7 Causes Why Lemon Trees Lose Leaves
What are the causes why lemon trees lose leaves? Drooping leaves on the lemon trees is possible. It doesn’t feel great especially to the growers seeing their trees start losing leaves.
The cause should be known immediately to prevent further damage. Once it is fixed, the tree will grow back to normal. The tree will grow better if there are no problems and lots of lemons can be harvested from the tree.
7 Causes Why Lemon Trees Lose Leaves
Knowing the problems immediately will help to fix the drooping of leaves quickly. The tree will recover as soon as the cause will be stopped. You need to help your tree to make it safer and it will thrive better when nourished well. Below is the list of 7 causes why lemon trees lose leaves.
1. Cold Damage Can Cause Lemon Tree Leaves To Lose
The lemon tree is an evergreen tree. It is not deciduous which means they are not shedding leaves during fall and winter. The leaves stay on the tree all year round.
But even though they are evergreen, cold temperatures especially during winter can still cause the lemon trees to lose their leaves. They are the least cold-hardy and don’t tolerate frost.
Lemon trees grow well in tropical and subtropical countries and like more sun. If the tree is grown in a place where the temperature may go low, they need to be placed indoors, especially for lemon trees planted in containers.
They need protection because too much cold can damage them. Cold temperatures can cause lemon trees to lose leaves.
Outdoor lemon trees also need protection from cold. It is better to look for more cold-hardy varieties so that when winter comes they can survive the cold temperature.
But it is better if you grow lemon trees in pots because you can easily move them outside and inside the house. There are dwarf lemon varieties that you can grow.
2. Overwatering Or Underwatering A Lemon Tree Can Lead To Drooping
Will underwatering cause lemon trees to lose leaves? Yes, underwatering makes the tree dehydrated. When they don’t get enough water for a couple of days or weeks, it can lead to losing leaves.
Young lemon trees need to be watered to help them establish. They need to be watered every 3-7 days. Once or twice a week will be great for mature trees. The amount of water will depend on its size, temperature, and humidity.
If under-watering can cause lemon trees to lose their leaves, overwatering can also cause them. Giving too much water to the lemon trees makes them stressed. Lots of water can cause root rot.
When root rot happens, the tree cannot absorb water and nutrients because the roots are not functioning well. You need to be careful in giving water to your tree and it should not be too excessive.
Sometimes a storm comes and it brings a lot of rain. Lemon trees planted in the ground might be placed in the flood and can cause root rot. A good drainage system or waterway should be made to keep them safe against floods.
3. Overfertilization Can Be A Reason Why Lemon Tree Lose Leaves
Fertilizers can help the lemon tree improve its overall growth but overfertilization can cause them to lose leaves. Commercial fertilizer that has chemicals can affect the tree when overdone.
Too much fertilizer can damage the tree roots and affects all parts of the tree. You should give just the right amount of fertilizer to prevent lemon trees from losing leaves.
Instead of chemical fertilizer, there are also organic fertilizers that can be used as an alternative.
They don’t have chemicals and can be great for the tree. But even if they are organic, you still need to give them just enough for their size and age.
4. Lack Of Nutrients
Nutrient deficiencies happen when the soil is poor. You need to improve the soil by adding fertilizer. The lemon tree needs nitrogen to improve its leaves.
Nitrogen helps to keep the leaves green and it improves the chlorophyll which is essential to convert sunlight into foods. Yellowing of leaves is prevented when nitrogen is sufficient in the soil.
Besides nitrogen, there are other nutrients that a lemon tree needs such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc.
It will help the tree thrives well and grow faster. The flowers and fruits will be more and the lemon tree losing leaves will be prevented when nutrients are abundant in the soil.
5. Pests
Pests can also cause lemon trees to droop leaves. Aphids can roam on the tree and do some damage. They can damage lemon trees outdoors but are not common for indoor trees.
They cannot go inside the house and your trees are safer. To get rid of aphids on the outdoor lemon trees, you can use a water hose and spread the water on the tree.
The strong stream of water from the hose can remove aphids from the tree. Oil can also help to keep them away like horticultural oil.
There are some other pests that may attack your tree and using pesticides or insecticides can also be used as a treatment. Keep pests away from trees to have better growth.
6. Diseases
Root rot is a disease that can happen because of overwatering. It can cause lemon trees to lose leaves and you need to be careful in giving water to your tree to prevent this from happening.
A good plan and schedule will minimize the risk of overwatering. Floods can also be a cause of root rot and drainage systems should be made.
Some other diseases can attack the tree and most of them are due to fungi. Applying fungicides as a treatment will help to get rid of them.
There are also diseases that cause by pests so you need to control them. A blast of water from the water hose can remove them from the tree.
7. Lemon Trees Stress
There are some reasons why lemon trees experience stress. Transplant shock, hot weather, and winds are some of the reasons. Keep the tree from stress and will prevent the tree from dropping leaves.
Transplant Shock
When you have a new lemon tree and you want to transplant it, transplant shock can happen. When the lemon tree is shocked by the new environment, it can cause its leaves to lose. You need to carefully hold them and make sure that the roots will not be damaged when transplanting.
Bring more roots as much as possible to keep them growing well. If the tree suffers transplant shock tree can still have a chance to recover after a few weeks.
Hot Weather
Excessive heat coming from the sun can also cause leaves to drop. You need to place your pot indoors or in partial shade to prevent sunburn on the leaves.
Lemon trees that lose leaves in the summer may be due to excessive heat. Hot temperatures cause heat stress and they need more water during that time. You need to give them enough water to keep them hydrated.
Hot weather can dehydrate the tree and can dry the soil. The soil in the pot dries faster when the sun hits them. There are many air pockets inside the pot and the air goes into it which makes the soil dry. Water the tree deep during those times but not soggy.
Wind
Sometimes strong winds come and it can cause the lemon tree leaves to fall. Yellow, brown, and even green leaves might fall into the ground. Strong winds can come when there is a storm or any related natural occurrences.
It is better to keep potted lemon trees indoors when there is a storm.
Do Lemon Trees Lose Their Leaves In The Fall And Winter?
Yes, lemon trees can lose leaves in the fall and winter. During the fall and winter, the temperatures become low. It becomes colder and lemon trees are the least cold-hardy.
The cold can be the reason why they lose their leaves. Lemon trees are evergreen which means that their leaves stay on the tree all year round. But since they don’t tolerate cold, it is possible for them to drop leaves during fall and winter.
There are some varieties that can do well in cold temperatures and it’s good to choose.
Will The Leaves Grow Back On My Lemon Tree?
During winter some of its leaves might lose but in the spring and summer, more leaves will grow again on the tree. Placing them in a sunny spot will help them grow leaves faster. They need the sun to make their food.
There are some trees that may actually go dormant. That kind of tree might lose leaves in the winter and grows them back when spring and summer come.
The reason behind this is this tree is grafted on a rootstock that goes dormant. Because of that even if the scion is evergreen, it will adopt the rootstock nature that loses leaves during the cold season.
Are Lemon Trees Deciduous Or Evergreen?
Lemon trees are evergreen because they produce new leaves and flowers continuously throughout the year. Lemon trees generally don’t lose their leaves except during very cold weather, when they may drop some leaves for a short period of time.
Are All Lemon Trees Evergreen?
Yes, most lemon trees are evergreen. Some varieties of lemon trees, such as the Meyer lemon tree, may lose some leaves in the winter, but they often continue to grow new leaves and blossom all year round.
How Do You Care Of A Lemon Tree In The Winter?
When winter comes, you need to place your potted lemon trees indoors. Potted lemon trees are safer inside the house from the cold and using led grow lights will help them grow even despite cold weather.
When the sun is showing, place them near the window where they can get sunlight.
Also, you can use canvas, blankets, or tarps to protect lemon trees outdoors. Watering the soil can also help to prevent damaging the roots caused by frost.
My Lemon Tree Has No Leaves
There are several potential reasons why your lemon tree has no leaves. It is possible that the tree is not getting enough light. Lemon trees need full sun to thrive, so make sure that it is getting at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. It is also important to make sure that the tree is getting enough water.
Lemon trees need to be watered deeply and evenly, and the soil should be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings. Over- or under-watering can both lead to leaf drop. Finally, it is possible that the tree is experiencing stress from too much or too little fertilizer.
Lemon trees need to be fertilized regularly, but be careful not to overdo it, as this can lead to leaf burn. If you are unsure about the proper fertilizer schedule for your tree, ask a gardener or agricultural expert for advice.
It is great to know why lemon trees lose leaves. When you figure out the cause, you need immediate action to prevent further damage. The tree will be fine when the problem is solved.
Lemon Tree Droopy Leaves
Lemon tree leaves that are droopy or wilting can be a sign of a number of different problems. One possible cause is that the tree is not getting enough water. Lemon trees, like all plants, require a consistent supply of water in order to stay healthy and produce vibrant, green leaves.
If a tree is not getting enough water, its leaves may begin to droop and wilt. In order to correct this problem, it is important to make sure that the tree is getting an adequate supply of water on a regular basis. This can be achieved by watering the tree deeply and consistently, and by making sure that the soil around the tree is not allowed to dry out completely.
Another possible cause of droopy lemon tree leaves is a fungal disease called lemon scab. This disease is caused by the fungus Elsinoë fawcettii, and it causes small, yellow or brown spots to form on the leaves of the lemon tree.
As the disease progresses, the spots may become raised and corky, and the leaves may begin to droop and wilt. In order to prevent this disease, it is important to keep the lemon tree healthy and well-maintained.
This can be achieved by providing the tree with the right nutrients and water, and by pruning it regularly to remove any dead or diseased branches. If the tree does develop lemon scab, it may be necessary to treat it with a fungicide in order to control the spread of the disease.
Lemon Tree Losing Leaves But Flowering
The lemon tree is losing its leaves, but it is still flowering. This is a common occurrence for lemon trees, as they go through a natural shedding process called defoliation.
Defoliation is when a plant loses its leaves to conserve energy and nutrients.
Although the lemon tree is losing its leaves, the flowers are still blooming and producing fruit. The tree is using its energy to focus on the fruit production, rather than maintaining its leaves.
This is a sign that the tree is healthy and thriving, despite its current leaf loss. The leaves will eventually regrow once the fruit has matured and the tree has had a chance to restore its energy reserves.
