[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

MessageEight or nine years is not old for citrus, Dianne. Normal life span is at least tripple that in my experience. 

Look at the bark around the soil line. If it looks healthy to you, it probably is. If bark is peeling away in that area, that tree is likely on its last leg. There is no practical way, of which I am aware, to revive the tree or restore the bark. Without healthy bark, it will slowly and painfully starve to death. It is usually merciful to put one such out of its misery. If flood irrigation and standing water has not damaged the bark on these trees in 8 or 9 years, it may never. I would predict a shorter life span under those conditions but lets not, however, get hung up on that theory now if no bark damage is present. The soil probably has adequate drainage. 

You have a commercial size grove. With that many trees, proper care by an individual sounds to me like an impossibly task. This forum is frequented by many master gardeners some of whom are experienced citrus growers. They are duty bound to contribute positive responses to any problem they are familiar with or have a possible solution to. Master Gardeners, as a class, are eager teachers although most are amateurs with a little experience as am I. I will watch the responses from them and see if we can come up with a rational solution. The value to this forum that many of us can learn from the responses.

I seriously doubt nematodes or gophers are a problem. Nematodes on citrus is of the same magnotude as a flea climbing up an elepant's leg and gophers would be very obvious.

Have you checked with the Salvation army to pick the fruit?

Perhaps an answer to that question will find an answer as well.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer, U of A MCCE


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: macmcquack 
  To: 'Dick Gross' 
  Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 8:28 PM
  Subject: RE: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  Dick, Thanks for the response.  I am a little concerned though.  Our trees are about 8-9 years old not very big.  We live on an acre where we flood irrigate.  When we do this the trunks are submerged in water and always has been.  We have about 40 citrus trees as well as others.  I wonder if after all these years the water on the trunks are getting to them?  I give them citrus food from home depot every year but the do not seem to really thrive.  We do trim them up to ride the mower under.  One tree in particular is pretty bad but we have so much fruit we do not know what to do with them.  This was a young grove when we purchased but i do not have the heart to tear the trees down.  We have lost two trees already from something.  We think it may have been nemotodes or the gophers got to the roots. BTW if you have any idea what we can do with the fruit please let me know.  I hate to see it go to waste.  We did have one year scouts come and pick for uinted food but they never picked the fruit up until three or four weeks later after the fruit was rotten and the scouts were not gentle with the trees and had plenty of damage.  

  Dianne Heppler  
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Dick Gross [mailto:rkgross3 at cox.net] 
    Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 10:49 PM
    To: arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu; macmcquack at qwest.net
    Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


    Dianne, there could be several factors at play here. First, look at new growth. If it has good color your tree may be okay but remember that all plants shed leaves to some degree varying with the time of the year but only the oldest at any given time if the tree is healthy. The rate depends on the tree's overall health and the weather and soil type can be an influence. I never irrigate mature citrus oftener than six or more week intervals in cold weather and about two weeks in the summer but I usually let the trees tell me when they are thirsty. The latter may not be the best way but it has worked for me and after thirty years some instinct has stepped in. Deep irrigation at the drip line is vital. No water isneeded at the trunk where my trees never see a drop unless it rains.

    If the foliage is all pale, it is possible that it needs nitrogen. In our desert soils, nitrogen is the only critical nutrient deficient in our soils. If you have not fed these trees, use 21-0-0, Ammonium Sulfate and follow the directions on the bag as follows; 

    Apply 1/4th pound of 21-0-0 around the dripline for every year of growth up to five years.

    For older trees and evergreens, apply 2 to 5 pounds in spring, early summer and fall. Cultivate in and water well after application. Note: One pound is approximately equal to 1 pint or two cups.

    One pound equals one pint equals two cups. 



    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: <macmcquack at qwest.net>
    To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
    Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 12:37 AM
    Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


    > dianne heppler
    > 85249
    > macmcquack at qwest.net
    > 
    > some of my citrus trees are having leaves that turn yellow and are dropping rapidly.  We live in maricopa county and irrigate as often as roosevelt water wll let us which is ever 12 days.  I am not sure what is going on or if they need something else nutrition wise or more water.  Neighbors never irrigate or water theirs and they do not look any worse what can you suggest
    > 
    > 
    > _______________________________________________
    > Arid_gardener mailing list
    > Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
    > http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener
    > 
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