Help with SES2

[gnappi]

About 4-6 years ago I bought a beautiful SES2 white sapote in a large pot (sorry I'm pot size impaired so don't know how many gallons it was) and at first it was as healthy as my other fruit trees but gradually it declined. It would lose all of its leaves in mid-summer, re-sprout, and as the leaves got to maturity the branches they were on would die back again.

There are no pests, fungus or mold on it, and the trunk has continued to increase its trunk girth. It now has fully developed leaves and for the first time in years it has new growth with mature leaves. The problem is the leaves are all pale green and the largest are wilting.

This tree gets the same fertilizer (the excellent stuff from Excalibur in south Florida) the rest of my trees thrive on, water as needed, but I read they didn't like too much water so I even tried withholding water since it's established but last year the leaf decline did not change. This year I've been watering a bit more, maybe the reason it's doing a bit better?

I've given it foliar spray, and neem as prophylactic /  preventative measures but still it looks sick. After 5-6+ years in the ground I'm about ready to give up and put a Jabo in its place. Anyone have any ideas?

Here's a pic, you can see the pale old growth and new pale growth

[cbss_daviefl]

Gary, I am also struggling with my two white sapote trees.  Everything I read says they are easy and do not require much care.  My Suebelle died back to a leafless two foot twig and my Redlands did not grow for a year.  Others that I talk to also seem to be having difficulties.  My mom's tree died back to just above the graft.  The only thing in common is all the people I have spoken with are in the rainy parts of south Florida.  My guess is we get too much rain in the summer and they do not like wet feet.  My mom transplanted her tree from a relatively low area to a high spot with excellent drainage near her house and she says the tree is doing much better now.  I have made some progress with my trees but I have issues with weevils and orange dog caterpillars to add insult to the injury.

[gunnar429]

I have 2 trees, and they're still quite young, but planted in-ground and thriving.  I live east of 441 so your theory seems plausible.  I have a little trouble with swallowtail butterfly caterpillars, but it has been minimal, and the new growth is a much brighter green than in your picture.

[raiders36]

gneppi,

Preliminary observation: mineral deficiency- can be manganese, magnesium (epsom salt), iron, etc.
                                    : if it was due to wet feet, more likely you have root rot and the tree would die starting from the top downward.
                                       Having to say that, it is best if the sold drain well.
Try epsom salt. I had turn many of my citrus trees into super green with large leaves. White sapote is in the same family with the citrus. What work for citrus will most likely work for white sapote. How do I know? I had a Redland that I put in the ground 2013 summer and did well along with other citrus.Now, it is flushing out like crazy even in the winter. Same watering technique and fertilization. Consult with the citrus forum.

[OrganicJim]

Had my White in a 7 gallon pot outside last summer and it went down hill. brought it into the greenhouse and repotted it. Bad root damage from being to wet. Put it in a potting mixture that holds less water in lots of nutrients and natural biology and have left it in the greenhouse. It is beginnig to show healthy new growth.

[gnappi]

I have sandy loamy soil, and the tree is elevated from my neighbor's property so I'm hoping the roots aren't damaged. I threw a couple of hands full of epsom salt on it and I'll  try some iron. I'm starting to wonder about water.

It seems like a balancing act, too much or too little. Maybe I'll re-pot it and take it from there like OJ did.

[stuartdaly88]

Also something to look into soil ph? I know even if you have the right minerals in the soil the wrong ph can "lockout" some of them making them unavailable.

[cbss_daviefl]

The two examples of healthy trees I know of in western South Florida are planted a few yards from a house on the raise house pad or pad slope.  Generally, land is sloped to drain water away from a house and the area near the lot boundaries stay the wettest.


According to UF documentation, they do not mind the alkaline soils of South Florida and rarely need chelated iron but it is worth a shot.  I would waste a few dollars in nutrients than a few years of growing time. 

[raiders36]

Stuartdaly88,

Good point. Totally agree with your statement. After receiving my tree from Toptropicals, I potted the plant in a 15 gallon with a mixture of perlite, tree soil (kellog;blue color bag), and peat moss to acidfy the medium. White sapote loves it thrive in it (I believe most subtropical plants like to be on the acid side). People say don't use a pot too big relative to the tree. It is true to some extent, but as long as the soil drain well and the root is warm (black pot). I never have root rot, but be careful of the salt built (lost a tree) up over time. Just flush the medium once or twice a month so the salt can leach out.

[Cookie Monster]

interesting. The problem I had was the opposite: my suebelle grew too fast and overtook the area.