How to Cure Wilted Orange Plants

Small varieties of orange trees, like mandarins, are well suited to container life. Orange trees are attractive and have sweet-smelling flowers and delicious fruit. Container trees do need extra care, and you'll need to monitor your orange tree for signs of stress due to over watering or under watering. According to the University of Connecticut, improper watering is one of the most common problems facing container-grown plants. Wilt is a common sign of both over watering and under watering.

Things You'll Need

• Clean shears or scissors
• Water
• Bleach
• New potting soil
• Tub or large bucket

Instructions

Too Much Water

1. Lift your orange tree out of its container, and look at the roots. If all or most of the roots are brown and mushy, discard the plant. You won't be able to save it. If only a few roots are brown and mushy, trim them back to healthy tissue with clean scissors or pruning shears. Leave as much root intact as possible.

2. Sterilize the container with a mixture of one part bleach to nine parts water, then rinse the container thoroughly with water.

3. Repot your orange tree in new potting soil. The old soil may contain root rot fungus and should be discarded.

4. Water only when the top inch of potting soil is dry. When you water, make sure the soil is moist from top to bottom, then pour out any water left in the drainage dish.

Too Little Water

1. Touch the soil with your fingers. If it is dry and crusty or is dry and separating from the sides of the pot, your orange tree is wilting because it is too dry.

2. Fill a sink, tub or large bucket with room-temperature water.

3. Submerge the entire pot into the water until you see air bubbles coming from the soil. Then, take the pot out of the water.

4. Allow the soil to drain thoroughly before you return the pot to its usual spot.

5. Water again when the top inch of soil is dry, and use this measurement as a guide for all subsequent watering.

Tips & Warnings

• Prior to repotting your tree, you can reduce the amount and frequency of watering to see if symptoms improve. If they do, water your orange tree only when the top inch of potting soil is dry.

• If you suspect poor drainage is causing root rot, buy a new container with better drainage instead of cleaning and reusing your old one.

References

• Aggie Horticulture: Growing Citrus in Patio Containers
• Colorado State University Extension; Guidelines for Watering Indoor Plants; Sheri Hunter
• University of Minnesota Extension Service; Root Rot of Houseplants; Jill Pokorny; February 2000
• University of Connecticut; Watering Houseplants; Dawn Pettinelli