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Problems with my 20 year old pink grapefruit tree

16 years ago

I posted this on the Florida forum but got no response. I guess a lot people lost their citrus during the citrus canker problem.

My 20 year old pink grapefruit has what I think is a ganoderma at it's base. It also has cobwebby things on some branches. Please tell me what to do with these problems. Obviously I don't want to use anything too poisonous because we eat the grapefruit. The grapefruit that are on it now look good for this stage of development so I'm hoping that maybe the problems are minor. Thanks in advance.

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Comments (2)

birdsnblooms
16 years ago
Barb...how tall is your tree?
Why do you think your citrus has Ganoderma? Check out www.wikipedia.com ...see if whatever is on your tree resembles those on wiki..They look like snails to me, but guess they're mushrooms..
You mentioned webbs..are leaves discoloring? Do you know what spider mite webbs look like?
If your tree is of managable size, you can spray w/common around the house products such as dishsoap, citrus rind and garlic..Nothing toxic..I don't blame you for not spraying poisons on something you plan on eating..I wouldn't either.
Sorry I can't be of more help, Barb, please check wikipedia. Compare..
The mites aren't too bad to rid..unless your tree is huge, over 20 tall, then spraying is difficult..Toni
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
I'd not assume that you have spider mites without a better description or a photograph. 'Cobwebby things' might not be a severe mite infestation.

The ganoderma issue is kind of scary, isn't it? Is it fruiting (you can see the conk) right now, whatever it is? If so, perhaps you can get a good picture and take it to your local extension office for proper identification. Those fruiting bodies need to be removed, anyway, so that they don't send a billion spores off in the wind. There's nothing you can do, if it's ganoderma or any other wood infesting fungus. By the time the pathogen has progressed to this point, it has solidly infected the host.
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