Arctic Frost Satsuma Problem

[GregW]

I have two Arctic Frost Satsuma trees that I have had for around five years.
They have never been healthy. I had one orange the first year.
If I can't figure out what's going on with them, I'm going to try to rehome them and give someone else a shot with them.

In the past, I was pretty successful with citrus. A couple of things have changed in my setup. (1) I stained my deck a dark brown. (2) Jungle growth potting mix is no longer available.

I don't know if these factors have anything to do with my problems.

I have tried using Osmocote Citrus time release in the past, and this year I'm using Jacks Professional 20-20-20 water-soluble. The Jacks does have .0125% Boron

Please take a look at the photos and make a recommendation.


















Thanks in advance for anyone's help

Greg

[Citradia]

I’m assuming they are potted. How big is the pot? Are you repotting into bigger containers over the years? Leaves look pretty good to me. Are they getting any chill hours over winter, or they kept inside house all winter long? They need some cold to bloom in spring. I don’t have this variety of satsuma, but I’ve heard on this forum some negativity about it from others. Do you know what it’s grafted on? The rootstock May be a factor.

[GregW]

The trees were repotted from 20-Inch pots into 24 Inch pots a month or so ago.
The trees had the same issues last summer and in fact, the entire time I have had them.
Last night I ordered Citrus-tone fertilizer. It should be in later this week, hopefully, an application of Citrus-tone will improve the situation.

The trees stay on the deck year-round.
My Arctic Frost is not grafted. I think I've read that that they are a variety that is not grafted.

Thanks

[Millet]

Citrus-Tone fertilizer is a poor fertilizer for a citrus tree.  Citrus are heavy feeders, and require higher levels of nutrition than most plants.  Find a conventional fertilizer with a nutrient ratio (nor formula) as close to a 5-1-3 ratio.  Jacks professional 25-5-15, or Foliage Pro are widely used for citrus culture.

[GregW]

Millet, I have a bag of Jacks Prof 77010 General Purpose Fertilizer, 20-20-20 Fertilizer.
Is this ok to use? or does it need to be the ratio you described?

Thanks

[Mag]

What potting soil did you use?

[GregW]

I repotted with Kellogg Garden Organics premium outdoor potting mix. I added additional perlite and some sand to the mix. It drains very well, in fact, that may be an issue with keeping nutrients in the pots. The pots require watering at least every other day.

What fertilizer are you using?

[SoCal2warm]

The picture of the leaf with yellow veins indicates a possible nitrogen deficiency.
The plant may have overgrown the size of the container. You might need to move up to a larger container for more adequate root space.

Arctic Frost may be more sensitive because this particular variety is often sold growing on its own roots (a rarity for citrus).

[Millet]

Greg 20-20-20 is a general fertilizer.  It is a much better fertilizer to use than then Citrus Tone.  It does contain much more phosphorous  than citrus needs, but still a lot better fertilizer than citrus tone.

[GregW]

Millet. Thanks for the information. I had already ordered an 18# bag of the Citrus Tone.
It came in today, I made an application with it.
I have also ordered a 25# bag of Jacks professional 25-5-15
Hopefully, it will arrive next week.

[GregW]

Millet. Thanks for the information. I had already ordered an 18# bag of the Citrus Tone.
It came in today, I made an application with it.
I have also ordered a 25# bag of Jacks professional 25-5-15
Hopefully, it will arrive next week.

Millet.
I received the Jacks professional 25-5-15 about 3 weeks ago. I have been applying it in every watering at a rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon. The soil is very well draining and I have to water daily. I have also applied a couple of applications of foliar fertilizer- I used the 25-5-15 at a rate of a little less than a 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.
I will say the trees seem to be in the start of a real turn around. The foliage is really starting to look better.

Are these application rates correct?

Thanks
Greg

[Millet]

Fertilizing every day might be too much.  I also have trees in a fast draining medium,  I fertilize them lightly every third watering.  Good to hear your trees are improving.  Thanks for the up date.

[GregW]

The Arctic Frost trees have made a remarkable turn around. It has put on at least 12 inches of new growth all the way around, to the point that the trees are getting a little too large for the deck.

I had severely underestimated the heavy nutritional requirements of the trees, I was essentially starving the trees.   

The question is, do I cut them back to a more manageable size? and If I do, when is the best time of the year to prune? And last, how will gutting them back affect the next seasons fruit crop chances?

Thanks
Greg

[Millet]

On citrus trees, fruit develop only on the new growth.  Pruning a citrus tree removes the new growth, hence no fruit for that year.  Therefore, if you need to prune, prune only one side of the tree, leaving the other side to fruit.  The following year, if needed prune the other side of the tree.

[GregW]

Thank you for the quick reply. I was afraid that the fruit was produced on the new growth.

Given the purported cold hardness of Arctic Frost, do you think the trees would do well planted in the ground in central Alabama? my soil is the typical heavy clay.



Thanks
Greg

[Millet]

Arctic Frost has proven not to be as cold hardy as first thought.  Where you live the tree will require cold weather protection.