How can I save My lemon tree?

Howdie,
It's my first season with a lemon tree. I'm pretty sure it got frost damage over the winter.

We are currently keeping plenty of tree and shrub mulch down around the base. Our plan is come May 1st, we are going to cut it back to the green. Right now the outer branches look dead, there is no growth. However there are signs of life. The larger branches at the base of the tree are nice and green, and we are seeing some sprouts. Is there anything other than trimming off the dead branches and keeping it mulched that we can do to save our little lemon tree?
How often should we be watering? Any clue what sort of lemon it is? We think it's Meyer, but we are not sure.

Thanks in advance.
I am adding several photos.

Here is a closer view of the branches.

I don't think that's a Meyer - technically, an Improved Meyer. IMs are actually bushes, to create a tree it must be grafted. Even then the form is rounded, and the branches criss-cross heavily. When they bear it will almost have a 'weeping' look, not the upright form your tree is showing. The thorns are very small on an IM. They will almost never stick you unless you are reaching very far inside.

Definitely prune off the dead parts, but wait another month to be sure. Next winter, you might want to provide more frost protection, such as a burlap wrap. Good luck!

Here's a photo of my IM grafted to dwarf treestock. Notice the thickly crossed branches, and how the fruit weighs the branches downwards. It is 5 yrs old and much wider than it is tall.

Hi Jkom51,
thanks for the info. Your tree looks scrumptious. And I see the fruit has an orange tinge to the coloring. I think you are correct, my tree is not what I thought it was.

Yes, definitely next year we will be more prepared. We are so use to South Florida 'Winters'. It's a tad cooler here in Northern California.

Do you just wrap the burlap around the bush? Or do you have some sort of frame that you use? I wrapped five sheets around the tree, and think I may have done more damage that good. I also tried using 4 or 5 strands of christmas lights. as well as the sheets, and plastic.

this year we want to build some sort of tenting structure. Something simple but easy enough to pull out of storage when needed.

Thanks for the info.

Sorry about your lemon!

Im sorry about my lemons too.. thanks doss. It was such a pretty tree when we moved into the house. And now, not so much!

We get very little frost here in Oakland compared to your area, so my citrus don't need any protection. Unfortunately that means I can't really advise you on the best way to protect your tree. Is there a county agricultural agency you can call for advice? They would probably be your best bet.

thanks I will head in that direction!

To be honest, I would be surprised if frost damage would do that in your area. I live in Lodi, where it gets colder than you and I have never had frost damage on my lemons. Even when it went down to 11 degrees two years ago, I still had plenty of lemons. I'm wondering, since it is surrounded by grass, could it be getting overfertilized or overwatered from the lawn being so close? I have great luck with lemons in large pots so I am wondering if improper drainage could have caused your problem.

I guess it could be over watering. The house sat vacant over the summer of 2008. Everything needed watering and attention when we moved in in September.

We may have over watered it then. I am not sure when it is getting watered, the DH takes care of that. I know he recently put down the tree mulch.

When we moved in the lemon tree looked great. On one of the first frosts, we noticed a few days later all of the leaves fell off. So we are assuming it is frost related.

Our plan is to cut back the dead branches and see how it goes. Such a shame it was such a pretty tree with a great shape.

thanks for the help

Some citrus are more frost/cold sensitive than others--in that same cold snap where Lodi got down to 11, we got down to 18-19 and my neighbors' citrus tree (not sure what kind) was pretty badly damaged. So if yours is the same kind as Mary's then it shouldn't have been damaged by the weather this past winter, but if it's a variety that's more sensitive to cold then it is possible. I am surprised though that it lost its leaves after the first couple of frosts--usually the temperatures are not that cold then and typically plants won't have trouble (or if there is damage, it would be a leaf or two here and there, not all/most of the leaves dropping off). So I suspect there's probably something else going on as well. I don't suppose you have any pictures of the leaves when they were turning brown?

Unfortunatley I do not have a picture of the leaves when they were tunring/turned.

I'm looking in my Ortho citrus book for you and it does state that prolonged drought can defoliate and kill a tree. On the other extreme, standing water will do the same. It also says that if you are going to severely prune the tree, do so in early spring. It may then take about 2 years for the fruit to come back. I does say that poorly draining soils can cause diseases and cankers of the roots or trunk. NOt sure what this would look like; you might want to check.

Gosh, other than that, I don't know what to tell you.

It did spend the summer of 2008 not getting watered. But it seemed to be fine once we started to water it.
I would say it was November or December when the tree dropped its leaves.
So I dont think the neglect while the hous ewas vacant, caused the damage. Im sticking to the frost cuasing the most damage. It's slowly coming back, but we will prune it very soon.

thanks for all of your help! I really appreciate your time.

Yep, prune, fertilize, water and cross your fingers!

Do not be in a hurry to prune back what appears dead. In the big freeze of December 1990 when the temperature dropped to 12 degrees four nights in a row our old grapefruit looked almost completely dead. Because I was busy and not living on the property it was months before I could do anything and by then almost the whole tree had recovered. Al

Here's what the lemon tree looks like today.
we did not cut it back we left it alone.
We are still seeing lotsa dead branches, and no fruit yet.
But at least we have green leaves.

Yeah! Congratulations!

I'm so glad that it's come back. I'll bet that it will be back to it's original size in no time!

thanks - I am not to sure it will come back full. There are still dead looking branches that aren't doing anything, no new growth, etc. I guess the time to prune it would be in the fall correct? I don't see us fiddling with it right now.

I know one thing we will construct some sort of tent for it come winter. We were so heartbroken for the damage from last winter.
live and learn I suppose.
thanks for the encouragement and kind words!

I'd probably go ahead and cut the dead wood now while it is easy to distinguish from the living branches.

You might not see fruit for a while, perhaps two years, so just be patient. Originally, I thought the tree was just frost damaged, but since it went a summer without water, the stress of that plus the cold winter almost did it in. Give it plenty of water with good drainage. As we approach October, stop fertilizing it with anything. Nitrogen applied during fall will promote new and tender growth that will be killed in a frost. Good luck.