Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree rescue help please?

[Dave_s]

My 30 year old Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree is growing in the ground. This year it contains at least 10 dark green golf ball size lemons that refuse to turn yellow, remain dark green and rock hard. These tiny lemons appeared early summer, and very slowly became golf ball size. Trouble is, that these lemons remain same size. Only two show a tiny yellowing section (10%) and are still dark green and hard as a rock.

The leaves also do not look green and healthy as they have in the past. Now leaves are not bright green, but green with many alternating yellow spots from tip and along edges to the back.

I may have not deep watered often enough, roughly did water every three weeks. Have been infrequently feeding with Scotts Citrus food.

Want to help this tree ripen those ten stagnated lemons.

Question is what can I do to revive this Meyer Lemon?

Another 24 hour deep watering?

Apply commercial Citrus dry plant food?

Apply 0-10-10 to stimulate fruiting?

Apply steer manure?

Sure need some suggestions. I can supply pictures if needed. Thank you, Dave_s

[Dave_s]

My 30 year old Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree is growing in the ground, Los Angeles, CALIF . This year it contains at least 10 dark green golf ball size lemons that refuse to turn yellow, remain dark green and rock hard. These tiny lemons appeared early summer, and very slowly became golf ball size. Trouble is, that these lemons remain same size. Only two show a tiny yellowing section (10%) and are still dark green and hard as a rock.

The leaves also do not look green and healthy as they have in the past. Now leaves are not bright green, but green with many alternating yellow spots from tip and along edges to the back.

I may have not deep watered often enough, roughly did water every three weeks. Have been infrequently feeding with Scotts Citrus food.

Want to help this tree ripen those ten stagnated lemons.

Question is what can I do to revive this Meyer Lemon?

Another 24 hour deep watering?

Apply commercial Citrus dry plant food?

Apply 0-10-10 to stimulate fruiting?

Apply steer manure?

Sure need some suggestions. I can supply pictures if needed. Thank you, Dave_s

[Dave_s]

My 30 year old Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree is growing in the ground, Los Angeles, CALIF . This year it contains at least 10 dark green golf ball size lemons that refuse to turn yellow, remain dark green and rock hard. These tiny lemons appeared early summer, and very slowly became golf ball size. Trouble is, that these lemons remain same size. Only two show a tiny yellowing section (10%) and are still dark green and hard as a rock.

The leaves also do not look green and healthy as they have in the past. Now leaves are not bright green, but green with many alternating yellow spots from tip and along edges to the back.

I may have not deep watered often enough, roughly did water every three weeks. Have been infrequently feeding with Scotts Citrus food.

Want to help this tree ripen those ten stagnated lemons.

Question is what can I do to revive this Meyer Lemon?

Another 24 hour deep watering?

Apply commercial Citrus dry plant food?

Apply 0-10-10 to stimulate fruiting?

Apply steer manure?

Sure need some suggestions.

See Meyer Lemon Tree photo at

you, Dave_s

[Dave_s]

My 30 year old Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree is growing in the ground, Los Angeles, CALIF . This year it contains at least 10 dark green golf ball size lemons that refuse to turn yellow, remain dark green and rock hard. These tiny lemons appeared early summer, and very slowly became golf ball size. Trouble is, that these lemons remain same size. Only two show a tiny yellowing section (10%) and are still dark green and hard as a rock.

The leaves also do not look green and healthy as they have in the past. Now leaves are not bright green, but green with many alternating yellow spots from tip and along edges to the back.

I may have not deep watered often enough, roughly did water every three weeks. Have been infrequently feeding with Scotts Citrus food.

Want to help this tree ripen those ten stagnated lemons.

Question is what can I do to revive this Meyer Lemon?

Another 24 hour deep watering?

Apply commercial Citrus dry plant food?

Apply 0-10-10 to stimulate fruiting?

Apply steer manure?

Sure need some suggestions.

See Meyer Lemon Tree photo at

Can supply photos. Thank you, Dave_s

[Dave_s]

My 30 year old Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree is growing in the ground, Los Angeles, CALIF . This year it contains at least 10 dark green golf ball size lemons that refuse to turn yellow, remain dark green and rock hard. These tiny lemons appeared early summer, and very slowly became golf ball size. Trouble is, that these lemons remain same size. Only two show a tiny yellowing section (10%) and are still dark green and hard as a rock.

The leaves also do not look green and healthy as they have in the past. Now leaves are not bright green, but green with many alternating yellow spots from tip and along edges to the back.

I may have not deep watered often enough, roughly did water every three weeks. Have been infrequently feeding with Scotts Citrus food.

Want to help this tree ripen those ten stagnated lemons.

Question is what can I do to revive this Meyer Lemon?

