Citrus, Oranges

[foamheart]

I have satsuma trees in the back. I have one orange tree. A few years back something killed all the leaves and all the branches off the orange, did not touch the satsumas. The tree has a large strong trunk (4 or 5 inches by 5ft) and has been trying yearly to bring out branches and leaves and it blossoms 100's and 100's of blooms. Then all the tiny fruits disappear, I assume they fall off but I don't see any on the ground. Then most of the leaves and branches fall off and it is dormant till next spring.

The only thing I can imagine was maybe the spray used in the cane fields were affecting it, but it should mess with the Satsumas also. Then I thought maybe its too many blooms for the little plant to handle. I have not tried pruning because the longest branch I have seen in 5 or 6 years is only probably less than 2 ft. long.

When it first happened I did prune back the dead.

Any citrus experts out there have an opinion?

 

[pineywoods]

Did you have a hard freeze the year before it started this?

 

[daveomak]

I have satsuma trees in the back. I have one orange tree. A few years back something killed all the leaves and all the branches off the orange, did not touch the satsumas. The tree has a large strong trunk (4 or 5 inches by 5ft) and has been trying yearly to bring out branches and leaves and it blossoms 100's and 100's of blooms. Then all the tiny fruits disappear, I assume they fall off but I don't see any on the ground. Then most of the leaves and branches fall off and it is dormant till next spring.

The only thing I can imagine was maybe the spray used in the cane fields were affecting it, but it should mess with the Satsumas also. Then I thought maybe its too many blooms for the little plant to handle. I have not tried pruning because the longest branch I have seen in 5 or 6 years is only probably less than 2 ft. long.

When it first happened I did prune back the dead.

Any citrus experts out there have an opinion?

search for "Plant nutrients for citrus trees" and have your soil tested including micro nutrients......

 

[pineywoods]

Pics would help I'm not a citrus expert but have access to several

 

[foamheart]

Its been raining here for two days. If it clears tomorrow, I will take a picture.

Nope, its south Louisiana, with the current weather trend we have not had a hard freeze in two or three years.

 

[foamheart]

OK, Its not raining, so here is some pictures.

See That poor little tree. Its 10 maybe 15 years old. About 5 years ago everything on it died except the center trunk, almost like sprayed with poison. I had a fig tree 3 years ago that didn't survive with what appeared to be the same thing. The center trunk bifurcates just above ground level. There is a satsuma in front and behind it. All get fertilized every fall and spring.

BTW this orange should be much larger than the Satsuma behind it.

Citrus trees 001.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

This is about 6 ft. tall

Citrus trees 004.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

This is a good picture of what it looks like after all the small fruit disappears, this tree had 1000's of blossoms this spring. There is 5 hives located not 200 yards from here. The trees really love all the bees.

Citrus trees 005.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

I was trying to show the trunk here. At ground level its maybe 8 or 10 inches then within the same distance it splits and both are about equal sized.

Citrus trees 006.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

This is the trunk near the top, you can actually see I believe some of the dead limbs were I trimmed it back there.

Citrus trees 007.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

This is the new growth it always stays cover with, till it dies off. Its trying, I just don't know how to help it. That's why I asked about pruning suckers, basically they are all suckers.

Citrus trees 008.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

This is the Satsuma in front of it. I had to trim it back two years ago. This thing is an unbelievable bearer. I had to trim it because I knew it was going to split every year from all the weight. It took two years to start bearing again and guess what happened? For some reason a sap sucker/ wood pecker decided to take a fancy to it. And all the new top grown is bare, all the leaves fell off and no fruits. Its OK, next year it will come out OK. I put tree wound everywhere I could and its happy again if that sapsucker/woodpecker will leave it alone.

Look at all those fruits, best year in the last two...LOL But nothing like prior to that, but she needed it. Satsumas are Louisiana green tangerines, they peel like one and rare really tastee!

Citrus trees 009.JPG

• foamheart
• Jul 8, 2013

There are the pictures. Any suggestions?

 

[papacurtis]

Foamheart, maybe google " citrus greening". This citrus disease is hitting hard here. Maybe it trended in your direction as well.

 

[papacurtis]

PM'd you a link.

 

[foamheart]

Thanks man, or at least I think thanks. That is actually pretty scary. What will Anita Bryant do?

