If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Common Mistakes Growing Citrus Trees 0:26 Mistake #1: Fertilizing Citrus Incorrectly 3:44 Mistake #2: Pruning Citrus Incorrectly 6:05 When To Prune Citrus Trees 7:46 Mistake #3: Thinning Fruit Properly 11:05 Adventures With Dale
I think this is the overall best gardening channel on UA-cam. Your knowledge on such a wide variety of topics and plants is pretty much unmatched on here. There are those of us who specialized in tomatoes, giant pumpkins (sorry you have heard this from me about 10 times before), peppers, etc, but you know more about a wide variety of plants and pushing zones than all of us. And thanks for correcting a lot of garden myths as well.
Thank you so much! I want to make it clear that I'm not an expert. I'm just an engineer that loves growing stuff, and I try to experiment with things that make me uncomfortable and "shouldn't grow where I live," so it's a fun ride figuring out how to make things I shouldn't be growing thrive. I enjoy sharing what I learn during the process, and I hope it encourages others to do the same.
Tip for pruning citrus: only prune when there's no rain forecast for at least 3 days, particularly in humid areas. This helps to ensure that the wounds heal fully and stop diseases entering.
I have learned so much since I found your channel. My biggest mistake was not fertilizing enough and, after following your advice, I got full-size fruit on my kaffir lime for the first time since I bought it 7 years ago! Even my new Meyer lemon that I started from a cutting last winter is fruiting.
Woohoo! Grafted citrus and citrus grown from rooted cuttings from mature scion wood have a habit of bearing early and heavily, so they need a lot of fertilizer when they're young. Their roots are too immature and small to satiate their hunger, so they really benefit from generous fertilizers. Eventually, the trees will become big and strong enough - and your soil should become good enough through proper mulching and composting - that the trees will need less and less as they age, but young and adolescent trees really benefit from a good fertilizing routine. And, of course, container-grown trees always need to be fed regularly all season long. The bigger they get, the hungrier they are.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks, and you’re right… I noticed this summer that I almost couldn’t overfeed my baby citrus grown from cuttings. They are hungry!
@@IIIIIIIIIIIIII8 I’m in Arkansas and I keep my citrus in containers on the porch. If you watch the Millennial Gardener’s video on how to grow citrus, he gives lots of good info including fertilizer schedule. I sprinkle a few large spoonfuls of citrus-specific fertilizer maybe once a month when they are growing and also in the winter since they tend to start blooming then and the blooms will fall off if the plant isn’t happy. Edited to add: I do bring my citrus indoors when weather gets below 40 at night.
Not only do you share tips and growing guides you also explain the "why's" . You inspire any level gardeners to try stuff , you assist new gardeners to jump in and grow stuff, and you minimize and save us years of trial and error by creating these videos. They educate us with such a personable way that makes it seem doable. Thank you!!! and keep up the hard work of gardening and sharing your world.
💯!!!!! So many websites recommend not fertilizing citrus after Sep. It just doesn't even make sense and people wonder why their plants look chlorotic and half dead in the spring. Thank you for busting this myth! Evergreen - subtropical trees need to be treated differently for successful production.
My only lemon tree I bought had about four leaves and 3 little buds. I got it with 50% price reduction, I repotted him and I see him sprouting more leaves and twigs this is the first time that I grow citrus tree, I’m not so good in gardening, I worked mostly as a computer engineer and informatics teacher. I hope to go in pension this year and God willing I might have some years to do some gardening. Thank you so very much for your advice I will try to follow your way and hopefully I can do something right… May the Lord keep and bless you.
I love this channel! I'm in the process of reviewing all of the videos here to increase my gardening knowledge and skills. And shockingly to me, these videos don't bore me. I know all others do their best but you go the extra mile. Currently, I'm readying my evergreen trees for winter in Florida and your video for what to do is my go to. Zone 9a can throw some unexpected freezing temperatures for periods longer than the recommended cold hardy temps for tropical fruiting trees. Furthermore, the rainy season can plague gardeners with root rot, blights and other various plant diseases; And don't get me started on the endless pests and insects all wanting to crunch on, to suck or raise their broods inside your tree and/or roots! I tried organic methods and lost a couple thousand dollars worth of fruit trees. Nearly every resident gardener here eventually abandons the organic approach. Finally, after taking gardening advice from sources and experimenting via trials and errors, my fruit trees are the healthiest they've ever been. So, if you can share how you protect your trees from tree borers, citrus psyllids, armoured/soft scales, citrus leaf miners, citrus thrips, glass winged sharp shooter and the host of diseases they transmit to your citrus trees, I'd just love it! Thank you for another great video.👏😍
One of your best most informational videos. (It seems I say that every time you post a video). Really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos, they are all just great.
For people who bring their citrus indoors in the winter: Be sure to keep your trees away from heat vents. Heat vents can dry out the plant and cause them to drop all their leaves. Give plenty of light. You want to keep the room above freezing but not super hot. You are imitating its natural winter of 40-50F. Do not overwater. Overwatering when the citrus are not actively growing can also cause leaf drop and/or root rot. Make sure the pot has exceptional drainage and the tree does not sit in water. During the winter, only water when the top couple of inches of soil are dry to the touch. Watch for pests. Aphids can be washed off leaves in the shower or squished. Scale can be wiped off with alcohol and a cotton ball. I usually rinse with a little water after usuing alcohol but its not really necessary.
My goodness, I was just wondering why my citrus is not looking good. I stopped fertilizing once I brought it indoors for the winter. This video came at the right time.
Great video. By the way, you might want to give the Prague Citsuma a try. It may not need any protection at all in your zone. I know of one growing AND FRUITING! up in Annapolis Maryland, a cold zone 7B. I believe McKenzie Farms sells them. I'm told it's every bit as good as a 'normal' satsuma.
Thank you for all the information! I am in zone 7B and bring my container citrus trees inside for the winter months. My trees (2 year old grafted trees) seem to struggle for a few months (mainly leaf drop) after they are brought inside. Although they are under a grow light (for 10-12 hours), proper watering, and pest free, I would be curious to see how you transition plants in the winter months to reduce the stress on the plants (leaf drop, etc). By the way, the organic and water soluble approach to fertilizing was a game changer in my garden!
Amazing. I finally understand what’s gone wrong on my lemon trees, it happened exactly as you described, to the letter. I bought the trees and they clearly had far too much fruit on them (young rootstock with older fruit tree grafted on), the fruits were small and didn’t all ripen and I haven’t had any fruit since and the trees are really struggling. I have kept on top of pruning but no where enough fertilising and you have just in-ravelled the whole thing. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for all of your information about gardening!! Got a Meyer lemon tree in October and it’s producing fruit already! I am kinda of surprised since most videos say fruiting typical starts 1-2 yrs. The tree is young , I am in Jersey so I have a grow light and I fertilize with citrus fertilizer. Some of the bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off, and some are curling. Any suggestions are always welcomed!!
Stepped into this video by chance, and I should agree, this information is SO USEFUL! More so because of the reasoning you gave behind the tips you suggested, amazing!
Thanks so much for all the information, I've planted some citrus trees and until now didn't know anything about how to care for them!!! Awesome video!!!!
This was so helpful as we are in our first year with citrus trees!! Two lemons and one Meyer lemon! I just pruned the smoke lemons before I left for a couple of weeks. When I returned they had begun to flower and I was freaking with the colder weather coming but our trees are doing great! Your videos have helped so much!! We are in Shallotte, not far from you in Wilmington. Thank you so much for the time & effort you put into your videos🤗
Millennial Gardener, I have a lime tree in a container. It is 42 years old. But it is now suffering. I hope you can make some recommendations to help me and this tree. I live in Wisconsin about 30 miles south of Milwaukee and I bring the tree inside in the winter. It is located in front of south facing patio doors, so it gets good sun light. In March and April and continuing into May, it is loosing a lot of leaves. One whole side is leafless. It has not been repotted in a long time, so I am sure it is root bound. It is planted in regular soil, not potting soil, so the root ball is so thick and hard it is impossible to loosen. When I water it some water flows through to the overflow pan under the pot and the water is colored a bright yellow / orange. I think the following, but would really appreciate your recommendations: I think the water is indicating that the soil has too much residual fertilizer and needs to be rinsed. I know it needs to be repotted, but I can't break up the root ball. I poked some 1/4 inch holes through the root ball about a month ago to help aerate and get water to the center of the root ball. Perhaps I could cut off the bottom third of the root ball, cut some 2 inch deep vertical slits in the remaining root ball and put it back into the pot with new potting soil in the bottom. I don't want to put it in a bigger pot, because the pot is already heavy and I am not getting younger:-)
That's wild. Maybe fix the roots and repot in potting soil (regular miracle grow potting mix or organic). Check for girdling roots and remove them. Plant the tree with exposed root crown and exposed root flare. Prune off all the dead branches and diseased branches. Supposedly it's good to prune the branches at the same time you prune the roots. Don't prune any suckers or healthy leaf bearing branches until the tree is healthy again. Pluck off all the flowers or fruits until the tree has recovered healthy, or at least for 1-2 yrs (don't let them ripen). This allows the tree to focus on its own health. Check for parasites such as mealybugs, aphids, scale. If found, you probably also have ants cultivating and protecting them. You can use catchmaster ant barrier to block ants from getting into the tree and natural predators such as hornets and ladybugs should reduce the population. You can also remove them physically yourself. Using any pesticides will also prevent the beneficial bugs from doing their job so is not recommended. Additionally you might what to get some IV Organic white wash or 3-in-1 protectant which is like sunscreen for your exposed bark, and can also deter harmful parasites. This will be necessary for an old tree that has very poor leaf coverage for shade. Don't forget to water regularly. Distilled water is best. But you can use a lot of tap water, instead, to rinse old salts otherwise the salt will burn the roots, from the build up of salts from the tap. For Best results give the best of your first fruits to God
Your satsuma is a stunner! I wonder why not many people start gardening more. I’m exciting for my key lime that finally flowering! Just brought it in and feed some fertilizer. Can’t wait!
Thank you! Our culture has discouraged gardening over past several generations. Unfortunately, more people think food comes from "grocery stores" than farms. But, the current high food prices are changing minds. As more and more people become interested in reducing their food costs, I hope they decide to start growing their own backyard orchards. I hope these videos encourage people to grow more food. That's what I want more than anything.
Your tips are so well-thought out and presented. Whatever happened to stick it in the ground, water it and voila!? I like my "experiments" with help from people like you on YT. Keep up the good work.
Thank you! Unfortunately, sticking it in the ground and just watering doesn't always work if you have less than great soil, a climate that isn't ideal or you're planting non-native species. For me and citrus, all three of these problems exist. Cultural practices are very important while trying to establish a tree. However, what I've found with gardening is it is often what you aren't doing that matters more than what you are doing.
Tempted to grow some Meyer Lemons in zone 7A Virginia in-ground. I saw your video showcasing how to protect them when it gets cold and it got me to thinking.
It would be a challenge. You'd need a lot of protection. My methods gives my tree about 10-12 degrees of protection on our coldest nights. We can get as low as 10-15 degrees depending on the year, so that keeps me comfortably in the 22-27 degree range at worst. You'd have to find a way to reliably add another 5-10 degrees. Maybe that's 2 pickle barrels and more strand lights, and you'd also have to be prepared if you lost power during a winter storm where it got in the teens or colder at night. That will be tough. You may want to look into growing Yuzu, because you can use it similar to a lemon, but it's 10 degrees hardier than Meyer Lemons. Mature yuzu trees have briefly survived 0-5 degree plunges.
@@TheMillennialGardener Woah, thanks for this in-depth reply! I am truly honored. I haven't fully settled on how I am going to do this yet, but I do know I am going to be incorporating your method of using a pickling barrel (or maybe 2 now that you mentioned that) and light/light strands. I am also looking into the idea of how you covered your lemons and also adding an additional layer a few inches off of the trees by making high tunnel-like or caterpillar tunnel-like dome above them. I want to set it up in a way that I can quickly put it up or take it down without too much fuss. This should create an extra short-term layer of trapped heat, though this won't be incredibly useful if the weather goes multiple days below Meyer's limits. Up near WV, I saw a farm (Owith a bunch of outdoor heaters near some of their sensitive plants. I haven't really looked too much into that angle since growing lemons is brand new to me. I found a guy in Springfield, VA (near Arlington, VA/DC) that has also successfully grown fruits that shouldn't be surviving this far north. Unfortunately for me, and acknowledging your suggestion, he has Yuzus instead of Meyer. I also found a banana tree just north of DC which blew my mind at the time. At the end of the day, this will be a fun experiment for me. If I fail, it won't dissuade me from trying Yuzus or keeping my next Meyers in pots and indoors during the winter. I am in this because of my passion for experimentation and my (newfound) love of growing things. Thank you for responding back to me. This made my night!
@@oldman1111You might want to try a Meyer Lemon in a container. You could get it on a dwarf root stock. Meyer Lemons can flower year around. They are the best smelling citrus in my opinion. They have beautiful creamy purplish tinged flowers and smell better than my best jasmines! They will also set fruit year around as well. I would bring it inside during the winter and keep away from heat vents and give plenty of light. Water only when soil is slightly dry and give excellent drainage.I am in FL but have grown it in colder zones/and would even grow Meyer Lemon just for the lovely scented blossoms, although the fruit is great too. I agree with a Yuzu in ground fir your zone.
I agree with you about fertilizing and some thinning of the fruits when tree is young. As for prunning, I do not prune much other than dead/crossed branches. There are some videos about citrus tree prunning...and that is very little prunning is needed and do not expose the trunks/branches to sun for fear of getting them sun burnt...Well, I do not know if that is true, but I am not prunning much and my Sutsuma tree bears over 400 fruits two years in a row for the matured tree. The tree flowers a lot, but it tends to drop the young fruits a lot as well, so I let nature does the prunning for me.
Tipping to encourage fruiting should be done in the fall/winter after harvest, generally speaking. That way, the tree has enough time to grow new budwood before flowering, and the tree will be grown in by summer to protect the fruit from sunscald. You should not be doing much pruning during the summer, except for any unsightly waterspouts or dead branches that may occur.
I will have to go back a look at the older videos. Thanks for the info. I've been doing my citrus all wrong. I brought my mewa qumcuat in and it dropped its leaves and fruit second year of doing that. So sad. I have to figure out where I can place my pots. I was thinking about planting them in ground but where is the question?
Thank you for your information. As a fellow fig enthusiast and backyard container gardener, I always enjoy watching your videos. I live on the Southeast coast of Virginia (Hampton Roads), and I recently acquired a small Meyer lemon bush from an online vendor. It came looking a bit dried out but no damage, I have it inside in a west-facing window and under 14 hours of grow lights and its beginning to flower. I am concerned, because I read that citrus will bloom when stressed and maybe dying. Is there anyway I can know if the tree is ok or if the flowers are a warning sign of imminent decline? Any thoughts
Help!! I started from seed in spring of 2022 in peet cups. Several wintered inside well, leaving me four that in Spring of 2023 I repotted into larger pots. They’ve tripled in size, and are healthy. I recently put them in bigger pots (last weekend). I have never pruned them. My question is: At 18-20” tall, should I prune 1/3 of their tops before wintering them inside again, or should I go ahead prune the tops and plant them in-ground? I am in Zone 8b in Mississippi. We had a very harsh winter last year, and I fear putting them in ground they wouldn’t make it until they’re bigger. Question 2: is it even possible they will produce? Someone told me because they were Meyer from store bought lemons they will not produce.😢
i have a meyer lemon in a pot inside the house with a grow light. its flowering, but dropping some petals. the pot is probably a 2 gallon, and total height is about 30 inches. asking about ideas as far as fertilising and other care. im in south dakota. thanks in advance!
Hank you for the 3 tips. I am a young mother to a lemon tree. I planted them from the seeds from lemons I used. They have finally sprouted and now 5 inches tall. What is the best time to transfer a potted lemon plant to the ground. Thank you
Yes...best gardening channel on UA-cam! What about foliar feeding? Have you experimented with it? I have tried at diffferent times but cannot definitively ascertain if it works.
In Florida sand, the most common issue I see, other than HLB, is micro-nutrient deficiency. Coastal sand-soil is deficient in everything, but copper and boron are almost completely absent in some places, manganese in others.
If I had to guess, it's because you carried them inside suddenly. Citrus trees must be acclimated slowly to indoor light. If you simply carry them inside one day, they will go through a period of intense shock, drop all their leaves and even possibly die. You must carry them inside and acclimate them to window light over the course of 1-2 weeks where you carry them inside for a few hours, then back outside for a few hours, etc. Bringing them into shade beforehand is helpful, too. Bringing them inside all at once is a dramatic and sudden drop in UV intensity, and they will get sick if you do that.
He’s exactly right. I’m in Ohio. When it started getting cold at night, I’d just bring them in and take them back out in the day. Now that it’s cold and looks to stay that way, I just keep them in until warm days are back. They are all doing very well.
Hello, great information! When you perform fruit thinning, do you select fruit that is underperforming to remove? About how much would you thin out? Thanks!
