Author Topic: Issues with Citrus Leaves  (Read 3501 times)

countryboy1981

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Issues with Citrus Leaves
« on: May 25, 2016, 02:18:16 PM »
I am having some issues with three of my citrus trees, what two have in common is little to no growth this year (the limequat has had decent growth):

[If you click on images it will pull them up full-size in new window]

Washington Navel (black spots almost looks rusted on leaves--leaves are small and somewhat pointed upward):





Meyer Lemon (no black spots but leaves are pointed upward--top left of picture shows new growth with pointed leaves):





Limequat (dead/shriveled leaves on one branch while all the rest look healthy--I cut the shriveled area off):





Any advice on the cause and what treatment options are?

Millet

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2016, 06:03:55 PM »
Countryboy, in the first picture the Washington Navel just looks to be undernourished.  A young citrus tree should be fertilized 6 times equally spaced out over the complete growing season.  It is difficult to see the leaves clearly, but it also look like the leaves are lightly covered with Sooty Mold.

The Meyer lemon in the second picture looks to be fairly healthy, but slight under fertilized. .  Don't worry about the angle of the leaves. How often are you watering the tree? All in all it three looks OK.

Don't let the grass grow under the drip line of your trees.  Grass absorbs much of the nutrients, that the tree should receive.  Citrus are heavy feeders that require more nutrition than  most other trees.

Millet

« Last Edit: May 26, 2016, 06:09:05 PM by Millet »

countryboy1981

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2016, 09:52:27 PM »
I tend to let the rain do the watering as this region gets the most rainfall in the continetal U.S.  I have put down some organic 3-3-3 but most of the nitrogen I do not believe is water soluable.  The hard darker material that looks dried out is the fertilizer.  I purchased a gallon of fish emulsions today and mixed it with water and poured it on to get some faster acting nitrogen.  The rest of my citrus trees in the ground all look healthy, a few of which were more planted this spring (the 3 with the issues were planted last spring) and have undergone the same watering and fertilizing regimin.  That's where my concerns arose as the 3 are the outliers.

Millet

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2016, 10:33:49 PM »
countryboy,  they are your your trees, and you certainly can fertilize them as you wish. Citrus are heavy feeders, requiring higher levels of nutrition than most plants.  I would recommend a nutritional plan with fertilizers having higher levels,and more availability, of nutrition than what is supplied with organics.  - Millet

countryboy1981

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2016, 10:45:19 PM »
Which ones would you recommend for in ground citrus?  If it's not getting enough I don't care whether it's organic or not I just want them thriving. 

Tom

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2016, 10:55:47 PM »
countryboy1981,

I used to worry about fertilizing too much for fear of burning my plants. Arlie Powell suggested I try some organic stuff because the percentage of nutrients is much lower like Millet says above. I use controlled release like Osmocote, water soluable like Miracle Grow, organic fertilizer some and also a citrus / pecan fertilizer that has more minor elements. I don't use too much of any one kind and not all kinds at once. If your citrus is in a pot or sandy soil you can flush out excessive nutrients and salts if necessary. You can hardly hurt with organic fertilizers but they cost more and the plant doesn't care about the source of its nutrients. It just wants plant food !

A great hooded sprayer made from a 2 liter plastic bottle with the bottom cut off will help you safely kill the grass under your citrus trees. You tape the mouth over the nozzle on a pump up sprayer.  I agree the grass gets an awful lots of the intended nutrients inside your drip line and the citrus roots can also extend past the limbs of your trees. Kill that grass, it's hurting your trees !

Tom

Tom

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2016, 11:03:51 PM »
A water soluble fertilizer like Miracle Grow will give your citrus a quick pick me up like a b12 shot. Just follow the directions. A controlled release like Osmocote or Dynamite is very safe and again follow the directions. The controlled release does not usually last as long as they say outside in high temps and high rainfall but it will last much better than regular fertilizer. Kill that grass with Roundup and the homemade hooded sprayer. Just keep the hood right on the ground because you don't want the Roundup to get on the citrus foliage. It does not kill roots in the soil. I hope this helps.

countryboy1981

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2016, 07:49:50 AM »
Thanks. Will probably try all the above.  Getting them growing strong is one way to give them more cold tolerance come winter.

Millet

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Re: Issues with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #8 on: May 27, 2016, 12:33:11 PM »
During the fist few years, apply fertilizer to young citrus trees to stimulate vigorous growth of leaves and branches that will become the framework of the mature tree.  Beginning about 2 weeks after planting, frequent, light applications of fertilizer should be made approximately every 6 weeks.  Avoid burning roots with high levels of soluble fertilizer applied all at once.  The goal of the fertilizer program for young trees is to continue to stimulate vigorous growth of leaves and branches that can compete with early fruit production.  After the tree has become established, the goal will be to replace nutrients that were removed from the soil by the fruit and to provide enough nutrients to sustain continued tree growth. Many different fertilizer formulations are available for use on citrus trees.  In general, the numbers on a fertilizer bag refer to the percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P205) and potassium (K20). plus all the micronutrients.  For example, if the numbers 8-8-8  were listed on the fertilizer bag, it would contain 8% nitrogen (N), 8% phosphorous (P205) and 8% potassium expressed as (K20).  Fertilizer should not be applied between October 1 and February 1 in regions where cold damage can occur.  This will reduce the possibility of untimely growth flushes in the winter. For young outdoor in ground trees do not use a fertilizer with higher than an 8-8-8 analysis during years 1 to 3.  Good luck to you and your trees. - Millet
« Last Edit: May 27, 2016, 12:39:05 PM by Millet »