Hi All,

I am new to the forum, and like many I suppose, I joined with a question in mind...

I have a problem with my Nagami Kumquat tree. It's leaves are beginning to yellow, and fall off, and at the moment there isn't any sign of new growth. This is the first full season with the tree.

I purchased the tree during during Chinese New Year 2010, Feb. It spent a month or two indoors, in the sunniest spot available in our home. After that, around the end of March, beginning of April, the tree was moved outdoors, and a month or so later re-potted into a ceramic Vietnamese made pot, that I estimate to be around 20-25 gallon. Additionally, I used 2 Lutz Citrus Tree Tablets around the dripline as directed by their instructions. My tree flourished, and managed to yield ~150+ fruits.

Around Nov 2010, I moved the tree back indoors, to the sunny spot because of freeze warnings. The tree remained here until the end of Feb, and seemed to do ok but there was some minor leaf drop.

At the beginning of March, the tree was moved back outside. I re-potted it due to some soil compaction in the pot. I also added 3 of the Lutz tablets around the dripline.


Additional info that might help:

Location - North Texas, Dallas

The pot is draining well. It has four 1.5" holes in the bottom, and when watered it flows out properly. Potting soil used is Maricle Grow brand, Palm & Citrus that I have added additional pine bar mulch.

Average temperatures since move outside have been around 65f, the last couple weeks have averaged 70f.

There was one possible freeze period about three weeks ago, but I immediately bagged the tree, and used a 5watt light bulb to keep it warm. The following day, there was snow on the ground, but temps were in the 50's. The tree was un-bagged 1 day later.

I'll try to attach pictures in a couple hours.....

nbays1 welcome to The Citrus Growers forum. We are happy to have you a a member. Thank you for joining. My first thought: How big is your Kumquat tree? If the Kumquat is a small tree, a 25-gallon container is much too large, and a container that size alone will eventually cause problems, due to a build up of soluble salts. In sizing containers the biggest mistake is usually made not in the type of pot, but by using too large a pot. People think that they are doing the plant a favor by giving it a lot of room. But if the plant doesn't grow fast enough to use all of the space, trouble can occur. An over sized pot becomes waterlogged easily, and then the plant suffers from lack of air, and with each watering and each fertilizing soluble salts build up in the container. Miracle grow is not a very good long term medium for citrus. Potting soils like Miracle Grow need bulk materials added to it like CHC or bark chips in the volume of at least a 1:1 blend, a 2:1 or even 3:1 CHC or bark to Miracle Grow would be even better, to increase the air porosity. Lutz tablets, or any tableted fertilizer, are also not a good method of fertilizing your tree. Try to find a water soluble fertilizer as close to a 5-1-3 ratio (*ratio not formula*) as you can. Whatever fertilizer you use, BE SURE it also contains trace minerals. Every 4th or 5th fertilizing dissolve 1 tablespoon of Epsom salts in hot water, and pour the COOLED solution over the medium. - Millet (1,016-)

Here are a couple images.


http://img249.imageshack.us/i/img9414.jpg/


http://img146.imageshack.us/i/img9415z.jpg/

It looks like red spider mites.