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11:23 PM Jul 14, 2012

troux

Montgomery, AL

usda zone 8a

Hi Ian,

I have two different citrus trees one is a mandarin orange and the other is an improved meyer lemon tree. This year neither of the trees put out blossoms. I fed them citrus sticks, glacial rock dust, and i do compost tea every other week. I live in zone 8a and the trees are in pots. They had fruit last year and all that they have this year is plenty of green growth. What am I doing wrong? Please help me

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Latest post Jul 30, 2012 by Groundskeeper

02:42 AM Jul 15, 2012

Pollinator

Hemingway, SC

usda zone 8a

Did they bear heavily last year. When they do so, they won't form as many (or even no) fruit buds. The fruit buds (blossom buds) are formed months before they actually open into bloom.

A couple other factors may reduce blossom bud formation, too much shade, and too much nitrogen. I hold off on nitrogen until there's fruit on the tree.

If they had blossoms, they must not have gotten pollinated. My lemon tree bloomed indoors one year and the blossoms were dropping. Fortunately I realized what was happening and moved it outside before all the blossoms were gone. The bees got on it and presto, we had fruit. This is why I laugh at anyone who says they are "self pollinating." It's true that they are self fertile but they do need pollinators

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12:16 AM Jul 18, 2012

troux

Montgomery, AL

usda zone 8a

@Pollinator: it didn't bear heavily last year but it did okay, like ten fruits and the orange had eight. the lemon tree lost all the leaves this past (so called) winter but i still don't understand i haven't used the fish emulsion in a while on the trees, one thing i haven't done this year that i have done the year before is put epsom salt on it. any suggestions?

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07:34 PM Jul 30, 2012

Groundskeeper

YourGardenShow.com

One possibility: if the containers stayed outside on cold, clear night the flower buds might have died from radiative frost (the kind that happens when the temperature is near freezing and the earth loses heat to the sky).

The chances are you'll have flowers next Spring. The buds are forming now and you should be able to see them. If the trees are still growing fast and making lots of leaves, feed them a bit less so they shift some energy to the flower buds.

I hope this helps.

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