Transplanting Lemon Tree a Matter of Age

Q. A lemon tree was growing in my neighbor's yard. I dug it up and transplanted it into a large pot. I am not sure what type of lemon it is. It did well for about a week, then suddenly all the leaves went limp. The plant doesn't appear to be dying, but the leaves remain limp and hanging. What gives? I've never seen this before.

A. Move plants to a new location during the cooler times of the year; usually in October or February. When moving any kind of tree from one location to another, I recommend removing about one quarter to one third of the tree’s canopy to compensate for the loss of roots. I would also recommend staking the plant (so the roots can’t move) until it grows new roots. Establishing it again may take a year or two of staking depending on the size of the plant. It should go without mentioning, amend the soil for a distance of about three times the size of its roots and to a depth of at least 18 inches. Keep everything wet!

Compensating the top growth for the loss of roots can be a challenge. Sometimes older fronds are pruned from the base of the plant and not the top. Just depends.

Root loss is a matter of age; the older the tree or how long its been in the ground can be the difference between life and death. Also the time of year. Fall trees moved have both the fall and spring to recover.

Sometimes leaves are removed from the bottom and not the top as was done before moving this cycad. Remove the entire frond to the trunk. Don't leaves stubs.

Leaf loss usually occurs as the temperatures get warmer and the weather is windy. If you are successful in moving the plant, there should be no losses. It should take off when it gets warmer. If you don’t remove enough of the top canopy, then part of the plant will die to compensate for lost roots. When not enough of the top is removed and the plant is moved or the plant does not get enough water, new growth of the tree or shrub occurs at the base of the tree and the top dies.

When moving any kind of plant, do it as quickly as possible. Have the hole predug, the amendments and stakes ready.