lemon foliage drop

[jtnguyen333]

Hi all..

My eureka lemon tree leaves is yellowing and dropping too much at this time of the year. I also see quite a few flowerss on it.  Is this tree stressed because of too many flowers or lack of feeding?  The last time I fed it was on February 1st with an organic fert of 6-6-5.  I have some pics attached.

[brian]

Looks like old leaves to me, but I'm not good at analyzing leaf patterns.  When I see this on my trees I am not concerned because new growth flushes come right after. 

[Millet]

Citrus are heavy feeders, requiring more nutrition than most trees.  Not only are the tree's new leaves pure yellow, many of the older more mature leaves throughout the tree are also showing to be deficient., Grow your tree as you wish, but my suggestion is to feed the tree with conventional fertilizes.  Looking at your pictures, it is easy to determine that the tree is suffering from a drastic deficiency of nitrogen, and probably a few  other elements. You don't say how old the tree is.  A 1 year old citrus tree should be fertilized 6 times /year; a 2 year old tree 5 times /year; a 3 year old tree 4 times and a 5 year old tree and older 3 times a year.  I would suggest that you purchase a conventional fertilizer with a formula such as 8-8-8 and fertilize the tree, covering the entire area of the tree's root zone once ever two months during the growing season.   Your tree is so badly undernourished you might even give it a urea foliar spray.  Good luck to you and thls tree,

[jtnguyen333]

Millet,

I bought this tree last year in a 5 gal size.  Then transplanted in March, so it is almost 1 year old.

Citrus are heavy feeders, requiring more nutrition than most trees.  Not only are the tree's new leaves pure yellow, many of the older more mature leaves throughout the tree are also showing to be deficient., Grow your tree as you wish, but my suggestion is to feed the tree with conventional fertilizes.  Looking at your pictures, it is easy to determine that the tree is suffering from a drastic deficiency of nitrogen, and probably a few  other elements. You don't say how old the tree is.  A 1 year old citrus tree should be fertilized 6 times /year; a 2 year old tree 5 times /year; a 3 year old tree 4 times and a 5 year old tree and older 3 times a year.  I would suggest that you purchase a conventional fertilizer with a formula such as 8-8-8 and fertilize the tree, covering the entire area of the tree's root zone once ever two months during the growing season.   Your tree is so badly undernourished you might even give it a urea foliar spray.  Good luck to you and thls tree,

[spaugh]

James, maybe try some sulfer and grow power.  Or cottonseed meal.  The tree needs to get some roots.  My trees planted last year still look terrible too.  Just need more time to get established.  The tree is probably going to shed leaves and bloom now and hopefully flush out some new leaves also. 

[lebmung]

Maybe trim the tree 50% of the old leaves to force new vegetation and fertilize it with soluble fertilizer high in urea, but be careful not to burn the tree. Cut any flower. Those leaves won't get deep green again, so it's not point to keep them. Have new growth.

[Millet]

If the cause of a yellowing in the leaf is due to a nitrogen deficiency they should regain their green chlorophyll color rather quickly.  Many times if the deficiency is due to a lack of magnesium, the return of color is slow or does not completely return.

[lebmung]

If the cause of a yellowing in the leaf is due to a nitrogen deficiency they should regain their green chlorophyll color rather quickly.  Many times if the deficiency is due to a lack of magnesium, the return of color is slow or does not completely return.

True, but how the tree looks like I give it slim chances. Veins are very yellow I think it has many nutrient  deficiencies. Those leaves will fell anyway in a year or less. Spring is coming and a good time for a new beginning.

[Vlad]

Could such deficiencies actually be due to problem with the roots, e.g., root rot?

[lebmung]

Could such deficiencies actually be due to problem with the roots, e.g., root rot?

Yes root rot has similarities, but tree would still have some green leaves and would show signs of dehydration.

[jtnguyen333]

Update:

I noticed the tree is flowering too much.  There are flower buds at every other leaf nodes.  Should I remove some flower buds to encourage more leaf growth?

[Millet]

Since the beginning of this thread, have you given the tree any fertilizer, either as a ground application, or floral spray?

[jtnguyen333]

Since the beginning of this thread, have you given the tree any fertilizer, either as a ground application, or floral spray?

None since then.

[Millet]

If you want the tree to improve you better get on with it.

[Laaz]

Replace the soil around the tree & heavy fertilizer. Put it on a good watering schedule...

[spaugh]

Update:

I noticed the tree is flowering too much.  There are flower buds at every other leaf nodes.  Should I remove some flower buds to encourage more leaf growth?

Just let it flower and then remove the fruits that set once they are pea size.  I bet you get some new leaf flush soon, my trees are starting to do blooms and new leaves.