Just moved to a new house with 5 citrus trees. When we moved in my father-in-law helped clean up the backyard(the house was a foreclosure) and trimmed the lemon, tangerine, grapefruit and unknown tree with his clippers. He has curling leafs on his lemon tree. Now all of the new growth has curling leafs? Could the tree have gotten a disease from the clippers? I don't know much about citrus trees - do I need to cut off all the curling leafs or do I leave them? Also the lemon tree has tons of tiny lemons - how do I get less lemons that are larger? And the lemon tree has lots of dead branches inside it - do I leave it or try to thin it out? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
rule of thumb is that you clean the garden tools after using them and before using them on another plant...either clean with a bleach solution and rinse well or soap/water or rubbing alcohol and rinse with water. it's likely that the organizms that cause the leaf curl on your dads tree were transmitted to your trees...or it could be a weather-related issue. kind of think not if 'ventura' is the one in california. can't recommend a treatment for the curl - someone will be along that has experience with citrus and they'll be able to help you out. center branches that are dead can be safely trimmed out - don't know if citrus needs to have cuts treated with anything or not or if this type of trimming should be done at a certain time or not (obviously i don't grow citrus!). again, someone with the right experience will be along to help you.
The Myth of Cloroxed Clippers A bleach solution is the best choice for disinfecting pruning wounds and tools http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda chalker-scott/Horticultural Myths_files/Myths/Pruning tools.pdf