Sick Grapefruit Tree
 

I am a snowbird in the Coachella Valley of Ca. 13 months ago I decided
to heavily prune back a 10' high grapefruit tree. I pruned it very
heavily in either the month of Dec. or Jan. Here I am 1 year later and
the poor tree is doing terribly. The leafs are curling and dying and
some of the finer branches are drying and dying. The bark is splitting
and peeling on portions of the trunk and larger branches. Any new
growth comes in hundreds of small branches mostly in the interior part
of the tree and it was looking more like a dying bush than a tree. I
sprayed with Malathion, fertilized with 16-16-16 and tried to thin out
some of the thick interior growth. I fear the poor tree is dying and
badly need some advice. Thanks. mwdcanuck.

Sick Grapefruit Tree
 

On 2 Feb 2004 16:46:36 -0800, (mwdcanuck)
wrote:

I am a snowbird in the Coachella Valley of Ca. 13 months ago I decided
to heavily prune back a 10' high grapefruit tree. I pruned it very
heavily in either the month of Dec. or Jan. Here I am 1 year later and
the poor tree is doing terribly. The leafs are curling and dying and
some of the finer branches are drying and dying. The bark is splitting
and peeling on portions of the trunk and larger branches. Any new
growth comes in hundreds of small branches mostly in the interior part
of the tree and it was looking more like a dying bush than a tree. I
sprayed with Malathion, fertilized with 16-16-16 and tried to thin out
some of the thick interior growth. I fear the poor tree is dying and
badly need some advice. Thanks. mwdcanuck.


Usually the splitting bark on the trunk of a citrus is an indication
of fungus in the tree. comes from over watering, among other things.

Best bet is to take the tree out and don't plant citrus in that area
for a long time.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

Sick Grapefruit Tree
 

"mwdcanuck" wrote in message
om...
I am a snowbird in the Coachella Valley of Ca. 13 months ago I decided
to heavily prune back a 10' high grapefruit tree. I pruned it very
heavily in either the month of Dec. or Jan. Here I am 1 year later and
the poor tree is doing terribly. The leafs are curling and dying and
some of the finer branches are drying and dying. The bark is splitting
and peeling on portions of the trunk and larger branches. Any new
growth comes in hundreds of small branches mostly in the interior part
of the tree and it was looking more like a dying bush than a tree. I
sprayed with Malathion, fertilized with 16-16-16 and tried to thin out
some of the thick interior growth. I fear the poor tree is dying and
badly need some advice. Thanks. mwdcanuck.

It sounds like the tree is on the way out. The split bark is a very bad
sign. You might be getting new suckers from the main trunk but the rest of
the tree has had it. You have probably over pruned it and then over-watered
it. Citrus needs a minimal amount of water and fertilizer once established.
Best to get it out of the garden and buy your citrus at supermarket or
farmer's market.
I've stopped planting citrus trees in S. Florida because of the Citrus
Canker problem. There are hundreds of viable alternatives if you want a
fruit tree.