Why my Li Jujube leaves are turning yellow - Pls Help!

Hello,

I purchased a dormant good size Li Jujube tree early this year (see below) and planted it in the ground in late April. In spring, it had a flush of green growth all over the tree that followed by tons of flowers on the tree around May. All flowers dropped gradually within a month or 2.

There has been no new growth since the first new flush of growth in spring. Since the past month, the leaves have started turning yellow. After the last water feeding (fed 1G solution mixture of silica + DE + Fish emulsion) about a week ago, close to half of the leaves on the tree have turned yellow.

I am not sure what I am doing wrong. I am deep watering the tree almost every 13-15 days. Could you help figure out why leaves have been turning yellow?

Thanks.

i actually have that happen to some my potted jujus . They look like the specimen you posted. It seems to be some reaction to something or some things that i couldn’t yet identify. Trees may also drop many of their flowers and sometimes even full-sized fruits, and not just lose some of their leaves. The symptoms tend to be transient. Will resolve spontaneously just as they spontaneously appeared, and either way–without me knowing why…

will take photos when get the chance.

Thanks. In general, what could be causing the yellow leaves in Jujus? How frequent watering young Jujus in the ground need? Lastly, what fertilizer regiment should I use for the young Jujus in the ground? Trying to narrow down the problem.

Where are you located? A little balanced fertilizer won’t hurt. A soil test might reveal something. Where did you get your tree from, and was it bare root or potted?

I am in Zone 9b, the bay area, NorCal. The tree was bought bare root (about 5’ tall, almost 3/4"-1" diameter at the base) in January from the box box store (HD, came from Dave Wilson nursery). Paid a relatively good chunk of $$s for it too.

Could some Jujube expert please share their fertilizer and watering regiment for a 1-3 years old Jujube tree in the ground? Thanks.

Dave Wilson has good trees. Looks like you didn’t trim it back when planting? It may need water, bare roots are a little sensitive the first year. Summer in Dallas I give new trees water twice a week, but you can check soil moisture and see. I’d try a cup of 10-10-10, but not everyone agrees with me. A soil test would tell you a lot, in case you have a weird ph, or are missing some obscure mineral. Jujubees overall aren’t very picky about soil etc.

I have been growing jujubes for a very long time and have never seen yellow leaves like that. I assume it was caused by the fertilizer regimen you gave it.

I recently brought a LI from edible landscaping similar in size to yours. I just dug a hole and plant it. It’s doing really well, I’ve never fertilized it. I don’t even water it. Check this video out, preseter Roger Meyer, real expert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdKmgNuv2l8
or search for " How to Grow Jujubes - Jujube Basics from Cultivation to Varieties"

@Bhawkins I did not trim it back when planting (does it need it)? I deep water every 2 weeks and the soil gets about 2-3 hours of direct sun and the tree gets about 4-6 hours of direct sun. So, I believe the lack of moisture is most likely not the problem. We have clay soil. Based on various comments, I think I have vague idea what I am doing wrong (see my response to castanea). Thanks.

@castanea, I tent agree with you. I am narrowing down more and more to my possibly strong regiment of fertilizer and probably overwatering may be the root causes. All summer long, on and off during watering, I have been feeding moderate doze of organic (e.g. Fish Emulsion, Epsom Salt, Azomite) and inorganic (Ozmocote, MG All Purpose) ferts. Reading on internet and here, it seems like Jujube hates [regular] fertilizer regiment. Probably too harsh statement.

Right next to it (7’ away) is my 3’ tall 1 yr old Gerardi tree gets the same fert doze&watering at the same times and it loves it every time.

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Thanks for the video! I will check it out. What zone are you in, @giants11596? It’d be great if you could share few photos of your Jujube tree for the comparison!

I had maybe 6 shoots when I received it.

I will upload pics in the morning. i’m in 7A.

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Jujubes are very efficient at using minimal nutrients. I have been growing them for at least 25 years and only fertilize if I see a problem. I think they actually do hate being fertilized.

we don’t fertilize jujubes here either(las vegas). They do get lots of compost/mulch.

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below are our jujus with random/localized foliage that seem to undergo early autumn, one of which involve fruit loss. The rest of the foliage are ok though, and the specimens seem healthy otherwise

below is supposedly a self-rooted ga-866 which also lost a big fat fruit.

below is sihong lateral on its own roots. Its earlier leaves on the lateral started yellowing, but not before it bolted with a healthy upright(on the right)

below is vegas lucky which will feature at another thread. It is a seedling from sihong seed which just started producing this year. It yellowed out some leaves but otherwise healthy with no fruit drop.

and below is vegas kinky, another seedling that is having the same random ‘autumn symptoms’ but otherwise healthy on newer growth

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I am surprised your trees do so well. Vegas is such a difficult place to grow things that it’s a miracle anything survives.

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Wow, that’s a beautiful tree. It looks pretty tall for its caliper size. I plan to keep mine no taller than 7’ when mature.

Are these photos with bloom recent? I thought the Jujube flowers bloom only in early spring (Mar/April).

Nice collection of various varieties, @jujubemulberry! They look great other than the “autumn symptoms” which look very similar to the symptom of my Li. Were you able to figure out what causes the random leaf yellowing/fruit drop in your tree(s)?

i don’t know what is causing it. What i do know is that every time it happens-- that it will resolve as spontaneously as it appeared-- and both without me knowing why, haha
hopefully yours would follow the same course