[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick Gross]

Athol, my response is below. I believe Harlow's nursery is correct. To decide whether to keep the tree or trash it, take a good, long look at it.  If its appearance shames you and if you feel compelled to make excuses for it to your friends and loved ones, get rid of it. If you have a sentimental attachment to the tree, save some budwood from it and bud or graft  it to a new young tree.

There is a California Rare Fruit Growers chapter in Tucson. Would you be interested in contacting them? 

The average life span for citrus is about 30 years.

Dick Gross  Bcc: Arid Gardener; azcrfg

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Athol Cline 
  To: Dick Gross 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:12 PM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  I have a very old (>30 years) Marsh tree that also has this problem.   Someone at Harlow's Nursery in Tucson told me it is gummosis for which there is no cure.  I have tasted the crystalline form of the exudate to discover that it has little or no taste.  The smaller limbs so affected soon die.  The larger ones seem to have healed.

  The Gardeners of America
  Athol Cline,  Tucson
  athol515 at earthlink.net
  EarthLink Revolves Around You.


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There is no way I know of to stop the flow of sap. I believe I assumed this was a young tree but that may not be the case. If it is producing well, I would be surprised, but if you aren't eating off it, you might be ahead to get rid of it and start over. I would predict that a new five year old tree properly planted beside the old, would overtake the old diseased tree in two or three years with at least twenty years of production ahead of it. The sick and abused adult tree will likely continue to decline and you will be left with nothing.

The University of California once advocated planting three citrus varieties in the same hole three feet apart. The close spacing dwarfed all three and fruiting was reasonably prolific. Just a thought. Don't try to pair a grapefruit with a limequat or tangerine. The grapefruit will overwhelm them.

To reiterate, Laura, in your shoes, I would start over with a new three year old grafted nursery tree of your favorite variety. In my own experience, if three and five year trees are planted side by side at the same time, the three year old will adapt sooner and overtake the older in five years or less.

I have planted young citrus in the same spot previously holding a diseased one with no ill effect. It is best and recommended, however, to locate the new tree in clean soil, if you have a place for it.

Regards,

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

Bcc: vosg, azcrfg
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Athol Cline 
  To: Dick Gross 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 9:12 PM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  I have a very old (>30 years) Marsh tree that also has this problem.   Someone at Harlow's Nursery in Tucson told me it is gummosis for which there is no cure.  I have tasted the crystalline form of the exudate to discover that it has little or no taste.  The smaller limbs so affected soon die.  The larger ones seem to have healed.

  The Gardeners of America
  Athol Cline,  Tucson
  athol515 at earthlink.net
  EarthLink Revolves Around You.
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