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Please help my beloved lemon tree, Lennon
larrycoleen8mPXeT_7
Posts: 2
2 years ago my dad brought me a Lemon tree. It was the last thing he brought me before his dementia took hold. I'm absolutely heartbroken that it's poorly, please help.
In April it drop almost all of its leaves after a large crop of lemons. I sought advice and repotted it in John Innes No. 3 with mycorrhizal fungi to encourage root growth. A few weeks later 2 branches grew new leaves and there was a lot of new blossoms.
It's leaves have now gone really pale with dark green veins and the soil level in the pot has dropped 1.5 inches (the pot is 10.5 inches square).
We also have a problem with fungus gnats. These have been a problem before which we eliminated by dressing the soil with Lava lite. I didn't add this to the new soil initially but did as soon as the gnats arrived again, however they are back worse than ever.
Please Help! How do I save Lennon the lemon tree
In April it drop almost all of its leaves after a large crop of lemons. I sought advice and repotted it in John Innes No. 3 with mycorrhizal fungi to encourage root growth. A few weeks later 2 branches grew new leaves and there was a lot of new blossoms.
It's leaves have now gone really pale with dark green veins and the soil level in the pot has dropped 1.5 inches (the pot is 10.5 inches square).
We also have a problem with fungus gnats. These have been a problem before which we eliminated by dressing the soil with Lava lite. I didn't add this to the new soil initially but did as soon as the gnats arrived again, however they are back worse than ever.
Please Help! How do I save Lennon the lemon tree
0
Posts
AFAIK citrus are all tolerant of temperatures down to almost 0C.
If you're getting fungus gnats, then the compost is too wet - a layer of gravel about 1/2" thick should stop them accessing the damp compost.
I don't grow citrus, but Monty Don does and he uses nothing but seaweed extract on all of his citrus, and they look very healthy.
If you used just JI no3, the compost is likely to not drain very well.
When you pour water onto the compost you should see it draining out of the bottom of the pot in a few seconds.
Whilst JI is good, I find it needs something to help with drainage. I use perlite or horticultural grit and add at least 30% by volume. I also add a few handfuls of ordinary multi purpose compost to make it more friable.
If the compost is wet for long periods due to poor drainage the roots won't be able to access nutrients they need from the compost which will cause the leaves to turn yellow and fall. It will also cause the roots to rot.
Roots need oxygen around them every bit as much as they need water.
I'd suggest re-potting - shaking off most of the compost around the roots and re-potting in a free-draining compost.
Use rainwater for watering and feed with seaweed extract once every 1 or 2 weeks during spring and summer.
Get it outside.
If it's not been outside previously, you'll need to get it used to being outside first to harden it off. So leave it somewhere bright but out of direct sun for a week, then somewhere less shady and then in full sun - if we get any.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Lemons need first of all lots of light. Mine get sun outdoors from May, or with a risk, earlier.
Let it dry out thoroughly between waterings.
Sequestered iron will help the leaves.
Dropping soil level was because it wasn't firmed enough at the last reotting.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
We have huge amounts of sun in our garden, Lennon lives in the window facing this so gets a lots of light. I think I maybe over watering him by the sounds of this.
I have reppoted him, added Iron and popped him outside as previously suggested. Fingers crossed that will help him.
Lennon is very temperamental, the slightest change and he will throw a leave on the floor, bit like having another teenager in the house ☺️! He is sure to be cross with me again, but it's for his own good 😂
Thank you.everyone for your advice, it has been invaluable.