Worried about my orange tree

[vette-kid]

E just moved in here, so I don't have much history on this tree other thant we did get some fruit of if it around December. They were good, not the sweetest orange, but worth eating. Today looking at it I noticed it looks like a graft. The graft site doesn't look too well in my mind. Everything on the right looks dead. The left has new growth and some blooms already. Sorry not a great photo.

What's going on? Should I worry, and what can I do for it?

 

[Chuck]

E just moved in here, so I don't have much history on this tree other thant we did get some fruit of if it around December. They were good, not the sweetest orange, but worth eating. Today looking at it I noticed it looks like a graft. The graft site doesn't look too well in my mind. Everything on the right looks dead. The left has new growth and some blooms already. Sorry not a great photo.

What's going on? Should I worry, and what can I do for it?

You are correct in that the tree is grafted. However, the graft is that largish rounded area just protruding from the soil. The entire tree is planted a little too deep, you can't see the root flare. The right limb is dead. If it were me I would remove the tree. But, if you want to keep it, dig out the soil until you can see the root flare. If it's like most grafts the flare will be down about 8 inches deep. Being buried too deep is what caused its problem. When the tree is dormant cut the dead limb off, but in the meantime keep the remaining trunk under a spray regimen as it will probably become a harmful insect haven because the tree is in a weakened state and insects flock to weak plants.

 

[vette-kid]

What type of spray regimen? I had assumed previously that what you are calling the graft site was the root flair and they graft was at the dead limb. Your explanation makes a little more sense.

There tree had had green on it though the entire winter. When would be a good time to trim that in our area. If I had to guess I would say January or early February. But there is already a lot of active growth on it in the last few weeks

 

[Chuck]

What type of spray regimen? I had assumed previously that what you are calling the graft site was the root flair and they graft was at the dead limb. Your explanation makes a little more sense.

There tree had had green on it though the entire winter. When would be a good time to trim that in our area. If I had to guess I would say January or early February. But there is already a lot of active growth on it in the last few weeks

An insecticide spray regimen. I would use both neem and spinosad but in all reality the tree isn't going to live too many more years longer anyway. As I said the tree is in a weakened state and it will take considerable time for it to recover. You will be able to tell more about the long term effect of being buried too deep when you expose the root flare. Honestly, you will be better off replacing the tree.
The graft is where the root stock and the growing tree are connected together. Below the graft is the root stock. Normally the distance between the bottom of the graft and the the beginning of the root flare is about 6-8 inches.

 

[vette-kid]

Thanks @Chuck you are a wealth of information. What's the best time to plant a citrus tree assuming a get a 6 foot plant? I'll give this one the season at least, but might as well start planning.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks @Chuck you are a wealth of information. What's the best time to plant a citrus tree assuming a get a 6 foot plant? I'll give this one the season at least, but might as well start planning.

Yesterday is the best time to plant a tree but in Florida there is no bad time. I guess the "best" time would be in Jan-Feb.
About the old tree. I would not cut the dead limb out now. If you don't cut it in exactly the right spot it will weep or have a resinous discharge but if you wait to cut it until winter you will have a much better chance. If you cut it now, cut about 1 foot above the fork even though that limb is dead down into the trunk of the other limb.

 

[vette-kid]

Yeah

Yesterday is the best time to plant a tree but in Florida there is no bad time. I guess the "best" time would be in Jan-Feb.
About the old tree. I would not cut the dead limb out now. If you don't cut it in exactly the right spot it will weep or have a resinous discharge but if you wait to cut it until winter you will have a much better chance. If you cut it now, cut about 1 foot above the fork even though that limb is dead down into the trunk of the other limb.

Yeah I'll wait. I'll see how it does this year and plan to replace it next February. I don't want to deal with replacing it right now anyway, too much going on!

 

[vette-kid]

Ok, I did out the root flair. Actually pretty close to the surface. Take a look and let me know if this looks better. Some if it was actually visible on the other side, so I'm not sure that's actually a problem. Unless this still isn't enough, I couldn't find much for fear of damaging a lot of roots. Perhaps I'm just not getting enough sun. It is partially shared by the canopy of a southern magnolia.

 

[vette-kid]

Slow couple of days

 

[Upsy Daisy]

Calling @Chuck.....you're needed!

 

[Chuck]

Slow couple of days

Looking at the pictures it seems like that after the graft was buried it sent out a couple of roots. I would dig down another 3 or 4 inches and if nothing shows refill to where it is now. You won't hurt anything except a few feeder roots of which there are miles of them.

 

[vette-kid]

I will check that out, thanks. Going to attempt to graft the other tree as well. Might s well try.