I live in the sandhills of NC. I bought a small Meyer lemon tree from Tractor Supply last summer. Can I plant it in the ground? It gets cold here and I worry I will lose it. I have it inside my house and it’s dropped all it’s leaves. How can I keep it alive. HELP please!! I enjoyed your video! Very informative.
Ok I love what you are doing, but I am still debating if it is worth the effort for me. I'm zone 8a Georgia, southwest of ATL. I have no southern wall to plant against. I could possible cover small trees, but they all grow up! I had a satsuma years ago and the pot just kept getting bigger and bigger till I couldn't move it back in the house. I tarped it, but it didn't make it through the winter. I am considering digging a pit into the south facing hill side to plant it where it would get a little geothermal protection. The question is, do I want another project on my hands. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.
Getting a citrus tree grafted onto trifoliate rootstock is the way to go. An Owari satsuma or Brown Select satsuma grafted onto trifoliate rootstock will be easily maintainable as a 5-7' tall tree for its entire life. Get yourself a pickle barrel and a 120"x144" plant jacket and cover the tree with the water barrel inside, and you can let it sit like that December thru March for minimal effort. I have a tutorial on how to do so here, but I plan to update soon: ua-cam.com/video/7iBohqx9ch8/v-deo.html
Hi, I bought my first fig trees this past August. I wasn't sure on what type of soil I should plant them in. My garden soil is needing to be built up, so I planted them in my High tunnel greenhouse in raised beds. They have done very well in the bought mulch I purchased from Home Depot. Did I do the right thing planting in my greenhouse. My thoughts is: should be planted in the outdoor garden instead; Also will it hurt to retransplant them into my outdoor garden instead of leaving them in the greenhouse. Thanks I loved your latest videos as usual. You must have taken some public speaking at college level , as you are very well spoken. you do a fine job with what you are doing. Love your garden yard etc. Jessie from Arkansas
Good morning brother. I would love your opinion about buying seed starter kits. Which one is best to buy. Is it with heat pad or grow light. I germinate about between 100 seeds or more thanks brother
How do I tell the difference between sucker branches and fruit-bearing branches? I have Meyer lemon, clementine orange, and Persian lime trees. They all produce branches all along the trunk of the tree, so I try to keep some of the trunk bare. However, none of the trees are producing new fruit-bearing branches, so I am wondering if I am pruning the wrong branches.
How do you keep your citrus from drowning whenever it rains? Im in texas and we have mostly clay soil and if it rains my trees get waterlogged and struggle the rest of the year trying to recover.
My Meyer lemon tree is loaded with blossoms and I’m starting to see fruit. But I think there is just too much! This is the first time I’ve gotten any blossoms/fruit. It’s in a container and I’m in zone 8a coastal Carolina. The constant wind has caused some of the fruit to fall off. My instinct is to cut off some of the tiny fruit but I hesitated every day I’m out there looking at it 😂
Citrus is naturally self-thinning. Once the fruits become around half a centimeter, they will begin dropping them. This is normal, so don't be alarmed by this. Then, it will begin to swell the fruit that it decided to hold. You still need to check the tree over, because young trees often hold onto more fruit than they should. You'll have to make the call once the fruits get nickel-sized if they should be thinned. I wouldn't remove any fruits until you're sure the self-thinning cycle has completed. Otherwise, you may over-thin the tree.
How old is your lemon tree? I have Meyer lemon tree for 3-4 years in a 10 Gallon container, it grows well, many branches, new big leave, but no blossoms. Do not know what I do wrong.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you for your clear explanation!! I look forward to watching your videos. I hope to see what you do over the winter as far as starting seeds indoors. I need to get a head start before the brutal summer comes.
@@LC-vk3gd my tree was gifted to me last summer so I’m not sure. It was small. The one thing I have noticed that made a big difference is fertilizer!! Hope that helped.
I live in zone 9 like you and have citrus trees that tolerate 20 degrees. I have them on containers and I’m planning on putting them in the garage. Do they need to be taken out when is sunny outside? Thanks for all of your videos!
Citrus trees cannot be overwintered in a garage like a deciduous tree. They need full sun 365 days a year. They must be kept outside every day, but if you have a very cold night and need to move them into a garage, they'll need to be taken back outside during the day the very next day. I recommend getting a pull-cart and doing the procedure I do here: ua-cam.com/video/-iVYC2fgwyM/v-deo.html
I was given 2 lemon trees from someone that was moving. I have no idea what sort of Lemon they are. They did great during the summer and fall. Being in Washinton State I took them inside and have a plant light on them. They are still doing fine but this last week I am seeing new leaves turning a deep red color. Is that due to bringing them inside or maybe the temperature??
Will you eventually modify and enlarge your hoop structure to allow your avocado tree to get bigger? I have a young tree that I will need to do the same next winter when I plant it in ground but I ‘m concerned about the potential size that it could grow. Thanks!
I am in northern Florida and we had a hard freeze for a week. I cover my trees as well as wrap with Christmas tree lights to keep warm. Even after doing all above the leaves fell off my meter lemons. It was so depressing. How can I prune to see if they are ok?
Is it okay to use the 10-10-10 water soluble fertilizer and the slow release fertilizer at the same time? Thank you for all the wonderful tips. You are an awesome gardener. I have saved this video. Thank you. 🙏🏼
Are you growing your trees in-ground or in containers? If you're growing them in containers, I recommend you watch my complete guide on fertilizing citrus in containers here: ua-cam.com/video/uhZ6gslBoVw/v-deo.html With citrus in containers, I add organic slow release fertilizers and water soluble fertilizers at the same time. However, with citrus in-ground, I only use water soluble fertilizers when the trees are young and are trying to establish. After they're a few years old, I really only give them organic fertilizers and compost/mulch, with the one exception being the initial fertilizing in spring if I'm trying to wake them up. If they're slow to wake up, I may boost them with a 24-8-16 water soluble fertilizer, but if they're ahead of schedule, it may not be necessary.
All my citrus are in containers. I do not have a backyard and it’s very limited so I grow all my citrus in the greenhouse. I’m in Central California zone 8b and 9a. I bought 10-10-10 fertilizer coz I heard they are good for my Fuyu Persimmon, Asian Pear, and Anna Apple which are planted in the ground. But that’s it. I DO NOT have anymore space for anymore trees. That’s why we built the greenhouse for the Citrus. However, I have Bone Meal and a slow release fertilizer just for my Citrus. And I’ve watched you other video for complete fertilizing. I just want to know if I can accommodate my available fertilizers that I already have.
I am only doing one thing wrong, the fertilizing. After almost three years my six citrus trees have not grown any or produced any fruit. No need to prune or thin anything. Why yes, I did buy a bag of citrus fertilizer and I plan to use it, now that the hurricanes are over here in Florida.
Fertilizer, compost and mulch will be your best friend. Citrus trees like sending surface roots through a thick layer of mulch, so be generous with organic matter. Place a cup or two of a balanced 5-5-5 or so organic fertilizer, add about 2 inches of compost, and then about 3 inches of mulch. Add more fertilizer every 3 months, and survey the compost and mulch layer and make sure it remains around 4 inches thick in total. Add compost and mulch as needed. The trees will take off like rockets.
Shouldn't my Owari be putting on new growth this time of year? It had a flush of new growth in april but absolutely nothing since. It's in a 20 gallon tub. Thanks.
I’m dealing with leaf miners right now on my citrus. I’m going to spray more pyrethrin tomorrow. Hopefully I can get on top of it. I did not know to give them fertilizer year around. Thanks for the information on that. What about deciduous fruit trees. What is the fertilizing schedule for them? Thank you!
Did you see the video I posted on my 2nd channel on leaf miner yesterday? It may help you: ua-cam.com/video/eMFGZTJ6sKM/v-deo.html All evergreen fruit trees (citrus, avocado, feojia, etc.) should be fertilized year-round. You can choose to reduce the nitrogen so discourage too much vigor, but they still need some food. Deciduous fruit trees are entirely different. They should be cut off from fertilizers in mid-summer so you don't encourage new green growth too close to the dormant season. With deciduous trees, you should still maintain a nice, thick mulch layer all year long, though. I fertilize my deciduous in-ground fruit trees 30 days before last frost, mid-spring, and then early-to-mid summer. With my evergreen fruit trees, I add a 4th fertilizing in the Fall in October or November.
Leaf miners tunnel inside the leaves so sprays aren't effective at killing them as the spray is on the outside of the leaf. To control them you need to cut off and (garbage) bin any affected leaves then spray to prevent new infestation. I don't use pyrethrin so I don't know how effective it is, I just use a white oil spray I make myself from vegetable oil and dishwashing detergent (easy to find instructions on internet). I also grow beetroot near the citrus trees as a trap crop for the leaf miners as it is easy to remove any infected leaves.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes I did see your video on leaf miners. Thank you so much for the information. My citrus has not been doing very well. Hopefully I can get the leaf miners under control and I will start fertilizing more. Thank you for responding and for the information. Much appreciated!
