The roots look fine. A one year old citrus should be 1 to 2 feet in height.

Are the trees get enough nutrition, and light?

I originally used Joes Citrus tree spikes as fertilizer but didnt think they were great. I have read osmocote plus is good, but dont know much about fertilizer to be honest. They have been sitting in a south facing window (I know there against a wall in the picture but I just moved and am rearranging)

roots look good. sprinkle a little osmocote in. Use a diluted 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer when watering. I doubt a south window that far north is adequate without a supplemental grow light. Stay come spring is here soon

Having only 4 little tree’s, you can get away with one box of Osmocote Plus, the one with micro nutrition. This is a timed release fertilizer that last 3 months or the one that last 6.

If you bring them outside for the summer, you might only need 2 applications.

An 3 months variety might not last 3 months, maybe 2. This would take care in your case.

Things might change when the tree’s are getting bigger.

Thanks for all the advice guys! I will start start to fertilize them immediately. Regarding the bucket light, should I build them up to 16 hours a day? Ive read when moving them outside in summer you should do so gradually, does that apply here? Next week it should be in the 50s and sunny so I was going to start the process, unless it would be better to just keep them in and use the bucket light. Let me know, thanks!

Yea Build them up by 2 hours per week.

Steve

Osmocoat Plus is a fine fertilizer, for better nutrition and better growth I would recomemd a fertilizer application of Foliage pro, or a Foliage Pro and Osmocoat plus.

It seems the consensus is my leave drop is from lack of nutrition. Is it normal to combine the foliage pro and osmocoat?

Not needed, larger trees maybe, not now.

I agree with HU1512. You could just use Foliage Pro, but Foliage Pro and osmocoat as suggest by HU1512 would also be fine. What you have been doing with your trees in the past has not worked out growth wise.

Im a complete novice. Would anyone mind explaining the benefits or even differences to osmocoat and foliage pro. My understanding is one is a slow release fertilizer. Also I see a lot about the 6-6-6 ratio, is there a specific ratio I should be looking for on each? Thanks!

Citrus likes a ratio, 25-5-15, lots of nitrogen. That’s what I use for years, plus Osmocote.

Foilage pro is a foliar spray fertilizer, using Osmocote with, gives the tree constant feed, so does Osmocote Plus. Your plants are small, go easy. Most-nurseries just use Osmocote, works for them. Can get any easier than that.

As Bob wrote, Folage Pro could be used as a foliat spray, but it is intended to be applyied to the soil and taken up by the roots. 25-5-15 is not the fertiliver's ratio it is the actual formula,, the ratio is 5-1-3. 25-5-15, is produced by J.R. Peters Inc.. and Bob is correct that it is an excellent fertilizer, espically for citrus.. However, it only comes in a 25-lb. bag, In Abbylien's case with just 3 very small trees, it would be a life time supply.

Silica, you are right about Foilage Pro, to be applied as a soil fertilizer mainly. What I am saying, if you only have a few small trees than 25 lb. bag is overkill. In my case I have a lot of big tree’s and 25 lb is very economical to buy. Now with container tree you have to flush your soil at least once a month,by doing that you flush your fertilizer out and that is where your Osmocote comes in to continue to fertilize your tree’s.

Osmocote Plus is an easy way to fertilize your tree’s and be done. As soon you start having more tree’s and getting bigger every thing change again.

Thanks everyone for the help! I have one last question, when should I expect signs of recovery or new growth? Ill stop nitpicking the trees if it needs months of time.

With proper nutrition , and a better medium than Miracle Grow mix, the trees should flush out with new growth this spring. Especially when they are able to be outside.

Hello Everyone!

Not sure if anyone is still following but I do have a concerning update on my little trees. So I actually found a 1 gallon version of the J.R. fertilizer and have been using that along with mixing some oscomote into the soil. I made sure to flush the trees a month in of using the fertilizer. to avoid root burn. The trees also get placed outside every morning in full sun now. Initially, I noticed green buds along the trees, but for some reason these have browned and now I have pretty progressive twig die back. Im really not sure how I can save them at this point. Let me know if you have any ideas!

Thanks