Eureka lemon problems

[DrMike27]

Any thoughts on what’s going on? Watering about 1x/week and they were last fertilized in the spring.

 

[Chuck]

Lack of nutrition. What did you fertilize with and how much?

 

[DrMike27]

I used a Vigoro liquid all purpose 10-10-10 (directions called for a 1/4 cap full). I also have a Miracle-gro all purpose shake on that is a 12-4-8 I have been using during the summer and it seems to be working well.

 

[Chuck]

I used a Vigoro liquid all purpose 10-10-10 (directions called for a 1/4 cap full). I also have a Miracle-gro all purpose shake on that is a 12-4-8 I have been using during the summer and it seems to be working well.

Your citrus has some type of nutrient deficiency. It is probably either nitrogen or iron. I'll probably make you mad but Miracle Gro products aren't very good at all. If it were my tree I would stop using what you are using and do the following. First I would apply Chelated Iron and wait 2 weeks to see what changes happen. If none happens I would then fertilize with a GOOD fertilizer such as Espoma Citrus Tone or Fox Farm Happy Frog or any other organic fertilizer. I would also give the tree an application of blood meal for a quick nitrogen fix. I would also pull the mulch away from the base of the plant an inch or two and make sure that the root flare of the tree is showing.

 

[DrMike27]

I have 3 citrus trees: Eureka lemon, Washington orange, and Mexican lime (all dwarf varieties). The lime was seeing the most new growth and when I checked on all of them after your post I saw that my root flares were buried for the orange and lemon. So one issue fixed. Why do you say Miracle gro are not good products (I'm pretty ignorant to plant food)?

 

[Chuck]

I have 3 citrus trees: Eureka lemon, Washington orange, and Mexican lime (all dwarf varieties). The lime was seeing the most new growth and when I checked on all of them after your post I saw that my root flares were buried for the orange and lemon. So one issue fixed. Why do you say Miracle gro are not good products (I'm pretty ignorant to plant food)?

I could write a book about the difference between chemical and organic fertilizers but suffice it to say that chemical fertilizers only feed the plant, not the soil. Chemical fertilizers deplete the organic matter in the soil. Chemical fertilizers leach out of the soil rapidly into places we don't want it to go.

 

[DrMike27]

That doesn’t seem too nice of them. I really appreciate the help Chuck!

 

[Chuck]

That doesn’t seem too nice of them. I really appreciate the help Chuck!

Scotts Inc never has been one to be nice, about anything

 

[lifegardener]

There is another bigger problem with using chemical fertilizers . . . salts. Using chemical fertilizers too often will deplete the soil of essential organisms that are crucial to building healthy soils - that includes killing earthworms. Salt built-up kills soil life. A better alternative, and something than can be used anytime, is dressing plants with a water solution made from compost or worm castings.

 

[Chuck]

There is another bigger problem with using chemical fertilizers . . . salts. Using chemical fertilizers too often will deplete the soil of essential organisms that are crucial to building healthy soils - that includes killing earthworms. Salt built-up kills soil life. A better alternative, and something than can be used anytime, is dressing plants with a water solution made from compost or worm castings.

Absolutely correct. Chemical fertilizers kill the soils micro-organisms by depleting the soil of organic matter which the organisms feed upon and in turn leave all types of mineral salts behind which over time builds and builds until the soil is incapable of sustaining plant life. This is exactly where "worn out farms" come from.