I planted a couple of citrus trees (lime and mandarin) and within a few weeks of planting them, I saw yellow/brown spots appear on the leaves and the branches. The trees immediately started to lose all leaves and are drying up before my eyes. I've had these trees in large pots for a couple of years and they were doing amazing. Planting has hurt them but I cannot identify what the cause is. I've attached pictures. Can you please help me?
A close by newly planted Dragon fruit plant developed large orange spots, which I've cut off now but they are continuing to develop more spots. I planted a small avocado tree and immediately the tree started to dry up (this small tree was growing in the backyard of a different house and had started from a seed. As soon as I planted into the new soil, the leaves started to brown).
Thus far, I've sprayed the plants with Neem oil, fungicide, and sulfur. I've added Miracle Grow to the soil and added new soil to the planted areas. I don't see much improvement. Please help!
What's happening with my plants?
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A few more questions.
1. These plants were in pots. Were they in the same location or somewhere else?
2. Did you acclimate them first. Gradually moving them to the new location and sun and then let them stay in there pots for a couple of weeks at least right on top of their new planting site.
3. Are there other plants in the area? If yes, do they have similar spots?
4. I see what looks like what might be aphids on the leaves in your third picture. I could not get a good focus on the spots. Could they be scale? See if they can be scraped off or if it is in the wood itself. Scale can usually be scraped off with your fingernail.
1. These plants were in pots. Were they in the same location or somewhere else?
2. Did you acclimate them first. Gradually moving them to the new location and sun and then let them stay in there pots for a couple of weeks at least right on top of their new planting site.
3. Are there other plants in the area? If yes, do they have similar spots?
4. I see what looks like what might be aphids on the leaves in your third picture. I could not get a good focus on the spots. Could they be scale? See if they can be scraped off or if it is in the wood itself. Scale can usually be scraped off with your fingernail.
They were in another location for a couple of years. We moved a few miles away, but higher altitude. I brought the plants with me in the pots and left them out near their new location for three weeks. They were doing fine. As soon as I planted them, they started to dry up.
The brown spots are in the wood itself. The leaves had tiny bright yellow spots on them (within the leaf) then dried and fell off.
The brown spots are in the wood itself. The leaves had tiny bright yellow spots on them (within the leaf) then dried and fell off.
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applestar
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...let me refresh my memory...
- Citruses prefer soil that is somewhat acid, full sun, well draining soil but requires iron, zinc, and nitrogen.
- Avocados like similar conditions but are sensitive to salt and sunburns easily without properly acclimating.
- Doesn't dragon fruit need drier conditions and alkaline soil? Do those brown spots look like rust?
...
Let's try another tack. I see what appears to be a vigorous vine, perhaps climbing on a fence in the background. Is that correct? Is that yours or your neighbors?
Aside from the "vine" and your trees, what are other plants growing in the general area? Any landscape shrubs, flowers, grass, etc. What about weeds? Sometimes, the kind of plants that are happily growing in the same location can provide vital clue to condition of the soil and growing conditions.
...
You said all plants are newly planted -- what kind of soil preparation did you do before planting? What was growing there before? Moving from containers to ground, one immediate difference is in drainage, especially if the ground soil is clay....
- Citruses prefer soil that is somewhat acid, full sun, well draining soil but requires iron, zinc, and nitrogen.
- Avocados like similar conditions but are sensitive to salt and sunburns easily without properly acclimating.
- Doesn't dragon fruit need drier conditions and alkaline soil? Do those brown spots look like rust?
...
Let's try another tack. I see what appears to be a vigorous vine, perhaps climbing on a fence in the background. Is that correct? Is that yours or your neighbors?
Aside from the "vine" and your trees, what are other plants growing in the general area? Any landscape shrubs, flowers, grass, etc. What about weeds? Sometimes, the kind of plants that are happily growing in the same location can provide vital clue to condition of the soil and growing conditions.
...
You said all plants are newly planted -- what kind of soil preparation did you do before planting? What was growing there before? Moving from containers to ground, one immediate difference is in drainage, especially if the ground soil is clay....
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ButterflyLady29
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Aniz113 wrote:I added miracle grow about 3 weeks after planting. I added "plant food" the same day of planting. I can see the condition of my trees worsening on a daily basis. The trees are drying up at a very rapid pace.
Should I take it out of the current soil and replant it in the planters with fresh soil?
I don't think it is micro nutrients none of the symptoms look like that.
It would be better to contact your local extension service or master gardeners and ask where you can take your soil samples. The cost is small for me about $25 for a full nutrient analysis and tissue nitgrogen analysis and if I ask, I can get organic recommmendations. I send my soil test for general garden vegetables so I get specific recommmendations for how much fertilizer, what kind, and if I need to adjust the pH. I do soil tests to check every 3-4 years. My soil indicates I only need to add nitrogen in divided feedings. Over the counter kits are not that accurate and they don't help determine what and how much amendment, fertilizer, sulfur or lime you need. While you are talking to them, if you can go down to the office. Bring a sample of the plant stems and leaves and see if they can identify the problem. If not they should be able to send it for analysis. Put a fresh sample in a baggie and bring it down in a cooler to preserve it.
