Here’s my Midknight Valencia Orange in a sorry state. It was not happy in a 24" box for 2 years, and did not appreciated being transplanted into the ground last year either. Now it’s pushing out new leaves and flower buds but still has quite a ways to go in branch pruning, training, fruit set thinning, etc. But I really like this Valencia cultivar so it will probably be worth the effort 
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Citrus are such resilient plants. I’m sure it will snap right back. Midknight Valencia is the best of the regular Valencias, I agree. Speaking of Valencias, I need to check my Smith Red Valencia. I haven’t gotten up the slope to check in a few weeks. I may have myself some nice blood orange juice tomorrow morning. 
I got tired of watching 4 of my citrus slowly die right next to 4 other citrus going gangbusters. So yesterday I chopped them down and today I started digging out the holes to a depth of 32 inches. After I get all the presumably tainted soil off the property I’ll try again.
What led you to that conclusion?
So far it’s just speculation, based on the thriving health of the plants to the east and west of them. Perhaps there was a fuel spill during the renovation and grading three years ago, I don’t know.
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So I’ve dug down 32 inches through 7 alternating layers of soils – mostly clays – some of them impervious to water and found … a water logged layer!
Do you think you can reach the DG below the last of the gray clay layers? I’d want to get thru all the gray clay, remove it with a back hoe, or mix it with DG.
Looks like the soil in my entire backyard.
Yes, I believe I have.
Boy that is ugly looking soil. I think if I lived in Eden and could afford it I’d have all that hauled away down to DG and bring in good soil. But if you can get it to drain it will work.
The percolation test will tell you what you need to know.
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If it doesn’t drain away, maybe build a koi pond? 
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If the soil drains so poorly there how come your other trees are thriving? Could it be different soil at that depth?
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Maybe build a raised bed for that location. Easier and cheaper than hauling/overhauling the existing soil.
Looking at old topo maps from the USGS, once (1936) there was the beginnings of a shallow gully there, opening to the east. So I’m disappointed but not surprised to find 7+ layers of fill.
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I love your foreman. Keeping an eye on things!
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Too small.
Dropped two inches, from 8" to 6".
Two inches in a day? That’s not very good. My soil with a hole like that would be closer to 2 inches per hr.
It is better than nothing but it sounds like there are more layers of clay down below.
I agree. Something nasty going on here. I’m considering using an 8" auger.
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