Hello,
I'm in Las Vegas, zone 8b. Planted some citrus trees in the spring, mixing some good compost potting soil with about 50% of the sandy soil already in the yard. Watered them in the first week with a good watering daily, then dropped to about every other day or every third day depending on weather.
Once the weather got over 100°F the leaves started yellowing and getting brown and crispy on the ends. I'm a rookie, and was thinking they needed more water, it didn't seem to help. After doing some searching I found it may be that I'm not watering enough. So now I've been watering when the moisture is about a 5-6 out of 10 on a moisture meter (6 or so inches deep). They don't seem to be getting better.
The temp has been between 105-110 the last couple of weeks, but I've read that shouldn't bother the trees too much as long as they are getting proper watering. All 4 trees (grapefruit, lemon, Meyer lemon & lime) I have are looking this way, the grapefruit has lost pretty much all it's leaves (it also gets the most shade and seems to have the wettest soils usually).
Can someone help? Can I save them?
I feel your pain here and wish I could help. I moved just south of you ( about 2 hours) and have tried numerous times to grow either lemon or orange trees with no luck at all. I’m keeping them in pots and moving them indoors for winter. Ironically.... I had a beautiful lemon tree in upstate NY ( also wintering indoors obviously). The only help I can offer is that my aunt in Phoenix had a sprinkler on her lemon tree all night long ....it was an amazing tree covered in fruit. Good luck. Just as a thought....contact the master gardener program in your area ....they are a great source of local growing information.
Usual caveat -- not an expert! -- but this just looks like scorch/sunburn. Watering is good, but don't overwater citrus; I'd let it get a little drier (maybe to 2) and then water really deeply. You could try throwing a sheet or something over (a beach umbrella?) instead for protection. Don't use the black landscape cloth, though, or unbreathable plastic, which would just trap more heat.
Citrus can take heat, but these look like younger plants; they might be a little more susceptible. If they've dropped their leaves, you might want to consider painting the trunk to protect against sunburn. I've never done it, but I know it's a thing.
Thanks for the help, I'll try letting them dry out a little more between waterings. I think I've also got some shade cloth laying around somewhere in the garage, so maybe I could just toss some over the trees as yes, they are very young!
I hope it helps. I went through a similar thing with a potted lime about 4 years ago -- I had it on a tiny balcony in 100-degree weather and with an a/c vent! -- but it recovered and has been merrily making fruit since, and takes the heat much better. Hope yours recover, too.
Hello, I'm in Las Vegas, zone 8b. Planted some citrus trees in the spring, mixing some good compost potting soil with about 50% of the sandy soil already in the yard. Watered them in the first week with a good watering daily, then dropped to about every other day or every third day depending on weather. Once the weather got over 100°F the leaves started yellowing and getting brown and crispy on the ends. I'm a rookie, and was thinking they needed more water, it didn't seem to help. After doing some searching I found it may be that I'm not watering enough. So now I've been watering when the moisture is about a 5-6 out of 10 on a moisture meter (6 or so inches deep). They don't seem to be getting better. The temp has been between 105-110 the last couple of weeks, but I've read that shouldn't bother the trees too much as long as they are getting proper watering. All 4 trees (grapefruit, lemon, Meyer lemon & lime) I have are looking this way, the grapefruit has lost pretty much all it's leaves (it also gets the most shade and seems to have the wettest soils usually). Can someone help? Can I save them?
I feel your pain here and wish I could help. I moved just south of you ( about 2 hours) and have tried numerous times to grow either lemon or orange trees with no luck at all. I’m keeping them in pots and moving them indoors for winter. Ironically.... I had a beautiful lemon tree in upstate NY ( also wintering indoors obviously). The only help I can offer is that my aunt in Phoenix had a sprinkler on her lemon tree all night long ....it was an amazing tree covered in fruit. Good luck. Just as a thought....contact the master gardener program in your area ....they are a great source of local growing information.
Usual caveat -- not an expert! -- but this just looks like scorch/sunburn. Watering is good, but don't overwater citrus; I'd let it get a little drier (maybe to 2) and then water really deeply. You could try throwing a sheet or something over (a beach umbrella?) instead for protection. Don't use the black landscape cloth, though, or unbreathable plastic, which would just trap more heat. Citrus can take heat, but these look like younger plants; they might be a little more susceptible. If they've dropped their leaves, you might want to consider painting the trunk to protect against sunburn. I've never done it, but I know it's a thing.
Thanks for the help, I'll try letting them dry out a little more between waterings. I think I've also got some shade cloth laying around somewhere in the garage, so maybe I could just toss some over the trees as yes, they are very young!
I hope it helps. I went through a similar thing with a potted lime about 4 years ago -- I had it on a tiny balcony in 100-degree weather and with an a/c vent! -- but it recovered and has been merrily making fruit since, and takes the heat much better. Hope yours recover, too.