Lemon tree help -yellowing leaves

[Siren]

Hello everyone!
New here from Ontario, Canada. I currently own two citrus a 6 year old Meyer Lemon tree and 3 year old Caladomin ( I’m such a proud citrus tree mom lol).
So I have owned my lemon tree for three years last year was my first fruit set and this year from circumstances I didn’t have my tree all summer until fall. My lemon had 5 growing fruit - 3 fell off and 2 are still on the tree..

Currently with good fertilizer and watering schedule, and micro folier spray it’s dropping all its leaves and turning yellow.. It never really grew new leaves this summer. It’s still flowering and holding onto two medium size fruit now. No root rot and I’m unsure what the problem could be..Soil/drainage,Light, watering? It was fine last year but hurting this year and it has no bugs (treated with neem oil to be safe)
Also “Millet” can you recommend a good grow light for my tree?? Brand, type, wattage? Thanks

I have more pics of previous years too.

[Millet]

To try to get a hold on the situation.

How long has the tree  peen planted in this same medium?
What fertilizer are you using to feed this tree?
How often do you fertilize the tree?

[Siren]

The tree was outside this summer , and didn’t grow any leaves. It wasn’t fertilized at all over the summer but was in a June with Citrus tone.
As of Sept it was fertilized with Grow Scripts. It was healthy and had new soil and pot in June (than again in October when my pot was hit by the gardener and cracked.
I used orchid bark and tropical soil mix from Fanfard, with added clean sand. I have been using grow scripts folier spray as well.
I did notice my pot is not draining and holding water.
Going to try find your mix of garden soil Miracle Grow and perilite today. And replant again.

Should I remove the two fruit and flowers ? Was wondering if all the energy is going to them.
Looking to buy 2 -T5 bulbs to supplement the light as well.
Thanks for your time

[Millet]

It is easy to determine the difficulty your tree is having.   No fertilizer all summer is not a good situation. without fertilizing the tree certainly will become deficient of the vital minerals required, thus is incapable to producing any growth., Using an organic fertilizer in a container, such as Citrus tone, is also not a good situation.  Organic fertilizers require microorganisms to break down the organic fertilizer to make it usable to the tree.  Container mediums do not have the microorganisms required to accomplish this.  Be careful purchasing Miracle grow as the product is different in different parts of the country.  A 50/50 mix of Turface and Miracle Grown Garden Soil is also a very good medium for container culture.  Miracle Grow Garden soil is different than plain Miracle grow  potting soil.  Also a 5-1-1 or a 5-2-1 mix is a good medium. I would recommend using a conventional fertilizer with higher levels of nitrogen and potassium and a smaller concentration  of phosphorous plus with trace minerals. Good luck to you and this tree.

[lebmung]

An appropriate rootstock for Meyer lemon would have partially solved the problem. Climate and potting mixture for containers play a role here. I am afraid the nurseries have no interest to sell hardy citrus plants that can last tens of years, they would be out of business. Plus competition drove the price down so everybody is hurrying up production. How many years they need to grow a FD to graft and sell it, especially in colder climates.

[CanadianCitrus]

Siren,

I two am an indoor(during the winter months) citrus grower in Canada. Millet’s 5-1-1 soil mixture is a GAME CHANGER. I recommend a VERY fast draining soil. Fast draining soil for us Canadians is a must. Our temperatures don’t run as high and also with the furnace blasting all winter It will do funky things to the plants. I have had a bunch of my plants die over the last few years when I move them into my basement for the winter. If you give your plants enough light they will continue to flush with new growth all winter.

I switched to 5-1-1 about a month or so ago and it was the best decision. I legit can’t overwater my plants.

As for lighting, nothing is gospel but I can tell you my experiences. Fact: Canadian sun light is short in the winter. Fact: Canadian sunlight is weak in the winter. Fact: Canadian winter is long.

I have used compact fluorescent as well as some use of T5 bulbs. The results had been shockingly underwhelming. The rule of thumb for wattage for a grow light is 35-50 watts per square foot of growing space. Fluorescent bulbs just don’t pump out enough juice to make it worth the squeeze. In my humble opinion the move to a full spectrum LED would be the best option. Unless you want to go to a metal halide. But for the hours it would need to run in a Canadian winter the cost of running might be crazy expensive.

Thanks!

[lebmung]

Ontario is on same latitude like me, well maybe a bit colder. I have also -10 to -15 C on some nights.
Citrus should grow well enough without spending lots of money on LEDs and heating.

[Siren]

Thank you everyone
I am going to purchase a small T5 to help supplement light.
I am going to repot in Miracle Gro Garden Soil and perlite
With Fanfard orchid bark. And see if better drainage helps. Along with my
Fertilizer from Grow Script.

Orchid mix contains: Western bark mini-nuggets, coconut husk chunks, limestone

[Siren]

CanadianCitrus:
What brands do you use in your 5-1-1 soil mix ?
Thanks

[Siren]

Changed my mind I’m going to use Miracle grow garden soil and hydroton (Leca)
Anyone use the clay beads thing?  Is this the same as Turface @Millet?

[Vlad]

Can cat litter be a good subsitute for Hydroton?

[daytripper]

Cat litter and hydroton are nothing a like.

[brian]

I am not sure where the original post is where Laaz showed his mix, but hydroton looked more like space-filler balls that don't absorb much.  Turface looks like cat litter but it is fired hard so it does not disintegrate like cat litter does.  It is very free draining and holds some water. 

I am now using a mix that is something like 5:5:1 turface/mulch/"peat or recycled muck from repotted containers"

[brian]

An appropriate rootstock for Meyer lemon would have partially solved the problem. ..

My experience is that most meyer lemons are rooted cuttings grown on their own roots.  I'm not sure what rootstocks may be common for them.

[Vlad]

Daytripper: I know that Hydroton and cat litter are physically different. What I meant to ask is are they functionally similar?

[Millet]

Siren, all oxides are insoluble (except when in the forum of  Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) while most all sulfates are soluble and available to the plant.

[Siren]

An appropriate rootstock for Meyer lemon would have partially solved the problem. ..

My experience is that most meyer lemons are rooted cuttings grown on their own roots.  I'm not sure what rootstocks may be common for them.

Mine is on flying dragon Rootstock and is from Florida.

[daytripper]

Daytripper: I know that Hydroton and cat litter are physically different. What I meant to ask is are they functionally similar?

Hydroton is made out of clay, it will not absorb anywhere near as much liquid as modern kitty litter which is made from silica.

[brian]

here's the post I was referring to: http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=29695.25

and image of hydroton

[Laaz]

When I use the Hydroton, I use it mostly as filler...

[CanadaGrower]

I would use Jack's 25-5-15 fertilizer if you can get it.

Otherwise, I would recommend this:
https://www.amazon.ca/Citrus-Feed-Fertilizer-Fertiliser-Professional/dp/B00I11Y1BO/

As mentioned by probably everyone on this forum, the closer you are to the magic 5-1-3 NPK formula the better.

Cheers.