Lemon tree - multiple problems, where do I start?

6 years ago

I moved to a house with an existing lemon tree. It is planted beside a garage, facing south, with plenty of sun from morning til mid-afternoon. It seems to have multiple issues and I’m not sure where best to start.

Seems like pruning is high on the list, as it is relatively tall and branches are chaotic and a mix of old/new/dead branches. I’m in Northern California and it’s early May. Is it too late to prune? If not, where should I start? Can I go extreme (like cut back 50% or more), or spread it out (20%?) over a few years?

Second, the leaves and most new growth are very yellow. I use citrus fertilizer following the directions on the bag. Should I do something else instead, or in addition?

Third, some leaves have holes. Is this from bugs, disease, sunburn or something else?

Featured Answer

poncirusguy6b452xx

6 years ago

Pruning---your tree looks fine. Mine is much more twisted. your garage probably has a footer of concrete. That leaches out and pushes the soil PH out of the range of your lemon tree.(yellow leaves) Feed with ammonium sulfate or acid fertilizer for blueberries. You may have to add soil sulfur. Get a PH tester

Steve

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Comments (7)

Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
6 years ago
Can we get a photo of the base of the plant? Is it in a container?
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Karen Leonard
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi Dave, it’s in the ground.
Karen Leonard
Original Author
6 years ago
Steve, thanks for the suggestion for a PH meter. I ordered one and will check the soil. What PH range should I target?
Ken B Zone 7
6 years ago
Soil ph meters are notoriously inaccurate. The PH should be 5.5-6.5.
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Yeah, I would start out with a regular program of diluted water-soluble fertilizer. You could trim back the longest branches to keep it more under control for that space. It should gradually green up.

I can't tell if it's grafted or on its own roots. There's always a possibility that the rootstock has sent up some shoots (which will not bloom and bear).
poncirusguy6b452xx
6 years ago
Take multipl readings with your gage and I will give you a resonable avefrage of your soil. Each individual sample may vary up or down a point. Make sure you wipe the prongs clean after each probe.