Outdoor lemon tree is dying

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Help please! It appears the large lemon tree in our front yard is dying. I recently moved to San Diego from the Northeast, so I am unfamiliar with citrus trees. The issue is that I have no information on the tree. My roommates have lived in the house for 2 years, and said the tree used to look healthy and produce plenty of lemons. Now, most of the fruit on the tree is dead, and only one section has leaves (which are yellowing). Maybe it needs a stricter watering schedule? Needs to be pruned? I have no idea but would love to try and save it. Thanks!

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bklyn citrus (zone 7B)

7 years ago

its a in ground tree and you need better pics up close of trunk, any visible damaged arms like splits etc, ground around base and bark for anyone to give you a opinion, someone will assist you, could be a prune/spray/fertilize regimen is in order

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Comments (10)

poncirusguy6b452xx
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I don,t know what to say and wish to read responses. This entry puts me on the response list,
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bklyn citrus (zone 7B)
7 years ago
One pic shows visible growth at base - too far to see if its rootstock or lemon
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
7 years ago
Maybe not enough water, but too many variables.
Sara Malone Zone 9b
7 years ago
Post on the CA forum.
johnmerr
7 years ago
I would suspect bark girdling or partial girdling... If It were mine, I would replace the tree.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
Needs to be pruned?

==>> not a reason to prune ....

i dont know anything about citrus ... or CA ... but the tree look near death to me ... i agree on getting rid of it ...

and i highly doubt.. fert is going to do anything for it ... nor watering ...

i dont quite understand if you are the owner or a renter .. perhaps this needs to be brought to the owners attention ...

personally .... i would cut it ... or have it cut .... flush to the ground.. and kill the stump ... and plant out a little further from the house ... i wouldnt bother with grinding it out .. unless the owner foots the bill.. lol ...

interesting time line ... it flowered.. set fruit ... and then died .. but again.. i dont know what that means with citrus ....

ken

this is from the link below:

49. All of a sudden my citrus tree dropped all its leaves and died. What caused this?

Most trees are not planted on susceptible rootstock, however, if your trees are grafted on a rootstock,

such as sweet orange, it may have quick decline. Quick decline is caused by a virus, Citrus Tristeza virus,

which can be fatal to citrus. The leaves curl up along the length of the midrib and take on a dull ashen

color before suddenly falling to the ground. There is no known cure for Citrus Tristeza virus. This

disease is not common because nurseries typically use resistant rootstocks. Other potential causes for

sudden tree death are dry root rot (See Q. 36) and Phytophthora root rot (See Q. 30, 33). Also, some

mandarins and mandarin hybrid crosses can die suddenly after a heavy fruit set (See Q. 8).

https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/391-272.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwisyers44veAhUNp4MKHddfDroQFggEMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=007812682528774391566:fdvga-sbhjs&usg=AOvVaw0OiRe44peMDnuoQxty9YPD
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
which came from this page: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=CA+extension+office+lemon+citrus+sudden+death&t=ffcm&ia=web
bklyn citrus (zone 7B)
7 years ago
Dark visions from some, I didn't even mention the overgrowth of weeds all about roots, no further pics, old. neglected, diseased tree ?

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Matt z5b - Greenhouse 10a
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Looks quite old 20-25 years..? It could have contracted something. I'm sure it was beautiful in it's prime.