@@crankybanshee3809 I have tried white oil. A couple of applications but I didn’t notice much difference. Maybe I didn’t apply it enough times. Also, maybe I didn’t get all the infected leaves off. I went out there yesterday and carefully inspected and cut off all infected leaves. Several had small eggs on the bottom of them. I’m going to spray today after the rain. I will look into the beetroot. Thank you so much!
@@CumminsRanch I'm in Oz, but I'm pretty sure "leaf miner" is universally known by the same name so I'm a bit concerned about you saying there are visible eggs as that is not what I know as leaf miner - they lay directly into the leaf. The most obvious indications of leaf miners are curled/deformed new leaves and tunnels (wavy light lines) on older leaves. Maybe it is something else? White oil needs to be sprayed all over the leaf surfaces (undersides too) to be effective and will only last until it rains. White oil does not kill leaf miners - it's a deterrent to them laying. If you have other target plants in your neighbourhood where no actions are taken against the leaf miners (like a neighbour's neglected garden) the bad news is that it's going to be a continual job for you to protect your plants. It's a nuisance, but seasonal at least. Good luck and happy gardening.
How might i identify what type of lemon i have? I grew it from seed on a whim and didnt think to look at what kind of lemon it came from. Its about 2 years old now, doesnt have thorns or blossoms yet.
I have satsumas trees but I notice how you handle the branches. Mine have thorns, do your trees have that too. My Meyer lemons have thorns too. Is it itt something I am doing wrong?
I've never heard of pruning citrus, unless a branch breaks or you are forcing it to dwarf. However, if you get leaf miners, which I've dealt with for 25 years successfully, then I would prune lower branches off. I trim tree to three feet, or hip height, off the ground. The larvae of the leaf miner is in fallen leaves and matures in the soil. If I trim up high enough, few succeed in finding their way up to the canopy. Those that do, deform the new leaves now; and I clip THOSE bits back. Don't compost. Remove from your garden. Also, remove fallen leaves from ground. One year, I was lazy and didn't trim the infected leaves tips off. The leaf miner slowly spread upward 10 feet high thru the season. It took me two years to get the tree healthy again. Last week, I found only five tips at eye level. (nothing higher) on a tree that's at least 12 feet high and wide. I get cases and cases of perfect fruit... So it's a success.
I haven't really found this to be the case. "Leaf miner" is a broad association and includes many different species. I find the leaf miners in my area come from up high. You can find their eggs by seeing leaves stuck together in a sticky substance. The lower leaves of the tree are never affected, because the pests target the new, young leaves, since they're weak and easily pierced. If you prune off the low leaves, you're basically concentrating the newer, younger leaves that are prime for infestation. My citrus trees, here, perform better lower to the ground due to our cold temps, so keeping them short and bush-like is critical. I just posted a video on my second channel that addresses leaf miner: ua-cam.com/video/eMFGZTJ6sKM/v-deo.html
Citrus greening is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. If you're in an area infested by the insect, there really isn't anything you can do. Growing them under oaks is supposed to lessen the chances of infection, but it certainly doesn't prevent anything. If the insects find your trees, they can become infected. You'd have to grow them inside an enclosed area, such as a fully screened-in porch, closed greenhouse, etc. Or you'd have to grow them in such a thick, wooded area so far removed that the pests can't find them. Any open field is going to be a target.
Fish fertilizer is great, especially for young citrus trees. Once the trees get better rooted and larger, the granulated types with a compost and mulch layer are more effective, I think.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks! Mine are a year old. I only fertilized them a few times. I think I will need to repot. Should I do it now, in the fall?
It depends on what type of plant you're growing. If you're growing a grafted tree or a rooted cutting from a mature mother plant, it should only take 1-2 years. All my grafted and rooted citrus fruited for me the very next season. If you're growing from seed, it can easily take 10 years or longer, and the tree has a high probability of not growing true to type. If you're growing a grafted/rooted tree and it hasn't fruited after 2 years, it is likely not getting enough fertilizer, not enough sun or both.
Is there a maximum life span for a citrus tree? I have a lemon tree that’s 40+ years old that produces the most amazing fruit with no effort. I would be devastated if I lost it as I don’t know the variety and have never had anything like it. Is there something I can do to “re-grow” another one if there is a maximum lifespan for it?
It depends on the tree. If it is a grafted tree or a rooted cutting, it usually will fruit in 1-2 years. My Meyer lemon has only been in ground for 2 years, and it's a beast, producing tons of fruit. If you try and grow one from seed, it will probably take 10 years and there is a high probability that it will not grow true to type. I usually discourage growing fruit trees from seed unless you're trying to develop new varieties.
You don't use your half peat half compost mix for your citrus right? Have you lost any to root rot? I keep losing citrus to root rot from my soul not draining fast enough from rain and I'm in south Texas in a drought. Thanks 👍
I do not use regular potting mix for container citrus. The citrus hate it. It retains too much water. The way I've found to grow citrus is containers is to buy those self-watering containers with the reservoir at the bottom, because they drain water away. Then, I use the MiracleGro Cactus and Succulent fast draining mix in the orange bags. That works great for citrus trees.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you for replying. Those self watering containers only get so large, what would you do if you had to put them in 15 or 20 gallon containers? Add in more perlite, Thomas, pine bark chips or mulch? Thanks again for all your help your UA-cam channel kicks ass
I don't sell citrus cuttings. It's illegal to import citrus wood into Texas from other states. You'll need to purchase citrus from a supplier within Texas. Look into Bob Wells Nursery.
If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Common Mistakes Growing Citrus Trees
0:26 Mistake #1: Fertilizing Citrus Incorrectly
3:44 Mistake #2: Pruning Citrus Incorrectly
6:05 When To Prune Citrus Trees
7:46 Mistake #3: Thinning Fruit Properly
11:05 Adventures With Dale
So how do you know how much is the right amount to allow the tree to have and at what point do you thin the fruit?
I think this is the overall best gardening channel on UA-cam. Your knowledge on such a wide variety of topics and plants is pretty much unmatched on here. There are those of us who specialized in tomatoes, giant pumpkins (sorry you have heard this from me about 10 times before), peppers, etc, but you know more about a wide variety of plants and pushing zones than all of us. And thanks for correcting a lot of garden myths as well.
Thank you so much! I want to make it clear that I'm not an expert. I'm just an engineer that loves growing stuff, and I try to experiment with things that make me uncomfortable and "shouldn't grow where I live," so it's a fun ride figuring out how to make things I shouldn't be growing thrive. I enjoy sharing what I learn during the process, and I hope it encourages others to do the same.
@@TheMillennialGardenerif you don’t mind me asking where did you get your engineering degree from?
@@TheMillennialGardener you may say you are not an expert, but a lot of what you say is supported by soil scientists who have videos on here too.
@@MichaelRei99
ua-cam.com/video/a7pd-TH-grI/v-deo.html
Agree
Tip for pruning citrus: only prune when there's no rain forecast for at least 3 days, particularly in humid areas. This helps to ensure that the wounds heal fully and stop diseases entering.
Good tip!
I have learned so much since I found your channel. My biggest mistake was not fertilizing enough and, after following your advice, I got full-size fruit on my kaffir lime for the first time since I bought it 7 years ago! Even my new Meyer lemon that I started from a cutting last winter is fruiting.
Woohoo! Grafted citrus and citrus grown from rooted cuttings from mature scion wood have a habit of bearing early and heavily, so they need a lot of fertilizer when they're young. Their roots are too immature and small to satiate their hunger, so they really benefit from generous fertilizers. Eventually, the trees will become big and strong enough - and your soil should become good enough through proper mulching and composting - that the trees will need less and less as they age, but young and adolescent trees really benefit from a good fertilizing routine. And, of course, container-grown trees always need to be fed regularly all season long. The bigger they get, the hungrier they are.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks, and you’re right… I noticed this summer that I almost couldn’t overfeed my baby citrus grown from cuttings. They are hungry!
@@lagoya where are you from? I just got a meyer lemon tree and I want to know how often I should water it and fertilize it. With what fertilizer.
@@IIIIIIIIIIIIII8 I’m in Arkansas and I keep my citrus in containers on the porch. If you watch the Millennial Gardener’s video on how to grow citrus, he gives lots of good info including fertilizer schedule. I sprinkle a few large spoonfuls of citrus-specific fertilizer maybe once a month when they are growing and also in the winter since they tend to start blooming then and the blooms will fall off if the plant isn’t happy.
