Lemon tree withered: how to save it?

Citrus trees are often kept as potted plants. However, one dries up lemon Tree (Citrus x limon) quickly if not cared for properly. Read what the causes are and how you can save the plant.

care mistakes

In most cases, care errors are behind when the lemon tree dries up. Even if it looks like dry damage at first glance: Casting is a cardinal mistake in this case! Do not do this and try to find out the cause before taking any action. For this it makes sense to Potting up a lemon tree and taking a closer look at the roots.

Tip: If you are unsure whether the tree is still alive, scratch it at the lower end of the trunk. Is the wood there still green and juicy? Then the lemon is still alive and can sprout again.

waterlogging

The lemon tree often dries up because it has received too much water or too much water. the irrigation water cannot drain off properly due to a lack of drainage and the plant therefore has permanently wet "feet". As a Mediterranean plant, the lemon does not need a lot of water and can with excess moisture root rot to develop. Rotting roots are brown in color, soft to mushy, and smell bad.

Here's how you can save the lemon tree:

• Repot the sapling and remove the soil completely
• Expose and loosen roots
• Remove brown roots and shorten white (= healthy) roots
• cut off dead branches
• new pot with drainage layer
• sapling in fresh substrate plants

Tip: Water significantly less in the future: During the wintering For example, a small watering per month is sufficient.

Small pot / not enough soil

A pot that is too small with little soil can also cause the lemon tree to dry up. If the roots are already growing out of the drainage hole and there is visibly little substrate in the pot, it is high time for repotting. If there is a lack of space, the roots can no longer absorb enough water - the irrigation water practically flows on The edge of the pot is gone because the root ball is also often heavily compacted - and the tree dries up due to lack of water.

These measures will help:

• Pot lemon tree
• loosen the hardened root ball vigorously and shorten if necessary
• Place in a bucket of water and let soak for 10 minutes
• Plant the sapling in a much larger pot with fresh substrate
• Don't forget the drainage layer on the bottom of the pot

Then water the tree regularly, but moderately, and repot it at least every 2 to 3 years, preferably in spring.

Tip: Special citrus soil is commercially available. You don't necessarily have to buy these, normal potted plants or Green plant soil will do, too. Mix in some expanded clay or perlite so that the substrate is nice and loose and permeable.

frost

Unfortunately, citrus trees are not frost resistant and should therefore into the house before the first minus degrees to be fetched. If the plant does get frost, the affected parts of the plant may die. Then they look dried up. Affected trees can still be saved:

• Cut back vigorously into the living wood
• If necessary, cut off roots and repot
• hibernate cool (5 to 10 °C) and light (no direct sun!).
• water little in winter
• have patience

It can take a few months for the ailing lemon tree to sprout again. As long as the trunk is still green and juicy when you scratch it, there is hope and all you need is patience.

A notice: However, dead wood should always be removed, as this is also an entry point for pathogens.

lack of water

Of course, too little water can also lead to the sapling drying up. Especially in winter, some hobby gardeners forget to water, so that by spring it has simply dried up. The same applies here: as long as the trunk and some branches are still green on the inside, there is hope that it will sprout again. Follow these steps:

• Drain the lemon and place in a bucket of water
• Let the roots soak vigorously
• put in fresh substrate
• Cut back dead plant parts vigorously

Tip: Then always keep the substrate slightly moist, but avoid waterlogging.

Diseases

Not just nursing mistakes, too fungal infections can cause the lemon tree to dry up.

Fusarium wilt

This is a wilt disease caused by sac fungi of the Fusarium genus. These live in the ground and are often brought in through contaminated and non-disinfected substrate. Typical symptoms of Fusarium wilt are:

• yellow leaves that later fall off
• Discoloration of woody parts of plants
• Twigs and shoots dry up and die off

Cut off affected parts of the plant as much as possible. Remove all substrate and clean the planter thoroughly. Place the lemon in fresh substrate, which you have previously disinfected in the oven at 100 °C.

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