Paul Kaye wrote:
Hi,
I'm really not a big gardener so excuse me if this question has a
simple or obvious answer! I have a mini lemon tree (I've asked about
its fruit previously) growing in a pot. This summer I was away for two
weeks and my wife forgot to water it! The result seems to be that the

It is easier to kill them by over watering.

top section has died or has been 'cut off' by the tree to conserve
water. As you will see in the photographs, there are no fruit or
leaves above a certain point. Additionally, I think the bark has a
reddish tint at and above the cutoff point (see close-up photo; arrow
indicates cutoff point).

Photos:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/206931/lemon...lemontree1.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/206931/lemon...lemontree2.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/206931/lemon...lemontree3.jpg

Could this be caused by two weeks without water in a hot climate
(Israel; ~30°C)?
Could the pot be too small?
Will the upper area recover next spring?
What should I do?

If in doubt do nowt. It may recover or the top may be too frazzled by
the sun and sacrificed itself to protect the rest of the plant. Looks
like it was the parts in direct sunlight that cooked and dessicated.

Many thanks in advance for your time,

I'd be inclined to leave well alone until next year, but I don't hold
out that much hope of the top regrowing. That mark looks like dead wood
to me. But I wouldn't prune it out just in case it recovers. I have
known other semitropical trees drop leaves under drought stress and then
regrow them when things cool down.

Regards,
Martin Brown