When is the right time to prune eureka lemon tree? How would I start? Also my lemon tree has a lot of white shribbled leaves, and it seems like the lemons don't quite to a mature stage. What do I do to correct that?
As you live in the the middle of the LA metroplex, I suppose your tree is planted in the ground. Lemons are normally never pruned, as any pruning will restrict future crop production for a year or more. I am not sure what the word "shribbled" means, but if your talking about silvery trails throughout leaves, causing them to crinkle, it is from an insect called citrus leaf miner. On an adult tree, other than looks, they have little effect on the health of large citrus trees. In your area, a lemon tree needs to fertilized 6 times a year beginning March 1st through the end of August. - Millet (1,263-)
It does have silvery leaves,causing hem to crinkle. How do I get rid of it? Our tree, I believe it is still juvenile. It is only about 7ft. tall, and it has been on the ground for maybe 2 yrs. How do I get rid of the citrus leaf miner? It seems like it retards the growth of the lemons. They don't get yellow, they stay green.
Because your tree has fruit growing on it, your tree is not a juvenile tree. Only mature trees produce fruit. In fact your tree was never a juvenile tree, it is a tree that was grafted using a mature bud, so the tree has been mature from its beginning. Citrus leaf miners only attack the spring flush of new growth, and normally the second summer flush of new leaves. Leave miners do not attack the tougher older leaves. A leaf miner is a small flying insect that lays it eggs on the leaf surface. When the egg hatches it borrows into the leaf causing the internal trails. Therefore it is too late to control them for this year. Next year when your tree flushes you can spray it with a chemical called Spinosad. If you are not fertilizing your tree as needed (6 times a year) you need to start. This will greatly help in fruit development, and also as your tree ages. - Millet (1,262-)
I have also been looking for Eureka Lemon information. I planted a dwarf Eureka Lemon citrus tree about 2 years ago. This is the first year it has produced any fruit. I have only 3 lemons at this time, however, they are still green (and getting quite large). Any thoughts? Also, everything i have read says not to prune lemon trees, but it seems to need it.
Prune if you wish. Pruning will not harm your lemon tree, but know that pruning will delay any further fruiting for a year or two. Your lemons will turn yellow in due time. - Millet (1,259-)
Most citrus take 9 months or more to ripen from the flowering stage. Some like the Valencia can take a year or more.