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kevin_benoit25

Meyer struggling since last august

8 years ago

Hi, I repotted my meyer lemon last august, bare rooted and put it in 5-1-1 soil without lime. Its been struggling ever since. Lots of leaves lost, and its always the same: they yellow from the outside in then fall. The tree also flushes fowers agressively but the flowers buds usually dry up and shrivel without opening. I fertilised two or three times with FP and water one a week. It surely can't be shock anymore right? I had a few spider mited but i killed them with water and soap. Here are some pictures.

I've been treating my ponderosa the same and it only lost about 10 leaves over the winter.
The leaves seem much less anemic although the have weird white spots.


I would appreciate any help with my meyer :)

Comments (10)

  • 8 years ago

    Looks like too little food and too little light. Most people put FP with every watering (sometimes referred to as "Weekly weakly") 3 times in 6 months is not enough. The fact that your Ponderosa is doing better is because it is simply more hardy and less "finicky" than the Meyer.

  • 8 years ago

    I leave the lights on 24/7 in my storage with a 10 watt LED. Do you think thats not enough? I'll start giving FP at every watering to see if it helps

  • 8 years ago

    What about the white spots on my ponderosa?

  • 8 years ago

    Kevin, did you ever e-mail me back? I was going to help you

  • 8 years ago

    Kevin, the white spots are normal if they are not moving. For some reason that is what Ponderosa skin does. Weird, right?

    The soil you used should of had lime put into it. If the pH is too high (alkaline) or too low (acidic), the plant can't absorb the nutrients that are available in the soil. They develop symptoms of nutrient deficiency, such as pale leaves and stunted growth. Using lime for acidic soil raises the pH so that plant roots can absorb the necessary nutrients from the soil. It also provides a source of calcium and magnesium for plants. Too, are you using vinegar to acidify your fertilizer solution?

    This with the amount of light you are providing should liven things up a bit. You are watching your watering, right? How often do you have to water and do you water until it flows out from the bottom?

    It's funny, because Meyer Lemon are very needy when it come to nutrients where as the ponderosa can go for weeks without proper care and still look ok.

  • 8 years ago

    Basically what is wrong with your tree, is you have not been feeding it. The leaves in top picture shows the symptom of magnesium deficiency (probably deficient also in nitrogen and potassium as you have not been feeding the tree). Citrus are heavy feeders, thus require higher then normal nutrition than most plants. The plant also does not like to be setting in the light 24 hours a day seven days a week. Give you tree some care and it will do its part. Good luck tree.

  • 8 years ago

    Kevin, I missed that! Silica made a great point. Don't keep the lights on 24 hours a day... They need rest too. 14 hours is perfect!

  • 8 years ago

    I'll back off with lighting and fertilize with FP when I water every week. I assume I should get a soil test kit and some Lime?

  • 8 years ago

    No soil test kit. Not the same as in ground. Just add lime, scratch it in and water. Then water with some vinegar in your water Kevin...)

  • 8 years ago

    Also is just 10w led light enough esp when its the only light source or am i overdoing it I have a 600w MH + 450w LED .