Help Save Tangerine Tree

[ferice]

I have a tangerine tree on my back yard for about 8 months. The leaves were looking yellowish. I went to Lowes, and the lady told me to put some magnesium at the root and water it every other day. For a month or two, it was looking better. H owever, the leaves are looking rough, have brownish and some yellow spots. I don't think it will survive unless I can get it back to health soon. Does anyone have suggestions on what to try or do next?

 

[Chuck]

I have a tangerine tree on my back yard for about 8 months. The leaves were looking yellowish. I went to Lowes, and the lady told me to put some magnesium at the root and water it every other day. For a month or two, it was looking better. H owever, the leaves are looking rough, have brownish and some yellow spots. I don't think it will survive unless I can get it back to health soon. Does anyone have suggestions on what to try or do next?

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By magnesium I assume you are using Epsom Salt. ES is a great additive but should not be used routinely. If you are still watering every other day that is way too often. You should thoroughly and deeply soak the tree about every 10 - 12 days. I would temporarily stop with any fertilizing you may be doing. I would place about one large bag of top quality compost around the base of the tree and cover this with about 3 inches of mulch. I would start brewing compost tea and water the tree with that when the tree needed watering and I would also use the compost tea as a foliar spray too.

 

[Beth_B]

Once again I agree with Chuck - way too much water. Not sure how much rain you get this time of year in Florida but you may not need to water it much at all, if you get rain once every week or two. I can go a month or more without watering here and I never ever need to water my lawn, trees or perennials. Just sometimes container plants and vegetables. We can count on a good soaking every week or two plus some mild drizzles in between and that's enough to keep everything growing.

 

[gata montes]

Although I also agree with both Chuck and Beth B

I would just say that - as tangerine trees are renowned for being quite temperamental and there are many things that could be the cause - for example

not getting enough sun
the environment is too cool
too much water
too much fertilizer
fluctuating temperatures
as well as a lack of Magnesium

the latter of which can easily be rectified with a light dose of epson salts.

even though I can't quite see the foliage properly from your photos - my immediate thoughts are that - rather than being a mineral deficiency - as all citrus varieties need to be grown in extremely well drained soil and kept on the dry side - if you are watering yours every alternate day - then over-watering is most definitely the main culprit.

In fact speaking of watering - this may help - I grow a wide variety of citrus in a climate where the trees are constantly subjected to temperatures well in excess of over 45 - 48 centigrade for months on end - yet I only water them once a month

 

[IcyBC]

Chuck and data Montes gave you some wonderful tips there! I hope you can save this tangerine tree as your weather in FL is perfect to grow this.

 

[gata montes]

Realize I forgot to mention - that if you do decide to use mulch around the base of the tree as suggested - if using anything other than a stone or gravel mulch - it is best kept well away from the trunk - as even though it will contain only a small amount of moisture - it will eventually rot the trunk - which is one of the main reasons why many commercial growers don't use it

 

[Chuck]

By magnesium I assume you are using Epsom Salt. ES is a great additive but should not be used routinely. If you are still watering every other day that is way too often. You should thoroughly and deeply soak the tree about every 10 - 12 days. I would temporarily stop with any fertilizing you may be doing. I would place about one large bag of top quality compost around the base of the tree and cover this with about 3 inches of mulch. I would start brewing compost tea and water the tree with that when the tree needed watering and I would also use the compost tea as a foliar spray too.

As Gata Montes mentioned, never let your organic mulch be in contact with your plant. I always try to keep it a hands breath away. In fact it is best to leave the entire root flare completely exposed. Most of the feeder roots on trees and shrubs are at a distance from the tree anyway extending out to the drip line which is where you want to water.

 

[ferice]

Thank you all. We are getting more rain here in Florida, so I am going to water it once a week for the next two weeks and gradually decrease it to once every two weeks or so if it does not rain. I did add some mulch around the base; however, I did not use any compost. This weekend, I am going to remove the mulch, add the bag of nature's compost that I have, add the mulch back, and soak it with water. Thank you so much for all your help.

 

[Chuck]

Thank you all. We are getting more rain here in Florida, so I am going to water it once a week for the next two weeks and gradually decrease it to once every two weeks or so if it does not rain. I did add some mulch around the base; however, I did not use any compost. This weekend, I am going to remove the mulch, add the bag of nature's compost that I have, add the mulch back, and soak it with water. Thank you so much for all your help.

That is still too much water. Let the plant dry out and get some oxygen around the root system. Being dry for a while will not hurt it. If the leaves are wilted and drooping in the early mornings it needs water but otherwise it doesn't.

 

[Beth_B]

If I may ask a follow-up question here...does the caution about using mulch right around the base apply to all trees, or only citrus trees?

 

[Chuck]

If I may ask a follow-up question here...does the caution about using mulch right around the base apply to all trees, or only citrus trees?

All trees

 

[Beth_B]

Thanks Chuck. I did mulch a recently transplanted small tree; I will rake the mulch away then.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks Chuck. I did mulch a recently transplanted small tree; I will rake the mulch away then.

It is especially important on young newly transplanted trees because of the very thin outer layer of bark or skin which protects the cambium layer from disease and pests. With a young tree swaying gently in the breeze, the slight movement of the trunk rubbing against the mulch can rub a hole thru the outer layer and into the actual cambium layer which can, effectively, girdle the tree in severe circumstances. Also by removing the mulch it reduces the chances of fungal problems by removing moisture and aiding in air circulation

 

[Beth_B]

Thanks again, I've already raked the mulch away. It's not a young tree, it's Dave, the one I "rescued" and asked about in a thread called Can this tree be saved or something.

 

[Corzhens]

I'm not really that good with plants but I have my consultant. For leaves that are out of shape or irregular in appearance, it is either lack of water or lack of fertilizer. The most common that we use, particularly for citrus plants like lemon and kumquat, is the water used to wash fish and meat. They have some nutrients from those washing and so good for plants. Try it.