Citrus tree headache

[jen337]

Our citrus plant is not doing very well can anyone advise what’s wrong with it and how to remedy it?
It’s very straggly, usually grows lots of leaves in spring but they’re large and pale green/yellow. I read citrus is drought resistant and believe we’re overwatering, Dh on the other hand thinks it’s underwatered and keeps watering it regularly. Dh is also always pruning it/breaking off brown/dead leaves, moving it outdoors, watering it with random stuff, (tea, coffee…). I think we should just leave it alone. We’ve just been away for three weeks and left it unwatered and untroubled and in that time it’s grown some nice dark green leaves! So I think that settles the overwatering argument in my favour. I’ve told him to stop interfering now and let me look after it, please tell me the best way to do this. We’re not feeding it anything atm but I’m looking to start doing so.

We had a lemon tree that lasted a few years, but got caught by a frost. It also came with some special feed designed for citrus, maybe look into that?

My lemon tree which i have only had a year, lost nearly all the leaves in spring and looked close to dying. I put it outside in full sun, added a sachet of special lemon tree feed and pruned weak looking growth, any crossing or too close branches and growth that looked too high. It flowered in spring but no flowers now. I agree they don't need too much water.

Citrus hate sitting in water and the roots will rot so much better to let them get a little dry, which they'll recover quickly from, rather than too wet (think of the climate they evolved in), they're very hungry too and really need feeding weekly during summer if in a pot and every six weeks or so
In winter, worth buying a summer/ winter granule feed, it lasts a long time and will make a huge difference. Probably worth potting on a bit once it's longer stronger too, perhaps next spring.

They should really be living outside at this time of year.

I remember reading advice about citrus years ago and it said they should be definitely be kept on the dry side, even more than most pot plants.

The advice was also not to pot them on too much because that can contribute to too much water.

When you do pot them on an unglazed clay pot is best because they dry out quicker. Plenty of crocks in the bottom and a mixture of compost and horticultural grit for extra drainage.

Also, although they are not ericaceous, they do appreciate a bit of extra acidity. Yours does look a bit chloritic. If you have rain water I would use that. There are specialist feeds for citrus.