Hello All,

I have a question regarding an orange plant that I have in my garden. It is planted in the ground (i.e., it is not in a pot). It is about three years old. The plant has not grown at all in these three years. There are very few leaves on it. Often the leaves turn yellowish, curl up and fall down. During summer (as in now), when other fruit plants in my garden grow and become full of leaves, it has barely few. It has now started to shed even leaves that are green.

I initially suspected some insects behind the problem. It could still be true, but that may not be the only problem.

I wonder if anyone can identify any cure for this problem.

Thanks very much in advance.

On 6/28/13 8:07 PM, wrote:
Hello All,

I have a question regarding an orange plant that I have in my garden.
It is planted in the ground (i.e., it is not in a pot). It is about
three years old. The plant has not grown at all in these three years.
There are very few leaves on it. Often the leaves turn yellowish,
curl up and fall down. During summer (as in now), when other fruit
plants in my garden grow and become full of leaves, it has barely
few. It has now started to shed even leaves that are green.

I initially suspected some insects behind the problem. It could still
be true, but that may not be the only problem.

I wonder if anyone can identify any cure for this problem.

Thanks very much in advance.


Oranges -- and all citrus -- require excellent drainage. In the ground,
they should be irrigated only when the top 2 inches of soil are dry;
then, give a generous soaking. Your description sounds like a citrus
that has poor drainage and is getting irrigated too often.

Also, citrus needs an acidic soil with nutrients that include extra iron
and extra zinc. Your soil might be alkaline or lacking in iron and zinc.

Finally, citrus has tender bark that is easily damaged by too much
sunlight. If your tree is almost leafless, you need to wrap newspaper
around the trunk and main branches.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

On Sat, 29 Jun 2013 21:49:27 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

Not a good location shaded by that fence, and I suggest having that
soil tested, even english ivy is struggling.

On Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:49:27 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

Mit - is this a full-size or a dwarf orange? They have differing needs.

I am the parent of a dwarf Washington orange that is (knock on wood) doing well. Finally, after 2 failed attempts. One was insufficient sun. The second, I don't know why.

Third time was the charm. When the first 12 or so oranges got ready to pick -- in So. Calif that's around January -- this secular being was so moved that I recited a blessing for first fruits.

Now there are 2 little babies just starting their long climb toward my bouche.

If yours is a dwarf, give it plenty of water -- not daily shallow, but approx weekly via long, slow flow. If you have rain, lucky you!

Fertilize according to plant's requirements; easily ascertained on-line. Don't just throw it on and work in; needs to be at appropriate time.

Keep us posted as to its progress.

HB

On 6/29/13 9:49 PM, wrote:
Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing


From the photos, it looks like a newly planted dwarf. The tree might
merely be suffering from the stress of being planted.

If it is indeed newly planted, DO NOT FEED IT NOW. Let the roots get
established before you try to promote top growth.

If this tree was planted last year, however, my prior comments apply.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On 6/30/13 3:01 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:49:27 PM UTC-7, wrote:
Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing

Mit - is this a full-size or a dwarf orange? They have differing
needs.

I am the parent of a dwarf Washington orange that is (knock on wood)
doing well. Finally, after 2 failed attempts. One was insufficient sun.
The second, I don't know why.

Third time was the charm. When the first 12 or so oranges got ready
to
pick -- in So. Calif that's around January -- this secular being was so
moved that I recited a blessing for first fruits.

Now there are 2 little babies just starting their long climb toward
my
bouche.

If yours is a dwarf, give it plenty of water -- not daily shallow,
but
approx weekly via long, slow flow. If you have rain, lucky you!

Fertilize according to plant's requirements; easily ascertained
on-line. Don't just throw it on and work in; needs to be at appropriate
time.

Keep us posted as to its progress.

HB

I also have dwarf citrus. See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/dwarf_citrus.html.


--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean, see
http://www.rossde.com/garden/climate.html
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

On Sunday, June 30, 2013 3:01:31 PM UTC-7, Higgs Boson wrote:
On Saturday, June 29, 2013 9:49:27 PM UTC-7, wrote:

Thank you very much. I am also sharing some photos. The quality is not that great, hopefully it will still be useful for seeing/analyzing the problems further.







https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5qz...it?usp=sharing



Mit - is this a full-size or a dwarf orange? They have differing needs.



I am the parent of a dwarf Washington orange that is (knock on wood) doing well. Finally, after 2 failed attempts. One was insufficient sun. The second, I don't know why.



Third time was the charm. When the first 12 or so oranges got ready to pick -- in So. Calif that's around January -- this secular being was so moved that I recited a blessing for first fruits.



Now there are 2 little babies just starting their long climb toward my bouche.



If yours is a dwarf, give it plenty of water -- not daily shallow, but approx weekly via long, slow flow. If you have rain, lucky you!



Fertilize according to plant's requirements; easily ascertained on-line. Don't just throw it on and work in; needs to be at appropriate time.



Keep us posted as to its progress.



HB

Additional note: When you water, don't put hose right at trunk. The small feeder roots, which are the ones that take in water and food, grow horizontally, so water should be applied at the edge of foliage.