Need help with my Rio Red Grapefruit container tree...dropping leaves...?

Question

I bought a Rio Red Grapefruit tree, and it arrived 4 days ago. It is meant to be a container tree, it is about 3 ft tall right now. When it arrived, the casing on the dirt had broken and the roots were exposed. I scooped the dirt back in (no tamping), and watered well (only one time). The tree still looks healthy (leaves are firm and green), but it has dropped about 2/3 of its leaves.

The tree is located inside (it is COLD here...winter) in front of a south facing floor to ceiling window (couldn't possibly get more sun), the temperature is a steady 70 degrees, and there are no cold drafts on it. Nobody has been touching the tree either. The instructions that came with the tree say to leave it in its current pot for 6 months.

I have tried to contact the nursery I bought it from, but they are out of the office for the next few days. Help!! Is my new tree dying? Is there anything I can do for it? It is dropping leaves because the roots were exposed for so long during shipping?

Answer 1

There are three things that can cause your tree to drop it's leaves. Too much water, being in a draft and getting used to a drastically different environment. It seems in your case one and two are not the problem. It's possible during shipping the plant was exposed to very cold temperatures. Or, if not that, the environment of the nursery greenhouses may have been more humid or warmer or some difference. The plant should adjust after a short period of time and get new leaves. The root system should still be OK--just don't overwater trying to "force" new leaves. And keep it in filtered light until it gets new leaves.