Infected lemon tree - Ask Extension
This dwarf Meyer lemon tree came from Home Depot 4 years ago with bugs. I should have returned it but thought I could kill them. The leaves curl and h...
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Infected lemon tree #421449
Asked August 15, 2017, 3:08 PM EDT
This dwarf Meyer lemon tree came from Home Depot 4 years ago with bugs. I should have returned it but thought I could kill them. The leaves curl and have 1/8 long tan oblong growths on their Underside for the most part. I've pulled off the infected leaves but there are so many that I spray several times a year with micro cop fungicide, micronized tribasic copper sulfate, which does help but seems impossible to get it on tops and bottoms of all leaves. I'm ready to cut it down before it infects anything else in my yard unless you have a solution for me. I will try to enclose a picture of the infection.
Curry County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for your lemon tree question. Your plant is infected with scale. The types of insecticide you're using aren't effective with this insect, since, when it's in the eating stage, it has a very hard shell. They can be controlled, however, by horticultural oils when applied in the dormant seasons (late fall and winter). Here's a link to an Extension article on horticultural oils.
The best you can do during the active growth seasons is to take a cotton tip, wet it in rubbing alcohol, and gently remove the scale from the leaves. The mechanism is described here.
Hope you find this helpful. Good luck!
The best you can do during the active growth seasons is to take a cotton tip, wet it in rubbing alcohol, and gently remove the scale from the leaves. The mechanism is described here.
Hope you find this helpful. Good luck!
Thank you very much. I will apply the horticultural oil in fall.
Bonie
Bonie
