Citrus Rootstock Diagnosis (forum)

Robbo14 starts with ...
Can I get some help with my citrus rootstock's.

As you can see from the photos they are not in the best condition and i'm not sure as to why. I was assured it was due to too much sun but they are under shade cloth (not sure what percentage).

Reagrds
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 1st April 2015 5:06pm

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Original Post was last edited: 3rd April 2015 9:01am
About the Author Robbo14
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Julie says...
Looks like severe nitrogen deficiency, possibly magnesium also.

If the roots are established (not just cuttings in pots), citrus just love sun. Sunburn tends to turn leaves brown,not yellow.

Time: 1st April 2015 10:34pm

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About the Author Julie
Roleystone WA
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Alex24 says...
1- put them back in the sun.
2- change the pot size
3- looks like nitrogen deficiency - add Urea + some epsum salt.
4- make sure you are not over watering/ saturated water logged soil
5- if you are is a cooler climate, consider covering your citrus with clear plastic bags overnight (green house) until the are fully established.

Time: 1st April 2015 11:25pm

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About the Author Aex
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jakfruit etiquette says...
Those are Trifoliata, which are decidouus Citrus, but it seems a bit early to drop leaves. Any kind of stress as written by others above will bring on leaf drop, and leaves will change colour early also.
Under fertilised trees will also go dormant early and leaves will change colour well before they drop.
Pine bark mixes use nutrients, esp Nitrogen, as they are continually composting as they age.
Have they grown much since potted up ?
The trees still look a bit small for the pots.
Agree probably not too much sun, unless that caused over watering to keep pots moist.
As Alex24 says the pot mix is cooling down, and the small plants arent using much of the held water. Larger plants will be pumping that water out.
Try to manage the watering and increase the heat of pot mix over winter( ie sun + plastic house ). This should also help them break dormancy quickly. Flying Dragon is a dwarf partly because of its longer dormancy than Trifoliata. Any extra heat will get them growing again faster.
Its hard to diagnose deficiency as Trifoliata leaves start to show red orange yellow towards winter.
Try a few weekly low rate liquid feeds of fertilizer with all required nutrients (ie all major plus trace).


Time: 2nd April 2015 6:28am

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Original Post was last edited: 2nd April 2015 6:04am
About the Author jakfruit etiquette
vic
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Robbo14 says...
thankyou or the reply guys.

Just to clarify. I have Troy, Tri and Flying Dragon. They were grown from seeds.

Since upgrading the pots sizes, they have continued to to grow.

Yates Thrive Citrus is Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, manganese & trace elements (NPK analysis: 12 : 2.5 : 9). This looks sufficient.

Ths instructions say 1 cap in 9L of water. How much should be used per plant.


Regards.

Time: 3rd April 2015 9:22am

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jakfruit etiquette says...
N P K Ca Mg S Fe Mn Zn Cu B Mo
Some would add Cl and Si as trace elements.
Ca and Mg normally already added to pot mix as dolomite to adjust pH.

To liquid feed apply to "just watered" pots, dont use it as a normal watering on dry pots, as the concentration applied will behave as higher.
The younger the plant and smaller the pot, the lower the mixing rate should be. I would go lower than the label rate at first (1/4 to 1/3 cap) assuming that was for pot plants. You usually need to apply enough liquid to get the fert into the pot down to the roots without xs draining out.
Have you already been using the thrive on those trees??

Time: 4th April 2015 7:43am

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Original Post was last edited: 4th April 2015 7:42am
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Boris Spasky says...
"You usually need to apply enough liquid to get the fert into the pot down to the roots without xs draining out. "

Unfortunately JE the roots are not like straws, sucking the nutrients before they flow out of the pot. Using a highly soluble fertiliser in a free draining medium is wasteful and ineffective.
It leads to this common habit of attempting to identify individual nutritional deficiencies when that is not the root problem.
If you are going to use a synthetic fertiliser at least use one that is slow release. A liquid organic is preferable than using Thrive, Aquasol types in containers.


Time: 4th April 2015 11:43am

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jakfruit etiquette says...
I'm not advocating using synthetic fertiliser or thrive/aquasol in particular.
Not sure if Robbo was already using it?
I suggested to try a few weekly low rate liquid feeds of fertilizer with all required nutrients (ie all major plus trace). Organic or Synthetic or Combo is their choice. More than likely an organic is going to cover all the required plant nutrients, synthetics often have a few missing. I would apply either the same way.

Time: 5th April 2015 1:11am

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