Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Oct 27, 2009 7:32 pm I think I may have just about killed a grapefuit tree with love. I gave it some Pwerfeed, then a few days later some dynamic lifter and citrus fertiliser. It is covered with blossoms and big leaves. But today I noticed that maybe half the leaves had fallen off overnight. This afternoon most of the rest are gone. A few have turned orangey-yellow. All the blossoms are still on the tree, so it's looking rather odd. It's a young tree, only about 1.5m tall and just in the ground for maybe a year. It's in a row of six: with two orange, a lemon, lime, and manadarin. I gave all of them the same treatment so now I'm worried they'll all get sick.... Is there anything I can do to help, or should I just leave them alone and hope ? Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 2Oct 27, 2009 8:57 pm Flood it with water every day. that will flush the nutrients through. Not ideal but the only real way to fix the problem The powerfeed-great The dynamic lifter ok The citrus fertiliser is what did it, and to be honest, it's not really needed either. When it is bigger I'd suggest lots of homemade compost or worm castings. Lots of sheep and moo poo (pulled away from the stem). apply molasses at least 5-6 times a year to it. rub some chalk or talc into the base of the stem, that will stop ants getting into the tree and that stops most of the disease and pests worm wee -excellent One of Australia's best citrus growers got me onto molasses and his family have used it for generations (Italian), He has taught me a heap about citus. Another Italian chap I catchup with every now and then taught me how his grandfather used to rub chalk into the stems of the trees in the orchard to stop ants. again, it has been done for generations. Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 3Oct 27, 2009 9:35 pm Great advice Fu! I have bookmarked this thread for when I start growing my Orange trees! Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 4Oct 27, 2009 11:51 pm Thanks Fu, will do ! By the way, is it possible to overdo it with Powerfeed ? How much is too much ? And after your exhortations about molasses I'm ready to give it a go. But I don;t think I've ever seen it in any garden centres - or have I just not been looking hard enough ? Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 5Oct 28, 2009 12:02 am Nope you won't find it in garden centres. Go to a stock feeders or get a little bit from a supermarket. Over do it on powerfeed? well potentially yes. This is due to the nutrients added but I am yet to see anyone pour it on neat to a plant. The citrus "food"/fertiliser is what did it. The leaves will come back. It will take weeks normally. Like as in 4-5. You'll see little green shoots emerging from the nodes along the stems. I don't use fertilisers and my garden is green and lush. Not perfect, but healthy Lots of snails but the birds and frogs like them Funny how those who spend a tonne of coin on fertilisers to "make" the plant grow also spend a heap on pest treatments and fungal treatments ... funny that If the nutrient content of the powerfeed is a concern to you then try this stuff instead. It is just amino acids. http://www.ecoorganicgarden.com.au/product.php?id=13 Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 6Oct 28, 2009 12:29 am CAUTION ONE OF FU'S RANTS I must add that when you use fertilisers to grow things what you are doing is like grabbing your otherhalf and stretching them out really tall. They look big but are flimsy and weak. look out when it's hot! They'll need heaps of water. They will get cold quick too Oh my goodness, what if it gets windy?... but look how big they are. The cells walls are generally thinner, that makes for a perfect target for insects to stick their proboscis into and feed from the sap. No hard work for them there. Then they poo out the muck and moulds grow as a result. Also fungi can take hold, again by setting what they have like roots, into the surface cells (which are thin) and tap into the nitrogen (which your fertiliser has pumped into the plant, yellowing the leaf and making the plant weaker still. Now, if you feed the soil, you boost the soil microbe population. The way things are exchanged in the soil becomes highly efficient. (eg cation exchange) The plants won't be as tall but they sure will be strong. That means they can hold more fruit. They are much healthier because the insects can't get into them as easy, they go next door to your neighbours who pump the fertiliser in and have easy target plants The cell walls become much thicker and therefore use far less water on a hot day. They are less prone to burning in the sun. They are tougher to the cold frosts. You don't spend loads on disease treatment, you don't spend heaps on pest treatments Fertilisers in a mineral form in a bag like the one you would have used, will kill the soils ecology (this further enhances a reliance on fertilisers ) What feeds the soil? Worm wee, molasses, blood and bone (with nothing added), olsens green bio, certified organic soils, home made composts, poo teas, live stock poo that is from cattle that hasn't been wormed, chooks dead or alive , the crud from wood fires, heavy layers of green shredded tree pruning's, seasol, powerfeed and a bunch of other stuff I can't be buggered trying to remember just now None of these on their own will be a magical treatment, combined they form a wonderful result and over the years your expenses in the garden will plummet and your enjoyment of your garden or landscape will go up Then if you look like needing something more, you might use some slow release fertiliser. There is yet to be a plant that uses the nutrients in the fertilisers at the rate they are applied. That includes and is especially important with lawns. That is why controlled or slow releases are the go Fertiliser should only be a last resort as a supplement to a healthy soil in small quantities Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 7Oct 28, 2009 8:29 am I'll consider myself re-educated. I now feel like dumping my bag of citrus fertiliser in the bin. I have plenty of compost and clippings etc. I'll now seek out some molasses too. thanks again Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 9Oct 28, 2009 9:09 pm I've got some molassas ! But in fear of overmolassification, how many spoons of gloop should they each receive ? Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Re: Grapefuit tree having a fit 13Oct 29, 2009 5:01 pm Fu Manchu CAUTION ONE OF FU'S RANTS I love your rants! 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