posted
Hi, I bought a Calamondin ( miniature orange tree ) early this summer. When I bought it there were many small green fruits already growing. As the summer progressed they started turning orange. I was quite pleased with the results until the weather changed. I live in Chicago and may have left the plant outside too long. The temperatures dropped to 45ish during the nights. After several nights of this I brought the plant indoors. A few days later I noticed leaves curling and dropping. A couple of weeks later the fruits started to drop. A month later most of the leaves and fruit have dropped. I am wondering if this plant has died, went dormant, needs pruning, needs special fertilizer, etc...
The plant is in it's original pot and soil. About a 10 inch pot I'd say. I am also wondering if the plant is not getting enough light or enough of the right kind of light. I do have south windows but the sun doesn't shine much in Chicago in November and I might as well add the rest of the winter as well. But the lighting is bright for a few hours a day regardless.
Does anyone know what is wrong with my plant and can this plant be resurrected from the state it's currently in?
From: chicago, Il. | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
As long as the temps did not drop below freezing I doubt, the outside weather hurt your tree. It was more then likely the abrupt switch to the new climate inside you home. Plants are very conservitive by nature, and don't take to changes too well. It is more then likely a state of shock that is making your plant drop its leaves and fruit. A orange tree takes a LOT of light. If you can not provide natural light for it, the try getting a grow light, and keeping it in that for the normal day light hours. The other thing That I am not sure of is how a orange tree would work this far north and inside. It may loose its leaves, just as many other trees do. I have never had one so I could not help yo with that from my own experience. What you could look for however is to see if there are new leaf buds that have formed where the old leaves fell off. These would just look like little tiny nodes protruding from the stem. Next season to try to save the fruit, bring the tree in while the conditions are simular outside and in. that way you won't have to worry about shock as much. Just remember that the air outside is usually much more damp then inside so a humidifer or misting will be in order.
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