Orange trees and Palm trees!

[Myrl Jeffcoat]

About 4 years ago, I took out a couple of large palm trees in front of my house. I also had them stumped out fairly deeply. However, the palms leave a really fibrous mulch in the soil when they grind the stumps. I planted a new Orange tree fairly close to where one of the Palm trees was. I removed a great deal of the old Palm mulch, and I added sand, and top soil to the hole, to try to create an environment the new Orange tree would like. However, the tree struggled and died after a couple of years. The leaves almost appeared as if it was being burned by something. I am fairly certain I did not over fertilize.

I replaced it with another Orange tree in the very same hole. . .And, this is it's second year. It has had a very rough beginning, but does seem to have a number of new green leaves, but has shed an unbelievable amount of the existing leaves.

My question is: Is there something about the old Palm tree in the soil that could be toxic to Orange trees?

Myrl Jeffcoat

[Jim Carlock]

"Myrl Jeffcoat" posted:

Hiya Myrl,

I'm thinking the roots on the orange tree should be growing down as well as out, but initially down at first. Were the old roots of the palm taking out and mulched up?

Have you tried spreading some mulch around the tree as well, throwing in some banana peels and perhaps coffee grounds from the coffee pot twice a year? How about that for fertalizer? I mulch in the small area around the orange tree here with jacoranda needles that fall of the jacoranda tree (did I spell that right?). Works great for the orange tree here.

Anyways, I'm thinking that perhaps the roots of the palm might still exist and in effect suffocate the orange tree if the tree can't grow through them or around them.

How's the weather there in California? We're going through a drought right at the moment in Tampa, Florida and water restrictions are going into effect and new record setting low temps are being set at night for this time of the year. Really odd weather... no rain in April. Maybe we'll get something in June.

Jim Carlock Post replies to the group.

[Myrl Jeffcoat]

Jim- Thanks so much for the mulch suggestions. I've been trying to keep the condition of the soil good. But, I've never heard about the coffee grounds/banana peel trick! I WILL try that for certain.

Here in California, we've had a lot of rain this year - unlike Florida! A lot of our plants, and trees are acting a bit confused. This is the first month, we have actually felt like Springtime.

Thanks once again. . .

Myrl Jeffcoat