something is eating my lemon tree

Discussion in 'Citrus' started by patrickg27, Aug 5, 2007.

  1. patrickg27

    patrickg27 Member

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    Im not sure what exactly i should do i have 2 tree's side by side and the leaves are being eatin by something but i have yet to find anything on the leaves or stem ill send in some pictures..maybe that will help oh and i forgot to mention this tree i think last year produced a large amount of lemons this year there is only 1 so far and no more blooms i dont have a green thumb so any help will be greatly appreciated
     

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  2. skeeterbug

    skeeterbug Active Member

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    Whatever was eating your leaves is long gone-- the most common citrus leaf eating pest is the catapillar of the giant swallowtail butterfly. It looks like bird poop, but it doesn't always fool the birds.

    As for the fruit, are you fertilizing the tree regularly? One other thing you can do is spray the tree with saltpeter (1-2% solution) about a month before bloom.

    Skeet
     
  3. patrickg27

    patrickg27 Member

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    ok

    that sounds good but it make me ask 1 more question do they bloom all summer or just once?????

    thanks again
     
  4. patrickg27

    patrickg27 Member

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    Yes i have the fruit tree ferterlizer stakes at the dripline of each tree but i just put those down about a week ago.
     
  5. Millet

    Millet Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Fertilizer stakes for citrus trees is not a good method of fertilizing the tree. You should use granular fertilizers such a 6-6-6, 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 depending on the age of your tree. A tree growing in SC should be fertilized 3 times from very early spring through mid August. Lemons can bloom all year long, however the main bloom is in the spring. The South East Citrus Expo is going to be held in Augusta, Georgia this year, I believe it is on the third Saturday of November. It is a one day expo, you should attend, as you will learn a lot about how to care for your tree. - Millet
     
  6. patrickg27

    patrickg27 Member

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    ok well i will change that asap i think these trees are several years old i know one year the ice almost killed them but they came back!!

    thanx
     
  7. Gregn

    Gregn Active Member 10 Years

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    Patrick, sometimes if you check you bug eaten trees after dark (with a good flashlight and a magnifying glass and no wine) you might find what is doing the damage. I found some weevils munching on one of my plants... and they are destructive and pesky critters.

    Greg
     

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