Edited to add: I do bring my citrus indoors when weather gets below 40 at night.
Not only do you share tips and growing guides you also explain the "why's" . You inspire any level gardeners to try stuff , you assist new gardeners to jump in and grow stuff, and you minimize and save us years of trial and error by creating these videos. They educate us with such a personable way that makes it seem doable. Thank you!!! and keep up the hard work of gardening and sharing your world.
Thank you
💯!!!!! So many websites recommend not fertilizing citrus after Sep. It just doesn't even make sense and people wonder why their plants look chlorotic and half dead in the spring. Thank you for busting this myth! Evergreen - subtropical trees need to be treated differently for successful production.
You are my teacher of what I find most important. Love it I always use your channel to make my life so easy.
My only lemon tree I bought had about four leaves and 3 little buds. I got it with 50% price reduction, I repotted him and I see him sprouting more leaves and twigs this is the first time that I grow citrus tree, I’m not so good in gardening, I worked mostly as a computer engineer and informatics teacher. I hope to go in pension this year and God willing I might have some years to do some gardening. Thank you so very much for your advice I will try to follow your way and hopefully I can do something right… May the Lord keep and bless you.
I love this channel! I'm in the process of reviewing all of the videos here to increase my gardening knowledge and skills. And shockingly to me, these videos don't bore me. I know all others do their best but you go the extra mile. Currently, I'm readying my evergreen trees for winter in Florida and your video for what to do is my go to. Zone 9a can throw some unexpected freezing temperatures for periods longer than the recommended cold hardy temps for tropical fruiting trees. Furthermore, the rainy season can plague gardeners with root rot, blights and other various plant diseases; And don't get me started on the endless pests and insects all wanting to crunch on, to suck or raise their broods inside your tree and/or roots! I tried organic methods and lost a couple thousand dollars worth of fruit trees. Nearly every resident gardener here eventually abandons the organic approach. Finally, after taking gardening advice from sources and experimenting via trials and errors, my fruit trees are the healthiest they've ever been. So, if you can share how you protect your trees from tree borers, citrus psyllids, armoured/soft scales, citrus leaf miners, citrus thrips, glass winged sharp shooter and the host of diseases they transmit to your citrus trees, I'd just love it! Thank you for another great video.👏😍
One of your best most informational videos. (It seems I say that every time you post a video). Really appreciate you taking the time to make these videos, they are all just great.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that.
For people who bring their citrus indoors in the winter: Be sure to keep your trees away from heat vents. Heat vents can dry out the plant and cause them to drop all their leaves. Give plenty of light. You want to keep the room above freezing but not super hot. You are imitating its natural winter of 40-50F. Do not overwater. Overwatering when the citrus are not actively growing can also cause leaf drop and/or root rot. Make sure the pot has exceptional drainage and the tree does not sit in water. During the winter, only water when the top couple of inches of soil are dry to the touch.
Watch for pests. Aphids can be washed off leaves in the shower or squished. Scale can be wiped off with alcohol and a cotton ball. I usually rinse with a little water after usuing alcohol but its not really necessary.
Wow!!! This guy is so knowledgeable............Respect
My goodness, I was just wondering why my citrus is not looking good. I stopped fertilizing once I brought it indoors for the winter. This video came at the right time.
Glad it could be helpful! I tried to time it so winter fertilizing wouldn’t be skipped.
Thank you so much for this wonderful information! I need to fertilize my tree! 😊👍
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching.
Great video. By the way, you might want to give the Prague Citsuma a try. It may not need any protection at all in your zone. I know of one growing AND FRUITING! up in Annapolis Maryland, a cold zone 7B. I believe McKenzie Farms sells them. I'm told it's every bit as good as a 'normal' satsuma.
Thank you for all the information! I am in zone 7B and bring my container citrus trees inside for the winter months. My trees (2 year old grafted trees) seem to struggle for a few months (mainly leaf drop) after they are brought inside. Although they are under a grow light (for 10-12 hours), proper watering, and pest free, I would be curious to see how you transition plants in the winter months to reduce the stress on the plants (leaf drop, etc). By the way, the organic and water soluble approach to fertilizing was a game changer in my garden!
Amazing. I finally understand what’s gone wrong on my lemon trees, it happened exactly as you described, to the letter. I bought the trees and they clearly had far too much fruit on them (young rootstock with older fruit tree grafted on), the fruits were small and didn’t all ripen and I haven’t had any fruit since and the trees are really struggling. I have kept on top of pruning but no where enough fertilising and you have just in-ravelled the whole thing. Thank you so much.
Really great video. Easy to understand explanation of how trees from cuttings think they’re as old as the tree from which they were cut.
Thank you so much for all of your information about gardening!! Got a Meyer lemon tree in October and it’s producing fruit already! I am kinda of surprised since most videos say fruiting typical starts 1-2 yrs. The tree is young , I am in Jersey so I have a grow light and I fertilize with citrus fertilizer. Some of the bottom leaves are turning yellow and falling off, and some are curling. Any suggestions are always welcomed!!
Stepped into this video by chance, and I should agree, this information is SO USEFUL! More so because of the reasoning you gave behind the tips you suggested, amazing!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity! I really appreciate your support ❤
You are the first that actually showed the outcome after pruning IMO.
Now I realize what happened in the past when my trees didn't do well.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much for all the information, I've planted some citrus trees and until now didn't know anything about how to care for them!!! Awesome video!!!!
This was so helpful as we are in our first year with citrus trees!! Two lemons and one Meyer lemon! I just pruned the smoke lemons before I left for a couple of weeks. When I returned they had begun to flower and I was freaking with the colder weather coming but our trees are doing great! Your videos have helped so much!! We are in Shallotte, not far from you in Wilmington. Thank you so much for the time & effort you put into your videos🤗
Millennial Gardener, I have a lime tree in a container. It is 42 years old. But it is now suffering. I hope you can make some recommendations to help me and this tree.
I live in Wisconsin about 30 miles south of Milwaukee and I bring the tree inside in the winter. It is located in front of south facing patio doors, so it gets good sun light. In March and April and continuing into May, it is loosing a lot of leaves. One whole side is leafless. It has not been repotted in a long time, so I am sure it is root bound. It is planted in regular soil, not potting soil, so the root ball is so thick and hard it is impossible to loosen. When I water it some water flows through to the overflow pan under the pot and the water is colored a bright yellow / orange.
I think the following, but would really appreciate your recommendations: I think the water is indicating that the soil has too much residual fertilizer and needs to be rinsed. I know it needs to be repotted, but I can't break up the root ball. I poked some 1/4 inch holes through the root ball about a month ago to help aerate and get water to the center of the root ball. Perhaps I could cut off the bottom third of the root ball, cut some 2 inch deep vertical slits in the remaining root ball and put it back into the pot with new potting soil in the bottom. I don't want to put it in a bigger pot, because the pot is already heavy and I am not getting younger:-)
That's wild. Maybe fix the roots and repot in potting soil (regular miracle grow potting mix or organic). Check for girdling roots and remove them. Plant the tree with exposed root crown and exposed root flare.
Prune off all the dead branches and diseased branches. Supposedly it's good to prune the branches at the same time you prune the roots. Don't prune any suckers or healthy leaf bearing branches until the tree is healthy again.
Pluck off all the flowers or fruits until the tree has recovered healthy, or at least for 1-2 yrs (don't let them ripen). This allows the tree to focus on its own health.
Check for parasites such as mealybugs, aphids, scale. If found, you probably also have ants cultivating and protecting them. You can use catchmaster ant barrier to block ants from getting into the tree and natural predators such as hornets and ladybugs should reduce the population. You can also remove them physically yourself. Using any pesticides will also prevent the beneficial bugs from doing their job so is not recommended.
Additionally you might what to get some IV Organic white wash or 3-in-1 protectant which is like sunscreen for your exposed bark, and can also deter harmful parasites. This will be necessary for an old tree that has very poor leaf coverage for shade.
Don't forget to water regularly. Distilled water is best. But you can use a lot of tap water, instead, to rinse old salts otherwise the salt will burn the roots, from the build up of salts from the tap.
For Best results give the best of your first fruits to God
Dude great video! Thanks for being so informative and honest
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
Oh thank you!!! I have much dead limbs now! I will trim and feed ASAP!
Excellent! Dead wood attracts pests.
Oh wow. No wonder my vitro is not fruiting well. Thanks brother. Your videos are best and so real. Make sense
I'm glad the video was helpful! Hopefully, this will help the tree come alive!
Best growing channel!! Soooo much useful information AND entertaining.
hugely helpful. new citrus grower of two years.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching , and best of luck!
