Protecting new citrus leaves from drying out

[ameno]

I had this problem last year when I put my citrus outside. The new, soft growth started going limp, and within a couple of days drying out and going crispy. It definitely wasn't cold damage (not nearly cold enough), so I have to assume that they desiccated, either from too much direct sun or drying winds.
It's getting about time I need to put my citrus out again (I need the space in my conservatory for other plants, and if a frost is forecast I can just bring them in for the night), and I don't want it to happen again.
I've already put my big seed-grown citrus out (as a sort of test, as it's the most expendable) and covered it with fleece in an attempt to reduce the amount of direct sunlight and wind it is exposed to and allow it to slowly get used to being outside, but the new growth is already wilting slightly (it has plenty of water), so does anyone have any other suggestions to protect the new growth from desiccation?

[burnie]

As citrus tend to grow in a lot hotter climates than we get, I'm not sure your problem is desiccation from outside, is it perhaps temperature shock? Can you do the move in stages, a bit at a time, can you make a cold frame round the plants?

[Plot70]

I would be tempted to keep them cool in winter to stop them producing new leaves until it is warm enough for them to go out and then water them and let them grow new leaves out side.
New shoots are too tender for this time of year.

[ameno]

I decided to spray my fleece-covered citrus with water yesterday, to increase the relative humidity around it, and it seems to have worked. The wilting has stopped. I'll keep an eye on it for the next few days, and keep spraying it daily.

As citrus tend to grow in a lot hotter climates than we get, I'm not sure your problem is desiccation from outside, is it perhaps temperature shock? Can you do the move in stages, a bit at a time, can you make a cold frame round the plants?

It's definitely desiccation.
Temperature shock causes different symptoms - yellowing in mature leaves and blackening in new leaves - whereas this causes the fresh new leaves to shrivel up and go crispy while still green. Plus it's no colder outside now than they have been experiencing in my conservatory just a few weeks ago.
I don't think it's about the heat, but rather drying winds and a sudden change in humidity, combined with direct sunlight. Indoors, they are in still air and the humidity is fairly high, and they probably don't get as much light as they should (the conservatory roof is quite yellowed) That means the new grow growth (which is more tender and prone to drying out anyway, since it lacks the waxy cuticle which mature leaves have) grows adapted to that, and when I suddenly put them outside where the humidity is lower and there's usually some wind, plus direct sunlight, the leaves lose all their water before they can adapt (by closing up their pores, presumably) to the dryer, moving air.
Also, last year I didn't put them out until mid April (when we were having that spring heatwave, so it definitely wasn't too cold for them) and I got the same symptoms, and the plant worst affected was the one I had placed on top of my coal shed roof, which is sunnier and more exposed to winds.

I would be tempted to keep them cool in winter to stop them producing new leaves until it is warm enough for them to go out and then water them and let them grow new leaves out side.
New shoots are too tender for this time of year.

They are cool in the winter, at least during the night. But the conservatory gets fairly warm on a sunny day. And they started growing back in early February (my seed-grown citrus has 4-6 inches of new growth already). I think they grow more in response to day length than temperature, as it definitely wasn't warm out there in February.

[burnie]

Probably one of the reasons why no one is successfully growing Citrus fruits outside in the UK, even in the south west it's not a Mediterranean climate.

[ameno]

Probably one of the reasons why no one is successfully growing Citrus fruits outside in the UK, even in the south west it's not a Mediterranean climate.

Funnily enough, my goal is just that.
Once my yuzu grows large enough, I plan to plant it out. Yuzu areone of the hardiest of citrus fruits, and can withstand brief periods down to -9 (some sources say lower still). It very rarely goes below -4 where I am.

I also have a trifoliate orange which stays outside year round, but that's cheating as it's not a true citrus and it is deciduous (mature plants are hardy to -20). Mine hasn't fruited yet, but it's growing well.
The yuzu is on trifoliate orange rootstock, too, so that should mean it's roots should have no trouble surviving the winter.

[Plot70]

My citrus are staying in the lean too until the nights are warmer. I am not going to let the warm spell get me complacent.
I lost a 6 inch high pink grapefruit in an unheated green house over winter.
There is frost on the way next week.

[NannyGreen]

Mine are staying in the greenhouse until the weather improves enough for my daughter to agree to tea in the garden, then she can help Near finished me off putting them in last year.