Seriously I am not even going to think that way. The tree is alive and trying to rebound. I may have the anti-venom, anti-bacteria, my tree could be the penicillin ........ Its trying very hard anyway.

 

[papacurtis]

No cure unfortunately. For the tree or Anita. Do what you will, or must. The canker took all my fruit trees years ago. Then the gubment man came and cut em all down. The possums and coons aint getting there vitamin c no more.

 

[foamheart]

Here's some late season photos......

This tree is 10% of what it was prior to pruning two years ago, it was a record size. It had to be pruned or a hurricane might have split it.

Now what had fruit is completely covered up in small fruit which is prematurely ripened in its dwarf stage. But 100's and 100's of them

Sweet Jerky 004.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 23, 2013

The tree is cover with what I call sucker branches and each has 1/2 a dozen sutsumas on it. Maybe if I trim back some of those sucker branches?

Sweet jerky 010.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 23, 2013

Notice the top of the tree all died out, everything from a certain distance up died and dryed up. Like it was poisoned.

Sweet jerky 009.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 23, 2013

This is a young healthy satuma that is fully loaded with normal sized fruits which are just now starting to ripen.

Sweet jerky 011.JPG

• foamheart
• Oct 23, 2013

I miss my old huge tree, it was so big I had to replant grass under it after we pruned.

 

[foamheart]

I need some identification help from all you citrus experts. Neighbor just delivered about 30/35 pounds of lemons from his tree. These are extremely large lemons with a smooth thin mostly green skin.

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• foamheart
• Nov 22, 2013

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• foamheart
• Nov 22, 2013

These are not as large as the big navel oranges, but dang near.

005.JPG

• foamheart
• Nov 22, 2013

Heavy heavy.... near breaking this plastic bag.

Next stupid questions, suggestions to do with them? I can obviously see a pie in the near future, maybe jelly?  yes, I forgot the old adage about lemonade but there ain't that much sugar! Suggestions, recommendations?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Skin is eat up with Bores so no zesting, besides it a seriously thin skin.

 

[foamheart]

Spring has sprung! The little Satsuma is covered in blossoms!!

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• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

Maybe a better picture......

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• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

Or...........

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• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

But sadly some goof didn't think about the freeze this last year. The navel orange I fear after three years recovering from its last blow may not make it this time. but it has such a huge trunk and roots..... I hate to count it out so fast.

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• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

I did put out fertilizer this winter.  Now my quandary, remember from before I had trimed this satusma tree, it went dormant for a year as expected, then last year came back out with a bunch of satsumas.  It was amazing, the tree had loads of small fruits and the bush had a few but all large fruits. Now this year I have half a tree?

006.JPG

• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

The left half now is growing at an unusual rate. Look at all that new growth, it only has a few actually blooms its using all its power to put out limbs or suckers. Should these be cut back?

007.JPG

• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

This is the center mass or right side and its complete dormant  or dead, although it still has a few, very few green leaves still hanging from last year.

008.JPG

• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

Could this be my problem? We cut back a limb then the tree grew into it, possibly cutting of the flow up the trunk? Also note that both the limbs in accelerated growth are before the tree limb restriction.

009.JPG

• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

Should I try and remove the limb and dope the hole?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[daveomak]

Kevin.... wait until it goes "dormant" or what ever happens in LA.... I would cut off the stressed limbs.... at an angle to repel water, and see what happens.... The orchardists here cut off diseased trees all the time.... but they wait until dormancy..... the two branches are affected by the branch in the crotch, cutting off sap flow... same as girdling.... Save the wood for your hobby.....
When cutting, there is a swelled area around the base of the branch.... don't cut into that swelled area.. cut above it... Then you can graft new branches onto the "stump" to balance out the tree... One old branch must be left remaining on the stump for this whole thing to work...

Foamheart Satsuma Tree.jpg

• daveomak
• Apr 7, 2014

"//www.youtube.com/embed/b4zafqqvouw"

http://www.gardenguides.com/105455-graft-satsuma-tree.html

http://www.treehelp.com/grafting-or-budding-citrus-trees/


Add lemon, lime, meyer lemon.... or what ever to it while you are at it......

 

[dandl93]

Foamheart

I do not want to steer you wrong because we have a year around growing season.But with my orange,lime and tangerine trees we trim all the bottom branches up about 2 feet on the smaller trees higher on my older trees.After we pick we trim the whole tree not alot just enough to keep them uniform.Dont give up on you tree yet if you think it is dead I have had some start new suckers at the base I let them grow then cut the old part out. 

