Author Topic: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation  (Read 1086 times)

Daintree

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when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« on: March 09, 2020, 10:49:26 PM »
So I must not have fertilized enough last summer, and three of my seven citrus (Bearrs lime, one of my Meyer lemons and a Cara Cara) completely defoliated last winter. They are now blooming, but still no leaves.
What should I do??? Wait for them to flush? Force them somehow? Give up on them?

Thanks!

Carolyn

SeaWalnut

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Re: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2020, 03:16:46 AM »
I would take the flowers off and feed them well both foliar on the green stems and the soil.
They are heavy feeders.Fresh cow manure diluted 1/10 is what i use.I also add a little gypsum to it to prevent root burns .

brian

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Re: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2020, 08:41:40 AM »
If you are confident that the roots are okay and soil draining properly, then wait and see.  I have seen this many times with unhealthy trees:  Defoliation, all-fower bloom, then some twig dieback and a batch of undersized leaves, then more twig dieback and tree starts growing normally again.

Millet

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Re: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2020, 05:40:02 PM »
Manure is good for both a soil conditioner and a fertilizer.  However, manure is not suitable for containers, as it is too easy to cause plant burning due to their high levels of soluble salts.  Manures vary greatly in nutrients content. For example rabbit and poultry manure are about twice as rich as that of horses, cows and pigs. Sheep and goats sit some where between the two. The age and the type of manure create many variables.  This makes it almost impossible to know how strong it is.  To safely use manures, as a rule always compost it for 1 year or more.

Daintree

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Re: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2020, 06:30:59 PM »
Yeah, I don't use manure, except when it is in compost, since all my trees are in containers.  Knowing they are heavy feeders I try to load them up in the summer, but I must have gotten behind the power curve this year.  My tangor is doing awesome and never drops leaves, and makes yummy fruit.  Sure wish the others would follow her lead!
My potting soil is about 1/3 perlite and drains really well, and I keep them relatively dry during the winter.  In addition to hitting them with fertilizer, would more light help?  They are in the sunniest part of my greenhouse but it is still 50% shade, so I could put them under lights if that would help.

Carolyn

SeaWalnut

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Re: when to give up, or force a flush, after winter defoliation
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2020, 08:37:51 PM »
Cow manure its really mild and quite low in nitrogen.If its dry then its even lower in nitrogen.Because its too low in nitrogen for my plants needs i am only using verry fresh cow manure or if its older and dry ,then i add another source of N ,even for my pots fertilisation.

I also reccomend mixing a little gypsum (1 to a few table spoons) with the diluted manure because it really prevents the burning of the roots from N and it also flushes the salt out from the pots wich are prone to salt build up.

Im using powder construction gypsum wich its used to restore the vegetation along the roads after it got burned by salt use in winter.
Its also used to restore patches of grass lawn in case a dog pees and burns it.Dog urine its verry high in Nitrogen wich does the burning not only salt.

Gypsum fixes the N from fertiliser as ammonium sulphate wich its a stable form of N non easily volatilised.
It also adds calcium but doesnt affect the ph and Ive used it for low ph demanding plants .