It’s amazing how quickly my Cara Cara is defoliating.

“Salt Damage: The first signs of salt damage are the shedding of the mature leaves with the petiole of the leaf still attached to the branches. A large amount of the leaves will fall to the ground after a rain. As the damage progresses, the branches become defoliated and die back, and the canopy of the tree becomes very thin.”
* (http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/D88C319D-8F9D-41A3-AF2E-8CF09F60C57B/81678/pub1234lahomecitruslowres.pdf) Pg 14

See pics below – all of these dropped overnight. I watered Sunday.





At this point, I’m afraid that is all over but the crying…

Has anyone experience with incorporating Gypsum into the soil for the purpose of salt mitigation? The above referenced paper suggests: “Gypsum also can be applied to the soil before planting or to the soil surface under bearing trees at the rate of 3 pounds to 5 pounds per 100 square feet. Gypsum should be applied underneath trees every 2 to 3 years. The calcium in the gypsum combines with the salt and becomes soluble. The salt can then be leached throughout the soil by rainfall. This is a slow process, however. The calcium from the gypsum also helps combat the effects of the salt in the trees.

Best,

Skinn30A

I have the same problem in my back yard. There are spots that the trees just dont make it in because of the salt.

I have no experience with salt stress,
maybe you can find something usable here:

http://www.google.hr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=salt%20stress%20citrus&source=web&cd=12&cad=rja&ved=0CC8QFjABOAo&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhrcak.srce.hr%2Ffile%2F25898&ei=I-cHUdGWBMeA4gT90ID4Cw&usg=AFQjCNFyhIpSpwFM29Fg9TRXfKko4DqG0w&bvm=bv.41524429,d.Yms

http://www.google.hr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=salt%20stress%20citrus&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&ved=0CHgQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpublication%2F233531731_INFLUENCE_OF_SALT_STRESS_ON_GROWTH_AND_BIOCHEMICAL_PARAMETERS_OF_CITRUS_ROOTSTOCKS%2Ffile%2F79e4150aaf4534154a.pdf&ei=QuYHUbC6OOnw4QS-_IGwCQ&usg=AFQjCNHPg_iKGxGMBY6a1844iDyiIqLdJQ&bvm=bv.41524429,d.Yms

Looks like you are on beach sand. Maybe try making a raised bed for your citrus & use good organic fill.

How about an update!!!!!

Please.

For the other readers he and I spoke on the phone and I have experienced the same thing on my Glen Navel. The Cara Cara is a navel also, coincidence, I dont know. Mine were on C-35 and his were not. I had two Glen Navels but one of mine died last year but only from the graft up. The rootstock did not die. On the second one all the top growth died except a watersprout. Why?????

This year the plant regrew from the waterspout and some new buds above the graft. About a month ago I noticed the familiar leaf vein yellowing and the leaves all started dropping. Since then new growth is emerging where all the leaves fell and the tree will soon look good again. I even have some blooms starting to swell.

SO

How is your plant doing????

The poor little tree has probably has 15 leaves left on it but is making a concerted effort to push out some new growth and buds from just about every bare limb. That said, I'll be very surprised if it pulls through... Time will tell. I'm going to give it until mid-summer. Fertilizer is going down on Friday for all of my trees. Maybe a little food will give the little guy some gumption.

Best,

Skinn30a

If you haven't already fertilized, it probably doesn't need fertilizer. Regardless I have a product I would love to test in Florida. It should help. Click on my username and then use the profile email tool to send me an email if you would like to try a sample in exchange for Florida citrus feedback. I don't want to sound like an ad, so I won't say everything it appears to help, but it has made me a local hero with my neighbors and has been tested in Texas, Kansas, & Washington State both on farms and in gardens.

I'm a long time citrus lover with 16 trees in my small home yard, but I'd hate to tell you how many trees didn't make it before I made my discovery. I just wasn't a good gardener, and I had not-so-good soil. Truth is I'm still not a good gardener, but my product makes me look like one. Shhh! Don't tell anyone!

Regards,

David

Looking at your pictures, you might think about a thin layer of pine nuggets or mulch or straw positioned in a doughnut shape around the trunk. Start 4" out from trunk (to avoid trunk fungus) and cover out to about 18". That should help the roots with slower transitions of temperature and moisture.

It looks like you have a drip system, but the soil with rocks on top makes for a challenge, still I like your chances!

Thanks for the advice Dave. Thing is that I live right across the street from the beach any anything that I put down other than sand or rock acts like a sponge and pulls salt from the air and then holds it around the roots of my trees… I learned this lesson the hard way. I did lay down a 2 inch layer of clay under the river rock in an effort to slow water and fertilizer a little and give my trees the chance to take it up. I’ve installed drip irrigation with a fertilizer injector so that I can water & feed slowly over a long period of time.

Being that close to salt water is no doubt a challenge. Herte is some interesting "light" reading about citrus, irrigation, and salt from UFL:

http://www.crec.ifas.ufl.edu/academics/faculty/syvertsen/PDF/2004_HortRev_30_37-82_Chpt%202.pdf

Yes, I've read this paper and thusly added a monthly foliar application of 1% KNO3 into my 2013 schedule.

Best,

Skinn30a

This is why I like hanging out with smart people!

March 4th, 2013
RIP
Glen Navel



After looking at my Glen navel today I threw in the towel and removed it.

Fortunately I had a understudy in the form of a Ponkan.



It has happily stepped up and the show will go on!

My Cara Cara is on death's door as well... I trimmed the deadwood off of it this afternoon and there was quite a bit. I'll be replacing it with another of the same, just on a more appropriate rootstock.

Thing that I hate about losing this one the most is that it had a variegated leaf on it. I was hoping that I could have encouraged that bud to push a whole flush.

Best,

Skinn30a

I know how you guys feel. My temple is on its last days too. Now the hard part is deciding what to plant in its place. Ive been thinking of adding a summer variety.