I am so sad because a couple days (or nights) ago someone came up on my patio/porch and cut all the leaves and the limbs off of my Meyer Lemon Tree. Last year someone picked 19 of the ripe 22 lemons from the tree.

In July, I had a heart attack; and am still having problems with my heart rate dropping. My cardiologist said that I don't need to be "playing" in the yard air-layering and propagating my fruit trees. I brought them on the porch so I could cover them in the winter and water and look after them daily. I covered them because of the freezing temperatures; but a few days before Christmas, I haven't been covering them; because the temperatures weren't as extreme. The fruit trees are up against my sliding glass door with chairs in front of them. I also thought no one would come up on the patio/porch and pick my lemons. I had no idea someone would come up (right outside my glass door) and hack it up.

This morning I had opened the sliding glass door because the weather was nice and I wanted to get a breeze. A few hours ago; I was getting ready to close the door and noticed the top limb of my Calamondin tree was cut or broken out of the top of the tree and someone had placed it in one of the chairs (in front of the tree).

I am including pictures of (1) my Meyer Lemon a few days before someone hacked it up; (2) after someone removed the leaves and limbs (almost down to the soil); (3) the Calamondin Orange tree with the top cut out of it; and (4) the limb that was cut or broken off of the tree and placed in one of my chairs.

My questions:
(1) The Meyer Lemon Tree: Do you think if I repot the hacked up tree and also trim what's left of the limbs a little neater –that it will survive and again produce fruit –that is if no one messes with it again?

(2) The Calamondin Orange Tree: If I cut a little off of the bottom (where it was either cut or broken off); dip it in rooting hormone; and plant it in some good soil in a container –will it root?

I know "Nothing ventured; nothing gained." But I am a little disheartened right now. You know; if someone cut the limbs off of my tree to try and root them; if they asked; I would have gladly propagated one for them. I am very good with propagating and sharing my accomplishments.

Thanks for your feedback!!! Pat

Meyer Lemon before being hacked


Ater someone hacked it


Another view of the limbs severed off the tree


Orange tree (next to the lemon) before the top cut off


Where Limb of Orange tree was cut or broken off


The limb from the top of the orange tree that someone set in a chair on the porch.

I don't mean to alarm you, but I am more concerned for you than for the plant. Knowing someone is coming that close to your home and doing that kind of malicious damage is quite concerning. Am I missing something here?

It is time to set up a camera!

Will C. I live in an apartment complex -gated community; I have lived here almost 10 yearsl and have never been afraid before. I know that it is someone who lives here (or workmen, who are here occasionally here. There are people of different cultures; and it seems when someone new moves in; they don't understand that what is on your patio is your private property and not theirs for the taking. The maintenance person said he is putting out a letter tomorrow to let residents know if/when he finds out who is doing this; they will be dealt with harshly (????). I am not actually afraid for my safety; I just don't not being able to have something personal that I work hard with get destroyed.

Ursula, I have had a couple of friends say that I need to get a camera; but I am sort of resisting it; I hate to spend money on a camera to protect a lemon tree. There are cameras on the premises; but mainly pointed toward the parking lot and gates.

Will C. and Ursula, I am mainly concerned with not having pretty plants/trees; but maybe I should look into a camera or something. Maybe I am not as safe as I think I am. Thanks to both of you! Pat

Sound more like you've angered someone from the damage done. A camera may be a good idea. I live in a mobile home park where some neighbors feel if they can see it, they can take it...but they don't try to kill it.

It is doubtful that I angered someone. Our resident manager states that he thinks whoever hacked up the tree thinks that anything they want is theirs for the taking; and that it is public property (even though it is on my patio). Unless I go to the expense of purchasing and activating a camera; I may never know who decided to cut the limbs and why.

I probably shouldn't have gone into detail about what happened; what I actually am wondering is if and how I can salvage the Lemon tree and if I can root the limb from the orange tree. Thanks!

