I just learned how to insert an image. Here is a picture of my sap problem

and here is an image of the citrus tree (from a Stop&Shop ruby red grape fruit seed)

Most likely is scale insect.
They are usually small, brown and stationary - well-hidden on the stem or by the central vein on the underside of leaves. They can be up to six inches or so from where the sugary deposits end up.
Try searching again!

Ciitrange, I don't see Scale on foliage or stems. Do you? I tried expanding pics, without luck.

Diekle..you didn't name Spider Mites. Mites are very tiny, very hard to spot. Mites weave fine webbing..finer than a house spider webb.

Just so we can eliminate the possibility of scale insects, can you take a couple of pictures of the stems...close-up, if you don't mind.

Are these droplets sticky? I'd ask you if they were sweet, but you'd have to taste it and so far, I've NEVER been able to get anyone to do that! You could be the first, though. Report back to us.

Honey dew can also be dropped from above, which is why our vehicles and lawn furniture get all nasty when located under the canopy of a nice tree.

When was the last time you fertilized?

Thanks for all your responses. Here first some answers to your questions:
.. there are definitely no spider mites
.. sap starts out in tiny droplets, at what appear to be pores
.. not as frequently, droplets also appear on underside of leaves
.. sap quickly collects into larger drops
.. sap is complete clear, very sticky, tastes slightly sweet, no other detectable flavor
.. sap is locally produced, i.e. even on top leaves with nothing else above, and does drop to surfaces below
.. sap droplets also appear on stems, see picture (brown spots on stem appear to be specs of forming bark)
.. I fertilize about every other week with week Peters solution
.. sap issues have been with me for years and I have had scale which I spray with alcohol spray (1/4 rubbing alcohol to 1 qt water and a little soap as spreader)

So this is my story - I think the leaves exude the sap through pores, but I have never read anything like this in the blogs. Someone suggested to me a chemical imbalance in the plants which they try to get rid of? Any thoughts?

{{gwi:556916}}

Just as I suggested, you have scale insects. They may be small, but there are plenty of them!
You really do need to post your picture at higher resolution, but I have tried to enlarge a section from it, and adjust it as much as possible.
{{gwi:556913}}
I think you can now see all those brown spots all along the stem. They are the scale insects and the source of your sap deposits.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:556913}}

As I mentioned in my prior answer, the twig I displayed had no insects and I mentioned that the brown spots were some kind of woody scab forming on the twig - and these scabs are actually all over the soft green twig and even on some leave stems and appear to be part of the green twig becoming woody. Thanks for magnifying my earlier photo, but the brown spots are NOT scales. I am attaching another photo which shows more clearly the woody scabs. Thus I am still unsure why I have all this sap. Right now I am washing it off with warm water as soon as it appears and it reforms in a couple of days, starting with tiny little beads at what appear to be the pores of the leaves.
I appreciate your help and am still looking for some other explanation than scale.

Just another image of the scab, not scale, on a twig. I suspect the little black dots are mold, which I have had all over the plants because of the sap and which I have also been washing off more diligently.

Hi, I just cleaned my Meyer Lemon tree by hand after spraying with Neem oil that didn't seem to help. I used an old toothbrush and water to scrub them off and I cleaned the leaves with a sponge so if there are any I missed I can use the sticky leaves to help locate them. Here is a video I made of what they look like.

Here is a link that might be useful: Video of scale on a Meyer Lemon tree

Thanks for posting your video. If I may make one remark...there are several different species of scale insects that can be found on citrus. Your video made it sound like yours was the only kind to look out for. That might be misleading for people who are not familiar with this particular pest. Do you see what I mean?

Did you make some progress with scale removal?

Hi, Thanks, I read real quickly that there are soft and hard shelled varieties but didn't know there were several. I could add something to the description but I don't know if anyone reads that. Can you have an infestation of several varieties? How do they transfer from one plant to another? Do they fly or are carried by other pests? I'm just using a brush, sponge and fingernail to get at them. At least try to keep them in check until summer.

Hello. Sorry I do not know how old this thread is . I don't see the year they were posted.

So I have a fairly new meyer lemon tree I got from Horrocks in Grand Rapids MI. Its been about 3 weeks. I noticed the other day some sap or sticky film on 2--3 leaves at the top end. I examined area around but did not see any scales but they are probably there if its caused by scale. I also got a Calamindine at the same time but looks ok. I also have a Kafir lime tree I've had since summer and is fine.

I have kept the other 2 citrus away from the ML just in case.

I have read several posts about remedies like using neem or horticultural oil and soap solution. Any thoughts?

This thread is about 2 years old...last post Feb 9, 12 at 14:49.
Older threads/post have been resurrected before...so No problem!

If you think you have bugs you can use any of the ones you've asked about...just make sure you spray either very early morning or late afternoon/early evening if you're going to spray the leaves if the plants are in Full sun or you can sunburn the leaves...of course I'm in Fl and its 82 degrees right now...but its better safe than sorry. Or you can spray it and put it in a shaded area for a day or so...Good luck!!

Hi puglvr, I jsut saw your response. Thanks (I don't know why I am not getting an email alert with any of the threads I am in).

I don't recall anymore but the problem with my ML has disappeared. They are still by the south side of the house getting sun (if there is any).

Getting blotches of sticky stuff on my kaffir lime this time. But based on my experience with my meyer lemon I think I will leave it be.

I did have those little brown scales. If you can get a closeup you will see that they are bugs. I spayed my indoor plant with rubbing alcohol and put a couple of alcohol cotton balls on the soil. Maybe by dumb luck. They all disapeared. Lucky me. The plant is thriving.

dee42942

Thank you

Dee

you can wipe the scale off with rubbing alcohol if you have that much time. Or just spray with hort. oil or neem oil. its safe to eat the fruit still.

You don't need to treat the soil. Just do as jaydub suggests.