Kumquat Problems (Maybe?)

[Miles]

Okay guys.

So, its getting towards the end of winter here in Moscow, and I've had my potted kumquat inside my living room for a while now. I leave it under a lamp for about 8 hours a day and I water it every 10-14 days. The tree is about 5 years old, but I've only had it for the last 10 months.

A few things have been happening recently:

1) the leaves are looking a little wrinkly, and several have fallen off (maybe 15 in the last month). I know that the leaves are supposed to drop periodically, but this seems like too much, and some areas are left completely bare.
2) It flowered recently (exactly three flowers)
3) Its growing some new leaves

This all seems odd, as its still winter time. Have I been giving it too much light? Too much water? Is it too hot/dry in my house? I haven't been giving it any fertilizer for the last couple months. Should I start again?

Please let me know what you think is going on

 

[Chuck]

Okay guys.

So, its getting towards the end of winter here in Moscow, and I've had my potted kumquat inside my living room for a while now. I leave it under a lamp for about 8 hours a day and I water it every 10-14 days. The tree is about 5 years old, but I've only had it for the last 10 months.

A few things have been happening recently:

1) the leaves are looking a little wrinkly, and several have fallen off (maybe 15 in the last month). I know that the leaves are supposed to drop periodically, but this seems like too much, and some areas are left completely bare.
2) It flowered recently (exactly three flowers)
3) Its growing some new leaves

This all seems odd, as its still winter time. Have I been giving it too much light? Too much water? Is it too hot/dry in my house? I haven't been giving it any fertilizer for the last couple months. Should I start again?

Please let me know what you think is going on

I couldn't tell for sure but it appears that the tree is planted too deep. You should be able to see the top of the root flare. This problem will shorten the life to the tree and cause all sorts of problems. Google root flare pictures to get a better understanding.

 

[Miles]

Thanks! Maybe i put too much on when I re-potted it. I took a bit off the top and I've attached a photo. Too much, too little?

I have some questions about the flowers and new growth though. Should I allow the new leaves to form? Should I allow the flowers to fruit even though its not the correct season (although I suppose there's nothing around to pollinate them). It just seems strange to me that it's growing and flowering at this time of year. Anyways, it's only the first year I've had it, so I'm not totally sure.

Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

Thanks! Maybe i put too much on when I re-potted it. I took a bit off the top and I've attached a photo. Too much, too little?

I have some questions about the flowers and new growth though. Should I allow the new leaves to form? Should I allow the flowers to fruit even though its not the correct season (although I suppose there's nothing around to pollinate them). It just seems strange to me that it's growing and flowering at this time of year. Anyways, it's only the first year I've had it, so I'm not totally sure.

Thanks!

I think you took away a tad too much soil. You want it so you can just see the top of the roots entirely around the tree. Never take leaves off of a tree. Leaves are what provide photosynthesis. Kumquats are like most citrus in that they can flower just about anytime but they will not set fruit. Leave it alone to do its thing and let it grow.

 

[treeguy]

Every plant has a cycle of spring growth, flower and set fruit, ripen seeds, second flush of growth setting next year's buds, and quiescience, a rest period, repeat ad infinitum. Each part of the cycle needs to be completed before the plant proceeds to the next part, but within certain limits. Right now, your plant has had a rest period longer than it would have had in its native range, so it's ready to leaf out and is doing the best it can in spite of not seeing the increase in photoperiod that it would see in its own range which is really the on/off switch for new growth. So it leafs out, weakly. The longer the quiet period, the more leaves will be lost before being replaced by new leaves. In its own range, it would appear evergreen because it would replace as many or more leaves at the same time it was losing old leaves, but that's 2,000 miles south of Moscow.

The best flowering period would normally be mid to late summer, ripening fruit through fall and early winter, completing by February. The fruit will stay on the tree untill it shrivels up unless picked and that may allow simultaneous ripenning and rest overlaping periods. That may be a "tropical" ordinary that doesn't mimic hardy trees having a distinct winter with no fruit and no leafing out for a much longer time.

Kumquats will leaf out and have some flowers you can hand pollinate with a tiny paint brush. There will be a yellow ball sticking out the center of the flower, surrounded by a lower ring of tiny pollen-bearing parts. It will be ready to pollinate when the ball is shiny and sticky and the pollen hedge gives off what looks like dust when touched by the brush. Get some dust on the brush and wipe it on the sticky ball. It will be visibly less shiny with the pollen on it. Some will set fruit, some won't. The summertime flowering will be pollenated by insects, if outdoors.

They have too many seeds and are too sour for most people, but make great marmalade (exclude the seeds). Don't pick them untill the bottom is the same color as the sides.

Water the plant with 15 to 20% of the volume of the pot of soil every time the soil surface is dry to your touch. Feed it any commercial liquid according to directions every two weeks during growing season and while ripening fruit. Growing season means new growth is occurring. No growth is the quiescient period.