The Tropical Fruit Forum

Did some trimming today following the provided instructions (thank you again!). Some dead stuff was very easy to identify: it snapped off when I barely touched it.  Below is a pic of dead branches and rotting-on-the-branch lemons that I pulled down today:



Here are some encouraging signs, I think:



Here is the current state of the tree:




The instructions on my tree food say to apply once a month until the tree improves, so I will be doing another application soon.

A few questions, in case anyone returns to this thread:

1)   One large lemon I recently harvested was very dry on the inside. Does that signify anything in particular? (Or is it just a general sign of an unwell tree?)
2)     Should I be cutting dead branches just from under the canopy, or anywhere I find dead branches? (Per my mother's instructions, I'm already cutting off dead lemons wherever I find them and can reach them with my longest shears.)
3)     My mother thinks some upcoming rain will be helpful for cleaning dust and such off the tree. If the rain turns out to be light, maybe some hosing down would be helpful?
4)   Should I be troubled that the citrus tree food I bought has a CA cancer warning on it?


I wish I could beam the tree into this group’s more capable hands.  Since I cannot, I will try to do better for this tree. THANK YOU again!

Not a pro in this, but could this tree use some rejuvenation trimming to produce new young branches? I also see alot of dead branches( small) in there, its becomed entangled and this is preventing air flow ,thus the chance of desease increases. I am not an expert in citrus ,but that's rather a generall tree care thing.
U can use the trimmed parts to start new plants also!

Thank you for your reply! Someone earlier in the thread also recommended trimming dead branches (that post seems to be missing), which I have now done and will continue doing.  Some branches that appear dead suddenly sprout lemons, so I don't yet have full confidence in my dead/not-dead distinctions, but I've cleared out all of the obviously dead stuff.  Fingers crossed...

Thank you, everyone!  (And apologies for the delay in replying.)

sc4001992:  I will get on this immediately, thank you. (Regarding "getting old"-- we asked a landscape architect to look at the tree a couple days ago, and he said basically the same thing.  But obviously I'm still going to deal with the dead stuff per your recommendation.)

matt_citrus and Millet:  The watering has not changed over the decades... same sprinkler system, pointing in exactly the same direction, going off with the same frequency.  So with that piece remaining constant, I'm reluctant to roll the dice with big changes.  But we are definitely fertilizing now (which hadn't been done since the tree's earliest years). 

The citrus tree food I bought from the nursery has recommendations for monthly and twice-a-year maintenance. Your feedback makes me think the maintenance protocol would be too conservative. Maybe I'll start monthly and move to quarterly.

In any case, I will be cutting off the dead stuff immediately.  It seems we have been taking this tree for granted!

Many thanks again for the replies, everyone!