Hi everybody. I have learned a lot from this site over the last year. I cannot find the answer to this question anywhere. What would cause new growth to come out looking burned? Could it be a problem with root temp or fertilizer? I use Lutz citrus tabs because I cannot find fertilizer close to the mix you recommend. The plant went through a growth spurt and the top of the plant did fine but all the new buds and blooms furthur down the plant came out looking like I held a match to them or like a plant that died of lack of water. The top is still doing great. Any ideas? Thanks.

Are there hitch hiking insects? Another reason could be the very low humidity inside the house and prolonged exposure to the sunlight by the south facing window, at certain times that can shrivel the new growth.

I have it under a grow light that is on for about 12-13 hours a day. It is pretty dry in here though and I don't see any insects. The two plants that I do have really started to thrive when I put them under the light. I do not think that they were getting enough natural light from the south-east facing window I had them in.

New and young leaves remain healthy and turgid because their cells contain adequate amounts of water. Water is used by the tree to manufacture metabolites, move minerals up from the roots, in cell division, plus many thousand of additional life giving functions. The amount of water needed for the above functions, however, is infinitesimal compared with the amount transpired from the leaves. As long as the atmosphere surrounding the tree is not saturated with water vapor, the tree loses water. The drier the air, the greater the wind, the higher the temperature, the stronger the light, the faster is the rate of water loss from the leaves. New leaves have not fully developed their cuticle, therefore transpire water MUCH FASTER than do older mature leaves. Unless this water can be replaced promptly, the leaf will begin to wilt, or worse, become completely desiccated. I don't know what type of light you have, nor it intensity, nor how much heat it emits, nor how dry is the atmosphere surrounding the tree, nor the water content maintained in the soil, but evidently the new leaves lost water faster than it was being replaced. The next time you see new growth, if you regulate the trees surroundings, I'm sure the tree will appreciate it, and happily reward you with plenty of health new growth. - Millet

Hi Millet,
I agree with your posting, but we also should think about the root function.
If the root function is reduced, by root decay caused by fungal diseases, water clogging conditions, or other factors, the roots will not be able to deliver engough water to the leaf area, thus the younger leaves will quickly die and get lost.
So a healthy root system is also a factor which should be considered....


And in insects: Usually spider mites cause such shriveled up young sprouts...