Your satsuma is a stunner! I wonder why not many people start gardening more. I’m exciting for my key lime that finally flowering! Just brought it in and feed some fertilizer. Can’t wait!
Thank you! Our culture has discouraged gardening over past several generations. Unfortunately, more people think food comes from "grocery stores" than farms. But, the current high food prices are changing minds. As more and more people become interested in reducing their food costs, I hope they decide to start growing their own backyard orchards. I hope these videos encourage people to grow more food. That's what I want more than anything.
Because I'm not made of money and I don't have the time
Your tips are so well-thought out and presented. Whatever happened to stick it in the ground, water it and voila!? I like my "experiments" with help from people like you on YT. Keep up the good work.
Thank you! Unfortunately, sticking it in the ground and just watering doesn't always work if you have less than great soil, a climate that isn't ideal or you're planting non-native species. For me and citrus, all three of these problems exist. Cultural practices are very important while trying to establish a tree. However, what I've found with gardening is it is often what you aren't doing that matters more than what you are doing.
Thank you Sir! A friend was listening while in my kitchen, you got yourself a new sub. 🥰
Thanks for the sub! I appreciate it!
Tempted to grow some Meyer Lemons in zone 7A Virginia in-ground. I saw your video showcasing how to protect them when it gets cold and it got me to thinking.
It would be a challenge. You'd need a lot of protection. My methods gives my tree about 10-12 degrees of protection on our coldest nights. We can get as low as 10-15 degrees depending on the year, so that keeps me comfortably in the 22-27 degree range at worst. You'd have to find a way to reliably add another 5-10 degrees. Maybe that's 2 pickle barrels and more strand lights, and you'd also have to be prepared if you lost power during a winter storm where it got in the teens or colder at night. That will be tough. You may want to look into growing Yuzu, because you can use it similar to a lemon, but it's 10 degrees hardier than Meyer Lemons. Mature yuzu trees have briefly survived 0-5 degree plunges.
@@TheMillennialGardener Woah, thanks for this in-depth reply! I am truly honored. I haven't fully settled on how I am going to do this yet, but I do know I am going to be incorporating your method of using a pickling barrel (or maybe 2 now that you mentioned that) and light/light strands. I am also looking into the idea of how you covered your lemons and also adding an additional layer a few inches off of the trees by making high tunnel-like or caterpillar tunnel-like dome above them. I want to set it up in a way that I can quickly put it up or take it down without too much fuss. This should create an extra short-term layer of trapped heat, though this won't be incredibly useful if the weather goes multiple days below Meyer's limits.
Up near WV, I saw a farm (Owith a bunch of outdoor heaters near some of their sensitive plants. I haven't really looked too much into that angle since growing lemons is brand new to me. I found a guy in Springfield, VA (near Arlington, VA/DC) that has also successfully grown fruits that shouldn't be surviving this far north. Unfortunately for me, and acknowledging your suggestion, he has Yuzus instead of Meyer. I also found a banana tree just north of DC which blew my mind at the time.
At the end of the day, this will be a fun experiment for me. If I fail, it won't dissuade me from trying Yuzus or keeping my next Meyers in pots and indoors during the winter. I am in this because of my passion for experimentation and my (newfound) love of growing things.
Thank you for responding back to me. This made my night!
@@oldman1111You might want to try a Meyer Lemon in a container. You could get it on a dwarf root stock. Meyer Lemons can flower year around. They are the best smelling citrus in my opinion. They have beautiful creamy purplish tinged flowers and smell better than my best jasmines! They will also set fruit year around as well. I would bring it inside during the winter and keep away from heat vents and give plenty of light. Water only when soil is slightly dry and give excellent drainage.I am in FL but have grown it in colder zones/and would even grow Meyer Lemon just for the lovely scented blossoms, although the fruit is great too. I agree with a Yuzu in ground fir your zone.
Thank you for those amazing tips and happy gardening!
I agree with you about fertilizing and some thinning of the fruits when tree is young. As for prunning, I do not prune much other than dead/crossed branches. There are some videos about citrus tree prunning...and that is very little prunning is needed and do not expose the trunks/branches to sun for fear of getting them sun burnt...Well, I do not know if that is true, but I am not prunning much and my Sutsuma tree bears over 400 fruits two years in a row for the matured tree. The tree flowers a lot, but it tends to drop the young fruits a lot as well, so I let nature does the prunning for me.
Tipping to encourage fruiting should be done in the fall/winter after harvest, generally speaking. That way, the tree has enough time to grow new budwood before flowering, and the tree will be grown in by summer to protect the fruit from sunscald. You should not be doing much pruning during the summer, except for any unsightly waterspouts or dead branches that may occur.
Your videos just keep getting better. Thank you!
Glad you like them! I'm really happy to hear that.
I will have to go back a look at the older videos. Thanks for the info. I've been doing my citrus all wrong. I brought my mewa qumcuat in and it dropped its leaves and fruit second year of doing that. So sad. I have to figure out where I can place my pots. I was thinking about planting them in ground but where is the question?
Damn dude. You are so good at this!
Thank you! I appreciate it. It's fun doing this.
I hope you van teach us about Lime tree as well
Here in Greece we have two citrus trees that haven't been fertilized at least the past 10 years or so, yet they still produce fruit every single year!
That’s awesome!
Thank you for your information. As a fellow fig enthusiast and backyard container gardener, I always enjoy watching your videos. I live on the Southeast coast of Virginia (Hampton Roads), and I recently acquired a small Meyer lemon bush from an online vendor. It came looking a bit dried out but no damage, I have it inside in a west-facing window and under 14 hours of grow lights and its beginning to flower. I am concerned, because I read that citrus will bloom when stressed and maybe dying. Is there anyway I can know if the tree is ok or if the flowers are a warning sign of imminent decline? Any thoughts
Damn dude. You know your stuff. Great video!
Thanks for reminding me to fertilized my trees❣ 🙂
You’re welcome!
Help!! I started from seed in spring of 2022 in peet cups. Several wintered inside well, leaving me four that in Spring of 2023 I repotted into larger pots. They’ve tripled in size, and are healthy. I recently put them in bigger pots (last weekend). I have never pruned them. My question is: At 18-20” tall, should I prune 1/3 of their tops before wintering them inside again, or should I go ahead prune the tops and plant them in-ground? I am in Zone 8b in Mississippi. We had a very harsh winter last year, and I fear putting them in ground they wouldn’t make it until they’re bigger. Question 2: is it even possible they will produce? Someone told me because they were Meyer from store bought lemons they will not produce.😢
i have a meyer lemon in a pot inside the house with a grow light. its flowering, but dropping some petals. the pot is probably a 2 gallon, and total height is about 30 inches. asking about ideas as far as fertilising and other care. im in south dakota. thanks in advance!
Great info! Nice and concise. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks! Learned a lot!
Glad it was helpful!
Hank you for the 3 tips. I am a young mother to a lemon tree. I planted them from the seeds from lemons I used. They have finally sprouted and now 5 inches tall. What is the best time to transfer a potted lemon plant to the ground. Thank you
Yes...best gardening channel on UA-cam! What about foliar feeding? Have you experimented with it? I have tried at diffferent times but cannot definitively ascertain if it works.
Thanks! I have a recent video on foliar feeding here: ua-cam.com/video/7hgFekKj6K4/v-deo.html
Thank you for this very helpful, informative video on citrus. Definitely kick my butt into action in paying more attention to my citrus 🙌🏾
Outstanding! Thanks for watching!
Thank you, that helped me out quite a bit. 😉
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Consider an earth battery and wallipini for citrus, coffee, and cocao.
What are those barrels by your trees? Compost? Water tanks?
Have you heard of calamondin citrus trees? I'm trying to grow one.
So is it good to buy the soil with natural releasing fertilizer ??
Any tips for one who wants to grow citrus and avacado in zone 4a?
In Florida sand, the most common issue I see, other than HLB, is micro-nutrient deficiency. Coastal sand-soil is deficient in everything, but copper and boron are almost completely absent in some places, manganese in others.
Great videos, but do you not have to deal with Citrus Greening ?
Sadly my Key Limes tree. The Leaves are falling off inside. KY weather.
If I had to guess, it's because you carried them inside suddenly. Citrus trees must be acclimated slowly to indoor light. If you simply carry them inside one day, they will go through a period of intense shock, drop all their leaves and even possibly die. You must carry them inside and acclimate them to window light over the course of 1-2 weeks where you carry them inside for a few hours, then back outside for a few hours, etc. Bringing them into shade beforehand is helpful, too. Bringing them inside all at once is a dramatic and sudden drop in UV intensity, and they will get sick if you do that.
