What's Happening To Our Lemon Tree?

[Somtham]

Attached is a picture of our lemon tree. For some reason the leaves have curled up and some branches have died. When I search the net most articles attribute laef curl to aphids but when I search early morning and in the evening there are no aphids to be seen. At the bottom and top of the picture there is new growth but the older growth has stagnated and the leaves are all curled up. The tree is about 2 years old.

Any advice is much appreciated. With the hot season coming up I'd like to make some fresh lemonade but without fruit it aint going to happen :-(

rgds

[Jamie]

It's doubtful it's an insect if only the older growth is being affected. Insects are usually indescriminate and will attack both young and old growth. Since you aren't seeing any signs of insects, that's probably a good sign. Aphids, citrus thrips and citrus leaf miner will all cause leaf problems such as curl.

Where would you say the leaf curl is happening most? If it's concentrated more towards the most sun exposed side(s), then there is a chance the curl is because of lack of water. When you water the tree, are you watering it deeply at the roots?

Another possibility is root problems caused by such things as nematodes that can cause dieback since they affect feeder roots.

I can't find any bacteria, virus or fungi in SE Asia that would affect citrus in the way you describe so that is a good thing.

[sceadugenga]

In a previous life I was a garden centre owner in Australia and probably sold a thousand citrus trees in a city where some of the soil conditions didn't really suit them. Lemons hate alkaline soil, they need acidic soil and if your soil is heavy in lime you have to take steps to correct it. Adding stuff like iron chelate will do this. How do you test the soil? You need a ph kit, no I don't know where you would get one in Thailand, or the Thai for ph kit.

Secondly where did you get the tree? Was it container grown or taken from the soil? Transplanted trees can look great for a long time and then decide that they lost too much root in the operation. There's a field full of mandarins near me that are dying like flies for this reason. Trees grown from seed can also have genetic problems.

Lemons like warm dry soil, they thrive in places like Italy, Spain and North Africa. Maybe the roots are water logged for too much of the year.

Try a soluble fertilizer on the leaves, a lot of agricultural supply shops sell this. No idea what they call it sorry. Phostrogen was the best one I used in Australia. Keep the dead wood cut back about half an inch into the green.

Finally if it gets any worse euthanase it, rip it and get another one, something container grown with a decent size root ball.

[Somtham]

In a previous life I was a garden centre owner in Australia and probably sold a thousand citrus trees in a city where some of the soil conditions didn't really suit them. Lemons hate alkaline soil, they need acidic soil and if your soil is heavy in lime you have to take steps to correct it. Adding stuff like iron chelate will do this. How do you test the soil? You need a ph kit, no I don't know where you would get one in Thailand, or the Thai for ph kit.

Secondly where did you get the tree? Was it container grown or taken from the soil? Transplanted trees can look great for a long time and then decide that they lost too much root in the operation. There's a field full of mandarins near me that are dying like flies for this reason. Trees grown from seed can also have genetic problems.

Lemons like warm dry soil, they thrive in places like Italy, Spain and North Africa. Maybe the roots are water logged for too much of the year.

Try a soluble fertilizer on the leaves, a lot of agricultural supply shops sell this. No idea what they call it sorry. Phostrogen was the best one I used in Australia. Keep the dead wood cut back about half an inch into the green.

Finally if it gets any worse euthanase it, rip it and get another one, something container grown with a decent size root ball.

The tree was in a 5 gal container originally and transplanted about a year ago into a hole about 0.5m deep/wide which was filled with a purchased potting soil. I was watering every few days but cut back to once a week. I let the hose run about 15 minutes then go to the rest of the trees and then come back and rewater until the 'basin' is full.

I have some pH paper and will figure out how to check the soil with it. I fertilized in Dec with a 8-24-24 pellet and I also noticed FIL fertilized with a super triple phosphate recently when I wasn't looking :-(

Euthanize is out of the question. Everv look for a Meyers Lemon tree in Thailand?

Thanks for the info.

[lingling]

The tree was in a 5 gal container originally and transplanted about a year ago into a hole about 0.5m deep/wide which was filled with a purchased potting soil. I was watering every few days but cut back to once a week. I let the hose run about 15 minutes then go to the rest of the trees and then come back and rewater until the 'basin' is full.

Maybe too much water?

I have some pH paper and will figure out how to check the soil with it. I fertilized in Dec with a 8-24-24 pellet and I also noticed FIL fertilized with a super triple phosphate recently when I wasn't looking :-(

Take a chunk of soil, drop it in a clean plastic container, add distilled water, test pH.

I don't know anything about citrus diseases, but this page may be a starting point:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/TOPIC_Citrus_Pests_Diseases

[altman]

Euthanize is out of the question.

(i'm sorry, but i couldn't resist .... see sig)

meanwhile, aeriate. plunge some holes deep into the root ball. water via these. 2 - 3 times per week unless really hot/sunny

Ever look for a Meyers Lemon tree in Thailand?

maybe that should tell you something...

[chownah]

I planted three lime trees and they did ok at first and grew some new growth with healthy looking leaves and then the leaves started to curl and it got worse and I was worrying about it but now, two years later they're looking alot better....like they made it through. One produced a reasonable size crop this year, one didn't produce any fruit yet but is flowering prolificly, and the third one...welll...it surviving and growing but maybe its the slow learner of the family. They still get some leaf curl but not like before.

