Author Topic: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?  (Read 1590 times)

Olivier

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Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« on: May 09, 2022, 12:50:25 PM »
Hi,

I have some issues on most of my trees. I think I might have over fertilized them during the winter and now some branches are dying slowly starting from the tip.
Some leaves are browning and show some odd color (see picture attached).

The leaf on the picture was taken off my yuzu tree.

I checked this link and it seems to be over fetilization:
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpleaftwigdis.html

If it is in fact over fertilization, what should I do? Simply water my trees as much as possible without drowning them to dissolve the excess sodium?
Or is repotting mandatory at this point?





Millet

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2022, 01:03:48 PM »
I don't think the single leaf you show was caused by over fertilizing.  Over fertilizing damage normally shows leaf burning or scorching.  It is impossible to determine a tree's problem from seeing just one leaf. It would be much better to show a picture of the whole tree rather then just one leaf.

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2022, 01:35:01 PM »
Rookie mistake from my part.

Here are additional pictures of the tree.

Leaves dropped while it was indoor this winter. I took it outside 4-5 days ago.









brian

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2022, 07:28:14 PM »
I agree it doesn't look like over fertilization. 

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2022, 01:22:49 PM »
After comparing with other posts on this forums, I think it might be spider mite damage.

I had spider mite issues this winter. I washed all my trees under the shower and it got rid of most of them, but some trees still seem to suffer despite being cleared of mites.

I'll keep watching them closely and wash them off with water regularly to keep the mites away.

pagnr

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2022, 07:49:59 AM »
What type of pot mix are they in ?? Any unusual things in that mix ??

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2022, 09:58:16 AM »
It's a mix of sand, peat moss and perlite.
All my trees are in fabric pots to prevent root rot.

pagnr

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2022, 05:29:26 PM »
How much peat, and what type ?
Bog peat can be highly acid, Coir peat is less acid.
Using a high % of bog peat in the mix can cause pH problems unless Lime/Dolomite is added to adjust pH.
If the pH is wrong, all trace elements will be out of whack, including over availability causing toxicity.
Too much peat and your tree is basically planted in a bog marsh.
The acidic peat also attacks roots. The acidic peat also attacks roots.
Not sure if that is your problem , but it looks like some of my mix mistakes ??

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2022, 07:28:29 PM »
I wouldn't be able to tell the peat type honestly, I don't have the bag anymore.
The tree has this soil for over a year now and it started turning like this only recently.
Could a PH problem take that long to surface?

EricSC

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2022, 07:51:32 PM »
After comparing with other posts on this forums, I think it might be spider mite damage.

I had spider mite issues this winter. I washed all my trees under the shower and it got rid of most of them, but some trees still seem to suffer despite being cleared of mites.

I'll keep watching them closely and wash them off with water regularly to keep the mites away.

In my area, spider mites happen during hot,dry, and dust season, usually late summer or early fall.   

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2022, 10:42:39 PM »
I put my trees under grow lights during the winter. The conditions in the grow room are very similar to what you listed, especially for branches close to the lights.

Can trees die from damage of spider mites?


pagnr

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2022, 05:33:34 PM »
Could a pH problem take that long to surface?

You could get pH drift upwards over time by frequently applying high Ca Mg fertilisers, or from hard water irrigation.
I guess you could increase acidity by the opposite applications, low pH water, fertilisers that lower CaMg levels ?

Millet

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2022, 06:05:10 PM »
Olivier, are you watering your trees with municipal water or well water?   If municipal water, you can get the water's composition from your supplier.  For well water you will need the water tested.  Could very well be from high levels of carbonates and bicarbonates.  When I stared growing citrus I used my well water, and the trees had all sorts of problems due to high  levels of bicarbonates.  I switched to a mixture of 1/3 well water and 2/3 rain water and my trees quickly returned to good health.

brian

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2022, 08:29:05 PM »
A simple gauge of water hardness is to boil a small pot of water until all water evaporates, and see if a white scale forms on the pot.  If you have hard water, you probably have already noticed this though.  And if you have a water softener you may want to avoid using the softened (salt-added) water for plants.

sea4

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2022, 06:30:27 PM »
I put my trees under grow lights during the winter. The conditions in the grow room are very similar to what you listed, especially for branches close to the lights.

Can trees die from damage of spider mites?
Spider mites can definitely kill a plant.
Also, some spider mites do not make webs, they just look like little specks of dirt.

Olivier

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Re: Potentially over fertilized trees - How to fix it?
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2022, 10:25:47 PM »
Olivier, are you watering your trees with municipal water or well water?   If municipal water, you can get the water's composition from your supplier.  For well water you will need the water tested.  Could very well be from high levels of carbonates and bicarbonates.  When I stared growing citrus I used my well water, and the trees had all sorts of problems due to high  levels of bicarbonates.  I switched to a mixture of 1/3 well water and 2/3 rain water and my trees quickly returned to good health.
I will have to check then, I use municipal water exclusively.
I'm hoping it's not the issue because where I live I wouldn't be able to setup a barrel to collect rain water.

Browning on the branches  stopped or slowed down at least, the tree seems to be stabilizing. I'm hoping to see leaves grow back soon