He’s exactly right. I’m in Ohio. When it started getting cold at night, I’d just bring them in and take them back out in the day. Now that it’s cold and looks to stay that way, I just keep them in until warm days are back. They are all doing very well.
@@TheMillennialGardener Do Grow Lights help with that transition?
It got cold pretty quick so I understand why you didn't acclimate much, unfortunate for your tree though!
Hello, great information! When you perform fruit thinning, do you select fruit that is underperforming to remove? About how much would you thin out? Thanks!
How do you actually apply the fertilizer?
So does this pruning go for all types of fruits like cherry/ apple/ blueberry? I’m new to the game 😂 thank you!
I live in the sandhills of NC. I bought a small Meyer lemon tree from Tractor Supply last summer. Can I plant it in the ground? It gets cold here and I worry I will lose it. I have it inside my house and it’s dropped all it’s leaves. How can I keep it alive. HELP please!! I enjoyed your video! Very informative.
Ok I love what you are doing, but I am still debating if it is worth the effort for me. I'm zone 8a Georgia, southwest of ATL. I have no southern wall to plant against. I could possible cover small trees, but they all grow up! I had a satsuma years ago and the pot just kept getting bigger and bigger till I couldn't move it back in the house. I tarped it, but it didn't make it through the winter. I am considering digging a pit into the south facing hill side to plant it where it would get a little geothermal protection. The question is, do I want another project on my hands. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.
Getting a citrus tree grafted onto trifoliate rootstock is the way to go. An Owari satsuma or Brown Select satsuma grafted onto trifoliate rootstock will be easily maintainable as a 5-7' tall tree for its entire life. Get yourself a pickle barrel and a 120"x144" plant jacket and cover the tree with the water barrel inside, and you can let it sit like that December thru March for minimal effort. I have a tutorial on how to do so here, but I plan to update soon: ua-cam.com/video/7iBohqx9ch8/v-deo.html
Hi, I bought my first fig trees this past August. I wasn't sure on what type of soil I should plant them in. My garden soil is needing to be built up, so I planted them in my High tunnel greenhouse in raised beds. They have done very well in the bought mulch I purchased from Home Depot. Did I do the right thing planting in my greenhouse. My thoughts is: should be planted in the outdoor garden instead; Also will it hurt to retransplant them into my outdoor garden instead of leaving them in the greenhouse. Thanks I loved your latest videos as usual. You must have taken some public speaking at college level , as you are very well spoken. you do a fine job with what you are doing. Love your garden yard etc. Jessie from Arkansas
Good morning brother. I would love your opinion about buying seed starter kits. Which one is best to buy. Is it with heat pad or grow light. I germinate about between 100 seeds or more thanks brother
How do I tell the difference between sucker branches and fruit-bearing branches? I have Meyer lemon, clementine orange, and Persian lime trees. They all produce branches all along the trunk of the tree, so I try to keep some of the trunk bare. However, none of the trees are producing new fruit-bearing branches, so I am wondering if I am pruning the wrong branches.
How do you keep your citrus from drowning whenever it rains? Im in texas and we have mostly clay soil and if it rains my trees get waterlogged and struggle the rest of the year trying to recover.
My Meyer lemon tree is loaded with blossoms and I’m starting to see fruit. But I think there is just too much! This is the first time I’ve gotten any blossoms/fruit. It’s in a container and I’m in zone 8a coastal Carolina. The constant wind has caused some of the fruit to fall off. My instinct is to cut off some of the tiny fruit but I hesitated every day I’m out there looking at it 😂
Citrus is naturally self-thinning. Once the fruits become around half a centimeter, they will begin dropping them. This is normal, so don't be alarmed by this. Then, it will begin to swell the fruit that it decided to hold. You still need to check the tree over, because young trees often hold onto more fruit than they should. You'll have to make the call once the fruits get nickel-sized if they should be thinned. I wouldn't remove any fruits until you're sure the self-thinning cycle has completed. Otherwise, you may over-thin the tree.
How old is your lemon tree? I have Meyer lemon tree for 3-4 years in a 10 Gallon container, it grows well, many branches, new big leave, but no blossoms. Do not know what I do wrong.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you for your clear explanation!!
I look forward to watching your videos. I hope to see what you do over the winter as far as starting seeds indoors. I need to get a head start before the brutal summer comes.
@@LC-vk3gd my tree was gifted to me last summer so I’m not sure. It was small. The one thing I have noticed that made a big difference is fertilizer!! Hope that helped.
@@TheMillennialGardener You are just an encyclopedia of information! Thank you so much for all these thorough responses. I am learning so much!
I live in zone 9 like you and have citrus trees that tolerate 20 degrees. I have them on containers and I’m planning on putting them in the garage. Do they need to be taken out when is sunny outside? Thanks for all of your videos!
Citrus trees cannot be overwintered in a garage like a deciduous tree. They need full sun 365 days a year. They must be kept outside every day, but if you have a very cold night and need to move them into a garage, they'll need to be taken back outside during the day the very next day. I recommend getting a pull-cart and doing the procedure I do here: ua-cam.com/video/-iVYC2fgwyM/v-deo.html
@@TheMillennialGardener I’m going to follow your steps! Thank you SO much!
I was given 2 lemon trees from someone that was moving. I have no idea what sort of Lemon they are. They did great during the summer and fall. Being in Washinton State I took them inside and have a plant light on them. They are still doing fine but this last week I am seeing new leaves turning a deep red color. Is that due to bringing them inside or maybe the temperature??
Will you eventually modify and enlarge your hoop structure to allow your avocado tree to get bigger? I have a young tree that I will need to do the same next winter when I plant it in ground but I ‘m concerned about the potential size that it could grow. Thanks!
Thank you sooo much on all the information. 1 question, what fertilizer do you use for your citrus trees. Thanks.
He said an organic 5-5-5 fertilizer
@@Willowb57 thanks
@@Dionne2U2 your welcome!
My lemon tree in growing in a container and I live in the Caribbean. Can I fertilize it while it is producing fruits ?
He became my “Guru” in gardening 😂😂😂
I am in northern Florida and we had a hard freeze for a week. I cover my trees as well as wrap with Christmas tree lights to keep warm. Even after doing all above the leaves fell off my meter lemons. It was so depressing. How can I prune to see if they are ok?
I’ve heard store bought liquid fertilizer is terrible is it ok if I just fertilize “ with compost or do I need store bought fertilizer ?
Is it okay to use the 10-10-10 water soluble fertilizer and the slow release fertilizer at the same time? Thank you for all the wonderful tips. You are an awesome gardener. I have saved this video. Thank you. 🙏🏼
Are you growing your trees in-ground or in containers? If you're growing them in containers, I recommend you watch my complete guide on fertilizing citrus in containers here: ua-cam.com/video/uhZ6gslBoVw/v-deo.html
With citrus in containers, I add organic slow release fertilizers and water soluble fertilizers at the same time. However, with citrus in-ground, I only use water soluble fertilizers when the trees are young and are trying to establish. After they're a few years old, I really only give them organic fertilizers and compost/mulch, with the one exception being the initial fertilizing in spring if I'm trying to wake them up. If they're slow to wake up, I may boost them with a 24-8-16 water soluble fertilizer, but if they're ahead of schedule, it may not be necessary.
All my citrus are in containers. I do not have a backyard and it’s very limited so I grow all my citrus in the greenhouse. I’m in Central California zone 8b and 9a.
I bought 10-10-10 fertilizer coz I heard they are good for my Fuyu Persimmon, Asian Pear, and Anna Apple which are planted in the ground. But that’s it. I DO NOT have anymore space for anymore trees. That’s why we built the greenhouse for the Citrus.
However, I have Bone Meal and a slow release fertilizer just for my Citrus. And I’ve watched you other video for complete fertilizing. I just want to know if I can accommodate my available fertilizers that I already have.
I am only doing one thing wrong, the fertilizing. After almost three years my six citrus trees have not grown any or produced any fruit. No need to prune or thin anything. Why yes, I did buy a bag of citrus fertilizer and I plan to use it, now that the hurricanes are over here in Florida.
Fertilizer, compost and mulch will be your best friend. Citrus trees like sending surface roots through a thick layer of mulch, so be generous with organic matter. Place a cup or two of a balanced 5-5-5 or so organic fertilizer, add about 2 inches of compost, and then about 3 inches of mulch. Add more fertilizer every 3 months, and survey the compost and mulch layer and make sure it remains around 4 inches thick in total. Add compost and mulch as needed. The trees will take off like rockets.
Shouldn't my Owari be putting on new growth this time of year? It had a flush of new growth in april but absolutely nothing since. It's in a 20 gallon tub. Thanks.