I guess the moral of the story is that if your lemon is like our limes then it might get through this problem so I would definitely not pull it out yet. Limes don't like their feet in water and lemons are probably the same way.

Chownah

[Somtham]

Euthanize is out of the question.

(i'm sorry, but i couldn't resist .... see sig)

{/quote]

Touche :-)

meanwhile, aeriate. plunge some holes deep into the root ball. water via these. 2 - 3 times per week unless really hot/sunny

How deep do you recommend for the aeration holes?

Ever look for a Meyers Lemon tree in Thailand?

maybe that should tell you something...

Got me there. Maybe Thais don't like lemonade. I know their kifer limes are juiceless and smaller than a golf ball.

Chownah - how old were your trees before they started to get over it? Where did you buy them?

rgds

[sceadugenga]

To be honest I don't know why anyone would bother with a lemon tree in the tropics, limes grow easier and for my money are better flavoured. In the photo the leaves look like there's a bit of fungus on them. I knew a professional grower well, he grew citrus trees for sale in garden centres, and all he ever doctored his trees with was white oil. This came under a variety of commercial names eg summer oil, but it is not a cure, it coats the leaves and keeps the bad stuff away. If you use it remember that a very weak mix with water is all that's needed. Also great to spray on leafy indoor plants like palms.

Yellowing of the leaves can be attributed to a lack of iron, the old timers always thew a couple of handfuls of rusty nails or chain into the hole before they planted a lemon tree.

[chownah]

Somtham,

The trees were a gift and they are the regular seedless lime trees around here. Don't know the name.

My best recollection is that when we first planted them they grew really great and I was really happy....then the leaf curl started and it looked like they would die and I was really sad...then they grew for a year or so and seemed to keep growing but still had alot of leaf curl so I felt better but wasn't sure if we would ever get fruit from them...and now one is bearing fruit and etc......and they have been in the ground for 3 or 4 years so I guess they "started to get over it" after having it for about a year...but I'm not sure that they have gotten over it because they still have some...only they are healthy enough to keep growing so their problem is not fatal.....of course I have no idea if this is what your lemon tree has or not. Also, the lime trees are in some really really good dirt so perhaps this is what is helping to keep them vigorous enough to outgrow the leaf curl...I don't really know.

Chownah

[macb]

Here are picsof our Lemon Tree planted next to the Cess pits but not in direct sunlight and watered maybe twice a week but not excessive watering, maybe you are watering to much matey, wife says they are okay in the sunlight

Edited January 21, 2007 by macb

[Somtham]

Here are picsof our Lemon Tree planted next to the Cess pits but not in direct sunlight and watered maybe twice a week but not excessive watering, maybe you are watering to much matey, wife says they are okay in the sunlight

Your trees look very healthy Mac. How old are they and do you give them any fertilizer?

Do I see a German Shepard in your avatar? Got any female pups for sale?

rgds

[macb]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

[99BigLad99]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

only other thing is he has a dog that fertalises the tree and after Mac has a drink or three he waters the tree because that where the dog got the idea from

[Somtham]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

only other thing is he has a dog that fertalises the tree and after Mac has a drink or three he waters the tree because that where the dog got the idea from

LOL. Mac - Is that true?

[macb]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

only other thing is he has a dog that fertalises the tree and after Mac has a drink or three he waters the tree because that where the dog got the idea from

LOL. Mac - Is that true?

Trust my mate mervyn MGC to think of that I only known him 23yrs;

No it aint true

[wolfmanjack]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

Where did you buy the lemon tree from ? I would like to get some ? I have a couple of thai lime trees already that are doing okay.

[macb]

Wolfmanjack;

The lemon tree was brought from OTOP up in Petchabun, I think any nursery will have smaller ones?

[Somtham]

Took a look at the tree this morning and now the new leaves are starting to curl. Looked really close at the leaves and found the little buggers most likely causing the problem. Aphids, but suprised to see farangs amonst them!!

[lingling]

The lemon tree was brought from OTOP up in Petchabun, I think any nursery will have smaller ones?

Lemon and orange doesn't seem to be very common. Lime and tangerine on the other hand is sold everywhere.

[macb]

The lemon tree was brought from OTOP up in Petchabun, I think any nursery will have smaller ones?

Lemon and orange doesn't seem to be very common. Lime and tangerine on the other hand is sold everywhere.

I did see orange trees growing up in the Petchabun area but I cant find the pic at the moment:

There is no camparison really but driving round the Petch mountainous area and seeing all the Veg growing from onions to garlic etc, was like driving out of (Lincoln to Spalding Boston area UK) and seeing all veg growing I repeat no camparison to LOS

[ozzydom]

SOMTHAM:

The Lemon tree we bought January last year on our way back from Chang-Mai, only water it never given any Fertilizer, but the fact that its planted in the shade may have something do with it,and this area is damp during the wet season

only other thing is he has a dog that fertalises the tree and after Mac has a drink or three he waters the tree because that where the dog got the idea from

Many a true word is spoken in jest, an age old trick to growing great lemons is to empty your bladder around the tree once every day. As long as your tree isnt on the street that is