Lemon tree with yellow leaves (forum)

Emily starts with ...
Can anyone give advice on how to improve the health of my 2 year old lemon tree. We have had a lot of rain over winter which has increased the growth, but most of the new growth seems to be yellow.

We have very clay like soil in the area, although I did plant the tree in better soil 2 years ago. I tries adding a citrus fertiliser about a month ago but it doesn't seem to have improved at all since then.

The tree is still trying to produce fruit, and has one very small lemon which it is growing and some flower buds. I would like to feed it properly and am hoping these pictures will help someone to give me a straightforward answer of what I need to do.

Thank you!
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 3rd September 2011 5:25pm

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About the Author Emily3
Mooroolbark Vic
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Julie says...
Emily, that looks like typical magnesium deficiency. It can be fixed with epsom salts.

There is a thread on this you might want to look at. Type in 'yellow lemon leaves' in the search box at the top. It has some useful links.

In fact, if you're new, it's always worth while checking the search box first for your question. An awful lot of questions have been asked and answered over the years.

Time: 3rd September 2011 7:09pm

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Original Post was last edited: 3rd September 2011 7:14pm

About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
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John Mc says...
from this angle the tree looks like it has sunk 100mm below ground level? It might be suffering from being drowned in the sump you have created in the clay surrounds? it's hard to tell from this angle, but if the tree has sunk, I'd be raising it up and above ground level first. If thaat's not the case you can give it a quick fix with a diluted water soluable spray of trace elements and seasol on the leaves. I spray my orchard monthly with a weak hydroponic fertiliser solution and seasol combined.

Time: 3rd September 2011 10:15pm

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About the Author JohnMc1
Warnervale NSW
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Chris says...
Your lemon is pretty sick.
remove the fruit.
clear the grass away at least 1 m all around and cultivate and improve the soil, where the grass was. The grass robs nutrients that close to the tree, particularly N.
As long as the scion is 10cm or so from the ground it won't need to be shifted.
Citrus are dormant in cool climates like Melbourne, so no point force feeding the tree in winter.



Time: 3rd September 2011 11:40pm

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About the Author Chris
Sydney
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Emily says...
Thank you! I think it has sunk a little, so I'm going to try clearing the grass and raising it up - as well as the epsom salts.

I'm a little concerned I may stress it out by lifting it out of the ground.. I wonder if aerating the ground around it would have the same effect.

Well, I'm willing to try it all and hopefully the tree will improve. Thanks for the search tip Julie, I'm going to have a look at some of those links as well.

Time: 4th September 2011 5:30pm

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About the Author Emily3
Mooroolbark Vic
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Julie says...
Emily, your lemon is not sick (yet), just hungry. Chris is right about removing the grass, it is robbing it of a lot of nutrients. Just don't dig it up or you may expose the roots.

Aerating would be a very bad idea, as citrus have shallow roots which should not be disturbed. It's still pretty small, so it might not be too hard to raise. Is it stil cool where you are?



Time: 4th September 2011 7:55pm

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About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
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Emily says...
It is still cool, we can have a little frost overnight, but it is definitely warming up.

I am curious, how do you raise the tree without disturbing the roots? It has sunk close to half an inch from the ground where the grass is. I am guessing you would dig the tree out of the ground and put in an extra layer of soil at the bottom of the hole and then re-plant it..? Or can I just take the top off the soil aroung it when I remove the grass, so that it's all more level.

I appreciate your suggestions. In the past couple of years I have gone from living in an apartment to living with a garden, so I am still learning how to look after it all properly. Thanks!

Time: 4th September 2011 9:51pm

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About the Author Emily3
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Xiem says...
If it was my tree and it had only sunk half an inch below ground level I wouldn't try to raise it (unless it was in a bog). I think that removing the grass and feeding it is more important. You could possibly build up the soil a bit with good mulch, keeping it clear of the trunk. I think it would be difficult to raise the tree without disturbing the roots. The following website may be of some help to you as a new gardener:

http://lib.ucr.edu/agnic/webber/Vol1/Chapter4.html

Time: 5th September 2011 2:16pm

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About the Author Diego
 
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Xiem says...
Sorry Emily I put in the wrong website. See:
http://www.thistlebrook.com.au/growing-great-lemons/


Time: 5th September 2011 5:59pm

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Emily says...
Thanks Xiem, great web link - I couldn't read the growing great lemons post but found some other really good gardening tips!

I think you're right, I am starting with clearing more of the grass and feeding the tree some epsom salts. I'm not confident to raise the tree without disturbing it more, but I will try some mulch in place of the grass.

I'm really hoping to see some improvement, I guess we'll know in a few weeks :)

Time: 5th September 2011 8:19pm

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About the Author Emily3
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au0rey says...
Emily, my lemon tree in pot gets yellow at times. Most times it is iron deficiency for me so I give it iron chelates which I buy from bunnings. If the Epsom salts doesnt work try that. My lemon tree always turn back green after feeding. Yours looks starving certainly lacking one of these minerals. Citrus are very hungry need to feed four times a year.

Time: 9th September 2011 7:16am

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About the Author au0rey
melbourne
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Emily says...
Thanks au0rey, so far I have fed it with epsom salts and have cleared the grass around it further. We're on a slope so a also dug in a couple of shallow run offs in case it is getting a bit drowned. If it doesn't improve in the next couple of weeks I will give iron a try.

I had no idea you had to feed them so frequently, I have only had the tree 2 years and I thought a pre-spring feed was enough so I have just been doing an annual citrus fertiliser. I will definitely give it a feed each season now, thanks to your advice.

Time: 16th September 2011 10:22pm

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About the Author Emily3
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