Dasha, keep on those darn mites and you'll rid them. The problem is they multiply too da** fast. They're worse than rabbits..LOL. I've never dwelt w/LM's so really can't advise you of this problem..I'd be pi$$ed as can be buying the tree only to find these problems. I don't know much about LM's but of what I read on this forum, there really isn't a way to rid them..Maybe someone has more experience on the LM problem and can help.. If they sell an insecticide for tomoatoes then I'd try using on citrus..But please wait for other opinions before doing so. I know they're contageous to other citrus but I don't know if they go after other tropicals. That's a darned good question. Hope someone has an answer..Toni

Looks like spider mites; you won't see them without a good magnifying glass. A good wash outside or in the shower will go a long way to getting rid of them. My advice... lose the fertilizer spikes and replace with a good soluble citrus fertilizer applied 3-4 times per year according to the label. Your tree looks to be a little underfed; and unhealthy trees are more susceptible to spider mites. I would also get a good foliar fert. and give your tree an application of that about every 15 days; I like Bayer Bayfolan Forte; lots of container growers here use Foliage Pro... there are others. Your tree looks a bit leggy; I am guessing it gets less light than it would like.

well of course they are safe to eat. will they be as good as an undamaged lemon probably not. if it was just a scuff i would say leave it on but it look little deeper than that. so scuffed i would leave on cut or badly dented up take off. Here is a link that might be useful: TheItalian Garden

It looks like a very nice healthy tree other than the leaves are missing. The twigs are green and therefore are producing food for the tree, I would not move it. You can use earth drill on a standard 110 drill and drill a couple of feed down about a foot away from the trunk and farther and fill these hole with compos and mulch around the tree out 4 foot radius to within 6 inches of the trunk. This should propagate and explosion of earth worms and they will do the digging for you. Meyer lemons need a lot of feed. about 1.5 times what other citrus need. Once the roots get established in the clay she should do fine. My guess to dry and very hungry. Water and feed an compost and mulch then give it some time.