I would cut the dead twigs and also watch the watering. The roots are being too cold, keep the tree at the same height, but move it little further away from the window. When did you feed it last time?

I feed it every month since its the winter. I've been very cautious with the watering. I pruned one of the long branches down a bit to get rid of some dying wood. Is it normal that its still flowering?

It is normal for a tree to flower and set fruit, but for a potted citrus it has to have 15-20 leafs for each fruit it is going to produce.

It will eventually drop any fruit that it cannot support, but if any fruit sets, I'd prune it off. The tree is too small to fruit with being stunted, let it grow another year at least.

I agree with sunshine. It will likely drop the fruit, but if it does not, pluck it off. You want the tree to spend its energy growing leaves and recovering instead of fruiting.

Definitely don't let your tree set fruit, it might just finish it off. I would cut off the dead flower heads before they had time to set fruit. I would also consider moving it away from the widow another 20 - 30cm if you could. That said the fact that you still have leafs on there is a good sign. If the tree is dying back I generally wait until spring to trim the dead wood. Those of us with snow and no greenhouses will generally see some leaf drop in the winter. Enjoy the flowers, keep it warm/don't let it set fruit and you'll have a happy tree again soon.

This might be helpful: http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=13332.0

Kevin Ponderosa Trees would be one of the easiest trees to grow and do just fine with cool temps, lots of light...

What I am concerned about is the soluble salt residue in your mix due to fertilizing and a dense mix..You water with tap water? You said that you fertilize once a month? All contain salts...Those flower pedals should be a lot longer and and flower fully opened telling me the roots are struggling..

What do you use? Do you ever flush your mix out? How do you know when to water? One a weak might be too many times in a dense mix if cloudy and cool and then not enough on days it is sunny and hot in that window...That window is just perfect of you are getting Geraniums to bloom there....

Right now, the most important thing is to make sure you are flushing that mix out at least once a month or use fresh spring or rain water.

I would pull back on fertilizing right now until it goes outside in much warmer temps and longer sunny days..That is what I would do..

Those salts can be toxic as also a dense mix which can suffocate and kill off much finer roots that do the bull work of growing that tree and holding on to all branches fruit and leaves..A tree that size should be able to carry fruit with no issues.

Do you think that I should repot the lemon tree in citrus soil and then give it a good rince? I followed the instructions from my local nursery when I reported it at first, they told me to use normal garden soil (I know its horrible, I might even have root rot).

Kevin, if you want me to guide you I don't mind at all. It might not be what you expect but it will help you to be very successful at growing that into a beautiful tree..Most will depend on your care, but I can you the guidance you need to help you along...

For starters, I would not use that 'citrus soil' as is nor would I do a transplant at this time. I can help you around that if you would like)

Hi Kevin. Do not repot at this time of year; if you think that you might have some root rot/moisture issues then ease up on your watering instead. As for soil, remember that citrus roots like water but also need oxygen. A light fluffy soil mixture that resists compaction over time is perfect for citrus. There are many ways to do this but amongst the most effective and most readily available is the addition of perlite to a QUALITY potting soil. However there are many members on here who would love to tell you what the use as low cost or 'no cost' alternatives. If cost is an issue for you, I would definitely take advantage of their experience.

Hi Mike, I would love guidance. I always have trouble deciding on small things like pruning, fertilizing, setting fruit and giving the tree adequate lighting. How would you help?

Kevin, I will be back right after 6 later..I have a few ideas for you to hold you over until this late spring....

Kevin, that is the classic symptom in my opinion of salt deposits destroying very sensitive and fine roots, a lack of aeration and stable warmer temps...Your roots are dying back only supporting bud formation, something most dying trees do, and an inability of root absorption of nutrients and water preventing good leaf formation and green vivid coloring..

If you are game, this is what I would do...

I love what Greenscape and others had to say..We are almost always on the same page around here which makes this the best forum I know of to date. In fact I should of said to work with us, not me since we have all learned from each other. I just feel like taking a personal interest in you which I have not done for some time..

This is what I would do step by step...

I would make sure your tree is first of all getting as much sunlight as possible and that temps remain above 55 at all times..Is that what you have?

I would make sure that the next time your mix dries out, you drain it 3x the amount the pot would hold with fresh clean water? Have you done that yet?

Before you water, I would lift the pot and make sure it feels much lighter. Learn to gauge when to water. Lift it once you saturate it and again when you know the mix is dry. Do you do this? How do you know when to water? Please explain how you know ? Do you use wooden dowels? Do you use the finger method?

I would buy or find a pot, anything, even a bucket that is bigger than that pot it's in...Do you have one? Can you get one? Do you have more mix hanging around or bark mulch? Can you buy a bag of mulch at a hardware store?

I would fill that bigger bucket with the mix or mulch and then lay that pot inside the bigger one on top of the mulch or mix so that the pot will sit on it as if like a raised bed. It will force what ever moisture you have in that mix in that pot the tree is in away from it leaving you with no perched water at ll, the culprit that kills your roots..You will be able to water more copiously and let in drain out each time taking any salt deposit away with it..

