Lemon
Orange
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princealexi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:05 am
- Location: Castel Volturno, Italy - Zone 9b
Lemon/Orange tree problems (photos)
Anyone know what might be going on with my lemon and orange trees here with the yellow/green splotchy leaves? I know I've got some leaf miner dmage...
Lemon
Orange
Lemon
Orange
It may be thrips or aphids or scale. All of them are sucking insects and can cause puckering and leaf distortion
These are links to identifying citrus pests with descriptions of common problems
https://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/530-15.pdf
https://www.vitalbugs.co.za/citrusgallery.asp
Citrus thrips link
https://cals.arizona.edu/crop/citrus/in ... thrips.pdf
To manage aphids, scale and mealy bugs. Put out ant bait (I use outdoor terro), you can also put tanglefoot around the trunk of the tree a foot or so up the trunk. It will need to be reapplied when it is no longer sticky.
pests can be blasted off the very young leaves with a jet of water.
Horticultural oils can be used for control. Follow label instructions
Some of the leaves in the background look like they may have scale or aphids. They usually are found lined up along the midrib of the leaf and aphids on very young leaf tips. Their feeding will cause the leaf to feel sticky and sooty mold might blacken the leaves.
Citrus may have more than one problem. Aphids, scale and thrips often appear with the new leaves and when fruit are forming and can occur at the same time. The best defense is a healthy plant. Make sure it is fed and watered well and has good air circulation. Citrus do not like heavy pruning so it is best to prune a little at a time, all the time. I cut off any branches that are growing up higher than 8 ft and I thin the branches so more air and light can get through the canopy.
These are links to identifying citrus pests with descriptions of common problems
https://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/530-15.pdf
https://www.vitalbugs.co.za/citrusgallery.asp
Citrus thrips link
https://cals.arizona.edu/crop/citrus/in ... thrips.pdf
To manage aphids, scale and mealy bugs. Put out ant bait (I use outdoor terro), you can also put tanglefoot around the trunk of the tree a foot or so up the trunk. It will need to be reapplied when it is no longer sticky.
pests can be blasted off the very young leaves with a jet of water.
Horticultural oils can be used for control. Follow label instructions
Some of the leaves in the background look like they may have scale or aphids. They usually are found lined up along the midrib of the leaf and aphids on very young leaf tips. Their feeding will cause the leaf to feel sticky and sooty mold might blacken the leaves.
Citrus may have more than one problem. Aphids, scale and thrips often appear with the new leaves and when fruit are forming and can occur at the same time. The best defense is a healthy plant. Make sure it is fed and watered well and has good air circulation. Citrus do not like heavy pruning so it is best to prune a little at a time, all the time. I cut off any branches that are growing up higher than 8 ft and I thin the branches so more air and light can get through the canopy.
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princealexi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:05 am
- Location: Castel Volturno, Italy - Zone 9b
Thanks for the quick reply. I do treat with horticultural oil weekly and copper bi weekly. I still seem to have some leaf miner damage as you can see. Most of that I thought was from late last summer when I was lax on my horticultural oil treatments. I use hose attachment treatments, maybe I should be more tactful and get in there with a spray bottle? I had beautiful leaves at that time. What I'm most concerned with at the moment is the yellow and green splotchiness of the leaves. Is that nutrient deficiency? Should I order the recommended tree kits and extra spikes from the site based on the trunk width at the base (although some large branches have been hacked off by the landlord)? The trouble with all but one of my trees is that they are planted in a ~3-4' planter that runs the side of the house.
When we moved in the trees were in very bad shape. Most of the leave were brown with mold and leaf miners curled a lot of the leaves and whiteflies rampant. Not to mention, no one was watering the property as it sat vacant. We are about a mile from the Mediterranean, so it's quite humid here in all but the coldest of winter.
When we moved in the trees were in very bad shape. Most of the leave were brown with mold and leaf miners curled a lot of the leaves and whiteflies rampant. Not to mention, no one was watering the property as it sat vacant. We are about a mile from the Mediterranean, so it's quite humid here in all but the coldest of winter.
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princealexi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 5:05 am
- Location: Castel Volturno, Italy - Zone 9b