Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to the
after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in the
hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and putting out
new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait a
bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very small.

TIA

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

On 23/05/2011 19:51, David WE Roberts wrote:
Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to
the after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in the
hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and putting
out new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait
a bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very small.

TIA

I'd be inclined to leave well alone until the end of the summer. It is
amazing how some things will come back despite having taken a major
setback from a hard frost. Not worth pruning to tidy it up until you are
sure that it won't sprout new growth from the other stems.

Having said that it looks like last winter has done for my two bamboos,
a bay tree and fig tree all of which look distinctly Norwegian blue.

Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote in message
news
On 23/05/2011 19:51, David WE Roberts wrote:
Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to
the after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in the
hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and putting
out new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait
a bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very
small.

TIA

I'd be inclined to leave well alone until the end of the summer. It is
amazing how some things will come back despite having taken a major
setback from a hard frost. Not worth pruning to tidy it up until you are
sure that it won't sprout new growth from the other stems.

snip

Unfortunately the dead bits are really dead and showing signs of decay.
The live bits are pretty obvious once you realise there is life because of
the good state of the bark.
So surgery will be required; I just can't decide if it is better to risk
more die back of live wood whilst the tree puts out new shoots or if I
should chop it back to clean wood immediately.

This is still a vast improvement - the skip was looming large in their
future until today.

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article , David WE Roberts
writes
Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to
the after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in
the hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and
putting out new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait
a bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very small.


My lemon and orange trees were done for the winter before last. I
failed to move them to the unheated greenhouse until after the big
freeze.

The lemon did indeed sprout again - but it is from below the graft, so
the various branches I now have are from the root stock. They are
growing but I'm not sure if they will flower, let alone fruit any time
soon.

I left cutting the dead wood above the graft until recently - 17-18
months after the 'death' - but I think it would have made no difference
to have done it much earlier.

--
regards andyw

wrote in message
...
In article , David WE Roberts
writes
Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to the
after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in the
hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and putting
out new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait a
bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very small.


My lemon and orange trees were done for the winter before last. I failed
to move them to the unheated greenhouse until after the big freeze.

The lemon did indeed sprout again - but it is from below the graft, so the
various branches I now have are from the root stock. They are growing but
I'm not sure if they will flower, let alone fruit any time soon.

I left cutting the dead wood above the graft until recently - 17-18 months
after the 'death' - but I think it would have made no difference to have
done it much earlier.


Now you've got me looking for a graft :-)

On one, I know there is no graft because it came as a rooted cutting.
On the other, which came from Aldi as a potted tree complete with ripening
lemons, I can see no obvious graft point.

I have always been taught to cut out dead wood, especially diseased dead
wood, but this is for apples, pears, plums, roses etc.

I think I am hearing that this does not apply to citrus.
This goes against instinct, but I am listening.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article , David WE Roberts
writes


I think I am hearing that this does not apply to citrus.
This goes against instinct, but I am listening.


Not particularly from me. I left it a few months just in case - but
after it was clear it was dead, I just didn't get round to it. When I
did cut it off, it was sound, but dead and doesn't seem to have caused
any problems. But I don't know what 'the right thing' to do is, nor if
there would be a difference between grafted and non grafted.

--
regards andyw

wrote in message
...
In article , David WE Roberts
writes
Having been touring the world for the last 7 months I have returned to the
after effects of the severe winter.

Both lemon trees were left on a sheltered south facing patio area in the
hope that they would be O.K.
[Taking them into a building would have guaranteed no watering]

I thought they were both dead - all branches withered.

However I now see that the base of the trees are still alive and putting
out new shoots.

The dilemma is should I cut all the dead wood off now, or should I wait a
bit untill new growth is more established?
Growth at the moment is tiny buds showing two leaves but still very small.


My lemon and orange trees were done for the winter before last. I failed
to move them to the unheated greenhouse until after the big freeze.

The lemon did indeed sprout again - but it is from below the graft, so the
various branches I now have are from the root stock. They are growing but
I'm not sure if they will flower, let alone fruit any time soon.


I've cut back the obviously dead and unsightly wood and there is a graft
point on the trunk.
The wood seems to have died back to the graft and stopped there.
I wonder what the rootstock is?

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

It'll be something in the citrus family. So it may not have worthwhile fruits, but it may have well-scented blossom. Could be worth growing out of curiosity.