[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

Nancy, I assume that your tree is in the ground, not a pot. Do you mean that your tree has been planted for seven months. Citrus from nurseries are nearly always three to five years old in a 5 gallon pot.

I percieve that your lime tree is getting way too much water. Irrigate the tree in a shallow trench the width of a round standard shovel that encircles the drip line. Hold that shovel upside down in a vertical position and draw a line around the tree marking the outer limits of the foliage. Now, make a shallow trench around the tree with that line approximately in the middle. It will look like the imprint of a donut. This is the only place you will put water and fertilizer because it is the area where 90% 0f the feeder roots exist and the only area where either food or water will do any good.

It is okay to use mulch, crushed rock or organic litter, to reduce evaporation.

Let the soil dry until the soil in that trench is quite dry two or three inches deep. Fill the trench with no more than 1/2 inch of water and adjust the flow to maintain the water level. Get a barbeque spit like you would use to roast hot dogs and insert it straight down several places in the trench. When it will go in easily in several places to the hilt, shut off the water and don't irrigate again no matter how long it has been until the soil in the trench is again quite dry 2 or 3 inches deep. Pennetration may take several hours to 12 but the rate will depend on soil texture and the water flow rate must be adjusted accordingly. The interval can vary from weekly to more than a month depending on several factors, soil texture, weather are the two affecting the interval the most.

Deep watering is extremely critical for flushing salts from the root zone. A deeply irrigated tree can withstand dry spells much better, it will be able to withstand attack from insects and pathogens and can support a greater fruit load. But, the roots cannot exist without abundant oxygen in the root zone. An anerobic (no air) root zone is certain death to the roots.

I irrigate a new, young tree no oftener than weekly in the hot summer and never more than monthly after the daytime temperatures drop into the 70 degree range and below. All this assumes a normal rate of water percolating through the root zone. You may need to make minor adjustments for soil texture but one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out.  After a while, an observent gardener will know from the degree of leaf wilt and lack of luster when it needs a drink.

If I have confused any issue in this brief explanation, this novice is receptive to informative civil adjustments.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County
Cooperative Extension

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dn.champagne at gmail.com>
To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2006 7:28 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


> Nancy Champagne
> 85339
> dn.champagne at gmail.com
> 
> I have a lime tree that is 7 months old and is showing very curly leaves.  I am not sure if it is getting too much or too little water.  The soil is dense and holds water and I water it with a drip each day.  The soil always measures wet, but what I read says that curled leaves indicate too little water.  Should I hand water and soak every few days instead?  
> 
> Thanks very much!
> 
> Nancy Champagne
> 
> 
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