Meyer Lemon Tree Losing Leaves

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by Dreffin00, Nov 7, 2007.

  1. Dreffin00

    Dreffin00 Member

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    I've had this meyer lemon tree for a couple of months and brought it indoors about a month ago because of the weather. It was doing great until about 2 weeks ago. It had some ripening lemons and new flower buds and then started to drop leaves. The leaves look quite healthy and green and then they just drop. Does anyone know what is going on? I've heard about epsom salts? Should I try this? If so how much to add to water?
     
  2. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Epsom salts has nothing to do with leaf drop. The most frequent cause is the differential between the leaf temperature and the root zone temperature. Check the soil temperature with a thermometer. Your soil temperature should be between 64F - 70F if you tree is setting directly in front of a south or west window. Note that due to evaporation from the container surface, the root zone will always be 5 - 10 degrees lower than the room temperature. You can also stop leaf drop, by removing the tree from direct sunshine coming through a southern window. You can also reduce the root-foliage differential by removing the tree from direct sunshine, thus reducing the temperature of the tree's foliage. - Millet
     
  3. Artemis

    Artemis Member

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    Good luck Dreffin00! I lost every single one of my leaves off my Meyer Lemon last year over one weekend and after reading all the advice here I've nursed my stick back to having about 30-40 leaves. Watch your root temperature and I seem to recall some suggestions concerning a type of heating pad or wrapping Christmas lights around the pot. I'm just about at the wrapping the lights around my pot right about now that the temperature's dropped in my covered balcony.
     
  4. Dreffin00

    Dreffin00 Member

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    I am now noticing small bugs at the soil level of my tree. They look like a common fruit fly. I still have 2 lonely leaves left, and one lemon. I have been misting the tree because our humidity is low with the heat on. What should be done about the bugs? Could this be contributing to the leaf drop?
     
  5. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Is your soil moist? Sometimes you get what are called fungus gnats from soil that is too wet-- that could also cause your leaf drop due to root damage.

    Skeet
     
  6. Dreffin00

    Dreffin00 Member

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    The soil is moist, but I don't water often at all. Probably ever few weeks. I think the lasttime I watered was more than 2 weeks ago.
     
  7. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Trying to water citrus on a schedule is a mistake, frequency doesn't really matter. Citrus prefer relatively dry conditions (actually it is the oxygen that is displaced by water that they really need). Citrus do better in a soil that drains rapidly and hold lots of air but, in many cases the soil breaks down in a year or so and needs to be changed.

    In any case, it is better to water citrus only when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry-- that takes longer in winter than in summer. A dry soil will get rid of the fungus gnats.

    Skeet
     
  8. Dreffin00

    Dreffin00 Member

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    Makes sense. I was mentioning the time frame only to show that I am intentionally not trying to overwater it. It seems that it takes FOREVER for it to dry out. Do you think a smaller pot would be better? I have it in a 10G pot, with potting soil. It has only been potted in there since September. it is probably around 2 feet tall.
     
  9. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    A 10 gal pot is probably a little too large for a 2 ft plant. Growing citrus in containers that are too large will result in root rot because of excess water. Your plant would probably be better off in a smaller pot.

    Skeet
     
  10. Dreffin00

    Dreffin00 Member

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    I repotted my tree yesterday in a smaller pot. The soil in the larger pot was definitly very damp throughout the pot. I hope this will revive it! Thanks for your help.
     
  11. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    HOPEFULLY, you did not use regular commercial potting soil available in most all nurseries when you repotted the tree. - Millet
     
  12. et2007

    et2007 Active Member

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    Millet,
    PLEASE explain! all of my citrus are in organic commercial potting soil. Thanks.
     
  13. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Citrus in containers need a fast draining media (soil) that has lots of air space. I use a media that is primarialy pine bark chunks (3 parts bark to 1 part peat moss) . Millet has posted a recipe for using CHCs (coconut husk chips)-- they need to be soaked before use to remove salts.

    Most commercial potting soils are almost 100% peat moss and will hold too much water (displacing air that citrus roots need).

    Skeet
     
  14. et2007

    et2007 Active Member

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    Skeet,
    Thank you very much for the info, I will re pot in spring, it make me wonder how my survive all these years. Could it be the habit of racking up the soil when my mom called and I'm on the phone for hours. Thanks.
     

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