How to treat lemon tree in a large pot losing leaves?

[John57]

Hi there team!

Merry Christmas 🎅 

My Lisbon lemon has lost a lot of leaves despite plenty of osmocote citrus feed. It has loads of buds too.

But the leaves seem to jumping off.

Does it appear to be root bound? Does it need a trim back?

Much appreciate your advice, thanks 

John

 

 

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi  @John57 

It could be  just the blasts of heat we have being getting. As you lemom looks ok other wise in the pictictures shown, As  you said  new shoots coming through the lemon will lose leaves to reduce water  lose in the short term.

Try some shade  cloth or are there some similar  height or bigger trees you can semi shade it fro a while (not full shade)  you can  trial move it to,  or  light shade cloth over the top super hot peoiods,

It is small enough not to be super root  bound so thats ok

Did see some  yellowing on  leaves have  a closer look at leaf  damage just in case it if fungal if it is  looks minor pull off effected leaves and  pick up ground  leaves as a precation.

To much fertiliser can burn roots but I didnt see too much in the pot  to say that is not the cause.

Clearly you like your lemon and are treating it well  @John57  I only  meation fertiliser and other pitfalls  etc as a warning to others  reading

Water   into the pot at evening so the water can be use slowly over night.

[John57]

G’day Jewelleryrescue

Thanks for your suggestions. I guess it was 2-3 weeks ago when they all fell of seemingly all at once. I noticed but didn’t do anything like check soil moisture etc immediately. Later on watered and fertilized. Seems stable now. 
Im thinking of pruning the canopy to keep it manageable. Any suggestions about the right time to do that? Ultimately I’d like a standard style canopy configuration for the tree.

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @John57 

My Grand dad was an apple grower so you most likly know your lemon tree better than myself.  And I am not an apple expert it didnt rub off on me .

But generally speaking pruning is best done after the friuting  season late  winter spring when  flowers are starting to form.

There is an art to pruning a friut or lemon tree to is best health  probably wouldnt hurt to to  revisit that information.

But it looks like your tree is open airy and free of dead  twig s etc so I think you must know what you are doing here,

[John57]

We are lucky to have now two big red Fuji apple trees that have been producing the best apples we’ve ever tasted. Crisp flavorful and sweet.

 

 

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @John57 

Nice apples I can  taste them  now.

Sure  beats store bought often stored in cool rooms for out of season sales.

[John57]

Absolutely right!

[JacobZ]

Hi @John57,

It's brilliant to see @Jewelleryrescue has already jumped in with some advice.

Allow me to tag some of our knowledgeable gardeners such as @Noelle and @mich1972 to see if they have anything to add.

Let me know if there is anything else we can assist with.

Jacob

[Noelle]

Hi @John57 

If a heap of leaves dropped suddenly and in a short space of time, then lack of water is probably the cause. Over summer make sure the potting mix is kept evenly moist to prevent further leaf drop. Otherwise it all looks OK. A light trimming of the tall leading shoots late next winter will encourage side shoots and more bushiness, which would give the tree better proportions.