Hi! This is my very first posting to this site and I was so excited to see so many people who are growing Meyer Lemons indoors, like me! I live in the Pacific Northwest, so have to bring it indoors in the winter. I've had mine for about three years in a ceramic pot by a sunny window (I take it outside in the summer). The first year was great as it had lots of huge lemons on it. However, after having it outside and bringing it in, I noticed a lot of brown scale on the stems. I tried using rubbing alcohol, but it was useless and the leaves continued to drop. It was practically denuded and I was about to throw it out, but called my local nursery. They suggested using rose fertilizer with insecticide. It really worked! Within weeks. I had lots of new growth, eventually flowers and now some new fruit forming. My only question is it safe to eat the fruit? I'm worried that the insecticide might not have been such a good idea. Help! ..Maxine
Glad you were able to get rid of the scale - nasty things. Which insecticide did you use? I'd be wary if it was a systemic. Insecticidal soaps with or without pyrethrins are quite safe.
I can't remember...must have been an Ortho product. Not meant for citrus, I'm sure. I can't believe I followed that woman's advice! I'm wondering if there's a way to test the fruit for edibility.
The most common chemical used for control of scale on citrus is Horticultural Oil. Horticultural Oils are a totally nontoxic way to control scale, mealy bug, and aphids with almost 100 percent control. The two best oils are Ultra Fine and Volk, both can be found at almost all nurseries and Home Depot. I use two "chemicals" to control all citrus insects -- a forceful water spray 98% of the time, and Ultra Fine H. Oil 2% of the time. - Millet
Something like this? Not suitable for edible crops or indoor use. Makes the plant poisonous. http://www.ortho.com/index.cfm/even...t/documentId/72c90bb34e83ab40af12b25b1d77e798
If you still have the product or can find the same product, look for the active ingredients and I can tell you a little bit about the toxicity, but you probably should not eat the fruit for at least a year maybe longer depending on the persistence of the insecticide in the soil as well as in the tree. Skeet
Well, it looks like regardless of what I used, it just isn't worth it to keep the plant. At the time, I had a feeling it wasn't the right thing to do, and I should have gone with my instincts. What a shame! I'd love to keep it if it were just for ornamental purposes, but the lemons are so delicious, it would be too tempting to throw away the lovely fruit. Oh well, lesson learned! Thanks for the responses and I'll definitely use the non-toxic oil the next time.
I think I found the container that I used originally. It's a Bayer product for roses and the active ingredient is Disulfoton (Di-Syston). I was going to have a lemon tested, but the cost is about $300! It's been over two years since I used the systemic, discarding the lemons that were produced up to now. The plant is doing well, with over 20 lemons on it, but I'm thinking of throwing away the ones on the plant now, repotting it with new soil and starting over. What do you think?
Di-Syston is a systemic insecticide that has been registered for years for use on a number of different vegetables but I don't think it is registered for citrus. I think it is currently being un-registered for use on some vegetables because of some EPA requirements that make the product unprofitable to the manufacturer. Because it is applied to vegetables which are harvested within weeks after the application my best guess is your lemons are probably safe. However, Di-Syston can be pretty deadly in concentrated form when it is first applied. Thirty years ago when I was a teenager I worked in potato fields that had Di-Syston applied to them. Jack rabbits that were in the fields during or immediately after the application didn't fare very well. First, they would go blind, then their front legs would be paralyzed, then the back legs, then they would die. When their front legs were paralyzed they would run down the rows with their bodies turned sideways. They would try to run away when they heard us walking nearby but sometimes they would run straight at us since they were blind and didn't know which way to run. Sometimes as they got near we would golf their heads off with the shovels that we carried.
Thanks. I googled di-syston and couldn't believe that there are so many articles about this pesticide! I also saw that it's been discontinued for crop use, but has been used for years on asparagas, radishes, cabbage and other crops. But, I saw that it isn't a known carcinogen and that it's at its most toxic for a month after application (I applied it two years ago). I really hate to toss the tree as the lemons are really wonderful! My husband knows how much trouble I've taken with this plant to nurse it along and now it's really doing well and he doesn't want me to toss it, either. But, if the lemons have the chemical in them, I'll toss it in a New York minute. What to do?
My best guess would be that after 2 years, any systemic insecticide would be in such low concentration now that even the most dangerous types would no longer be a concern in the fruit .. I would not hesitate to use the fruit on your tree now
Thanks, that's my assumption, as well. Funny that I'm so paranoid about this when most of the produce I buy has had pesticide sprayed on it, but I'm unaware of when and what type. When I read that Di-Syston has been used on vegetables quite a bit, I felt better. But, then, I started thinking about the food I buy and how many chemicals have been exposed to it. The only solution is strictly organic gardening and buying organic products. Sigh!
Another update...I wrote to Bayer, asking them about the product and toxicity, etc. They said the following: "Bayer Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub Insect Control has not been approved by the EPA for use on citrus trees. I would only suggest applying it to the edibles that are listed on the label. These edibles are apple, crabapple, loquat, mayhew, oriental pear, pear, pecan, and quince. These have been extensively tested by Bayer and the EPA and proven to be safe for consumption after application. If the product is applied to an edible I did not list, then you would not want to consume the fruit for one entire growing season or one year." So, it looks like it's safe to eat the lemons as it's been about 2 years since application, but I'm still a bit paranoid and will probably remove all the ripe lemons and just add them to my compost this year. Then, when the weather warms up, I'll take it outside and repot it in new, fresh soil, washing off the old soil. It probably needs root pruning, anyway. Again, lesson learned!
