Lemon tree problems
Sara G
8 years ago
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Sara G
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Lemon Tree Problem - Help!
Comments (11)Those little eggs on a stalk--Are they tiny and white on a white stalk? They may be lacewing eggs and often I see those near places there are pests. The lacewing lays the eggs in places like that so the babies will be close to their "prey". The babies are very fierce and they eat all kinds of pests. The reason the eggs are up on stalks is so the first to hatch won't eat the rest of the eggs. The larvae will attach all sorts of debris to their backs to camouflage themselves and will look like little bumps of lichen. Then, they trundle around looking to eat things, but they don't eat the leaves. I've had them fight with me when I've used a blade of grass to try and herd them toward an aphid. One of the was on the rim of a pot I had to move and I prodded it off the pot and onto a fig leaf, but it lost its footing and tumbled when it landed on the leaf, leaving a part of its camouflage stuck to the hairs on the fig leaf. It was stuck upside down with its little legs waving in the air, so I used the grass to turn it over. It then trundled away. I herded it back to it's debris that it had lost and when it came to the pile, it started picking the stuff up and putting it back onto its back. It was so cute to see. When it was satisfied it had put it all back on board, it walked off. The reason I used a blade of grass is they will give you quite a nip if you touch them. One of them bit me on the leg and it actually hurt. I smacked it thinking it was a spider, or mosquito biting me and too late saw it was a lacewing baby. The picture of the egg is too small for me to tell if it is lacewing, but it looks like it. Good luck with your lemon tree, Vivian...See MoreLemon Tree Problem
Comments (9)Okay, all excellent advice from both cayden and always from Jean. Additional suggestions: You need to drop crotch prune your tree, as it's getting just too tall. Lemons are notorious for sending up these vigorous water sprouts, so take the tree down in height using drop crotch pruning. If you don't know how to do this, see if you can find a GOOD tree pruning specialist who knows how to do this correctly. Your tree's root system is going to be challenged due to all that concrete, so keep the size of your tree down. Plus, it makes it safer to pick your fruit. Next, you must minimize the pool splash. That chlorinated water is bad news for the roots. Get to a good quality garden center and buy a high quality citrus fertilizer (I would suggest GroMore Citrus & Avocado Food) and apply once a month until you see your tree starting to respond with new flush. Don't be surprised if you see the older leaves drop, that's fine, just look for new flush. Once you see new flush, you'll be able to cut back to fertilizing once every other month. Use at least the amount recommended for the size of your tree. Lemons are heavier feeders than other citrus due to their prolific fruiting tendencies. Treat for ants to keep out aphids. You can remove aphids if you see them in the spring on the tender new growth by hosing the tree off with a hard blast of water. We talk about CLM constantly on this list, so just search for CLM or Citrus Leafminer on this forum. I think I've posted about 6 times in the last week, so not worth re-posting the same info :-) Besides, too late to treat from CLM at this time, you're seeing the aftermath and not an active infestation. And frankly, I don't even treat my mature trees, and it really is more cosmetic with an older tree. Don't worry about whiteflies, I've never seen them bother citrus. Lastly, I'd get 2 to 4 bags of high quality compost, and mulch your poor tree, then top with some back to help retain moisture. Your tree needs nutrients. Composting every season will help with any soil pH issues, which really isn't an issue here for us in S. California. Our trees do just fine without an pH adjustments, as our soil pH isn't that high. However, that being said, your soil pH can get higher next to the foundation of your house, from lime leaching out from the concrete. I also see some snail damage, so put down some Sluggo around the base of the tree (safe for kids and pets, fatal for snails and slugs.) And, the fruit split is due to uneven watering during our really, really hot summer and fall.. Just pull off the split fruit, it will attract insects and infection. Patty S...See MoreDwarf Meyer's Lemon Tree Problem !!
Comments (2)Yes i have a feeling it is sun burn as well, because the side facing the sun (through the window) is green, but the side that was away, the branches have turned yellow and so have the leaves. How can i solve this sun burn problem ?? Is it going to go away ? And will it affect my tree in the long run ?...See MoreMeyer Lemon tree problem
Comments (2)Unlikely if the webs are leaf to leaf. Spider mites make webs from one part of a leaf to anther part. Anyway, the treatment is the same: spray with neem, horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Prevent by spraying with water periodically and keeping humidity high. Post pics anyway, as Laura suggested, just to make sure....See MoreSara G
8 years agoSara G
8 years agoSara G
8 years ago
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