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Why a new citrus tree produces leaves and flowers but not fruit - Press-Enterprise

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Q: In January, I planted some new citrus trees in Garden Grove. In April/ May, those citrus plants had some flowers. Now in August, they have a lot of green leaves but no fruits. What kind of fertilizer do I need to use and how often to use it?

A: Most fruit trees will not produce more than a few fruits until the three-year mark. If your trees are growing and look healthy, with lots of new leaves, you should be enjoying fresh citrus in about two years. Since citrus trees are heavy producers, it’s a good idea to let them get big enough to handle all the fruit you’re going to be getting. In the meantime, application of citrus fertilizer once or twice per year should keep your trees healthy.

Q: You wrote that trapping and releasing animals is illegal in California. Can you please give more details? We trap and release pack rats from our yard because they make nests in our cars. We don’t want to kill them, and this seems to solve the problem. 

A: Trapping and relocating wildlife is illegal in the state of California (California Code of Regulations, Title 14, § 465.5). If you trap a wild animal, you are supposed to either humanely kill it, or release it in the same place you trapped it (presumably after giving it a good talking-to). This applies to mice, rats, opossums, raccoons, ground squirrels and other small nuisance animals.

Many pest animals are non-native species and relocating them can be harmful to native wildlife. The relocated animal can also be subject to attack if it’s placed in another animal’s territory.

Q: We recently had a loquat tree planted by a professional gardening crew; it replaced one that had died possibly to some radical pruning.  This one doesn’t have a single trunk and instead branches near the ground.  The problem is that the leaves don’t seem to mature; they sprout well, grow a little, then die off.  The tree looks very spindly. A few days ago, I moved the mulch away from the base of the tree thinking that it might be staying too wet.

Any advice you can throw our way would certainly be appreciated.

A: Mulch is great for trees because it protects shallow roots from overheating and allows water to reach deeper roots. It also prevents grass and weeds from competing for nutrients. When applying mulch, it’s especially important to keep it away from the trunk. If mulch has been in contact with the trunk, look for any sign of fungal disease such as mushrooms or mushroom-like structures. This can cause the tree to decline rapidly. Fungus can block nutrients from reaching the leaves, and this could be the cause of spindly growth and dying leaves.

Q: What caused this unusual lemon?  All the other lemons are normal.

A: Your photo shows a lemon that is shaped like a hand that is making a disrespectful gesture. This kind of deformity is caused by citrus bud mites (Eriophyes sheldoni). If only one fruit is affected, I recommend simply removing it. If it becomes a more widespread problem, application of horticultural oil before fruit formation should take care of it.

Have questions? Email gardening@scng.com.


Looking for more gardening tips? Here’s how to contact the Master Gardener program in your area.

Los Angeles County

mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu; 626-586-1988; http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/

Orange County

ucceocmghotline@ucanr.edu; 949-809-9760; http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/

Riverside County

anrmgriverside@ucanr.edu; 951-683-6491 ext. 231; https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/

San Bernardino County

mgsanbern@ucanredu; 909-387-2182; http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/

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Why a new citrus tree produces leaves and flowers but not fruit - Press-Enterprise
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