Help! How can I rescue my Kumquat?

Afternoon all,

I recently bought a great Kumquat tree which was full of ornamental fruit. It's about 2-3 foot tall and came from Aldi, one of their special promos.

I popped it in the conservatory... and didn't really water it, because I'd read the label telling me to avoid overwatering, and I'd read a website saying leave citrus to dry out then give them a big slosh of water.

So it's been here a few weeks (3? 4?) then the last few days, the Kumquats have started dropping off. Today, a large number of seemingly healthy leaves have dropped off- I say healthy, because I just noticed some that had gone brown and curled up, but these ones aren't falling off, only the healthy-looking green ones. I just brushed my hand across it- and about 30 leaves fell off. Yikes.

The last few days I've given it some water- about a pint two days ago, and about 2 pints today.

Are the leaves and fruit falling off because I left it too dry? Or could the conservatory be too hot, but the water fine? And why would the healthy looking leaves fall off, but the wrinkled ones not?

Please help, any advice! I just want to rescue it!

Thanks in advance

 

Lot of if and buts, its always difficult to say why a particular plant might not be doing very well, so we can only generalise.
I see Kumquat as a slightly hardy citrus, and I've always found citrus tricky over the winter months, too wet, too dry, too cold, too warm.

I do think you might have let it get too dry, some moisture at the roots is required during winter, especially if the plant is in warm conditions.

I'm guessing the dry dead leaves that are still attached are on stems that have died back, the green ones that are falling off are being shed by live wood, so hopefully as the days get longer things might start to look better.

 

Thanks Pete. I've been watering it a lot more and it seems to be coming around.

I guess I must have been starving the poor thing! Especially as it's so bright and hot in this conservatory.

Thanks again