Orange trees and Palm trees!

 About 4 years ago, I took out a couple of large palm trees in front of
my house.  I also had them stumped out fairly deeply.  However, the
palms leave a really fibrous mulch in the soil when they grind the
stumps.  I planted a new Orange tree fairly close to where one of the
Palm trees was.  I removed a great deal of the old Palm mulch, and I
added sand, and top soil to the hole, to try to create an environment
the new Orange tree would like.  However, the tree struggled and died
after a couple of years.  The leaves almost appeared as if it was being
burned by something.  I am fairly certain I did not over fertilize.

I replaced it with another Orange tree in the very same hole. . .And,
this is it's second year.  It has had a very rough beginning, but does
seem to have a number of new green leaves, but has shed an unbelievable
amount of the existing leaves.

My question is: Is there something about the old Palm tree in the soil
that could be toxic to Orange trees?

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com

 
Hiya Myrl,

I'm thinking the roots on the orange tree should be growing
down as well as out, but initially down at first. Were the old
roots of the palm taking out and mulched up?

Have you tried spreading some mulch around the tree as
well, throwing in some banana peels and perhaps coffee
grounds from the coffee pot twice a year? <g> How about
that for fertalizer? I mulch in the small area around the orange
tree here with jacoranda needles that fall of the jacoranda
tree (did I spell that right?). Works great for the orange tree
here.

Anyways, I'm thinking that perhaps the roots of the palm
might still exist and in effect suffocate the orange tree if
the tree can't grow through them or around them.

How's the weather there in California? We're going through
a drought right at the moment in Tampa, Florida and water
restrictions are going into effect and new record setting low
temps are being set at night for this time of the year. Really
odd weather... no rain in April. Maybe we'll get something
in June.

Jim Carlock
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 Jim-
Thanks so much for the mulch suggestions.  I've been trying to keep the
condition of the soil good.  But, I've never heard about the coffee
grounds/banana peel trick!  I WILL try that for certain.

Here in California, we've had a lot of rain this year - unlike Florida!
 A lot of our plants, and trees are acting a bit confused.  This is the
first month, we have actually felt like Springtime.

Thanks once again. . .

Myrl Jeffcoat
http://www.myrljeffcoat.com