You left the plants on the site for three weeks in place so they should have been acclimated.
It could be the soil is very different from what is in the pots and some transplant shock. Larger plants are harder to transplant than smaller plants because they go into shock easier and it is best to plant some things at the right time of the year when they are either fully dormant or just before a growth spurt is expected. Citrus and gardenia are like that. They have definite times when they are less active and I move or propagate them only when I know they are in a growth phase. Drying of the leaves could be a symptom of transplant shock or root damage during transplanting. Only tomatoes like to be planted deep. All other plants should be planted at the same level they were in the pot or maybe a 1/4 inch higher. You don't want soil or mulch up against the stems as that can eventually lead to rot.
If you are higher and wetter it could be some bacterial or fungal disease. If you moved to a higher elevation a couple of hundred feet can matter. Citrus does better in warmer drier and lower elevations. Avocadoes are not salt tolerant and cannot be grown near the ocean and they also prefer warmer and drier to cold and wet but they will produce at higher elevations.
If this is a new location, what was on it before? If someone used some herbicides to clean up the lot, there may be some residual which could explain why all the plants look like that. Glyphosate does not persist but some of the other herbicides or combo products can persist up to a year.
Miracle grow should not have caused an issue. It is water soluble and unless you put the pure powder on the plants it should be dilute enough when you sprayed it.
However, if you used neem and sulfur within a couple of weeks of each other, it could be the reason for all the leaves and stems burning. Oil and sulfur don't mix. They will definitely burn plants and cause the leaves to brown and can even kill plants if it gets hot enough. It is recommended on the label of the products to wait a month between applications of sulfur and an oil. Neither of the products should be used on a sunny day if the day temps are expected to exceed 80 degrees. That is like almost every day in Hawaii, so I can only use the products early in the morning or late in the evening or on cloudy days and I only use one or the other and I do wait between applications of oil and sulfur and oil.
When you use garden products it is important to read the labels, follow the mixing and safety precautions, and waiting times for reentry. They usually also will tell you what can be mixed together. Remember the label will peel open and there is more information inside the label and it also usually labelled in Spanish as well.
It would be better to contact your local extension service or master gardeners and ask where you can take your soil samples. The cost is small for me about $25 for a full nutrient analysis and tissue nitgrogen analysis and if I ask, I can get organic recommmendations. I send my soil test for general garden vegetables so I get specific recommmendations for how much fertilizer, what kind, and if I need to adjust the pH. I do soil tests to check every 3-4 years. My soil indicates I only need to add nitrogen in divided feedings. Over the counter kits are not that accurate and they don't help determine what and how much amendment, fertilizer, sulfur or lime you need. While you are talking to them, if you can go down to the office. Bring a sample of the plant stems and leaves and see if they can identify the problem. If not they should be able to send it for analysis. Put a fresh sample in a baggie and bring it down in a cooler to preserve it.
You left the plants on the site for three weeks in place so they should have been acclimated.
It could be the soil is very different from what is in the pots and some transplant shock. Larger plants are harder to transplant than smaller plants because they go into shock easier and it is best to plant some things at the right time of the year when they are either fully dormant or just before a growth spurt is expected. Citrus and gardenia are like that. They have definite times when they are less active and I move or propagate them only when I know they are in a growth phase. Drying of the leaves could be a symptom of transplant shock or root damage during transplanting. Only tomatoes like to be planted deep. All other plants should be planted at the same level they were in the pot or maybe a 1/4 inch higher. You don't want soil or mulch up against the stems as that can eventually lead to rot.
If you are higher and wetter it could be some bacterial or fungal disease. If you moved to a higher elevation a couple of hundred feet can matter. Citrus does better in warmer drier and lower elevations. Avocadoes are not salt tolerant and cannot be grown near the ocean and they also prefer warmer and drier to cold and wet but they will produce at higher elevations.
If this is a new location, what was on it before? If someone used some herbicides to clean up the lot, there may be some residual which could explain why all the plants look like that. Glyphosate does not persist but some of the other herbicides or combo products can persist up to a year.
Miracle grow should not have caused an issue. It is water soluble and unless you put the pure powder on the plants it should be dilute enough when you sprayed it.
However, if you used neem and sulfur within a couple of weeks of each other, it could be the reason for all the leaves and stems burning. Oil and sulfur don't mix. They will definitely burn plants and cause the leaves to brown and can even kill plants if it gets hot enough. It is recommended on the label of the products to wait a month between applications of sulfur and an oil. Neither of the products should be used on a sunny day if the day temps are expected to exceed 80 degrees. That is like almost every day in Hawaii, so I can only use the products early in the morning or late in the evening or on cloudy days and I only use one or the other and I do wait between applications of oil and sulfur and oil.
When you use garden products it is important to read the labels, follow the mixing and safety precautions, and waiting times for reentry. They usually also will tell you what can be mixed together. Remember the label will peel open and there is more information inside the label and it also usually labelled in Spanish as well.
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ButterflyLady29
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