Hi everyone! I bought a house not too long ago and the previous owner didn't take care of his trees. This one tree had a rootstock growing wildly. I cut it out and then fertilized the tree and widened the ring around the tree and layed down some mulch. This was about 6 months ago. Slowly the tree started losing all its leaves. This last weekend I fertilized all my trees including this one and the final remaining leaves died. This past week I've been giving it some deep waterings to flush the fertilizer. What else should I do? Do I have to pick off all the fruit? I was hoping to try some in hopes to identify what kind of tree it is. It looks like some kind of mandarin but it may be an Orange. If I must remove the fruit, could I keep 2-3 on the tree to ripen? I rather not wait another year to find out what it is.
Thanks!
Travis
Poway, CA (San Diego)

Below are photos in chronological order beginning last summer and ending today....

This is just what I think so wait for the expert opinions. I had a rose bush with the same problem the root stock was everywhere so I cut it all down so just the original graft was left, but all of a sudden the plant began to die until the whole graft just died away leaving a vigorous rootstock in its place. I personally think the trees dead, but if it is you should be happy you have an awesome rootstock for any new variety you choose. Good luck and wait for a more experienced opinion .

Hey Travis:
Welcome to the Forum. From your pictures I could tell that you were a local before I saw that you were from Poway. I don't know why, but it was just a gut feeling. I drive by your neck of the woods on my way to work in Ramona every day.

Like Eddy said, wait for one of the experts to respond. Obviously, I would start watering againg and wait to see how much wood dies back before doing any trimming. If you soil is very compacted I'd also try to aerate the soil. Don't overdo the fertilizer. If you are like me, if the instructions say 1 cup, then 3 cups must be better. Resist the temptation. I think others might say not to fertilize at all until the tree recovers.

For the rootstock you cut, as soon as the tree heels, you might want to look into grafting a new cultivar onto it. Joe Real is the grafting expert on the forum and is a sage of wisdom.

Good luck.

Phillip

Unfortunately, I agree with Eddy-- I think the tree is dead.

The question is why? I do not think that cutting the rootstock is what caused the tree to die. With that heavy soil, I suspect it was your watering. You said that the tree had been neglected by the previous owner-- the tree had probably adapted to growing on very little water. The addition of mulch only made things worse-- ultimatley I think the tree died of root rot for too much water.

Let's hope there is a little life left in the rootstock and you get a new sprout. I would stop watering and wait.

As Brewcider's soil is clay, when he plants his next citrus tree, just be sure that the citrus tree he selects is grafted onto Trifoliate rootstock. Trifoliate rootstocks, are rated as good on both, clay soils and for wet soils. Additionally trifoliate is tolerant to nematodes, foot rot, root rot, tristeza and xyloporosis. If Brewcider chooses the Flying Dragon variety of trifoliate, he will also receive the benefit of a dwarf to semi dwarf tree. Swingle citrumelo and Carrizo citrange should be avoided as a rootstock, as they do poorly on clay. - Millet

Thanks everyone for your replies! Philip, hello neighbor! Where do you buy your trees? I've picked up most of mine at Maddock in Vista. $15 for 5 gallons and their trees are great.

Well I went out there today to take a closer look and all the fruit is turning brown where they attach to the tree. I shook the tree and a bunch of fruit fell off. Doesn't look good at all. Looks like I'll just have to wait and see what it does. If it's really dead, I'll probably rip it out of the ground. How will I know it's safe to plant another tree in the same spot? I'd like to get a Gold Nugget unless there's another good seedless mandarin. I have a Kishu already.

Regarding the rootstock, the tree is on Trifoliate. I posted about it a while back asking what I should do about the rootstock growing out of control and the people on here identified it.

There are 2 other trees that were here when I bought the house. I don't know what they have for rootstock, but one is a Dancy, and the other is a Valencia. Here's a picture I took today with the 3 original trees that came with my house. Check out the other two, they are really happy with fruit and lots of blossoms.

Actually, the reason your tree died has not been established. It might have been from over watering, then again it just as easy could have died from one of many other causes. I doubt the soil is the problem, as near by adjacent trees are doing fine. Additionally, the tree is growing on a raised bed, which further discounts a water problem. Normally trees that are planted in incompatible locations, show distress symptoms and die early on. I expect the tree might have received root damage from clearing the ground surface and widening the ring around the tree. Wounds to the roots or lower trunk in areas with Mediterranean climate such as San Diego, can easily become infected with various diseases such as Mal Secco disease. - Millet

Sour Orange is rated as being good on both clay and wet soils. Also is rated good or tolerant to most everything else, even high pH soils. Sour Orange's only main draw back is its susceptibility to Tristeza virus. - Millet

Millet is probably right about the accidental injury to the roots. Many root diseases could propagate from the accidental root injury, and the tree slowly dies. I have one citrus tree that died exactly like that. I was planting a row of roses and I cut some roots. I didn't bother to check whose roots those are, until one of my nearby citrus trees slowly died. When I pulled it out, it had the rotten roots starting from where I cut them. Most likely a Mal secco disease as Millet suggested. Better to replace the tree, but do not plant in exactly the same hole. I would treat the hole with fungicide after digging out the tree.

Well,
Mal Secco would affect Orange and Mandarine types that serious. Only some mandarine hybrids and usually lemons are most susceptible.
So do not consider Mal Seccos, because even Poncirus trifoliata would do new spouts, because it's resistant against Mal Secco....
So here another cause for that decline has to be found, and it's difficult so see that form far...
Problem could be a salt deposit in the ground, and Poncirus trifoliata is here very sensitive and will get quickly a serious root damage by salts...
But it's also, just a guess...

Thanks everyone for the replies! I backed the Jeep into the yard and yanked the tree out of the ground. I cut up the tree with some clippers so I could put it in one of the yardwaste cans and all noticed all the wood was completely dead like you all said it would be.
I bought a 15 gallon tree for $59 that's big and healthy. I couldn't pass it up for that price with all the new growth and blossoms on it. It's grown by Durlings and it's a standard size Yosemite Gold.
I dug a hole next to the spot where I ripped out the old tree. Is it OK to plant?
Thanks,
Travis

Dig your hole just an inch or so larger than the tree's root-ball. Don't add any amendments, and use the dirt that your removed as the back fill. Put a ring around the tree large enough to hold approximately 5-gallons water.- Millet