Grapefruit tree leaves yellowing

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:46 am

Maybe from the cold spring?

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/7473475458/" title="002 by edible_plum, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7473 ... b658_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="002"></a>

Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:34 pm

Wow......that's a beauty of a grapefruit! Not sure why it might be turning yellow?? PS, if you want some Poncirus seeds let me know so I can mail them to you in the fall.

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Sat Jun 30, 2012 8:30 pm

Be sure for frequent watering, direct sun,... more nitrogen and or iron?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:00 am

OK...lemmeesee...more of everything then, except pizza.

Does citrus/grapefruit like a rich (acidic) composty soil? or light (less acidic), fast draining like palm/cactus soil?

Thanks for the Poncirus offer Tim...but I'm concentrating on trying to get this bugger to bloom one day before I die.

Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:49 pm

Hi Barb,

I don't know much about citrus.......but as far as I know they like well draining soil with ample moisture. The wind or a critter broke one of my small seedlings stems so I stuck it into the soil a month ago and it's still greeen! (it had no roots, the 'trunk' was broken off). This thing has been in direct sun. I thougt it was gonna die in a day. These citrus are amazing.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:22 am

Maybe it's rooting, Tim?
Could that be?

Mine might be too dry under the overhang, but it does get morning sun.

Barb

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:09 pm

lucky1 wrote:Maybe it's rooting, Tim?
Could that be?

Mine might be too dry under the overhang, but it does get morning sun.

Barb

I would ease it into full sun. That is ultimately what Citrus wants.

Do you use Foliage Pro to fertilze?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:42 pm

Jack,

Could never find a citrus fertilizer here...had reasonably good results previously with Palm Special Fertilizer.

Will move it out...thanks!

Barb

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:15 pm

I moved all my citrus trees in Al's 1-1-1 gritty mix. So far everything is good.

Tavi

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:52 am

Yea that's another thing Barb. Al's gritty mix can work wonders. I mostly use the 5:1:1 mix, but the point is to use a porous, good draining mix.

I always get my Foliage Pro off of eBay. Don't know what border ramifications there are.

bananieru · Post by **bananieru** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:28 pm

The only inconvenience with 1-1-1 is the weight.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:45 pm

Never heard of either Foliage Pro or Al's gritty mix.
American sellers mostly don't ship to Canada because of the shipping cost...however I did get my palm special fert from White Plains New York

Will check around.

Assuming an acidic soil/fertilizer is best (for an acidic plant)?

Thanks everybody.
Barb

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:12 pm

Hi Barb,

that citrus 'cutting' must be forming roots since it's been at least 3 weeks and it looks mint. I guess citrus are easy to propagate not like my southern magnolia. Even my Illiciums aren't that easy.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 11:50 am

citrus 'cutting' must be forming roots

Excellent!
You obviously stuck it in the ground at exactly the right stage for it to root.
Some stuff does better as a softwood cutting, some as hardwood with a "heel".
Either way, you've done it perfectly.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:00 am

yea.........the only problem is I have too many Poncirus seedlings........I guess I'll start planting them around town???

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 5:16 pm

.I guess I'll start planting them around town???

Tim the Flying Dragon

Your neighborhood will thank you.

Barb

Jubaea · Post by **Jubaea** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:38 pm

It appears that the older leaves are yellowing which would be normal. Citrus do likes soil that drains but like quite a bit of fertilzer with plenty of Nitrogen and all the trace including Magnesium. I have read that a 5-1-3 NPK is ideal for citrus. A palm fertilizer would probabbly work well.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:29 pm

5-1-3 ratio isn't too far off palm special fert., which has everything in it.
Thanks Jubaea.

Anybody ever give citrus an Epsom Salts "tonic"? (making soil more acidic?)

Barb

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:35 am

I wish Laaz would chime in. He is a Citrus Guru.

I have not heard of giving Citrus any salts. A teaspoon of vinegar mixed with its water is recommended.

Al's gritty mix is a soil formula developed by a nice fella named...Al. You can find it on gardenweb.com

I use the 5:1:1 which is 5 parts pine bark chips, 1 part perlite, and 1 part peat. I also throw in some crushed granite. Kind of compromise between the two mixes.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:57 pm

Laaz probably has his hands full on his site...and fighting off storms.
He provided some good info several years ago when I had two Calamondin Orange trees.
But they`ve since both gone belly-up.

not heard of giving Citrus any salts. A teaspoon of vinegar mixed with its water is recommended

very helpful.
Now I get it.

Thanks!
Barb

Jubaea · Post by **Jubaea** » Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:14 am

Anybody ever give citrus an Epsom Salts "tonic"? (making soil more acidic?)

Epsom Salts are a source of Magnesium and can be used correct or prevent a deficiency. Be carful as too much of a good thing can block the uptake of other nutrients. I believe too much Mg can block the uptake of Ca?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:00 pm

That rings a bell, thanks Jubaea.