8 year old lemon tree is struggling

[callmekenny]

Hello Everyone

I'm looking for some advice on keeping my meyer lemon tree alive. It's roughly 8 years old but I've only had it for around a month and a half. I'm new to bonsai and admittedly don't know what I'm doing, which isn't helping anything. When I got it the leaves were all green, but now many of them are turning yellow and falling off. Since I've had the tree it's lost at least 15 leaves which certainly isn't ideal.

Since this is my first bonsai tree I'm using the moisture meter you can see in the pictures below to help give me an idea of when to water it. I have the tree at work and have been told by some coworkers that I'm not watering it enough, some that I'm watering it too much, so I'm not sure - all I do is try to keep the moisture meter gauge in the green. Every now and then I'll mist the leaves, but I'm also not sure how often I should be doing that.

Not sure if this is applicable but a week or two after I got the lemon tree it seemed to have some type of fungus and small holes started appearing in some of the leaves. After using some 'Bonide Copper Fungicide (liquid)' that seemed to get rid of whatever that issue was. I also bought some 'Dyna-Gro Bonsai-Pro Liquid Plant Food' and I've been using that with the water but did have a coworker suggest that I may be 'over-watering' the tree.

Please see pictures below:












Long story short, I'd appreciate any suggestions in helping keep this tree alive I did notice yesterday that the tree has little buds in a few different spots.

 

[n8]

It's struggling because it's in an office. It'll do better outdoors.

It would also be helpful to know where you are located.

 

[callmekenny]

Unfortunately, I live in a high-rise apartment so I can't really leave it outside. The main reason I have it at work is that my cat likes to pick at plants and eat leaves off of it.

I'm located in Philadelphia, PA.

 

[AZbonsai]

Expect a long drawn out death if you can not put it outside. Tough tree to grow in philly.

 

[sorce]

Lemon should do fine inside.

Welcome to Crazy!

Sorce

 

[JoeH]

nope it needs full sun.

 

[GSCarlson]

My citrus do just fine indoors during the cold months. Many citrus trees are grown as indoor houseplants.

 

[AZbonsai]

My citrus do just fine indoors during the cold months. Many citrus trees are grown as indoor houseplants.

What do you do with them in the summer?

 

[GSCarlson]

What do you do with them in the summer?

They go outside, 6-7 hours of full sun

 

[AZbonsai]

They go outside, 6-7 hours of full sun

What do you think would happen to them if they did not go outside for those 6to7 hours of full sun?

 

[Stormwater]

I’ve been growing a pair of grapefruit from seed , into year 4 or five now. One I put outside in spring, the other stays inside, no growlights. The inside one is stunted but doing fine

 

[Carol 83]

I've brought a calamondin orange indoors in the winter for years. It gets sun from a southern window. It does OK, it even flowers. Ultimately it would be better outside all year long, but I don't live in Florida.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

I know quite a few people who keep citrus indoors for decades. They will not thrive, but they didn't succumb either.
I overwinter my larger mandarin and lemon indoors, but I have 5 citrus plants that have never been outdoors in the past 10 years.

 

[sorce]

Didn't mean to start a indoor outdoor wardoor, thought someone else would bring up the polkadotted rhinoceros, don't think I ever seen one before.

Sorce

 

[Stormwater]

Oh I get it. You want a pic! Will try to remember to get one tonight. Didn’t say it looked good though

 

[rockm]

Unfortunately, I live in a high-rise apartment so I can't really leave it outside. The main reason I have it at work is that my cat likes to pick at plants and eat leaves off of it.

I'm located in Philadelphia, PA.

Unfortunately, this one is going to decline and die indoors. It's a poor choice for keeping inside. Citrus need high sunlight and soil that isn't soggy. Both low light and your constant watering are causing what you're seeing --yellow dropping leaves, etc.

Better choice if you have to keep trees inside all year is a ficus or schefflera. There's really no way to keep this tree indoors for a prolonged period without it weakening and dying, short of an investment in a probably expensive supplemental lighting system that your work might not appreciate. Both ficus and schefflera can adjust to lower light low humidity conditions...

 

[Shibui]

Citrus are always difficult in pots. More difficult indoors. I'm sure some people can manage the problems but most of us will not succeed.
Misting the leaves will not ensure success. Correct moisture and air for the roots will help. Sunlight is far more important but probably lacking in your office.

 

[sorce]

There are pictures of it here....somewhere.

Of a 6ft orange that was grown in a high-rise apartment with nothing except 1920's era window light.

A highly organic soil blend with nutrients.

Sorce

 

[callmekenny]

Thank you, everyone, for the feedback and suggestions.

Is there hope for keeping the plant alive if I buy a grow light? I haven't looked into grow lights too much but if anyone could provide suggestions on if that's a good idea and if so, which grow lights to consider that would be much appreciated.

 

[Blimpsandmtn]

Thank you, everyone, for the feedback and suggestions.

Is there hope for keeping the plant alive if I buy a grow light? I haven't looked into grow lights too much but if anyone could provide suggestions on if that's a good idea and if so, which grow lights to consider that would be much appreciated.

Perhaps! Most likely!
-Blimp