Meyer Lemon Tree help

[jl_86]

Need some help with a tow Meyer Lemon Trees. I am In Indy, These are potted Meyer Lemon Trees, that are outside on a southern facing deck after the last frost, until before the first frost. I have had them now going on year 2.

Here is my problem. Both trees have dropped a lot of leaves since coming indoors. I have a whole house humidifier which keeps the house @ ~40% humidity.

Not really being a gardener I assumed that I was not watering enough. I started watering every other day. Things became worse. Looking on line, I then assumed that the trees had root rot. I gave them some ironite plus after reading online that changing the ph can help kill the root rot. Both trees started growing new leaves rather quickly so I thought I might have solved the problem. Nope. New leaves stated dying a week later. Looking at the picture below I do not think that root rot is present, but hopefully you experts will confirm my diagnosis. I decided to depot one tree. During the de-potting I realized that the roots filled the entire pot. Is one of my problems actually too small of a pot? I know I am doing other things wrong, but I am not sure exactly what to change.

The trees are from fast growing Trees.
I have had them (2) since the Spring of 2018
They are ~2' tall.
As you can see multiple fruits on both trees.
The pot size is ~12" tall x 12" round, ceramic.

I plan on re-potting (not sure what size and try of pot and not sure of the type of soil.)

How do i get these trees healthy again?

 

[Chuck]

Need some help with a tow Meyer Lemon Trees. I am In Indy, These are potted Meyer Lemon Trees, that are outside on a southern facing deck after the last frost, until before the first frost. I have had them now going on year 2.

Here is my problem. Both trees have dropped a lot of leaves since coming indoors. I have a whole house humidifier which keeps the house @ ~40% humidity.

Not really being a gardener I assumed that I was not watering enough. I started watering every other day. Things became worse. Looking on line, I then assumed that the trees had root rot. I gave them some ironite plus after reading online that changing the ph can help kill the root rot. Both trees started growing new leaves rather quickly so I thought I might have solved the problem. Nope. New leaves stated dying a week later. Looking at the picture below I do not think that root rot is present, but hopefully you experts will confirm my diagnosis. I decided to depot one tree. During the de-potting I realized that the roots filled the entire pot. Is one of my problems actually too small of a pot? I know I am doing other things wrong, but I am not sure exactly what to change.

The trees are from fast growing Trees.
I have had them (2) since the Spring of 2018
They are ~2' tall.
As you can see multiple fruits on both trees.
The pot size is ~12" tall x 12" round, ceramic.

I plan on re-potting (not sure what size and try of pot and not sure of the type of soil.)

How do i get these trees healthy again?



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I think your citrus has a few problems but nothing major. First, your tree possibly is root-bound. You didn't measure the root ball so I can't tell how large it is in relation to the pot but the rule of thumb on container citrus is to repot every 2 years so it is time to go to a larger pot. You didn't say what you are fertilizing with. If you are using any type of synthetic fertilizer I can guarantee you have a mineral salts buildup in the soil and that is NOT good. Use an organic fertilizer. Either flush the existing soil or better yet get a new GOOD potting mix, something with OMRI on the bag and repot with that. You said that the humidity was 40%. Citrus trees do best when humidity is at a minimum of 50%. Ironite is NASTY stuff and doesn't work worth a damn. If your plants need iron go get some chelated iron or greensand at a good nursery. When you get a new pot I would get one about 16 inches in diameter and about 18 inches high. I would not get a clay pot. Make sure there is plenty of drainage holes in the bottom.

 

[jl_86]

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't measure the root ball cause I didn't know any better.

I do agree with you on that point though. I'm fertilizing with Dr Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer and the package says OMRI. I will stop with the Ironite. It woke the growing up briefly, but then all new growth stopped and withered and died. I have temporarily re-potted in a 5 gal plastic pot. Moving this around before was always an issue, but I now realize that the pot I was using was HEAVY.

I can never seem to get the house humidity above 45% when it is in the 30°F range outside. I will also use new soil when I re pot again in a few days.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't measure the root ball cause I didn't know any better.

I do agree with you on that point though. I'm fertilizing with Dr Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer and the package says OMRI. I will stop with the Ironite. It woke the growing up briefly, but then all new growth stopped and withered and died. I have temporarily re-potted in a 5 gal plastic pot. Moving this around before was always an issue, but I now realize that the pot I was using was HEAVY.

I can never seem to get the house humidity above 45% when it is in the 30°F range outside. I will also use new soil when I re pot again in a few days.

Dr Earth is a great fertilzer. If you ever need an iron supplement use chelated iron but in all honesty, if you amend your soil at planting with greensand you won't ever need it. Chelated iron works faster than greensand but greensand has a LOT of needed trace minerals that chelated iron doesn't.