Meyer Lemon struggling, please help

10 years ago

Bought a potted Dwarf Meyer Lemon three weeks ago. Transplanted it into a cedar planter. I used standard potting mix when transplanting. The plant had tons of blossoms when I transplanted it. Looking back on it I realize I probably should have waited. My wife watered it twice while I was gone for work last week and when I returned, I was upset to find it in pretty poor health.

As you can see, MANY of the older leaves have yellowed and begun falling off. The leaves that are yellowing are yellowing from the veins outward...

Additionally, the newer growth leaves have become a very light green. You can see them here in comparison to older leaves not yet showing signs of yellowing...

I watered it immediately last night thinking that it is starved for water. We live in Pasadena CA. (When in town I usually water the plant ever two-three days, since I just transplanted it). Today, I wanted to do some investigation on the soil so I dug down several inches to gauge the level of moisture. The backfill soil had decent moisture, not overly wet and not too dry. I noticed when I dug toward the original root ball that the soil in between the roots (original) was very dry. It was as if all the watering I have been doing has not been penetrating into the root ball area. Anybody experienced anything like this?

In my research I see that it could also be a nutrient deficiency. When I purchased the bush I bought some Vigoro Citrus and Avocado Plant food. It is a 6-4-6 time-release fertilizer. I applied some this morning in an attempt to provide some nutrients.

I ordered a soil testing kit which should arrive tomorrow. I will test for pH, N, P, K levels. Anybody have any insight into what I should/Shouldn't do at this point? I'm really worried that I'm going to lose this plant which was a present for my wife. Any assistance would be very appreciated.

Featured Answer

evdesert 9B Indio, CA

10 years ago

You're in Pasadena, if possible I'd plant it in the ground. Then you won't have to worry about all of the issues of potted Meyers.

Evan

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

tim45z10
10 years ago
Plants, trees go through a period of shock when transplanted.

Slighty less water now in the ground. Patience. Yellow leaves are normal.
Silica
10 years ago
If the original root ball is dry, then the tree is not getting any water. Water will pass through the area of least resistance. It looks like when you water the tree the water is just running down the sides (backfill) and not into the root ball where the tree's roots are. You need to insure that the root ball is wetted. Lastly, how much larger is the container that the tree is now planted in then was the original container? - Silica
Related Professionals
Galveston Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Clarksburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Chillicothe Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Taunton Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Portsmouth Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Riverside Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Spokane Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Tuscaloosa Landscape Contractors · Lawrenceburg Landscape Contractors · Middletown Landscape Contractors · Westerly Landscape Contractors · Santa Barbara Landscape Contractors · Pittsburg Home Builders · Plattsburgh Home Builders · Mesquite Home Builders
bburrets
Original Author
10 years ago
@Silica - The plant came in a 15 Gallon planter. The new container is roughly 2' x 2' x 2.5'. Id say that the back-fill is roughly 6"-8" around the root-ball of the original plant. What would you recommend at this point Silica?
myermike_1micha
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Wet the root ball thoroughly...Ensure that it is soaked well and then keep monitoring the moisture of the root ball with a wooden dowel or some kind of stick with a sharp point pushed deeply into the root ball, and keep monitoring it until that root ball starts growing into the surrounding mix..

May I ask? Did you just slip the tree right onto w new mix and filled around it? Did you loosen the roots ensuring the new mix gets into the root ball?

If you didn't, the soil mix will rot withing the root ball while the surrounding mix stays pretty much in tack..I would re do the re pot and keep that tree shaded for a few days...Looks like you re potted it and just stuck it right back into the hot sun..Too, you should always hold back on any fertilizer that could burn the roots until they start working again and utilize what you have applied properly...
bburrets
Original Author
10 years ago
How does one monitor and determine that it is growing into the surrounding mix? When I slipped it out of the 15 gallon container I loosened the soil around the roots so they would be established in the backfill. I will hold off on the fertilizer from here on out. What should my watering cadence be at this point? I do not want to starve it of necessary water but I also want to avoid root rot.
Silica
10 years ago
Expanding on mikeno_1micha's post about loosing the roots so that they would expand into the new soil. Thkere is an old saying and it is "a root grows as a bullet goes". Meaning a root will continue to grow in the direction that it is pointed until it hits a solid object which causes it to deflect into a new direction, las when a root hits the inside of the containers wall and begins to circle around and around. Therefore, if the roots in the original container had hit the side walls and had started circling the inside of the container they will continue to go in that circle and will not grow into the new medium, or at least for not for a considerable time. Normally when a tree is transplanted into a larger container, the new container is 2-3 inches larger. - Sicila