Trickerie
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Please Help My Meyer Lemon!!

Hey All,

I've posed about this specific tree before, and while Ive recently gotten a huge growth spurt, the older leaves are showing some sort of deficiency symptoms. I'm not sure what they are.

This lemon tree is potted in citrus miracle gro potting soil, has a grow light on for 12-16 hours per day ~2 inches from tallest leaves.

The symptoms are showing on the older leaves, the oldest leaves are started to fall off, here are two pictures I have taken.

[img]https://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh532/Mark_Torsiello/photo10.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i1250.photobucket.com/albums/hh532/Mark_Torsiello/photo9.jpg[/img]

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I love this little plant :]

JONA878
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This could be an indication of pottasium deficiance...a fairly common problem with citrus especialy when the plant is growing strongly. Mainly older leaves are affected at first.
Try this site for info.

https://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/repositoryfiles/ca2808p6-64149.pdf

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applestar
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Great link! Thanks :D

So, when was the plant last re-potted? If its been over three months, The soil may be depleted -- usually the case with chemical fertilizer-based soil-less potting mixes.

Fwiw, in between fertilizing, I water with used beverage carton/carafe/glass/mug (juice, milk, soda, oconut water, cold coffee and tea) rinse out water supplemented with used coffee grounds.

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ElizabethB
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It may also be chlorosis. Since the older leaves are being affected it would be magneseium and zinc deficiency. It could also be a pH issue. If the pH is not correct the plant can not absorb the nutrients even when they are present in the soil.

https://urbanext.illinois.edu/focus/chlorosis.cfm

Good luck

Green Mantis
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Just wanted to ask, Can I transplant my meyer lemon tree now?

It's finished fruiting, none on it now, and "new" leaves are starting to grow.

Would now be the time to transplant? I have a big deep pot ready for it.

Just need to get some soil.

Would appreciate any answers, Thanks in advance.

Northernfox
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this is simple under fed. feed every week now with a citrus blend fertilizer.

imafan26
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Yes, it is ok to transplant. The tree is just starting in growth mode and coming out of dormancy. Spring is the best time to transplant most citrus. You may have to watch it, make sure it gets fed especially since it is not happy right now.

RaineyDay
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I transplanted mine just as it was flowering and it started doing even better, so I doubt you'd upset it by transplanting. I agree that looks like vitamin deficencies.

Green Mantis
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Not sure if you are replying to me or the other poster, but my plant is fine.

Just needed to know if I can transplant, while it is starting to flower on one branch.

It's doing great, otherwise. Thanks everybody for the info. Love the tree. :D

Northernfox
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You can transplant however you may lose the buds. that being said bud loss is normal.

Depending on how small the plant is you may not want to beat up the roots when you repot.

if the plant is larger the rootball may need some abuse. I know this is hard to do for most of us but trust me it will do much better that way.

Northernfox
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Depending on the fertilizer you are using you may want to add micronutrients as well. trace elements are required for successful life stages of citrus.

have a great weekend and tip back a Corona for me with some fresh lemon.

Green Mantis
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Well finally decided it was time to transplant the Meyer Lemon Tree.

Got a medium sized garbage can plastic ( hubby drilled holes in the bottom

for me) then filled about half the can full of soil, then carefully pulled

straight up on the Lemon Tree, and pulled it out of the old pot. Put it

gently on top of the new soil, then filled the pot up with soil, on the

sides and top. I didn't knock virtually any soil off the roots while

taking it out or putting it in the new pot. Then gave it a good watering

so now I will see if it loses the two sets of flowers that are on it.

Those flowers sure do smell lovely too. Sure hope not, I really want

some more lemons. :wink: Didn't fertilize it with anything, leaves

are nice and green, should I fertilize it?

Northernfox
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Citrus trees are heavy feeders and require sufficient fertilizer to fruit and survive.

There is lots of information at the following link ;) Hope this helps.

https://www.fourwindsgrowers.com/growin ... trees.html

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applestar
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@Green Mantis - what kind of "soil" did you use? What was in it? When I repot, I add compost and depending on the plant, additional nutrients like rock phosphate, green sand, reconstitutes alfalfa pellets (alfalfa meal). If I can't put a lot of (1/4-1/3) compost in the soil mix, then I add organic fertilizer. I also usually add sand, gravel, composted mulch, etc. for improved drainage.

Green Mantis
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Just used regular potting soil, it has fertilizer in it, for up to 6

months. :oops:

Probably not the best, but the Tree is doing great, no flower drop, they smell

so good. Leaf colour is a nice dark green, just had a look at it and there is

another tiny flower starting. I will go through all your info and add some

fertilizer. Guess it will need it. :oops:

Thanks everyone. :D

Northernfox
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Enjoy and I look forward to seeing pictures of the fruit !

Green Mantis
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When it has fruit on it, will definately get pictures up.

So far it's doing really well, just being watered a little more often, and

no flowers have fallen off. They have actually gotten bigger and wow

do they smell good. Like a gardenia. So far two big sets of flowers.

Hope it gets more?

This time I will definately be saving seeds from the fruit.. I didn't last

time. :(

Did give a lemon to a friend and she got two, that I know of, to sprout

and start growing, out of 4 seeds.

I just started the last 7 calamonian dwarf orange tree seeds. I have

22 growing now, from the last seeds I started. Hope they keep

growing as well as they are, because they are all spoken for. :wink:

Northernfox
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That sounds like a whole lot of fun. It is really too bad it to too dry in my new house to have citrus trees !

Green Mantis
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You should try anyway, see what happens? Go buy a Meyer Lemon,

take the seeds out, wash off the yucky stuff around the seeds, put in

Wet paper towel in a dish ( you can put a top on) then put more damp

paper towel over top of the seeds, put the lid on, wait about 4-6 wks.

They should

have sprouted by then. It's cheap and fun. Go for it. :D

Northernfox
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I have in the past :) I had three and they did not make it :)

Green Mantis
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Just wanted to update on the Meyer Lemon Tree.

It's doing great, and so far there are 6 little green lemons coming, about 3/4 of an

inch long. Then a bunch coming on the remaining flowers. At this rate it's going to

be loaded. Will need to support the branches I think.

When they are all out, I'm going to try for a picture. :oops:

Northernfox
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Your tree branches should be alright :)

I can't wait to see it !!

imafan26
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the branches will bend to accommodate the fruit. You might have to support the trunk to keep it from leaning.



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