Indoor lemon tree

Hi folks,

I'm hoping someone can help. I have an 8 year old indoor Lemon tree, for all its life it flowered and had a steady lemon growth.

Up until late 2011 I had been using the citrus drip feeders, but then the tree started losing leaves. I switched to a diluted feed once a month and it regained its leaves and started reproducing lemons again.

However in September it started losing its leaves and as of January it has no leaves at all.

It was last repotted in 2011, I still water it when it's starting to dry and feed it once a month, but I'm seeing no growth at all. I has actually thought that perhaps it had died, but if I make a light scratch into the bark (as dobbies advised me) its still a moist green underneath.

Prior to the leaves falling off I could not see any of the usual pests (had an infestation a few years ago but it had recovered)

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Lat

 

Hi Lat

I have a orange so very similar but mine lives in the garden from the end of May to the end of summer , then lives in the greenhouse over winter , and just keep it ticking over with just a little water but the compost will be very dry.
I have a feeling you have over watered and maybe it doesnt like the central heating too dry atmosphere .

They are tough plants I should imagine that you will see new growth soon but still keep it on the dry ish side as you may make ? the roots rot if not already, what compost are you growing it in ?

Spruce

 

Hi Spruce,

When I repotted it, I used a citrus compost. So what is the watering recommendations?

I always thought it wasn't to get too dry and to be kept moist? The room it's in isn't very hot as we keep it cooler, so I don't think the heating will be affecting it. How often should I be feeding it (using Westland citrus concentrated feed)?

I'm going to try taking a few inches of soil out and replacing it with more citrus compost. Could that help?

Thanks for the advice

 

Hi

Lemons kept indoors over winter need a rest period , so NO feeding and very little water and kept in the cool but frost free as we just dont have the light levels over winter to keep it growing properly, you have used the correct compost so that cant be the problem.

if you can take it out the pot and have a look at the roots see whats happening ie any rotting also smell if any "pong" coming from the compost.

I would just keep moist and play the waiting game , I wouldn't feed until it produces leaves .

With the orange I grow, I do treat it a bit mean , water , then only water again when its nearly dry , and it has a summer feed and a Autumn feed and regular pinching out .

Spruce

 

If you have been growing it for 8 yrs I'm guessing you tend to know what you are doing.

Did the leaves turn really yellow for some time before dropping off.

I've had problems with my clementines in the last few years, they go outside in summer and greenhouse in winter, just frost free.
I've noticed in the last few, worse than average summers, they have made next to zero root growth, I put that down to cool wet conditions in summer.

The consequences have been very little extension growth but masses of flowers which lead to zero fruit.
They also look very sickly now, so are going to spend a bit longer in the greenhouse this summer, in the hope the warmth sets off some root action.

 

Thanks. For the advice guys, ging to try and repot it later today, will report back.

I'm guessing that its not dead as its green underneath?