Citrus Dying (forum)

All Citrus Dying starts with ...
Could someone please please help me with a problem I am having with my citrus trees. I am a novice gardener and every single citrus tree I have or buy dies. I have bought countless trees to replace the ones that have died and after a week or two they show the same old symptoms - yellowing leaves, turn to brown, fall off and then the plant withers up and dies. Recently I decided to start over and bought 3 lemon and 3 lime trees. But again the same old thing. They start out so healthy but then the glossy green leaves begin to turn yellow... I have read so many articles and bought 3 books on growing citrus and followed all the advice. I know yellowing is a sign of iron deficiency, so have treated soil and foliage with iron chelate. I have added potash as I read it helps iron absorption. I have fed with the suggested doses of commercial citrus food. I have watered regularly but not saturated. But it all seems in vain? There are many citrus growing in my neighborhood so I know it is not the climate. I have them in a fenced garden, protected from strong winds and get all day sun. I also have apples and peaches etc nearby and they snap their branches with fruit they grow so well. I would love to grow citrus but in the last year alone I have lost 6 lemons, 3 limes, 4 oranges and various mixed citrus, not to mention all the trees I have in now which are the sickest plants you've ever seen. PLEASE someone help. I am in Melbourne's northern suburbs. Thanks in advance.

Time: 24th March 2010 5:20pm

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About the Author All Citrus Dying
Melbourne
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Julie says...
I have no idea what could be wrong, but have you checked the pH of your soil? It might help.

Yellowing can be a sign of magnesium deficiency.

Time: 24th March 2010 7:27pm

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Roleystone WA
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BJ says...
They don't cost that much from the markets. Maybe just buy them...

Im no expert, but have 5 2 year old citrus loaded at the moment. Only things I did were plant late winter so they have a full spring to grow, give them the best quality soil mix/improver, plenty of compost and Organic Xtra, and knock off the first year fruits. I couldn't kill them off now. But we also have Oranges growing in commission homes around here that get 0 care and fruit their heads off...

Time: 24th March 2010 7:30pm

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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John I says...
Pictures would be helpful. Given how quickly the trees are dying it is unlikely to be nutrient deficiancy. Soil ph could be a problem would be good to check. Water deficiency usually results in tree dropping leaves so that's not it. Posiibly drowning if watering too much and poor drainage.

But my guess is colar-rot. If you have planted the tree too deep or you have a lot of organic mater around the trunk then color-rot is the most likely cause.

Time: 24th March 2010 9:30pm

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About the Author John I2
Melbourne
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Wayne says...
I tend to agree with you John, the trees are not establishing themselves. Apart from what you have said I'm wondering if the person is adding fertiliser to soon or even putting it in the hole before planting the trees. Some people do that but it will burn the roots and can kill the tree. I would be planting the trees in a mound rather than deep in the ground.

Time: 25th March 2010 8:39am

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About the Author Wayne
Mackay QLD
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John I says...
Good point Wayne. Over fertilising is a classic rookie mistake... I do it all the time but have never managed to do it to citrus. I think you have hit the nail on the head.

Time: 25th March 2010 10:15am

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About the Author JohnI
Melbourne
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BJ says...
If symptoms are so quick I would wonder if someone has previously used a residual toxin in the garden (such as large quantities of round-up). Do other plants also wither and die within weeks of being planted? Sometimes people pour round-up over gardens and for years plants will die if planted in the area. Citrus are typically pretty tough and a quick death suggests something pretty major.

Time: 25th March 2010 1:28pm

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Brad says...
Starving the roots of air??? (I don't know the symptoms if you actually do it)

2 ways:
1) overwatering / waterlogging at planting, removes air
2) overcompaction



Time: 26th March 2010 12:26pm

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About the Author Brad2
Como, Perth
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Rhys says...
"All Citrus Dying", what is your soil type like? Is it clay?
It sounds like you have a more rapid version of what is happening to an orange and double grafted lemon/lime that are slowly dying in my back yard.
I have clay soil and even though a couple of drainage tests suggested drainage would be OK, after 6 months there was no new growth on either plant...not a single new leaf. Furthermore, some of the existing leaves were yellowing and falling off. This was despite careful watering, occasional weak seasol and plenty of sun. In the end after contacting the nursery i got the plants from, they felt (and i agreed) that the clay soil and resulting poor drainage was probably the culprit. I'm about to dig them up and put them in pots until i can build a raised garden bed

Time: 29th April 2010 10:47pm

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About the Author Getafix
Newcastle
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Violet_Cactus says...
Well this is bizarre because I live in Melbourne and up till this year my citrus have been healthy, green, vital and unkillable.

THIS year most of their leaves are yellowing badly despite iron chelates and an application of sulphur. Dunno what's going on here.

Time: 29th April 2010 11:00pm

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About the Author VioletCactus1
Melbourne
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Brendan says...
Hi Violet_Cactus,
If the citrus leaves are yellowing and have green veins, it's lacking iron.
If the leaves are totally yellowing, it needs epsom salts, a handful to the sq metre.
And if that doesn't work, give it some zinc & manganese :-)
Don't forget, give it lots of mulch, out to and past the dripline. Keep it away from the tree trunk, ~ 200mm.

Time: 1st May 2010 6:49am

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Original Post was last edited: 4th May 2010 7:52am

About the Author Brendan
Mackay, Q
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Morris says...
My citris trees are also dying,yellow leaves,withered ends and sickly looking.Somebody suggested it could be the water.Dont know!

Time: 27th October 2010 2:13pm

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About the Author Morris
Bacchus marsh
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amanda says...
It's been a lot wetter than normal over your side of Oz, this year, hasn't it?

It's bound to be either Wayne's suggestion, waterlogging or root disease (maybe due to an extra-wet season)?

Deficiencies shouldn't kill the trees or make them that sickly so soon?


Time: 27th October 2010 7:23pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton Mid West WA
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kert says...
Look for collar rot (near ground level)

Time: 30th October 2010 5:33pm

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sydney
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