20+ Yr Old Eureka Lemon Not Thriving (Zone 10a, Sunset 14/16)

6 years ago

This Eureka Lemon has produced 1 lemon per year for the last 20+ years...time to pull it out? I'd really like a productive meyer lemon. Do you think it could thrive there if I put it in a gopher cage made out of hardware cloth? The pool shed is blocking some, but not all south-facing sun. What could be the problem? Thanks.

Featured Answer

Lynda (Zn9b/23 - Central CA Coast)

6 years ago

I am in 9b/sunset 23 and we have a Eureka that has been enormous and self tending for the last 20+ years. It was here when we bought the house, we don't directly water or fertilize it and it produces abundant lemons year round. I am looking at your sunset zone and wondering if both your location in general and that particular spot isn't getting enough sun. Are others successful growing lemons in your area? I would suggest getting to the bottom of why it isn't growing, before making a change. On the citrus board here, there are a number of people who grow citrus outside of CA/FL and have developed an expertise in how to keep citrus thriving where it normally would not. If you re post there, I suspect they will know what to do.

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Comments (10)

melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
6 years ago
Has your tree always had to complete with the ivy groundcover or is that a new addition? I suggest starting there: rip it out.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
you have a lot more patience than i do.. lol .. i would have replaced it 15 years ago .... lol

shade might affect fruit production ... but it should not dwarf a tree to this extent.. unless it was in a cave ...

such dwarfing makes me wonder if it was improperly planted.. way back when .. im wondering if it hasnt developed a proper root mass to support normal growth ...

and if i was to dig it out.. to find out.. i would probably just replace it ...

digging it up should be done in the proper season .. and mid summer is usually not that time of year ...

why do you think it needs gopher protection??? .. of course if you were to do that.. we would know the current status of the roots ...

and may we presume pool water is not an issue ...???

ken

ps: a 20 year old tree that needs staking.. probably says it all ...
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
CA Kate z9
6 years ago
I was thinking that a one-inch trunk doesn't look like 20 years to me either. As you said, Ken, the tree simply hasn't developed a root system.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked CA Kate z9
lgteacher
6 years ago
A tree that old should have a thick trunk by now. As mentioned above, the ivy has to go if you put another tree there. How much dirt is there under that ivy? A tree's roots extend outward farther than the branches.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked lgteacher
plantmomzone10asunset16
Original Author
6 years ago
@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 Person who planted this originally says pool water not an issue. This is indeed a mystery.
CA Kate z9
6 years ago
Are you sure someone didn't just- accidentally - add a zero behind the 2 ? I'm just having trouble accepting that that is a 20 year old tree.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked CA Kate z9
CA Kate z9
6 years ago
OR, MAYBE, someone cut off the tree and this is a sprout that grew from the rootstock?
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked CA Kate z9
Lynda (Zn9b/23 - Central CA Coast)
6 years ago
I agree with Kate on the age. It is hard to believe it is 20 years old. This is what my 21 year old Eureka looks like. It is somewhere between 15 and 20 feet tall and at least 10 foot wide. There are many in my area, as well as some commercially grown and all of them are around this size.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked Lynda (Zn9b/23 - Central CA Coast)
CA Kate z9
6 years ago
My Lisbon Lemon is 8 years old and about 8' tall.... because I keep it that short. The lower trunk is at least 10" around.
plantmomzone10asunset16 thanked CA Kate z9