How to Solve Calamondin Leaves Turning Yellow and Falling Off at a Touch

In everyday conversation, when people talk about calamondin, they immediately think of potted plants. In our minds, it is an ornamental plant, and its remarkable feature is that it can fruit multiple times a year with a long fruiting period. Its round, glossy fruit greatly enhances its ornamental value. So if our own plants start dropping leaves, what should we do? Let's take a look below.

What to Do When Calamondin Drops Leaves

1. Yellow leaves falling due to over-watering: normally, watering should not be too wet. Soil that is too wet easily accumulates water, causing root rot and yellow leaves dropping. It is best to water only after the soil has dried, following the principle of "don't water until dry," which benefits root growth and makes leaf drop less likely; otherwise the roots will struggle to grow.

2. Soil that is hard and compacted does not allow water to penetrate, so after watering the water cannot seep into the soil layer, causing most roots to be unable to absorb water and nutrients, resulting in leaves losing water and nutrients and showing yellowing and leaf drop. The best solution is to loosen the soil appropriately, which helps the soil become loose and breathable and improves drainage, benefiting root growth.

3. Potted plants grown indoors may develop yellow leaves and leaf drop due to insufficient light. It is best to place them in a sunny, well-ventilated spot indoors to aid photosynthesis and reduce leggy growth, yellow leaves and leaf drop. When you have time, it is best to move them outdoors to catch 2 hours of morning or evening sun to boost photosynthesis and increase exposure to outdoor sunlight.

4. Pests and diseases can easily cause leaves to drop. You can observe the leaves: if it is caused by insect pests, use insecticide to kill the pests; if it is caused by bacteria, use antibiotic medication to treat the disease.

5. Insufficient nutrients or excessive fertilization can also easily cause yellow leaves and leaf drop. Dig holes along the side and bury compound fertilizer and mineral additives according to the recommended amount; the amount should not be too large to prevent over-application.

How to Solve Calamondin Leaves Turning Yellow and Falling Off at a Touch

If it is drought, make sure to water once a week. If the cause is lack of sunlight, it is recommended to place it under a south-facing window in a sunny spot, or keep the lights on longer at night. Once leaves turn yellow, they will soon fall; I have encountered this situation, so take measures as soon as possible. The oranges on the plant can be left unpicked for now, but they must all be harvested before the end of the first lunar month after Spring Festival, otherwise it will affect the first flowering and fruiting.

Notes on Keeping Potted Calamondin at Home

1. The time for repotting potted calamondin should be in the first three months of the Gregorian calendar, around the lunar solar term “Awakening of Insects.” Before repotting, pick off the calamondin fruits, prune the tree into a spherical shape, keeping each side branch 5 to 7 cm long, and cut off overly dense or weak branches. In addition, about one third of the small roots should be cut off, without damaging the main roots; remove the old soil and keep the bowl roots.

2. Place base fertilizer into the pot, put the pruned plant back into the pot, then cover with fertile new pond mud and place it in a ventilated spot. Before the plant sprouts, do not expose it to long periods of sun, do not water too much, just keep it moist, and do not fertilize too much. When the calamondin tree sprouts new buds and the leaves increase, you can water a bit more and fertilize twice a month with dilute nitrogen fertilizer, or fermented human urine and peanut meal. If pests are found, prevent and control them promptly.

3. In mid-July, the calamondin gradually blooms, and the flowers should be well preserved. If it still has not bloomed by mid-August, remedial measures should be taken. Place the calamondin in a sunny spot to get more sun (at night, artificial light can be used as a supplement), and water less (wait until the leaves wrinkle before watering a little clear water), until some small white dots appear at the leaf axils; these are the flowers. Then resume normal care.

This plant is very common during Spring Festival, and its golden-yellow fruit is beautiful. From the above, everyone has also learned that although it is very beautiful, if it is not cared for properly it can also look unattractive, especially regarding pests and diseases. I wonder if everyone has already learned something about the pests and diseases of calamondin in the four seasons and their prevention and control measures.