I would NOT fertilize until you see active growth, I mean very good growth start inside or until you have stuck it outside in much warmer weather....But, I would use a cupful of vinegar in a gallon of water every time you water until your get nice green growth again and then use often..

Let me know if you want to try this and if you have any questions? Do you get what I have said? It's pretty easy. It's all an attempt to hold off on re potting until it's a much better time all the while making that mix a bit more bearable for your tree..

Once you can flush that mix out every time you water, and do a major flush of three times the size of the pot once a month, that tree will show remarkable signs of improvement Kevin...

Mike

Mike, do you mean a cupful, not tablespoon of vinegar? Cupful is a lot, no?

Also remember to use water that is not cold. If you are using tap water you should also let it sit for a day to let the chlorine gas off (keep it safe from kids and pets).

I have been wondering how often to flush. So, once a month, year round?

I did not read all of the comments, but when you do repot, I would recommend the 5-1-1 mix, which is not a low cost alternative, but works great.

Hi Mike, right now I live at my grandmother's house for the next month. She won't allow me to put the tree in a 2nd pot with mix in it. She will not understand what's going on and will find it ugly. I will however water the tree thoroughly to get rid of all of the salt deposit. I will also clean the top of the soil as I think there is some fungus groing on the mulch that I put the there a few months ago.

It receives constant heat over 65F and often higher with low humidity because we heat with wood.

The vinegar will also be tried. Wish me luck guys.

Thank you VERY much

Thanks Vladimir....Kevin, ONE CAPFUL, the top of the bottle cap or tablespoon per gallon of water))

Kevin, let me take a couple of pics of what I mean so you can see how easy it is and how appealing in can be....Good luck my friend..

Anymore questions ask here or e0mail me. No problem.

I don't want to add any confusion, but I thought it was one teaspoon vinegar per gallon?

(With the ultimate goal of getting your tap water to approx. pH 6 so that it can use the nutrients.)

For fungus, I actually use apple cider vinegar (ACV) mixed with water. For that I do use one tablespoon per gallon (or as much as 3 tablespoons per gallon).

Kevin - what is your water source? Do you use a water softener?

Hibiscus no confusion. Thank you. A use a tablespoon or capful sometimes more. It's not harmful at all.

Kevin. Your mix i s not drying fast enough to allow frequent gas exchange every time you water, which should be more often. If you skip this important step, you still run the risk of root rot what you are experiencing now . You have to find a way to wick away the perched water until you can do a full re pot with a porous mix that does not mold hold the salts from tap water and fertilizers. It's easy, effective, and not a big deal. You just sticking that pot into one a size bigger that's it. Takes up no more room and can actually look very pleasing. I'll take a few pics later for you. ))

I use anywhere from no vinegar to 1 tablespoon per gallon to adjust the pH to to about 6 to 6.5. It varies because the pH of my tap water varies because my town switches the water source from one well to another. Consequently, I have to check the pH of my tap water once in a while.

I will keep you guys updated. No leaves have been lost this weekend(fingers crossed)

Kevin, that's great! I am happy you decided to do that..You almost get a sense of security knowing that have a perched water in that second pot will help prevent a water logged mix and root rot as the excess moisture wicks into the pot underneath. You will be happy you did it..I have yet to take a couple of pics of some of mine to give you an idea of how nice things can look, but I have been sick..I will do so very soon. You are watching this thread, right?

Good job

Mike

Yes I'm on the website everyday too. Its lost 3 more leaves since but the damage had already been done. Staying hopefull. Worst off i'll buy a new one in the spring, be smart this time and get a meyer and a tangerine tree

Kevin, now that I am better, I will take a couple of pics this week. We had a 20 inch snow storm here and I had to shovel the heaviest snow I ever had too. I'm so tired..Good job. Yes, I assume there is still past damage. Too bad we can't get our trees out now when that happens. The warm sunny days always seem to bring anything back from the dead. I have trees loosing leaves left and right getting tired of being cooped up all winter long so don't feel bad. s long as your watering is doing ok it should start to create new roots..Do you use Pro-tek? Great stuff..

Hi, little update for you guys. My tree hasen't lost any new leaves for a few weeks. Its lost alot of branches, big ones too but slowly its been coming back to life. I'm waiting a few days for pictures so the new leaves are out. I have some new small branches coming off where the big ones died off. I dont really understand why but where the biggest new branch is coming out (about 1 week old) there is also flower buds growing... jeez that tree just won't stop flowering even if it kills it hahaha.

thats good

Just unpotted it, lots and lots of root rot with actual mold growing in the soil. I got the bad soil out and then got rid of all of the rotted roots. Its now in a new pot with good draining soil. I also fertilised it with Jobes organic fruit tree fertilizer. Anything else I should do?

There's not a lot else you can do that is organic in nature. I would hit it with a transplant fertilizer/ rooting hormone mixture. You may also consider an anti fungal treatment, but it should be fine with the better draining soil, the increasing light and increasing temperatures. Glad to see he's doing better :)