Kinzu not budding after defoliation.

[vp999]

I defoliate this kinzu for over a month now and have yet to see any buds, doesn’t seem like the tree is dying though. The reason for defoliation was because after receiving the tree the leaves was yellowing assuming it was from the shipping stress. I even put a bag over the first couple weeks to give it more humidity and still didn’t work. Any other tricks I can use ? Thanks I’m advance guys !!!

 

[leatherback]

What is a Kinzu?

 

[badatusernames]

What is a Kinzu?

Dwarf kumquat

 

[vp999]

Anyone ??? lol

 

[leatherback]

Anyone ??? lol

I do not own one, but.. I would keep it warm and in bright light to trigger growth. Or cool to keep it asleep till sping?

Considering this is in the "oranges" family, I assume it might have gone slightly dormant. It is winter after all. I see oranges here in winter in coldhouses, just above freezing almost without leaves for most of winter, to pop into growth again in spring.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I treat it like most citrus. They thrive in heat and humidity, and the brightest light you can provide.. They will drop leaves if they get cold, but that doesn't seem likely in July. Be careful you dont overwater because their roots are a little touchy. As long as the branches remain green you still have hope. Where are you keeping it now that it is cold in DC? The only thing I might consider is using bottom heat to try to get it to wake up.

 

[SexyGArdener]

I’m going to suggest you fertilize it at this point and hope for the best since it has been awhile since leave bud assuming you’ve already checked the roots condition. I had a similar experience with a Kinzu earlier in the year with yellowish leaves that put on zero growth in spring and most of summer. The only difference between us were that I did NOT defoliate and mine was in ground. I assume mine was lacking in iron or magnesium, but didn’t bother to supplement due to not giving a shit to see what would happen. The tree is barely hardy to my area of Georgia when in ground if protected during frost and hard freeze. My Kinzu only grew for a couple weeks in mid-late summer this year so I assumed it has drawn enough nutrients from the soil to recovered or that it’s a tropical and I’m lucky it didn’t die over winter. I shared my experience so that you can draw your own conclusions to reassess your tree condition. Good luck.

 

[leatherback]

I’m going to suggest you fertilize it at this point and hope for the best since it has been awhile since leave bud assuming you’ve already checked the roots condition. I had a similar experience with a Kinzu earlier in the year with yellowish leaves that put on zero growth in spring and most of summer. The only difference between us were that I did NOT defoliate and mine was in ground. I assume mine was lacking in iron or magnesium, but didn’t bother to supplement due to not giving a shit to see what would happen. The tree is barely hardy to my area of Georgia when in ground if protected during frost and hard freeze. My Kinzu only grew for a couple weeks in mid-late summer this year so I assumed it has drawn enough nutrients from the soil to recovered or that it’s a tropical and I’m lucky it didn’t die over winter. I shared my experience so that you can draw your own conclusions to reassess your tree condition. Good luck.

This confuses me. You for 2 years did not really fertilize. Yet you recommend that the problem is a lack of fertilizer? Please elaborate because I am lost in your thinking here.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

To share my own experience - I had a kinzu that I got from Kaya Mooney, who had grown it from seed. While it was with me in Southern California it did great. The only thing I had to watch was our alkaline water, and make sure that I used acid fertilizer. I literally spoke to a commercial citrus grower in San Diego to ask him how he fertilized/treated his trees. This may be a consideration if you are on mains water - make sure you know your water pH.

Once I moved to NC my kinzu was one of the few tropical trees I brought with me. Every year I placed it outside during the summer, and brought it in during the winter. It was never happy during the winter - even though it was on the shelf next to other tropical trees (ficus, etc) that did fine. It slowly weakened over several years and died a year ago despite my best efforts. The only thing I could have done differently was place it in a heated greenhouse, which I do not have available.

 

[vp999]

The tree is in the heated greenhouse now like it was early last spring when I got it. The branches are still green so I am holding on hope....Will report back this coming spring...and hopefully with good news....Thank you all. m

 

[SexyGArdener]

This confuses me. You for 2 years did not really fertilize. Yet you recommend that the problem is a lack of fertilizer? Please elaborate because I am lost in your thinking here.

As for my situation, the tree was still in development and on my in-law property with irrigation. The leaves were stressed similarly to vp999. I suspect a micronutrient deficiency on my tree, but I could never remember to bring fertilizer to supplement when I visit. I assumed vp999 is competent enough to keep the tree alive for this long so he must have checked the roots and for pests issues this my recommendation. My tree is in full sun and only took off during the hot Augusta summer. I didn’t originally make a diagnosis when the question was first posted in summer because there were too many unknowns and potential issues at play, but at this point it in the season and if it’s my tree, I would fertilize and treat it like a tropical and see how it responds.

 

[Melospiza]

The tree is in the heated greenhouse now like it was early last spring when I got it. The branches are still green so I am holding on hope....Will report back this coming spring...and hopefully with good news....Thank you all. m

My experience with grafted citrus (in my case, yuzu) is that they are not particularly vigorous. My yuzu took forever to start growing from their winter indoors, and barely put on any growth this year. However they produced a few blossoms and there is a ripening fruit on the plant.