Caring for a Frost Damaged Citrus Tree

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BronxBoy Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b) Dec 02, 2008

Hi All:

We went away for a few days and the heater failed in our greenhouse. I have several citrus tress that were exposed to freezing temperatures. The Meyer lemon looks bad. Leaves have turned brown but the branches are still green.

Is the tree a goner? I have moved it up to the house.

How should I care for it or is it a lost cause?

Thanks
BB

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jujubetexas San Marcos, TX(Zone 8b) Dec 03, 2008

They will leaf right back as long as the branches didnt die. Just see if the branches start to turn color as well. If it gets warm up by the house, you could see new leaves in a few weeks. Even if the branches die, chances are it will resprout from the stump. They are very resilient.

Post #5853033
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BronxBoy Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b) Dec 03, 2008

Thank You

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oldude New Iberia, LA Dec 03, 2008

BB
You won’t know the full extent of the damage until after the first flush in the spring. You may see die back on the ends of the branches which can be cut back. Citrus don’t like sudden light and temperature changes.I remember that you had trouble with a key lime last year. How is it doing?
Oldude

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BronxBoy Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b) Dec 04, 2008

It never recovered. The Meyer had actually recovered pretty nicely although it lost all of it's blooms to a early heat wave.

Should I do anything to the Lemon tree or just leave it be?

BB

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oldude New Iberia, LA Dec 04, 2008

Just cut back any tip burn or die back and it should be ok. Lemon and lime trees are in my opinion the most finicky things to grow and especially in containers.
Goof luck

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RainbowRider Brunswick, GA(Zone 9a) Dec 07, 2008

I have about 12 Meyer Lemon trees with fruit we have started picking from. I don't keep any sprouts from below the graft. I experimented with them one year when the temperature dropped below freezing for around 8 hours. It killed several of my trees above the graft, so i let them grow from below the graft just to see what would happen. They sprouted and shot up lots of straight verticle branches very quickly. They never flowered so i cut them down. If you ever know a hard freeze is coming be sure to shovel dirt to the base of the tree up above the graft. That can help to put on fruiting limbs should the cold knock down your tree. Immediatly cut off anything below the graft because it will just sap growth from above the graft. Another help can be putting on foam pipe insulation that is split from places like H-D or Lowes etc.

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RainbowRider Brunswick, GA(Zone 9a) Dec 07, 2008

Kumquats are a very hardy tree that can stand cold weather. You can purchase the sweet or sour variety. They will grow true from seed also and are very easy to germinate.

Larry

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BronxBoy Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b) Dec 08, 2008

Thanks

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