Give it a chance. You have nothing to lose but time and energy. lol. What variety is it?

It looks like the only growth coming from it is the ingrafted portion or root stock.But I think it still deserves to live. It will do great in your care.

Awwww thanks Mike. And Denise and Steve too. I've watched many here take on challenges and work wonders. So got one too. All mine other trees have been pretty and fluffy when they arrived and easy care. Well with the exception of that Shiranui Denise, lol!

It's a Minneola tangelo too Denise.

I am sitting here looking at the pictures and can't see a graft line. Not saying there isn't one. The trunk is so thick it may have blended in really well. My computer won't blow up the picture much so I cannot see the leaves.

To hurry up the growth, I would feed it fish emulsion because it is high in nitrogen. I fed FE to my "challenge" which is the 4 y/o pathetic Eureka cutting from Record Buck Farms. It started having a lot of branch dieback so I felt the FE would be the last resort. Surprise Surprise Surprise. It is growing great now. It's getting the royal treatment because my pride won't let me chuck it into the trash.

Any plant that has a will to live, I just can't toss out. Especially if it cost me $35. lol. If this tree has some potential left in it, I would give it a chance. It would be so cool for it to cover 100% and you show the neighbor how well it's doing. She would call you the Citrus Whisperer. lol.

It's hard to see but there is definitely a graft line. Someone did a nice job. I will try the fish emulsion- see how you've praised it. I also use worm castings and Superthrive with success, even through some feel ST is snake oil. Going to do as Steve suggests and feed lightly. Ha- wish I could be a citrus whisperer. My neighbor thinks she did such a wonderful thing for it pruning back so severely. Wondering when she chopped the top off but she is so proud of this poor tree I can't ask.

Denise- how does fish oil work into your fertilizing schedule?

Don't take my word for it. Research on Google and youtube how many folks do use it on a regular basis. I think I found some before and after comparisons too. I have had it sitting on my garage shelf for about a year and used it 2x last year. I didn't pay too much attention to it at first, but then realized my new growth on a tree or two turned a deep green which wasn't typical. I put it on my vegetable plants last week so I am waiting to see if I can notice a difference.

I found this chart for Neptune which has seaweed showing what's in their product. Neptune is probably better due to the seaweed, but Alaska can't be that much different. I didn't find Neptune locally so I purchased a gallon of Alaska 5-1-1 at Walmart. https://www.neptunesharvest.com/nutrients.html

If you can get super thrive made from anaconda oil over python oil you will do better.

I just started using the FE this month. I inquired here, I think, on how often it can be applied and can it be used simultaneously with other fertilizers. I worry about burning roots or too much nitrogen which create other issues. Since it's organic, my fears were for nothing according to what I have found online from reading other people's experiences. I think I will apply it every 2 weeks to all my trees for a couple of months and see how it goes.

Ha ha Steve! I think that the use of Superthrive is actually part of my Catholic upbringing- the ritual and all :-) It's kind of "I don't know if it works but why the h not"?

I have found that for several years it has done nothing but benefit my trees. I usually spray Neptune's Harvest fish emulsion on my plants once every two weeks, then every week starting in the end of August to help against bringing in sucking pests for the winter. It leaves a nice sheen, the leaves look very clean and green, and I never ever have a problem with spider mites , mealy bugs or scale/scab. No disease either. Not proven from a scientific stance, but proven for my own trees and any houseplants.

I have never used it with the thought of fertilizing since in the past I have had a a bad experience relying solely on it for nutrients for containerized plants.

But, who knows if it has any positive effects in nutrients,since I use good fertilizers with it too. What I do know is that when I use it even solely for in ground plants, they grow very robust!

Petunia, nice! Nice work.

Mike

Thanks for the perspective Mike. Going to have to head over to Amazon and get some Neptune's Harvest! Sure appreciate you.

Looking forward to the updates.

I bought fish emulsion/oil last year, but have been too chicken to use it. I'm sure it will be a beacon for all the critters & wildlife to come lick the trees, lol.