Next time some one gives you a bunch of ctirus squeeze it in container and freeze the concentrate.It works great for cooking or for drinks just spoon out what amount you need it will thaw out real fast.

Dan

 

[foamheart]

Kevin.... wait until it goes "dormant" or what ever happens in LA.... I would cut off the stressed limbs.... at an angle to repel water, and see what happens.... The orchardists here cut off diseased trees all the time.... but they wait until dormancy..... the two branches are affected by the branch in the crotch, cutting off sap flow... same as girdling.... Save the wood for your hobby.....
When cutting, there is a swelled area around the base of the branch.... don't cut into that swelled area.. cut above it... Then you can graft new branches onto the "stump" to balance out the tree... One old branch must be left remaining on the stump for this whole thing to work...

Foamheart Satsuma Tree.jpg

• daveomak
• Apr 7, 2014

"//www.youtube.com/embed/b4zafqqvouw"

http://www.gardenguides.com/105455-graft-satsuma-tree.html

http://www.treehelp.com/grafting-or-budding-citrus-trees/


Add lemon, lime, meyer lemon.... or what ever to it while you are at it......

LOL... I went to college for awhile in botany because I did have a green thumb and liked 'em. but for some reason grafting just scares the pee-waddlin outta me.

 

[foamheart]

 
Foamheart

I do not want to steer you wrong because we have a year around growing season.But with my orange,lime and tangerine trees we trim all the bottom branches up about 2 feet on the smaller trees higher on my older trees.After we pick we trim the whole tree not alot just enough to keep them uniform.Dont give up on you tree yet if you think it is dead I have had some start new suckers at the base I let them grow then cut the old part out. 

Next time some one gives you a bunch of ctirus squeeze it in container and freeze the concentrate.It works great for cooking or for drinks just spoon out what amount you need it will thaw out real fast.

Dan

I didn't boil or concentrate, but I squeezed and then froze in ice cube trays. Pop 'em out and have fruit juice ice cubes to do as I please with. I have lemon and Satsuma cubes. I have made jelly and and last year made marmalade out of some kumquats.... LOL I felt thoroughly British having kumquat marmalade on my biscuits. I even stuck out my curled little pinky.

I am not going to completely give up on the orange, its done this before about 4 or 5 years ago. I was all excited this last year I got my first two oranges on it since then. So here we go again. The base at ground level on that orange is over 10".probably more like a foot.

 

[foamheart]

But sadly some goof didn't think about the freeze this last year. The navel orange I fear after three years recovering from its last blow may not make it this time. but it has such a huge trunk and roots..... I hate to count it out so fast.

005.JPG

• foamheart
• Apr 7, 2014

Dang these things are a lot tuffer than I thought! I went out today cooking on the smoker, missing in the yard, and weighing wither I want yard eggs enough to put up with chickens again. And what did I see?

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• foamheart
• Apr 17, 2014

Can you see that itsy bitsy bit of green?

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• foamheart
• Apr 17, 2014

I guess never count 'em out..... and the Pecans finally budded, that means no more cold.

 

[daveomak]

Foam...... Time to cut off all the dead and diseased stuff and branches that head the wrong way, and re-train that beauty...... You can't kill those trees.... somewhere in the world they are a weed.....

About chickens.... I got my coop about 60% done.... Tomorrow is roof day.... then nest boxes and roosts.... then paint... Soon it will be time for yard birds and cackle berries in the skillet....

 

[foamheart]

Foam...... Time to cut off all the dead and diseased stuff and branches that head the wrong way, and re-train that beauty...... You can't kill those trees.... somewhere in the world they are a weed.....

About chickens.... I got my coop about 60% done.... Tomorrow is roof day.... then nest boxes and roosts.... then paint... Soon it will be time for yard birds and cackle berries in the skillet....

Dave, I can do that tomorrow, so everything not main trunk is green is suckers? Wait I have andouille in a bowl curing for tomorrow. I'll get it done.

I have everything chicken done, I lost about 60 birds in about 4 or 5 months, we have bald eagles here and I am going to blame them. I never saw a single feather from a fight. And as beautiful and majestic as a bald eagle is, they thought my chicken yard was their smorgasbord! And there is nothing you can do about it. I can't protect the birds. Except to put a fence over the yard........