Great vid
I’m dealing with leaf miners right now on my citrus. I’m going to spray more pyrethrin tomorrow. Hopefully I can get on top of it. I did not know to give them fertilizer year around. Thanks for the information on that. What about deciduous fruit trees. What is the fertilizing schedule for them? Thank you!
Did you see the video I posted on my 2nd channel on leaf miner yesterday? It may help you: ua-cam.com/video/eMFGZTJ6sKM/v-deo.html
All evergreen fruit trees (citrus, avocado, feojia, etc.) should be fertilized year-round. You can choose to reduce the nitrogen so discourage too much vigor, but they still need some food. Deciduous fruit trees are entirely different. They should be cut off from fertilizers in mid-summer so you don't encourage new green growth too close to the dormant season. With deciduous trees, you should still maintain a nice, thick mulch layer all year long, though. I fertilize my deciduous in-ground fruit trees 30 days before last frost, mid-spring, and then early-to-mid summer. With my evergreen fruit trees, I add a 4th fertilizing in the Fall in October or November.
Leaf miners tunnel inside the leaves so sprays aren't effective at killing them as the spray is on the outside of the leaf. To control them you need to cut off and (garbage) bin any affected leaves then spray to prevent new infestation. I don't use pyrethrin so I don't know how effective it is, I just use a white oil spray I make myself from vegetable oil and dishwashing detergent (easy to find instructions on internet). I also grow beetroot near the citrus trees as a trap crop for the leaf miners as it is easy to remove any infected leaves.
@@TheMillennialGardener Yes I did see your video on leaf miners. Thank you so much for the information. My citrus has not been doing very well. Hopefully I can get the leaf miners under control and I will start fertilizing more. Thank you for responding and for the information. Much appreciated!
@@crankybanshee3809 I have tried white oil. A couple of applications but I didn’t notice much difference. Maybe I didn’t apply it enough times. Also, maybe I didn’t get all the infected leaves off. I went out there yesterday and carefully inspected and cut off all infected leaves. Several had small eggs on the bottom of them. I’m going to spray today after the rain. I will look into the beetroot. Thank you so much!
@@CumminsRanch I'm in Oz, but I'm pretty sure "leaf miner" is universally known by the same name so I'm a bit concerned about you saying there are visible eggs as that is not what I know as leaf miner - they lay directly into the leaf. The most obvious indications of leaf miners are curled/deformed new leaves and tunnels (wavy light lines) on older leaves. Maybe it is something else? White oil needs to be sprayed all over the leaf surfaces (undersides too) to be effective and will only last until it rains. White oil does not kill leaf miners - it's a deterrent to them laying. If you have other target plants in your neighbourhood where no actions are taken against the leaf miners (like a neighbour's neglected garden) the bad news is that it's going to be a continual job for you to protect your plants. It's a nuisance, but seasonal at least. Good luck and happy gardening.
How might i identify what type of lemon i have? I grew it from seed on a whim and didnt think to look at what kind of lemon it came from. Its about 2 years old now, doesnt have thorns or blossoms yet.
I have satsumas trees but I notice how you handle the branches. Mine have thorns, do your trees have that too. My Meyer lemons have thorns too. Is it itt something I am doing wrong?
How do you overwinter citrus in North Carolina?
I have a playlist dedicated to that here: ua-cam.com/play/PL1gY7BoYBGIG1w1u_K6CDIhfsqG8dMnPj.html
Are you using those rain barrels for your citrus trees?
For warmth, yes. I explain it here: ua-cam.com/video/7iBohqx9ch8/v-deo.html
I've never heard of pruning citrus, unless a branch breaks or you are forcing it to dwarf.
However, if you get leaf miners, which I've dealt with for 25 years successfully, then I would prune lower branches off. I trim tree to three feet, or hip height, off the ground. The larvae of the leaf miner is in fallen leaves and matures in the soil. If I trim up high enough, few succeed in finding their way up to the canopy. Those that do, deform the new leaves now; and I clip THOSE bits back. Don't compost. Remove from your garden. Also, remove fallen leaves from ground. One year, I was lazy and didn't trim the infected leaves tips off. The leaf miner slowly spread upward 10 feet high thru the season. It took me two years to get the tree healthy again. Last week, I found only five tips at eye level. (nothing higher) on a tree that's at least 12 feet high and wide. I get cases and cases of perfect fruit... So it's a success.
I haven't really found this to be the case. "Leaf miner" is a broad association and includes many different species. I find the leaf miners in my area come from up high. You can find their eggs by seeing leaves stuck together in a sticky substance. The lower leaves of the tree are never affected, because the pests target the new, young leaves, since they're weak and easily pierced. If you prune off the low leaves, you're basically concentrating the newer, younger leaves that are prime for infestation. My citrus trees, here, perform better lower to the ground due to our cold temps, so keeping them short and bush-like is critical. I just posted a video on my second channel that addresses leaf miner: ua-cam.com/video/eMFGZTJ6sKM/v-deo.html
I want to know how to prevent citrus greening.Ugh i have 2 more infected ☹️ trees. I had them growing under oaks.
Citrus greening is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid. If you're in an area infested by the insect, there really isn't anything you can do. Growing them under oaks is supposed to lessen the chances of infection, but it certainly doesn't prevent anything. If the insects find your trees, they can become infected. You'd have to grow them inside an enclosed area, such as a fully screened-in porch, closed greenhouse, etc. Or you'd have to grow them in such a thick, wooded area so far removed that the pests can't find them. Any open field is going to be a target.
Would fish fertilizer work?
Fish fertilizer is great, especially for young citrus trees. Once the trees get better rooted and larger, the granulated types with a compost and mulch layer are more effective, I think.
@@TheMillennialGardener thanks! Mine are a year old. I only fertilized them a few times. I think I will need to repot. Should I do it now, in the fall?
When should I expect my lemon to flower / set fruit? If I havent gotten any yet, does that mean this year is a goner?
It depends on what type of plant you're growing. If you're growing a grafted tree or a rooted cutting from a mature mother plant, it should only take 1-2 years. All my grafted and rooted citrus fruited for me the very next season. If you're growing from seed, it can easily take 10 years or longer, and the tree has a high probability of not growing true to type. If you're growing a grafted/rooted tree and it hasn't fruited after 2 years, it is likely not getting enough fertilizer, not enough sun or both.
Robert Downey Jr does gardening. Nice content and to the point. Thank you Millennial Gardener.
Is there a maximum life span for a citrus tree? I have a lemon tree that’s 40+ years old that produces the most amazing fruit with no effort. I would be devastated if I lost it as I don’t know the variety and have never had anything like it. Is there something I can do to “re-grow” another one if there is a maximum lifespan for it?
How long does it take before a lemon tree will produce fruit?
It depends on the tree. If it is a grafted tree or a rooted cutting, it usually will fruit in 1-2 years. My Meyer lemon has only been in ground for 2 years, and it's a beast, producing tons of fruit. If you try and grow one from seed, it will probably take 10 years and there is a high probability that it will not grow true to type. I usually discourage growing fruit trees from seed unless you're trying to develop new varieties.
@@TheMillennialGardener, it was started from a seed. It has leaves and pokie thingys. It's been like three years now, but it's in a pot.
You don't use your half peat half compost mix for your citrus right? Have you lost any to root rot? I keep losing citrus to root rot from my soul not draining fast enough from rain and I'm in south Texas in a drought. Thanks 👍
I do not use regular potting mix for container citrus. The citrus hate it. It retains too much water. The way I've found to grow citrus is containers is to buy those self-watering containers with the reservoir at the bottom, because they drain water away. Then, I use the MiracleGro Cactus and Succulent fast draining mix in the orange bags. That works great for citrus trees.
@@TheMillennialGardener thank you for replying. Those self watering containers only get so large, what would you do if you had to put them in 15 or 20 gallon containers? Add in more perlite, Thomas, pine bark chips or mulch? Thanks again for all your help your UA-cam channel kicks ass
What fertilizer brand do you use for your citrus?
Whatever is on sale. I have no brand loyalties to fertilizers.
Are there fruit trees that don’t require a lot of water?
Happen to have any rooted cuttings of mandarins for sale? In in TX dying for a good one that won't cost me an arm & a leg.
I don't sell citrus cuttings. It's illegal to import citrus wood into Texas from other states. You'll need to purchase citrus from a supplier within Texas. Look into Bob Wells Nursery.
@@TheMillennialGardener ok ill check it out tyvm
nice
Thanks!
Do you do anything to help protect your citrus trees from the cold weather?
Yes. I have a playlist dedicated to the practices here: ua-cam.com/play/PL1gY7BoYBGIG1w1u_K6CDIhfsqG8dMnPj.html
Thank you so very much!!!