Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Hey! I am little worried about my orange tree. Now I know I was told that the leaves on the orange are supposed to fall off so that the oranges can start to grow. Now as you can tell my leaves have fallen off. How do you know for sure if it’s getting ready to bear fruit or if it’s dying or even stone dead? What do you think? Thanks in advance!

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

I have a few citrus growing, and have never heard that the leaves need to fall off before the fruit sets. I have a Myer lemon, 2 Kalamansi, and my daughter is also growing a Myer lemon. None of these have ever dropped leaves to fruit. In fact the Myer lemons make so many lemons in each bunch (15-20) that I have to snip off all but 3 so the branches can support the weight. All the while, they are full of leaves.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

I have a navel orange, ruby red grapefruit, some satsumas in ground, Myer lemon, lime in pots and I have never seen them loose all their leaves. You might have lost the leaves cause you moved them indoors. I don't move mine indoors, this is just speculation.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Losing leaves is not normal for a citrus tree. Could be shock from moving it inside, but not knowing exactly what is going on, I cant suggest any remedies. If you have it potted in the peat moss like your bananas, its likely that its too dry, and not a good medium to grow in. Also you really need grow lights to give your plants the light they need indoors. Regular light bulbs arent really sufficient.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Alrighty, this is a message to all 3 of you.....Yug, LaBananaGwr2018 & Smeash! I would like so thanks so much for being nice and kind enough to answer me! I really do appreciate it! :nanadrink::0519::bananas_b:woohoonaner:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Pretty cool! I’m genuinely impressed about the amount of lemons you get! Very nice! However, now I am really worried! I wonder why the person I bought it from told me that. At least I think that’s what the person said! Oh, boy!

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Very nice! Wow you got a lot! Oh, man. Now I am really getting scared! :eek: Ain’t looking too good for my poor little plant!:ha:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Ah, poo! :rollerbananadone: I hope you are right about it being in shock! Fingers crossed! Yes it is in peat moss only. Boy, you live and you learn! Let’s just hope it lives and I learn!:ha: Oh, okay. I give. I’ll get out my grow light! Guess I need to buy another one or two! Thanks for letting me know that ceiling lights don’t work! It’s actually what I wanted to know anyway! :nanadrink:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

One more thing. Should I cut off a limb & scrape it to see if it’s green inside? I mean I think that’s what your suppose to do to check if it’s still alive! Right?!

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

I am little worried about my orange tree. Now I know I was told that the leaves on the orange are supposed to fall off so that the oranges can start to grow. Now as you can tell my leaves have fallen off. How do you know for sure if it’s getting ready to bear fruit or if it’s dying or even stone dead? What do you think? Thanks in advance!

Depotted - I noticed that you don't have your USDA zone listed? Most citrus require zone 10 or higher and are not deciduous (don't lose leaves on purpose). Some varieties developed in GA may work in zone 8 and by UF and LSU will work in zone 9.
Your citrus plant looks in sad shape - use finger nail or sharp blade to gently scrape the bark from leafless twigs moving down to the mail stem - if you find green under the bark it is still alive. If brown and the stem easily breaks = dead.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Hey! Yes sorry about that! I live in Northeastern Ohio and am in zone 6a! Yes I will go do that! So thanks for the very kind reply & the help! I appreciate it! :nanadrink:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Dearly deported,

Yes, scratch the trunk to check for green but based on the pics, I see green on the branches so still alive. Check soil is my first suggestion.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

I see green on the stems too. The bark is photo sensing and doing the job of leaves. .... Get the plant repotted with proper potting soil and water. Set the plant in an area to get sunlight from a window. As long as the roots don't freeze it can take some cold tempreture. But not as much as an older plant. Put pipe insulating foam tube around the base and the graft to protect it from freezing. ...The plant looks too young to be fruiting .. may be in its 2nd or third year. Take off any fruit that tries to form if it does ....likely the fruit will fall off anyway so don't worry about.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

You asked .....How do you know for sure if it’s getting ready to bear fruit ...


It will flower. Then fruit will set at the base of the flower. If the plant healthy and happy the fruit will hold. The plant will drop those it can't support.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Is this a grafted plant or was it started from a seed? ...A grafted plant should take 2 or 3 years before fruiting. A plant grown from seed will take 8 to 10 years before fruiting.

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Yeah I am a little bit embarrassed b/c I still haven’t scratched the surface yet! :ha: Sorry! I am going to do that today!

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Hey Max! Thanks for saying you think it looks alive too! I was a bit down in the dumps before b/c I thought it was totally :0493:! I really appreciate it! Yes I will go and do that pronto! So put it in sunlight & use pipe insulation foam on the base. Sounds easy enough to do! The funniest thing is that I actually do have extra foam pipe down in the cellar! Now what are the chances of that! :ha:

I just bought the tree this year! I just looked it up and it’s 3 gallon and it should be at least 3’ tall. So it’s not going to bear fruit this year! It’s alright with me! Okay I will take off any fruit that might form!

Well, as always thanks for always being so kind & generous with your replies & help! :woohoonaner::nanadrink::bananas_b:08:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Ahh... so it’ll flower! I bet it looks cute with flowers!:ha: You know I would never have thought if the tree isn’t healthy it will drop all the fruit it has! Very interesting! Thanks!

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Yes I just read it is a grafted orange tree! :08: Thank God for that! It would take that long grown from a seed! Wow! Definitely wouldn’t want to wait that long! :ha:

Re: Is my Washington Navel Orange Tree okay?
 

Okay ... just a couple of notes. From your grow zone I assume you intend these to be container orange trees. These need to be in bigger pots so now is a good time to repot. Try not to break up the existing soil & root ball. Put a stake in the pot to support the main stem. For the next 2 years I wouldn't trim the tree; but DO cut off anything that grows below the graft flush with the tree trunk. ... After 2 years pick the best limbs and trim to shape & height (4 or 5 ft ???). .... As a container orange tree I doubt it will ever support a large crop of oranges. For the first 1 or 2 fruit cycles keep the fruit load to 12 or 16 orange. Figure it out after that. .... Do a google search for more info on how to grow container orange trees. I don't think what I said above to be far off the mark.



Just my thoughts ... I haven't done this. My lemons trees are in the ground and about 4 ft tall now & 4 years old. They had some fruit last year and they are loaded this year. They dropped their fruit the first 2 years after forming.