Pests and diseases of the lemon tree, what are they?

What are the lemon tree diseases? The lemon tree is one of the most loved fruit trees in orchards: it is a citrus that produces a large number of fruits, which have a pleasant enough acid flavor to give an exquisite flavor to different dishes. In addition, it does not require special attention, although it may have some other problem.

But what are the pests and lemon tree diseases? And, more important if possible, how are they cured?

Lemon tree pests

Minelayer

The lemon tree can be attacked by a miner insect, which mainly affects the young leaves. This insect forms galleries as it feeds. Consequently, brown spots will appear and the leaves will wind up until they finish withering and falling.

It is fought with Neem oil what can you buy here! ready to use.

Aphids

Aphids appear when there is high humidity and temperatures remain above 15ºC. They are very small insects, less than 0,5cm long, that perch on flower buds, buds y leaves, which turn yellow. Thus, the tree cannot develop new leaves, and the fruits end up developing deformations which means that they cannot be consumed.

It can be prevented by spraying the plant from time to time, but if you already have aphids, it will be necessary to treat it with Neem Oil or one of the following products:

Cottony mealybug

The cottony mealybug loves summer; that is, high temperatures and a dry environment. In these months there are many plants that take advantage of the good weather to grow as much as they can before the cold arrives. But any mistake in its cultivation will cause these parasites to affect the lemon tree, finding them on the underside of the leaves and on the stems.

You can combat it by making this ecological insecticide:

• Mix equal parts water and pharmacy alcohol in a liter and a half bottle.
• Then add a small (coffee) spoonful of dishwasher.
• Cover the bottle, and stir well to mix.
• Finally, fill a sprayer, and treat your lemon tree.

Or if you prefer a chemical product, these can help:

Red spider

Red spider It is a mite of about 0,5 cm of red color that is favored by the hot and dry environment of summer. It produces cobwebs thanks to which it can go from one leaf to another. While it is not an extremely dangerous pest, it greatly weakens plants because it feeds on their cells.

To avoid it and / or to control it, It is recommended to use a yellow chromatic trap that you will place near the tree. If the pest is widespread, it is best to treat with acaricides, or with diatomaceous earth (for sale here!) if we prefer to use natural products.

Lemon tree diseases

alternate alternate

It is caused by the Alternaria fungus. It is characterized by weakening the tree until it causes the death of both the leaves and the stems. Fast forward, so it is important to prevent by avoiding excess watering.

It can also be treated with a fungicide, like these that are ready for use:

Sadness virus

It is the most serious disease that citrus fruits can have, because is capable of killing them in a matter of a few weeks or months. It is spread mainly by aphids, and causes a wide variety of symptoms, such as out-of-season flowering, weakening of the tree, little or no growth.

There’s no cure. Unfortunately when a tree has this virus, what you must do is cut it down and burn it.

exocortises

It is a disease caused by the citrus exocortis viroid (CEVd) that it causes the appearance of scales and vertical cracks in the bark, as well as yellow spots on the greener shoots and dwarfism.

The only treatment that exists is cut down the affected tree and burn it so that it cannot transmit the disease to other specimens. As a preventive measure, you have to buy virus-free lemon trees and grafts that are not susceptible to exocortis and use disinfected pruning tools.

Penicillium

It is the typical greenish or white mold that is seen on fallen fruit. It is caused by the fungus Italian pencilwhich causes circular mold patches to appear on the shell. Fortunately, it is well treated with copper-containing fungicides, like the one you can buy here!. Dilute 30 grams in 10 liters of water, and spray the plant to combat the disease.

Psoriasis

It is a disease transmitted by a virus that causes the appearance of scales on branches, trunk twigs. In Spain it is not fatal, but in other countries it can end the life of the tree in a few months.

You can intuit that your lemon tree has been affected if you notice irregular areas, if the crust seems to be detached and / or if it has gummosis (gum exudation).

There is no definitive cure; however, you can scrape off diseased areas in late spring and coat with 65% Zineb.

Other problems

The lemon tree is a relatively resistant citrus, very easy to care for that produces a large quantity of fruits. However, sometimes it can have other problems that have nothing to do with pests or diseases, but with some neglect that we have had.

So you know what to do Below we tell you what are those other problems you may have and how to solve them:

• Yellow sheets: if the green nerves are seen, it is due to lack of iron, which can be given quickly with fertilizers rich in this mineral; otherwise, the tree is receiving more water than it needs and, therefore, the frequency of irrigation must be reduced.
• Leaves that lose color: lack of light. Place in a brighter area to regain their natural color.
• Fall of leaves: They can be for various reasons, such as a sudden change in temperature (for example, the one that occurs when you take it from the nursery to your garden), due to being exposed to drafts, due to lack of water, or due to natural death ( the leaves have a limited life expectancy, so they fall as they grow new). In principle, there is no need to worry excessively. You just have to keep the lemon tree well watered, and put a mulch of leaves or pine bark if you have recently had it, and that’s it. If you have it indoors, keep it away from drafts so that its situation does not worsen.
• The plant does not grow: if it is in a pot, it is because its roots have run out of space and it is time to transplant it to another one at least 4 centimeters wider during spring, when temperatures, both maximum and minimum, are above 15ºC; if it is in the garden, it is most likely that it lacks compost. As its fruits have culinary uses, you should use organic products, such as herbivorous animal manure or guano, to fertilize your tree.

Hopefully you can enjoy your lemon tree. And if you need a new lemon tree you can buy it from here.