Author Topic: Leaf color on in ground citrus?  (Read 1708 times)

Isaac-1

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Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« on: May 02, 2016, 09:45:16 PM »
I planted 5 new citrus trees this year in Louisiana on the zone 8b/9a line, to replace and augment a few that have been lost in harsh winters the last several years.  I have 3 mature Owari Satsumas all over 9-10 ft tall and at least that wide.  The new trees are a Meyers Lemon, along with a Cara Cara Orange, and 3 new early Satsuma varieties, Armstrong Early, St. Ann's and La Early.  Things are going mostly well with them I have been fertilizing all the Satsuma's the same with quality citrus fertilizer, and giving the Meyers lemon extra Nitrogen, the Meyers did take a hit from a late season freeze though and lost all its leaves a few weeks after being planted in Feb.  but has bounced back now.  My issue is with one of the Satsumas  (it is either the La Early of the St. Ann, the tags got confused so I am not sure which of those two is which, but think it is the St Ann).  The leaves on this one tree are uniformly lighter green than the any of the other trees, adding rapid absorbing nitrogen like blood meal does not change this.  There are not splotches, or yellowing, they just are not as dark of green as my other young citrus, or my mature Satsuma trees.  All trees are in similar soil in reasonably close proximity to each other, in fact the pale one is in the middle of the row with darker green ones on 3 sides.

So my question is, is there something else I should do, or is this a common trait of either of these varieties?

Ike

p.s. On a side note the Cara Cara seems to be much more sensitive to conditions than the Satsumas, it is the first to show signs of needing watering, or getting too much water (I have only watered them 2 or 3 times this spring as we have been getting fairly regular rainfall rarely going over 4 or 5 days without rain).

Millet

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Re: Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2016, 06:30:10 PM »
Without a picture it is very difficult to determine the problem (if indeed there is a problem with your tree).   Two nutriens that contribute to he green coloration of a tree's leaves are nitrogen and iron.  However, it is not wise to apply various chemicals in an effort to control an unknown problem, doing so often can make a situation worse. .  If you are able to post a close up of your tree, perhaps we will be able to offer you (and your tree) more help. - Millet

Isaac-1

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Re: Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2016, 01:47:17 PM »
I think I have it figured out, Magnesium and maybe Copper deficiency, The soil reports for all the surrounding  agricultural fields showed  Magnesium to be low to medium, and Copper to be low to very low.  So  I tried adding Epsom salt to nearby grass and it slightly greened up,   I added some for the citrus and it also greened up some.      Next I plan to apply a light amount of copper fungacide and see if that helps.     If this does help short term, my long term plan is Dolomite lime, I just have to find a local source, as soil pH is on the low end for citrus (5.7 -5.8).

Millet

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Re: Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2016, 03:25:19 PM »
Glad to hear that you might have found the cause of the light greening of your tree's leave.  When a citrus tree is showing a deficiency of magnesium,  the lower center portion of the OLDER leaves show a delta shape that remains green, while to the sides and upper portion of the leaf blade is yellow. - Millet

Millet

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Re: Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2016, 11:29:37 AM »
Magnesium has an important role in photosynthesis as it forms the central atom in the  chlorophyll molecule. Therefore, without sufficient quantity of magnesium, plants begin to lose chlorophyll (the green matter) in the leaves. This is what causes the symptom of magnesium deficiency, chlorosis, or yellowing.  Magnesium is one of the mobile minerals, meaning that when there is a deficiency of the element the tree will transport the Mg from the older leaves to the younger leaves which have greater photosynthetic needs. Therefore, the first sign of a magnesium deficiency is always shown as chlorosis in the older leaves. - Millet
« Last Edit: May 14, 2016, 01:06:42 PM by Millet »

Luisport

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Re: Leaf color on in ground citrus?
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2016, 05:54:48 PM »
Hi! I have a problem with my sweet lemon tree. It doesn't produce leaves, only flowers. But they don't fruit, only rarely... the tree has a yellowish aspect. Please help!  :-\

 

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