help with salt buildup

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

So my container planted citrus seedlings are driving me a little crazy. A few months ago they were showing signs of salt buildup (yellowing tips and small leaf deformities) after i fed them FP. I immediately flushed them clean with water and it seemed to halt the damage. but the yellow tips havent really gone away and either Im crazy or over the past few weeks it seems to slowly be spreading throughout the trees. The clear signs of the buildup is mainly on the lower/older growth but every day i check on them it just seems like there is a little more yellowing on higher/newer leaves. Also the new growth is just more pale than im used to.

The thing is, I cannot re-pot them with all new soil for reasons too lengthy to explain now. The soil is entirely a high-porosity peat based mix with added coarse perlite and coir husks. When i water I give them plenty of water always - enough that its running out the containers alot. Also I've checked my tap water PH and it seems ok - 6.5 ish.

The only explanation I can come with is the CRF I use in the soil - Lutz citrus tabs - that i put in the beginning of the spring . Is it possible the tabs are delivering too much food per watering for the seedlings to handle?

Is there any way to reduce salt damage on the trees without re-potting? Ive read somewhere that Gypsum can help - can i use it on potted citrus? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Featured Answer

Silica

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

In the realm of possibilities, I suppose it could possibly be a boron deficiency. I don't think Foliage Pro contains any boron at all. Having said all the above the chance of it being a boron deficiency is very very slim. Have you ever checked the bicarbonate level of the water.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

johnmerr
9 years ago
Are you by any chance watering your plants with water from a water softener?
myermike_1micha
9 years ago
I was wondering if I may why you can't re pot at this time? Too, how often do you flush that mix out with fresh water? Is there any way you can use rain water?

Mike
Related Professionals
Selma Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Hopkinsville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Greenville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Elgin Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Beatrice Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fort Collins Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Shreveport Landscape Contractors · Hartford Landscape Contractors · Newburyport Landscape Contractors · Kenosha Landscape Contractors · Jacksonville Home Builders · Clarksville Home Builders · Jamestown Home Builders · Mesquite Home Builders · Amherstburg Home Builders
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
I should have specified that - no water softener in use. After digging through a lot of online material I am wondering if its possible it is boron toxicity and not salt buildup. It is definitely affecting older leaves first and i am beginning to see some leaves dropping (one or two per tree). Is it possibly boron, and if so what are the remedies?
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
Mike I flush it every time I water - usually a little less than once a week, whenever they're dry. I have been trying to gather some rain water in buckets but i dont have a barrel and must use tap to supplement. Actually today i put them outside for the first time in a while because it was raining.

As for re-potting, I am Jewish (and practicing) and according to Jewish (Biblical) law one may not benefit from the fruits within the first three years of a tree's life. The beginning of the tree's "life" re-starts anytime its roots are removed entirely from soil. So all I can do is re-pot up and add fresh soil to the root ball , but unfortunately cannot remove all the old soil.
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
Silica I do not know how to check the bicarbonate level of the water and have never done so. what is that an indicator of?

Also, aside from the Foliage Pro (which has a small amount of boron accord to their website) I also have a few Lutz citrus tabs in ea pot which, according to the package contain .05% boron. While i noticed the yellowing tips after the FP, it is possible it was slowly happening before hand from the tabs. Another thing i saw somewhere is that while salts are easily flushed, boron is not. I dont know but I am pretty nervous about the long term health of my trees is the tabs in the soil are the problem b/c i have no way to get them out!
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Here's my main concern i guess - If it is indeed a boron problem, than leeching will do me no good and i should probably start feeding them more with a boron free or at least limited fertilizer like FP or Jacks. But if its a salt buildup then fertilizing will just be adding fuel to the fire. I'm just not sure what the right direction to go from is here -I am certainly nervous about adding too much fertilizer if salt is indeed the issue...

another pic
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
So this issue is getting worse on some of my trees - here are some new pics. I really could use any and all suggestions on what could be going on here. Is it boron? salt? nutrient?

notice the blotchy yellowing below

help please....
devsense
9 years ago
have u checked for root rot ? the symptoms are very similar to salt build up