by "bad trunk?" The comment I made about the health of the trunk is not the obvious black pruning paint :-) But a comment about the bark at the bottom of the tree, which does not look healthy to me in the photo. A section of it appears to look like the bark is compromised with foot rot, but it's hard to tell as I don't have a close up enough photo to tell for sure. The issue with the shape of the tree are two-fold - poor trunk formation with the very acute trunk angles and the tree is simply too tall. Trees are always sturdier with a solid single trunk. You really want your back yard fruit trees to be "picking height". No one wants to scale a ladder in the yard to pick fruit, it is dangerous and not necessary if you keep your trees pruned down to a safe height. If you have blooms this year, you may have some fruit set, so that's great for you. I would be concerned about one trunk having thorns, and the other trunks not sporting thorns. That would lead me to believe you have a large section of rootstock growing. I asked if the leaves look different on that trunk, versus the rest of the tree. Can you tell us that? If so, and if this is the trunk that has thorns, it may just be rootstock, and in that case, you would definitely want to cut that trunk section out of your tree. If that is the section of the tree that had the blossoms, you may just end up with a bunch of inedible rootstock fruit.

Patty S.

Ok I am not being clear at all. The "bad trunk" is the one with the sad branches at the top. In the pictures, it is the left trunk in the pic of the base of the tree and in the picture of the whole tree, it is the center trunk. I bought the tree at a nursery in a small pot I think about 7 years ago. They told me it would get up to 15ft tall. It was brushy with a lot of trunks so I picked out some to keep and as it got bigger, I chose these 3 trunks to keep. I repotted it to a bigger pot for a couple years until I put it in the ground. All of the trunks have thorns, it is just the one that seemed to only have thorns on the branches as they reach higher. I noticed that that trunk didn't have flowers even on the lower branches with normal leaves. I am really shocked today to see the leaves growing very fast on that branch just with the rain all day. There were tiny leaves starting that took off today. Just at a glance all the branches on all trunks look the same but I will take some pics of the leaves for you. I don't usually water the tree because I run my air conditioner drip to a rose bed and banana trees about 10 feet away and we get rain regular. I can start treating the bottom with daconil if you think that might help. It is planted a little higher than the rest of the area so it never sits in water. The nursery said to plant it high so I did so you can see some the root. We do have a lot of clay in the soil here. Last Year I thought the shape was not so good and when I looked online at pics, it seemed that all the pics looked messy in their shapes so I decided to see if I could train the tree to take a better shape and cut off a lot of the branches that were clumped together and crossing each other. If you think it is too big, I can cut off the top where the sad branches are anyway. I had hoped to get a little shade from it but that really doesn't matter. With our erratic winters lately, my hopes aren't high to ever have edible fruit. We usually are still hot into november.
thanks again, Joan

Here are the new pictures. The barren branches are filling out fast. A closeup of the base- it shows the top of the roots since I was told to plant it high when I bought it. I see the peeling bark. The leaves closeup have the leaves from the trunk that I have worried about all the way to the right. The others are from the 2 other trunks. The first pic of just a branch is from the trunk I am asking about. The leaves at the base of this branch are normal.

jtxl, it looks to me like you have a seedlings or several seedlings originally in the pot that grew into a multi-trunked tree. Hence the thorns and lack of fruit for so long. So, up to you to keep it, and hope for fruit in the next year to 8 years, or, remove and plant a grafted tree that will will you fruit in a year. It's a pretty tree, yes, there appears to be some foot rot, but not bad. Just be sure you're watering the tree at the drip line and not at the trunk. I'd remove those concrete blocks from under the tree - they're not helping anything, and I'd create a nice large well under the tree that extend to the edge of the tree canopy or a bit beyond. That's where you'll want to water and fertilize. Be sure you're fertilizing your tree 3 to 4 times a year with a good quality citrus fertilizer. Also, the soil under your tree looks awfully dry, so do be sure to water regularly.

Steve, why don't you start a new message thread about this topic instead of tacking onto this one? To answer your question - you can receive citrus, but may need to have it inspected. It is more about who is shipping you the citrus. Where do they live? That will allow me to answer your question. You have to have one main USDA office in your state:

http://www.agri.ohio.gov/contacts.aspx

Patty S.

Thanks for your help, We got a bunch of rain again and it looks even better so I freaked maybe too quickly. I can see now that it wasn't getting enough water where the patio area is. I will take out the blocks and since it is a patio area, I will put gravel all around it. If I can keep it looking healthy, I will keep it. I still like the citrus smell it gives off. I can get another grafted tree to put in a better spot.

Jtxl, if you're in an area that doesn't get a lot of rain, I would not use gravel, but I would use wood chip mulch. It will biodegrade and improve your soil. Just keep it about 6-12" from the tree trunk.

Patty S.

Thanks, we are gulf coast here- wetlands. Last year there were a family of alligators in the back ditch. The county came out and cleared the brush but someone had a feast first. It has been a long time since we had a dry summer. I expect most of the wood mulch is chemical treated in case I ever do have grapefruit. Is the cedar mulch safe? Cedar is the only one I see here without color treatment. I have a large Loquat that has been great with a very big area of gravel for at least 14yrs. They are almost ready to pick now. I will be fighting the birds for some but it's ok, I mostly just eat them when I am out doing yard work. Maybe if I net an area, I would like to try it with pork chops. I worry with the mulch because places I do have it, even with raking it and turning it, it gets moldy underneath.

Last year there were a family of alligators in the back ditch

See ya later alligator after while crocodile.

An alligator is a crocodile but a crocodile is not always an alligator

Ha! topsoil.... Ha Ha! all sand and clay here. I have to make dirt beds for flowers and veg.