A:

Hello,

I'm afraid I have not been able to determine what could be causing this from your description. Therefore your best bet would be to have a very close look at it and try to spot the culprits. If you can see them, please get back to me and I can then advise you on your best course of action.

A:

Hello,

Many plants die from over-watering, so I would stop watering it until the soil gets reasonably dry. Only then water it moderately, using just a half-strength fertiliser until it gets back on its feet again.

I hope this helps,

A:

Hello John, Citrus plants are prone to Red Spider Mites, especially when grown under glass. We do have a page on our site which lists the treatments, however keep in mind that if you use chemicals, you wont be able to eat the fruits. http://www.crocus.co.uk/pestsanddiseases/_/pests-and-diseases/house-plants/red-spider-mite/articleid.1143/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello Aileen, Ideally you should try to put up some blinds, which will keep the temperatures a little lower in summer, but here are a few suggestions, which I hope you will find helpful. Musa basjoo http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/exotics/musa-basjoo-/classid.1000000746/ Canna Durban http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/perennials/exotics/canna-durban/classid.2000009869/ or any of the citrus plants http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.citrus/ Best regards, Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello Brenda, Citrus are not the easiest plants to grow in the UK as we simply don't have the right climate for them, however if you follow the instructions below, you should be able to keep yours happy. Summer conditions Citrus plants are happy to stand outside after the spring frosts have ended (usually about the end of May). Plants should be placed in a shady spot and gradually crept into full sun over the course of a full week or so to prevent leaf scorch. They should remain in the sun for the rest of the summer. The more sun the better! If they are kept in a conservatory or greenhouse in the summer, they must have ample ventilation. Extreme care must be taken in late spring, before the plants have been moved outside, when the temperatures in conservatories and greenhouses can soar on sunny days, vents must be opened to prevent over heating. Winter conditions Before the first frosts appear plants must be moved into warmer conditions for the winter months. Citrus need as much light as possible. Small plants can be kept within the house on a south facing windowsill or by patio doors, away from radiators and larger plants, in conservatories or greenhouses. Whilst most citrus can withstand temperatures just about freezing, they will fare much better if kept a bit warmer. Try to avoid sudden extremes of temperature as this can stress plants and cause leaf and blossom drop. Temperatures in conservatories can vary considerably between day and night so ventilate them well during sunny days. Whilst indoors we suggest standing citrus in 'pot feet' in a tray so that the pot is never waterlogged. Never allow the plant to stand in water. Watering This is the key to successful Citrus growing. The plants should be watered, from the top, thoroughly. This means flushing plenty of water through the pot so the compost is completely soaked. Then the plant must be left to almost completely dry out between each watering. Gauging when plants need watering can be tricky, when the compost starts to dry the leaves may lack lustre, become dull and even start to droop. At this point you should feel several inches into the pot to check that it is dry. Finally check the weight of the pot which is very light when dry. It is better to under water than over water. Always flush the pot thoroughly with plenty of water and allow to drain away Do not water a little at a time. Do not stand plants in water as this will cause the roots to rot. Feeding Citrus are greedy plants and to get a good crop of fruit they need constant year round feeding every time the plant is watered. Foliar feeding but putting the feed solution through a sprayer once a week can greatly increase the set of fruit as waterings are few and far between in the winter months. It is a good idea to always keep a watering can full of mixed feed in the same room as the plant so that the roots don't get shock from cold water, which can stress the plant. Chempak Summer Citrus Feed http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000238&CategoryID=82 Chempak Winter Citrus Feed http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000237&CategoryID=82 I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello There, I am pleased to hear that your lemon is doing so well. Ideally you should wait another couple of weeks before you pot it up and choose a pot that is several sizes larger than the existing one. You can go as large as you like as eventually they will get quite big, but I would choose one that is in balance with the size of the plant and fill it with ericaceous compost. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello Maggie, Citrus can be quite tricky and they do tend to shed all their leaves when they are stressed. This could be caused by a number of things including too much or too little water or temperatures that are too high or too low. I suspect that it may have been affected by the really cold weather we have had recently and pruning won't really help or hinder. I would try to get it through to spring and then see where it starts shooting from as this will give you a better indication of how and where to prune it to get the best shape. I'm sorry not to be more help. Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello Angela, I will paste some care tipsfor the Citrus below, which I hope will help. Summer conditions Citrus plants are happy to stand outside after the spring frosts have ended (usually about the end of May). Plants should be placed in a shady spot and gradually crept into full sun over the course of a full week or so to prevent leaf scorch. They should remain in the sun for the rest of the summer. The more sun the better! If they are kept in a conservatory or greenhouse in the summer, they must have ample ventilation. Extreme care must be taken in late spring, before the plants have been moved outside, when the temperatures in conservatories and greenhouses can soar on sunny days, vents must be opened to prevent over heating. Winter conditions Before the first frosts appear plants must be moved into warmer conditions for the winter months. Citrus need as much light as possible. Small plants can be kept within the house on a south facing windowsill or by patio doors, away from radiators and larger plants, in conservatories or greenhouses. Whilst most citrus can withstand temperatures just about freezing, they will fare much better if kept a bit warmer. Try to avoid sudden extremes of temperature as this can stress plants and cause leaf and blossom drop. Temperatures in conservatories can vary considerably between day and night so ventilate them well during sunny days. Whilst indoors we suggest standing citrus in 'pot feet' in a tray so that the pot is never waterlogged. Never allow the plant to stand in water Watering This is the key to successful Citrus growing. The plants should be watered, from the top, thoroughly. This means flushing plenty of water through the pot so the compost is completely soaked. Then the plant must be left to almost completely dry out between each watering. Gauging when plants need watering can be tricky, when the compost starts to dry the leaves may lack lustre, become dull and even start to droop. At this point you should feel several inches into the pot to check that it is dry. Finally check the weight of the pot which is very light when dry. It is better to under water than over water. Always flush the pot thoroughly with plenty of water and allow to drain away Do not water a little at a time. Do not stand plants in water as this will cause the roots to rot Feeding Citrus are greedy plants and to get a good crop of fruit they need constant year round feeding every time the plant is watered. Foliar feeding but putting the feed solution through a sprayer once a week can greatly increase the set of fruit as waterings are few and far between in the winter months. It is a good idea to always keep a watering can full of mixed feed in the same room as the plant so that the roots don't get shock from cold water, which can stress the plant. Chempak Summer Citrus Feed http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000238&CategoryID=82 Chempak Winter Citrus Feed http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000237&CategoryID=82 Best regards Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello There, It is quite normal for these trees to shed all their leaves when they have to adjust to new conditions, but this usually settles down after a few weeks. It is very difficult to keep them happy as indoor plants throughout winter as they dislike the central heating and low light levels. With their defenses down, this means they do become susceptible to all sorts of pests and diseases. I am not sure what insects are affecting yours, but the most likely culprits are either aphids or a type of scale. You can either remove these by hand or use a general purpose insecticide, but if you do the latter then you should not eat any developing fruits. I will also attach a care document for your lemons, which may help.
Summer conditions:- Citrus plants are happy to stand outside after the spring frosts have ended (usually about the end of May). Plants should be placed in a shady spot and gradually crept into full sun over the course of a full week or so to prevent leaf scorch. They should remain in the sun for the rest of the summer. The more sun the better! If they are kept in a conservatory or greenhouse in the summer, they must have ample ventilation. Extreme care must be taken in late spring, before the plants have been moved outside, when the temperatures in conservatories and greenhouses can soar on sunny days, vents must be opened to prevent over heating. Winter conditions:- Before the first frosts appear plants must be moved into warmer conditions for the winter months. Citrus need as much light as possible. Small plants can be kept within the house on a south facing windowsill or by patio doors, away from radiators and larger plants, in conservatories or greenhouses. Whilst most citrus can withstand
temperatures just about freezing, they will fare much better if kept a bit warmer. Try to avoid sudden extremes of temperature as this can stress plants and cause leaf and blossom drop. Temperatures in conservatories can vary considerably between day and night so ventilate them well during sunny days. Whilst indoors we suggest standing citrus in 'pot feet' in a tray so that the pot is never waterlogged. Never allow the plant to stand in water Watering:- This is the key to successful Citrus growing. The plants should be watered, from the top, thoroughly. This means flushing plenty of water through the pot so the compost is completely soaked. Then the plant must be left to almost completely dry out between each watering. Gauging when plants need watering can be tricky, when the compost starts to dry the leaves may lack lustre, become dull and even start to droop. At this point you should feel several inches into the pot to check that it is dry. Finally check the weight of the pot which is very light when dry. It is better to under water than over water. Always flush the pot thoroughly with plenty of water and allow to drain away Do not water a little at a time.Do not stand plants in water as this will cause the roots to rot Feeding:- Citrus are greedy plants and to get a good crop of fruit they need constant year round feeding every
time the plant is watered. Foliar feeding but putting the feed solution through a sprayer once a week can greatly increase the set of fruit as waterings are few and far between in the winter months. It is a good idea to always keep a watering can full of mixed feed in the same room as the plant so that the roots don't get shock from cold water, which
can stress the plant. Chempak Summer Citrus Feed
http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000238&CategoryID=82 Chempak Winter Citrus Feed
http://www.crocus.co.uk/toolsandstuff/results/?ContentType=Product_Card&ClassID=1000000237&CategoryID=82
I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor

A:

Hello Nigel, These are beautiful plants and they are ready to fruit now, so you may receive one with fruit already set - although unfortunately we cannot guarantee it. I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor