Lemon Tree Leaves
Dux2
Posts: 9
My lemon tree flowered for the first time this year, and it is now indoors with some fruit forming nicely. But the leaves are becoming dull and pale green, and some are now falling off. Is something wrong?
I have reduced watering for the winter, but make sure the compost is slightly damp, and put Baby Bio Citrus Food in the water.
Can anyone help, please?
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Many thanks, Logan
This is related to Dux2's post. I have a lemon tree, but tree is rather an exaggeration as it's not very big. It flowers and fruits about 15-20 lemons per year BUT it does not look healthy. The leaves go yellow and drop....could it be that it is so busy producing lemons that the stems and leaves suffer? I feed it with citrus feed or liquid seaweed whenever it needs watering. I keep it on the dry side and it comes inside by big SE facing windows in winter where it is watered (with seaweed) about once per week or less. Any advice greatly received.
I think you are overfeeding it Redwing. While lemon trees are heavy feeders, they need most of it in spring. I would feed no more than once every couple of months on average and once a month in spring when it is growing strongly. Water it with rainwater regularly (and never tap water which can be alkaline) but don't add feed to every watering. During winter you are probably best to only feed it using a citrus winter food in a foliar spray.
It shouldn't need winter feeding. The tree is dormant. I'm with Bob, Redwing is overfeeding throughout the year, possibly the cause of the leaf problems. Mine are under cover in winter. I monitor the moisture levels in the soil and wouldn't water more than twice over the course of winter.
It's a lemon tree, my dear Watson.
Thanks for comments Bob and Italophile. You could be correct but then why do they make Citrus Winter Feed and recommend using it? I have read that when growing lemons in Italy they are drip fed continually...humm. I really don't know what is best.
I wondered if I am growing it in too big a pot as I also read they shouldn't be overpotted.....might repot into a smaller pot.
No, they don't drip feed continually here. Not that I've ever seen.
They make and recommend using Citrus Winter Feed because they're in the business of making and selling a product and earning a fortune.
Potted lemons are much better off with their roots just slightly restricted. They get lost in over-sized containers. How old is your tree? How big? What size pot?
It was bought as a 5 year old tree and I've had it 3 years and is about 40cm tall. It's in a terracotta pot about 20 x 20 cm inside measurements.
That sounds fine. Good drainage? That aside, I'd just cut down on the feeding this season.