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Inch Stake

March 11th, 2010 admin No comments

Inch Stake

I have a lemon tree that grows 12 inch lemons that stay green and do not turn yellow?

Hi...I made a mistake when I asked this the first time. It is a meyer lemon tree that 10 years ago had small yellow lemons on it. It didn't grow fruit for 8 years until I used miracle grow fruit tree stakes and now it grows 12 inch lemons that stay green and never turn yellow.....any ideas on how to get them to turn yellow. It is not a pomelo...thanks for the idea.

I've raised citrus for over 30 years and I've never had this exact problem. However, here's what we know:
1) it once produced "small yellow lemons" - citrus do not become another type of citrus, so this lemon tree once did what it was supposed to do.
2) the only variable that you mention here (I wasn't in on the first question you asked) is fertilizer, so one would conclude that the Miracle Grow fruit tree stakes may have something to do with your problem.

So, some facts and a little deductive reasoning. Meyer lemon trees today are usually "improved Meyer" and it is likely that this is what you have. One variety of improved Meyer is the "Ponderosa", a novelty hybrid, which bears huge, rough, thick rinded fruit, that can exceed 2 lbs. Fruit is generally produced in winter, but can be available year round. Leaves are large and widely spaced. It can reach 8-10 ft high or 4-6 ft in containters. Flavor is milder than other types of Meyers. Do you have a Ponderosa?

If you are over fertilizing the tree - any tree, for that matter - it thinks that there is no particular reason to procreate. It puts off rushing fruit to maturity allowing it get quite large but not ripe. It might also produce fewer or no fruit and put on a lot of folliage instead of fruit. Why have "children" if you are going to live forever?, thinks the tree Maybe, therefore, you are spoiling your tree. Try cutting back feedings by at least one half. Tree stakes tend to disolve slowly and unless it's in a container, it doesn't need very much food.

I don't feed my established in-the-ground citrus except once per year. I use citrus/avocado food in organic form. This has a lower nitrogen content than comercial chemically based fertilizers like Miracle Grow. I have clay soil, so I don't water more than twice or three times a year in the hottest season. I never water during fall, winter, or spring.

Container citrus do benefit from regular feedings, but avoid high nitrogen fertilizers. My guess is that the Miracle Grow fruit tree stakes may have too much nitrogen for citrus.

Lemons can do better in cooler climates that many orange trees can, but they do need sun. The lemon trees that I have that are shaded by other trees or folliage don't produce nearly as much fruit, and it tends to ripen very slowly - staying green for almost a year before turning yellow.

Understand that any change in diet, light, or feeding is not going to have an immediate effect on your lemon tree. I have a pet lemon tree project in my back yard and it has taken 8 years to get an established non-bearing lemon tree to produce fruit again. I don't think your project will take that long, but be patient and your lemon tree will reward you with year-round, fragrant, delicious fruit.