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HELP! Lemon dying?!

BenTheBeginnerBenTheBeginner Posts: 66
in Problem solving
Recently my Lemon leaves have been turning this orange-brown colour, why is this and what can I do? Am I losing it? It is in citrus soil and watered infrequently, it's probably been in slightly too cold temperatures on the evenings i've forgotton to bring it in on.

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    You may have answered your own question. It has not been warm enough this spring to leave a lemon tree outside at night. They like warmth. Even in the day may not be warmer enough, depending where you live. Lemons like light so should be near a window.
    What is the white on the leaves? Do you have hard water with limescale in it? They like soft water, they prefer slightly acid soil. 
    They like moist soil, but not wet. Water weekly, usually when the top bit of soil feels dry. You can push your fingers into the compost to feel the humidity.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • BenTheBeginnerBenTheBeginner Posts: 66
    Busy-Lizzie said:
    You may have answered your own question. It has not been warm enough this spring to leave a lemon tree outside at night. They like warmth. Even in the day may not be warmer enough, depending where you live. Lemons like light so should be near a window.
    What is the white on the leaves? Do you have hard water with limescale in it? They like soft water, they prefer slightly acid soil. 
    They like moist soil, but not wet. Water weekly, usually when the top bit of soil feels dry. You can push your fingers into the compost to feel the humidity.
    Yes the white is limescale, would repotting it with fresh soil help things, and yes I will try and keep it inside whenever possible.
    Thanks.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    First thing to do is to soak that pot in a big bucket of water till no more air bubbles appear.  That will moisten the roots and make them more receptive to being re-potted in good, loam based (John Innes) ericaceous compost.   At this time of year they start to need nitrogen to feed their foliage but from autumn they need specialist citrus feed which is high in phosphorus and potassium to feed flowers and fruit plus some magnesium and trace elements.

    When you water, use collected rain water if possible or else add some liquid feed for ericaceous plants (chelated or sequestered iron) which will ensure the roots can take up iron and magnesium despite the calcium in tap water.   Water the pot, not the leaves and keep it in a warm sunny spot sheltered from strong breezes.  They need minimum night time temps of 10C so protect it or bring it in at night until things warm up.

    This info should help - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/citrus 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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