That's one of the bad things about living in a apartment complex. I can tell that the plant had been snipped by hand pruners by the bevel cuts. I would save the plant and see if it will resprout in the spring.

I am optimistic with your plants, I still see green on the branches, so there is still good potential. My calamondin did appear more dead looking when it was left outdoors during our long dry period a few years back. I did have to prune out the more dried out parts, so it may be similar to being hacked down a bit.

With stepped up watering since early Fall was still warm then, it promptly returned growing better and continued on finally with its new leaves when the cool Fall weather returned as well as the much needed rains.

This year we have installed outdoor cameras, more to monitor our pets that goes out several times a day and also as a layer of security. But ours is reliant on a strong wifi signal. That is something you may have to consider, whether you want a wired one, or something wireless. We found out there is a community of security camera owners around our area, so it is like a digital neighborhood watch. So to us it was a good decision to install one, makes us aware not only of our immediate area, but also on what is going on around.

Anywys, good luck on your plants, hope they recover more when Spring returns. No fertilizers for now, just let it do its slow recovery. Hopefully they are positioned by your sunniest area.

Don't repot. That is the worst thing you could do right now. Don't fertilize. Take the same care as you were. Your trees will recover.

Look into critter cams. They are motion activated and use a card similar to what's in your camera.

Thank you so much, Oneeyeluke, Tarev abd Daisy1! I appreciate each of your feedback.

Oneeyeluke; it makes total sense that the tree was cut with pruners. One of the residents told me they think it was a child. However, it wasn't. Maybe an adult did it for the cuttings to see what they could do about propagating it -or for some other reason. The little children around wouldn't because they are happy with me for making them cookies and popsicles (during the warm weather). I did ask two of them when they were riding their skate boards if they knew who cut the plants. Both said; "We didn't. Our Mother won't let us play with scissors or saws; and it would be bad to cut up your tree."

Tarev, thanks for the encouragement and helping me be optimistic that it will come back from this bad treatment. I will try to root the Calamondin limb that was cut off. So far nothing more has been done to it -just the Meyer Lemon. I will water it well and just treat it like a "baby/new" plant as I care for it; and look forward to hopefully having a recovered plant/tree. Maybe I will even out the hacked limbs???

Dasy1. I am so happy that you advised me not to re-pot my Meyer Lemon tree. I was going to do so. And I did know not to fertilize it now. I will look into the Critter Cams. Hopefully I can find an inexpensive one and that whoever loves to cut plants; take lemons , figs and pomegranates from my trees without asking (even though I have told everyone I will share; just ask -so that I can enjoy them also). Hopefully a camera will deter them -especially if the critter cam identifies the culprit(s).

Thank you all. I feel better now -not as hopeless that I have lost my favorite trees/plants.

Hi Pat to further encourage you, this is how bad my Calamondin was before:
August 2016


I did not disturb the root ball, just cut off some of the really brittle branches, and continued on as earlier mentioned already.


Then new growth came about slowly finally.
Oct 2016


Fully alive again this 2019

Oh Tarve. Just beautiful!!! I am so happy for you that your Calamondin Orange tree has recovered and looking so good. Your success is truly encouraging to me. I will follow suit with my Meyer Lemon.

With my Calamondin; I will try to root the part someone cut off of the top of the tree. Have you ever propagated a limb from your Calamondin? And have you had oranges on it yet? Mine is from planting seeds -a seed; and hasn't had any fruit yet. It is about 3 years old.

I have had great success with my Meyer Lemon tree producing delicious lemon. Thank you so much!

Yes I was able to harvest fruits in Spring of 2016, that was why I really felt bad when it appeared so dead by summer of the same year.

I acquired mine already as a young plant, but it did not make flowers and fruits on the first year. Following year, it then managed the flowers but still no fruits afterwards, and on the third year, the flowers then the fruits.

Good luck on your plant! I hope it manages to make a good comeback!