An update on my lemon tree
Nov 21st, 2008 by Dani
I think I’ve done something clever. I was giving my lemon and feijoa trees a water the other day and I noticed the water is running off the top of the soil dirt. No wonder I struggle with anything non indigenous on the north fence line. So I have sunk a length of plumbing pipe down towardst he root bal of each tree. Hopefully watering into the pipe will encourage deep root growth for both trees and give them a better chance of surviving and one day earning their keep.
In this photo you can see pipe at the base of the feijoa, you can also see where the water had just run off the top before I sunk the pipe.
Has anyone tried this method of watering? If so, did you find it made a difference to the health of the plants?
Haven’t tried it Dani, only read people recommend similar things. Lemon trees are surface feeders so altho they have a tap root, will still need moisture in the topsoil to allow nutrient uptake through the feeder roots (the nutrients need to be dissolved in water stored in the soil to be available to the plant).
Would it be possible to mound up the dirt into a saucer shape around each tree, then pile several inches of hay mulch over the top? When soils become too dry they can be hydrophobic (water repellant), but if you get a bit of an interface of slowly breaking down organic matter it will help retain moisture, and work some more OM into the topsoil - which helps the soil on lots of levels.
sorry for the long answer, succinct isn’t my Familiar!
Ems last blog post..Lemon Braised Artichoke Hearts
i really have no idea, but in reading your post I thought you were very clever! good luck with the ideas.
I love your new pic btw
Thanks Em. I haven’t mulched it up yet which is not like me. Must do that. Will give it a layer of compost and then mulch the top and see how that goes.
I thought I was too Kel. Except for missing the whole top feeder bit LOL. Thanks, it’s not the most focussed pic but a change is as good as a holiday.
excellent idea. The soil is generally so dry now that water does run off the top a lot of the time. So the pipe looks like the way to go. I’m interested to see how it goes over the next few months.
Docwitchs last blog post..There’s Magic in Them Thar Hills
Hey Dani, I did mean to say I think it’s a fab idea too - lol, forgot that bit - getting water down to the taproot will help make for a stronger plant. So a combination of both deep and surface watering should be good for a tap-rooted surface feeder. Love to hear how it goes, I’m still feeling a little unceratin as a citrus killer.
Ems last blog post..Lemon Braised Artichoke Hearts
Me too Docwitch! Hopefully more successfully than the last few attempts.
Hopefully the addition of the mulch and compost will stop the run off problem Em and between the 2 factors I may even get to stop murdering poor defenceless lemon trees. I had a good look at the leave today and I don’t know if it was just unjustified optimism but the leaves appeared a little healthier.
We have a pipe sunk in for our lime tree. We have since we put it in the ground. It has faired well but is still a little tree. We fert down the pipe to. It’s amazing how the tree perks up with a good fert of Dynamic Lifter (blood and bone).
Love the idea of putting fertiliser down there as well 2BB. I just went and followed your wise example
The council puts these in for trees - also acts as a reservoir. Do you have problems with clay soil - it may be that the roots are in a sink with too much water. There are the wetting agents that might help.
I wish our council was that practical TruelyPru. Ours plants trees in spring tht could wait until autumn and then tells me to use my water o them every 2 days. I think not!
WE do have clay base but there is no danger whatsoever of too much water I’m afraid. We’re up high and our drainage is deep and thorough.