The reason leaves on kumquat trees are falling might be due to the amount of water or sunlight it gets. In some cases, it might be due to a temperature or transfer shock.
Why Are Kumquat Leaves Falling
When we first got this baby on Feb 17, it was green and strong.
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After some days of full sunlight, the kumquat tree produced two lovely white flowers. They smelled very sweet.
Due to a recent relocation, we're currently growing this sweet guy indoors without sufficient sunlight. Although we do water it, the leaves have started to fall non-stop:
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From our observation, the leaves tend to fall in the evening or later in the day.
Let's now see why this might be happening.
3 Reasons for Kumquat Leaves Falling
1. Insufficient Sunlight
Without enough sunlight, the plant might think that the colder season is approaching. This triggers them to go into dormancy.
When there is sunlight, there are leaves to do photosynthesis. When there is no sunlight, there is no point in wasting extra energy for leaves creation. So it may be why their leaves could be dropping.
The baby is now going to sleep. To wake it up, one way is to give it more sunlight and warmth.
2. Too Much Water
A second possible reason is too much water and not enough drainage. Kumquat trees, like their citrus cousins, don't like standing water especially if you're growing them in pots.
With too much water, the roots might become rotted. They then lose their power to process the nutrients. When the roots have become too tired, they may stop working.
When they stop working, nutrients don't get up to the leaves. The tree then start self-healing by dropping the leaves so it can rescue the roots. We can imagine the whole factory is put on pause at this point.
To save it if this is the case, check the water amount you're giving your baby. Cut back if needed. Make sure to use well-draining medium so excess water flow out easily.
3. Relocation Shock
As with our kumquat tree, the relocation has obviously given it some shock. If your tree is strong, it will take some time to bounce back.
Similar cases can happen during season changes like from fall to winter. When it's winter, it's definitely a good idea to keep your kumquat indoors to keep it warm & frost-protected.
We've got some sad news to tell ya. Unfortunately, we had to let this baby go. It was too weak. But, we will try again. Rest in peace kumquat tree & we're heading off to a fresh start.
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