Another 24 hour deep watering?

Apply commercial Citrus dry plant food?

Apply 0-10-10 to stimulate fruiting?

Apply steer manure?

Sure need some suggestions.

Can supply photos. Thank you, Dave_s

[Mysterious Traveler]

There was a show on PBS not long ago about a disease affecting citrus around the world where it stays green called citrus greening disease.

I did a Google search and there are lots of links. Unfortunately it's all bad news. What area of the world are you in?

[David Hare-Scott]

The photo does look like Meyer lemon but it's hard to be sure. Have you checked that the leaves and fruit are on the grafted stock not the root stock?

Where are you? What is the climate like? What season is it? How much sun per day does this tree get?

Does that include trace elements? Deficiency diseases can cause yellowing of the leaves.

Not before you check the soil moisture. Pouring on more water will not help if it has plenty.

What season is it? When did you last apply it? I wouldn't be feeding heavily if it was the end of the growing season.

No.

Possibly but that from a heifer is better if the moon is waxing.

David

[David E. Ross]

Patchy yellowing of the leaves often indicates a zinc deficiency. All citrus require more zinc than most plants. They also require an acid soil.

First of all, check the fertilizer you have already been using. Does it contain zinc? If not, see if you can get zinc sulfate; apply about 1/4 cup from about 1 ft from the trunk to the edge of the drip zone.

Get an accurate pH test of the soil in the tree's root zone. If the pH is greater than 6.0, broadcast soil sulfur in the same area that I suggest for the zinc.

Finally, dwarf citrus is not as long-lived as standard citrus. Your tree might be dying of old age.

[Dave_s]

Thank you very much for listing some possible causes and some possible fixes.

I live near Los Angles, CA in Panorama City, CA and summer season is ending. Tree gets only afternoon sun. Fruit appears to be on trunk from above the graft.

Possibilities are: 1. Greening Disease: My tree leaves do have the characteristic yellow splotches 2. Possible Zinc deficiency or not adequately acid soil. 3. Your tree might be dying of old age.

I will check for adequate moisture before watering again. Also will test soil acidity for pH and correct with soil sulfur if less than 6.0. Will add zinc sulfate if present food does not contain Zinc as trace element.

"IF" cause is Greening Disease, can another Dwarf Meyer Lemon be planted in the same location? Must the soil be treated to kill Greening in soil?

Many thanks. Dave_S

>

[Brooklyn1]

Exactly... 30 years is a ripe old age for any citrus but expecially dwarf.

[Dave_s]

If the tree is dying ONLY of old age, not dying from GREENING DISEASE, I might want to plant the new DWARF MEYER LEMON in the same location. What should I do to the soil before planting the replacement tree in the same location?

Thank you, Dave_S

[Brooklyn1]

Of course this is something only you can decide but were it me and I know that tree to be 30 years old and suffering I'd remove it now, in it's entiety, roots and all as completely as possible.. bring to a landfill but preferably burn them. And not knowing with certainty about it being diseased I'd not plant another citrus tree in that exact spot... I'd plant something else there and plant your lemon tree in a different area as far away as possible.

[David E. Ross]

Add sulfur if the pH is GREATER than 6.0.

[David E. Ross]

Remove it soon. That means digging out a hole about 4 ft in diameter and 3 ft down. Fill the hole with a mix of native soil, compost, and peat moss until the packed soil is level with the surrounding soil. Then treat the hole with a soil fumigant (available in many nurseries).

Let the spot go fallow until next March before planting a new tree. A newly planted citrus is going to send out new shoots quite soon after planting. You are likely to see some night-time frost in the winter, which might kill that new growth. Thus, you want to wait until the frosts are past.

Just before planting the new tree, dig out the hole and place a generous amount -- 2-3 handsful -- of bone meal or superphosphate in the bottom. Stir that into about 3-4 inches of the soil at the bottom of the hole. Place another few inches of unenriched soil on top of that. The phosphorus in either fertilizer will promote flowering and fruiting. Since it does not readily dissolve and leach through the soil, it must be placed where roots will find it.

Plant the tree slightly above grade so that the packed soil is slightly mounded. Citrus requires good drainage. Water should not accumulate around the trunk.

Protect from snails, which love not only citrus leaves but also citrus bark. I have several strands of bare copper wire wrapped around the large pots for my dwarf lemon, orange, and kumquat. I have several strands of the wire loosely wrapped around the trunk of my dwarf tangelo, which is in the ground. Others use copper foil. Also, instead of using snail bait, I have place carnivorous decollate snails in my garden. (See .) However, it takes about three years for those to give good control against the brown snails that are so destructive in southern California; by that time, the brown snails can kill your tree by eating the bark all the way around.