The exotic calamondin trumps other citrus plants with an undemanding care that does not put any obstacles in the way even for beginners among citrus gardeners. If the evergreen Citrus mitis sheds its leaves, there are usually 3 reasons for this. You can find out what they are and how to fix the problem here.
If the location is too dark, the calamondin loses leaves
Cause #1: Lack of light
Your calamondin is a sun worshiper. As long as it can catch the sun's rays on the balcony in the garden throughout the summer, the leaves will remain in place. Under the influence of reduced light conditions in winter, the evergreen citrus plant sheds its leaves to protect itself.
Leaf fall occurs primarily when there is no south-facing window or bright conservatory available as a location for hibernation. As soon as the light conditions improve in spring, the ornamental tree puts on its foliage again.
Cause #2: waterlogging
Does your calamondin stay in the bright location and still lose its leaves? Then subject the root ball to a close inspection. Although evaporation in living spaces continues in winter, the need for watering is significantly reduced compared to summertime. Waterlogging occurs where the water supply is not modified accordingly. The roots soften and no longer transport water to the leaves, which causes them to fall off. How to act correctly:
- Unpot the soaked root ball
- Remove the substrate completely
- Cut off rotten roots
Pot the calamondin in fresh citrus soil. The addition of coconut fibers, fine grit (€46.95) or sand improves permeability. From now on, we recommend using a simple moisture meter to determine the actual water requirement.
Cause #3: Ball dryness
If the water supply is reduced too much in the winter quarters, the balls will dry out. As the most important survival strategy in drought stress, a calamondin sheds its leaves. If you can identify this cause as the trigger for the problem, a water bath will solve the problem. Immerse the dried-out root ball in lime-free water until no more air bubbles rise.
tips
If you can identify a lack of light as the cause of the leaf loss, please do not cut back the leafless branches prematurely. As soon as your calamondin can enjoy the sun again in spring and summer, the leaves will sprout.