Help! Don’t know what I’m doing!

elizabethmjohansen

8 years ago

I bought my mini calamondin tree two years ago. It was gorgeous when we brought it home - lots of leaves and fruit. After a few months, we left the country, left with a friend and when I got it back, dropped all of its fruit and leaves except 5. I’ve nursed it back to what it is today over the last year and a half. But it’s still looking pretty pathetic. It grew fruit this summer and obviously new branches/leaves. It’s indoors always (I live in Denmark). It sits by a window (East facing)so in the summer got light but now not very much. I bought an LED red/blue light that I’ve only been using for a couple of days. I fertilized about a month and a half ago and think it may have been too strong. I only water when the soil is dry and then try to water quite a bit (as I’ve read that’s best). I kill everything I own so I’m SO proud I’ve gotten this far...but would really love help to get this little one flourishing. Also - last two days it’s been dropping leaves that have turned a bit brown and the soil looks to have a bit of white on top. Pictures attached! All advice welcome!! Thank you!

Featured Answer

Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6

8 years ago

What I see in this picture is that the soil seems to be very heavy. It looks decorative with its outer pot but does this allow for a good drainage? What is the temperature there? How many hours extra light and at what distance to the tree? Is this a terracotta or plastic container your tree sit in? Since you got the tree, have you ever repotted it?

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Comments (9)

elizabethmjohansen
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi there! The outer pot is purely for decoration. Inside is a plastic pot that the tree actually sits in with a saucer under. Maybe that’s not good enough...? Temperature inside by the tree is about 66-68. It’s getting very little natural light anymore now with the changing of season and it’s very dreary here. So maybe an hour? I just got a grow light but not sure how often to use it. The pot is plastic and no, have never repotted it and agree that yes, soil is very dense. I’m afraid of doing anything major because I have have I idea what I’m doing. Can’t believe it’s made it this long. Haha! Thank you so much for any help!!
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Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
well, temperature is fine. Light not so much and that is your problem. I have lights on for my trees between 12 and 14 hours.

Here is one of my tree in front of an east window. Temps are a bit higher then yours but that really is not that important if you want to let the tree rest. Mine are all actively growing and flowering.
Parker Turtle
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Unfortunately, citrus is not really the most suitable for being a houseplant. In colder climates, indoor temperatures often do not remain consistently warm enough for the plant to grow well. And when you heat cold air, that can cause the air to dry out the leaves, because it will suck up moisture, so setting an indoor heater to a higher setting is not necessarily going to be good for the plant. Then you have the issue of light. Just setting it by a window is often not quite enough, not unless that window gets a lot of direct sun or is supplemented with some other grow light (maybe timed to go on at night?). That is just part of the issue here.

It's obvious the size of your pot is not quite big enough for the plant. That leads to all sorts of water issues with the roots. It's difficult to maintain the right moisture balance when there is not enough soil volume, and when that soil has become very compact.

It is possible to grow beautiful thriving citrus indoors but it takes some knowledge skill and experience, and it's not really a "low-maintenance" plant, although calamondins are a bit easier than other citrus.
Bob
8 years ago
Keep hanging around with this group and before you know you be just as smart. Be careful though, you might become a CITRA HOLIC.
Laura LaRosa (7b)
8 years ago
Isn’t that the truth Bob! Listen to everyone here. We will help!
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
8 years ago
It does not look like a calamondin to me.
Susanne Michigan Zone 5/6
8 years ago
more like a kumquat maybe
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
8 years ago
I agree, kumquat.