Plant guide:🍋 Lemon Tree
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Roots

Root Rot in Lemon Tree

Commonly affects: Citrus limon (Lemon Tree)

The tree wilts or yellows despite adequate watering, and roots appear brown, mushy, or hollow when checked, often in poorly-draining containers.

Potential Causes

  1. 1Overwatering combined with poorly-draining soil or a container without adequate drainage
  2. 2A pot too large for the tree's current root system, holding excess moisture
  3. 3Standing water in a saucer beneath the pot keeping roots constantly wet

Solution Steps

  1. 1Remove the tree from its pot and trim away all rotten roots with a sterilised blade
  2. 2Repot into fresh, well-draining citrus-specific potting mix
  3. 3Ensure the pot has adequate drainage holes and empty standing water from saucers promptly
  4. 4Reduce watering frequency going forward, letting the topsoil dry slightly between waterings

Prevention Tip

Citrus roots need good aeration as much as consistent moisture — a citrus-specific fast-draining mix prevents most root rot in container-grown lemon trees.

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