Dark and Dry Lemon Tree Trunk
If you are a lemon tree farmer, I need to share some information to you all. Monsoon season last year saw very heavy precipitation throughout and then came winter, severe winter. We had Dark and Dry Lemon TreeTrunks, which slowly shed all leaves. The trees appeared dead. I took several steps to save to save the lemon trees. The effect of all steps bore fruits in the coming spring season. However, even though revived the lemon production was not as before. The steps to prevent such event should have been taken before the dryness settled in the trees.
What I Learnt
Wet Soil and Cold temperatures affect badly
My lemon trees had suffered heavy rains in monsoon followed immediately with cold and severe cold conditions. Such conditions caused dead looking Dark and Dry Lemon Tree Trunks in Lemon (and other citrus varieties). Putting covering shades helps in limiting such damages. Do not prune such dead looking trees until spring season.
Prevent Over watering and root rot
Heavy rains had caused over watering. The roots of the lemon tree were in water for considerable time. This causes Root Rot and Dark and Dry Lemon Trees. Citrus varieties, of which Lemons are a part, becomes highly susceptible to pests and diseases as a result of poor drainage or standing water. Such trees have difficulty with proper nutrient uptake in wet soils.
The rot makes lemon tree shed all its leaves. All grass around the base of lemon needs to weeded out. This will allow sun rays and air to dry the wet earth. Plastic film mulching can help in such circumstances. Another good method is putting organic fertilizers mulching a little distance from around tree trunk.
Correct for Nutritional Deficiencies
Nitrogen Phosphate Fertilizers with nutrients like magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron etc. make Lemon tree healthy and resistant to leave shedding and dying. Such applications result in good size crops and expected production with such trees. Regular fertilization every one or two month’s helps younger trees.
No to Regular deep digging around base
Deep digging around the tree base is not a healthy practice. The shallow roots of Lemon tree are damaged in such practice. Mulching or planting shallow rooted plans like coriander etc.is a better option.
Go for Copper sprays:
Good even coverage of Copper sprays strengthens the Lemon Trees as it protects fungi and diseases during rains and excess water retention period. The sprays need to be repeated at frequent intervals so that effect of same remains on the leaves.
Taking care of the Lemon Trees, adopting the above methods, was not possible after the trees had turned Dark and Dry. Still fertilization, giving nutrients, no pruning, fungi and bacterial sprays did give results in the following springs. All the above steps actually need to be carried out from just before the monsoon and carried through winters. This will prevent to a large extent Dark and Dry Lemon Trunk Trees.
Hi ; I have had opportunity to travel widely and have keen watched whatever farming practices the local farmers were engaged in. Back home been growing gerberas mostly in polyhouses, but outside in kitchen garden as well. i love these hardy perennials. good for business too if done in a routine orderly scientific manner. Also engaged in farming of wheat and organic vegetables on a small scale for me and family. My service profile has been that of an electronic and telecom engineer and now am engaged in web site creation and blogging.
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