hello this is my first time on this page and i was hopping someone could advise me. I was given a lemon tree about ayear and a half ago and got three lemons of it wich were fantastic but at the moment it is not looking to happy.the leaves all seemed to be covered in a white substance that looks a little like suger and some of the leaves are going black,is my lemon tree sick what should i do. I live in the south of gran canaria spain.
The white is probably Mealy Bug, and the black is a fungus called Sooty Mold. Mealy bug excretes a sticky substance, and Sooty Mold grows upon the sticky substance. Control the Mealy bug and you will automatically control the mold. You can use a forceful water spray on the Mealy bug (using your hose with the brass adjustable nozzel on the end), or you can spray the tree in the early morning or late evening with Ultrafine Horticultural Oil. - Millet
I had the same problem,I thought my lemon tree was all but dead.I took my garden hose and put a high pressure nozzle on it and for at least 15 to 25 minutes per day somtimes twice a day, I would spray the white mealy bug and the black leaves.I did this for a good 4 days.I washed all the black off limbs .Then I mixed a little insecticide with some volck oil spray in a hudson sprayer and sprayed and sprayed more than the instructions said to.I know you are not suppose to but it made me feel good. Also one more thing I noticed ,the scale had invaded a nearby grapefruit tree a shrimp plant and a not so close orange tree, these were no where as bad as my lemon so I washed them lightly and hit them with the oil treatment.I waited, watching my lemon wandering if it was going to die? Then the next thing you know,(like today) I am wondering what I am going to do with a record crop for this young tree.Proping up branches Before they break. GOOD LUCK!
thank you for your help.I think me and the lemon tree are going to be fine once again thank you for answering my query.
been washing my lemon tree and it seems to be helping,but none of the garden centers on this island seem to have any of the oils that have been recommended any other ideas.thanks kath
Hi Katherine, I'm new to this, but having seen that you live in the south of GC, and are having plant problems, I thought I'd join in this conversation. May I ask where you bought said lemon tree? I recently spent 300€ in 'Viveros Mogán' and am now having to sut all my plants down, basically to the ground as they are infested with cochinillas, which have been spreading from plant to plant. It's good to find someone who speaks english, who's interested in plants, all our expat friends aren't. I hope you lemon tree prospers, along with whatever else you may be tending, and remember, watch out for what ever you buy from 'VM' David
nice to hear from you david.I brought my lemon tree at the mogan garden center which is were I tend to buy most of my plants..thanks for the warning I thought it was only me having bug problems with my plants from there as my friends are all bug free. As for the lemon tree it is doing slightly better know it gets a weekly wash down as was suggested to me.I am very new at gardening, but enjoy it very much and most of my plants seem to survive which means I must be doing something right. good luck with your plants. katharine p.s just to let you know there is another garden center opposit ikea.
Kath it is also known as white oil. Maybe you could try some washingsoap/detergent in a spraybottle with water. It has an oily feel to it and I suspect would work. Try a small area 1st. The detergent is used on aphids on roses and lots of other things as well. Boiled up ruhbarb (sp) leaves water added to the detergent mix makes a good safe poison. "been washing my lemon tree and it seems to be helping,but none of the garden centers on this island seem to have any of the oils that have been recommended any other ideas.thanks kath"
Thanks for the advice lemon tree is doing really well and I seem to have quite a few lemons this year .kath
I live in the US but had mealy bugs on a different type of plant. someone told me to mix rubbing alcohol and water together about 1/2 and 1/2 and spray the leaves. After a couple of weeks it worked. Might work if you are having problems finding other pesticides.
