I have had my Meiwa Kumquat in ground for a year now. I planted it last year and it did okay without any cold protection. Throughout the winter a lot of the leaves turned yellow, dropped, and had bad chlorosis when spring rolled around. It went until the end of spring until it's first flush. I fertilized and put partially decomposed compost for mulch over the summer months and now most is gone. Should the chlorosis be better this winter since it has established or should I lightly fertilize mid winter. I live in central tx, where we get a few freezing spells and days of 55+ during winter. I plan to protect it a little better this winter but my schedule may not let me protect it every time.

What it looked like last spring.


Picture taken in Oct.

Last year's leaf loss may well have been due to the exposure to the cold, as opposed to lack of nutrients in the soil. I would avoid fertilizing until spring - and pull the mulch back from the tree a bit to avoid trapping moisture and to let the ground absorb more heat during the day.

some fertilize with natural fertilizer in autumn but some others fertilize with mineral fertilizer with low nitrogen because plant does not need it in big quantities it in this time of year. I am not sure what is right either. I guess some kind of fertilizing would be welcomed, because roots need food too to grow, especially in poor clay .

If your area freezes, then no. Fertilizer promotes new growth that will be burned back even by a light frost. Your trees will also not go dormant.

Laaz, do you fertilize in this time of the year, before winter comes_

No, Aug 1st is the last I fertilize for the year with my in ground trees. I fertilize my container trees all the time.

Thanks everyone for the info. I'll hold off on the fert. These past two nights it dipped into the upper 20s. I put in some conduit that stands taller than the tree so I can drape a blanket over it when freezing temps come around. Hopefully it will fare better than last year.

You could treat it in the winter with iron chelate and other trace elements to address the yellowing. This won't stimulate growth.

P.