Ok, lets see if I uploaded the picture .

So as I have mentioned I and growing various cold hardy varieties in the ground in massachusetts, in 3 different parts of my hard. In this one part are 4 trees, kumquat, Satsuma, meyer and tangerine. In the picture are also several potted plants, I store outside to prevent WLD ( yes this works). Last year these plants saw a lot of 35 F.....

Anyway as the pictuer shows the Kumquat is in big trouble. The leaves are brown, but the stems are green. Anyone guess what caused this and what would have happened to it that would effect the others? BTW the enclosure did see 105 degrees. I know this is bad, but I dont think this should/damage the tree.....

comments are welcome
thanks Frank

should have been in the in ground section

The kumquat needs magnesium, as shown by the green delta coloration on the leaves. The production of fruit, drains extra magnesium from the tree. All in all they tree does not look all that bad. (I take it the taller plant on the right has nothing to do with the kumquat tree). - Millet

Hi
thanks
sorry the tree on the right is the Kumquat tree.......................


Frank

The Kumquat looks like it has had some major root damage. I doubt it will come back, the best you could try is to cut it way back and see what happens. The tree in front looks like a Meyer lemon from the leaves.

Thanks!
Interesting enough, but sad, I replace the heater cables under it. I must have disrupted the roots. The branches are still green..

So I should cut it back and hope?

My guess is that the greenhouse overheated and the kumquat was damaged by the heat, or maybe a combination of drought and heat. It may have been much hotter than in the upper portions of the greenhouse, which would account for the greater damage to the kumquat which seems taller than the other citrus.

Ned

Thanks yes both had occurred to me, admittingly when I buried new cables they were near the roots of the kumquat.....

I had thought I might have seen new green growth (leaves) I will look today , before I prune......should I prune half the tree?

THe other tree with fruit is a satsuma............ there is a also a meyer in there with one great lemon

Frank
thanks

I could agree with Ned, except none of the other trees have any of that damage at all. You would think the other trees would have at least some of the same damage.

Right, I should have kept a log of the dates....

These trees have seen that heat before....

damn lol it was my favorate tree. my 2 yo loved to pick the kumquats!

A *possible* reason why the kumquat had sever damage, and the satsuma growing right next to the kumquat did not receive damage, might be due to the much greater degree of dormancy between the two trees. Kumquats retreat into a deeper state of "dormancy" than do other citrus varieties. Further a kumquat does not come out of dormancy with the first signs of warm weather, as do other citrus. A dormant kumquat is very slow to respond to warm weather, and needs a long period of higher temperatures to break dormancy. This is why a kumquat does not bloom early in the spring, but normally a month or two after other citrus trees. It takes a longer period of warm weather for a kumquat to begin to function. By putting warm heating cable next to the root system of a dormant kumquat, along with the temperature reaching 105 F inside the enclosure, the dormant and "defenseless" kumquat was unable to adjust, was not able to translocate needed water to the leaves, thus the tree over heated and the result is the damage seen. On the other hand the satsuma was able to quickly supply all the protection that the tree required. ??????? - Millet

Millet and all

thanks very much for the info, I will cut it back and let you guys know how it goes.... btw the heater cables were closer to the kumquat tree

Frank

As Millet suggests, there can be a number of reasons for one tree to suffer greater heat damage than another, even in a similiar situation. At this point the question becomes what to do to minimize the impact on the plant. Given that the stems are still green, I would simply wait until new growth emerges, and it becomes obivious how extensive the damage is. You may not have to prune at all, except as desired for growth control.

Ned

Which is more important in the dormant status of citrus plants? High temps make them get out of dormancy and low temps put them in dormancy. If the day temperature and the night temperature have large difference, say no more than 25 degrees Fahrenheit; which one is going to have the greatest affect? Assume gradual change in temperature during seasons.