# Lemon, and Lime tree question...



## rvj

I planted a lemon, and a lime tree in my backyard one week ago. It looks like something is cutting the leaves off. Has any one had this problem? And can anyone give me some advice on the care of these type of trees?


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## Profish00

sprinkle it with 7 dust


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## ovaforty

Spring is the larva hatching season. You gotta keep on top of army worms, whitefly, ahids, etc. They hatch out after a rain, with the rising temps.
You should develop a schedule for routine pesticide/fungicide treatments.


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## ovaforty

Sad to say, I neglected little filipino calamonding "lime" bonsai. It is time for prune and repot.


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## Brew

Good link for citrus info: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/citrus/urban.htm


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## Sometimer

Is there a chance it could be Cutter Ants? We have a lemon tree in Fulton, and them suckers stripped it clean a couple of years ago. (Didn't kill it though.)
My parents came down from Atlanta, GA in December last year and stayed a couple of months there, and noticed that leaves were being eaten off of it again, but never saw what was doing it. I was there one weekend and found the culprits... and you had to get up pretty early in the morning to catch them in the act. Turns out they were doing the deed at night or on overcast days. I put out some Cutter Ant pooky, but haven't been back there since to check the effects.


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## rvj

*Maybe.*



Sometimer said:


> Is there a chance it could be Cutter Ants? We have a lemon tree in Fulton, and them suckers stripped it clean a couple of years ago. (Didn't kill it though.)
> My parents came down from Atlanta, GA in December last year and stayed a couple of months there, and noticed that leaves were being eaten off of it again, but never saw what was doing it. I was there one weekend and found the culprits... and you had to get up pretty early in the morning to catch them in the act. Turns out they were doing the deed at night or on overcast days. I put out some Cutter Ant pooky, but haven't been back there since to check the effects.


 I purchased some veg, and citrus insect killer and sprayed the tree, and the surrounding ground. I will check it tonight and early in the morning to see if I can catch the culprits. Thanks for all the responses.


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## lilevil

*Lime Tree*

Rvj,
I bought a lime tree last summer and it had beautiful blooms on it. THen the leaf miners took over. It produced one lime by nov 08. Over the winter it didnt do anything, but now it has numerous blooms on it, so hopefully it will produce limes this year. But be my luck, probably not. I replanted it in a bigger pot when I bought it last year.

Did extensive research on the problem with the worms and basically it said leaf miners dont hurt the plant and there is really nothing you can do. They just affect how the tree looks. Has anyone ever had any experience with leaf miners and how they got rid of the them? I think the winter took care of them, but they will probably come back.

Good luck with yours! :shamrock:


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## 11andy11

probably leaf cutter ants. Had that on a lime tree. You should be able to see them.


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## Night-Fisherman

*Bug Off*

Here is what I use to keep bugs out of my garden and off of my citrus trees.

Mix 4 eggs into a blender with 1 tablespoon of red pepper and blend it all together until it starts to foam up. Then I pour it into a 1 gallon pump up sprayer and fill the sprayer the rest of the way up with water. Give it a shot it works and its all natural.


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## ifish2

We are having a major battle with cut ants in Matagorda. They stripped several of our citrus trees and now the war is on!


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## BigTim

lilevil said:


> Rvj,
> I bought a lime tree last summer and it had beautiful blooms on it. THen the leaf miners took over. It produced one lime by nov 08. Over the winter it didnt do anything, but now it has numerous blooms on it, so hopefully it will produce limes this year. But be my luck, probably not. I replanted it in a bigger pot when I bought it last year.
> 
> Did extensive research on the problem with the worms and basically it said leaf miners dont hurt the plant and there is really nothing you can do. They just affect how the tree looks. Has anyone ever had any experience with leaf miners and how they got rid of the them? I think the winter took care of them, but they will probably come back.
> 
> Good luck with yours! :shamrock:


 A product called "Cygon" will get rid of leaf miners. It is systemic, so follow the label directions as to when it can be applied to bearing fruit trees, if at all.


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## MarshJr.

whats the reasoning for the eggs? so it sticks?



Night-Fisherman said:


> Here is what I use to keep bugs out of my garden and off of my citrus trees.
> 
> Mix 4 eggs into a blender with 1 tablespoon of red pepper and blend it all together until it starts to foam up. Then I pour it into a 1 gallon pump up sprayer and fill the sprayer the rest of the way up with water. Give it a shot it works and its all natural.


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## lilevil

Thanks for the info BigTim. Is that something I can buy at home depot or lowes or gardening/nursery store? If you dont respond to this thread, I'll PM you for info. Thanks again.


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## BigTim

I get mine from the feed store, but have seen it in nurseries. It is actually a fly control that they spray on walls in horse stables and meat packing plants. But it is labeled for some plant protection against leaf miners, which is the larva of a type of fly.

If I remember right...The fly lays the egg, the larva hatches and trails around eating the leaf till it falls off in the fall, then the fly hatches out from the ground in the spring. That is why one should not mulch infested leaves, but should burn them.


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## lilevil

*Again, Thanks!*

Thanks BigTim. I'm gonna definately look into this and try and find it in a nursery/gardening store. :cheers:


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