Author Topic: Is this citrus greening?  (Read 1740 times)

DallasYoung

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Is this citrus greening?
« on: June 05, 2019, 07:37:54 PM »
I adopted what I believe is a lemon tree when I bought my house (Florida) last year. After some weeding and fertilizing it produces some fruit.. albeit a little ugly. I wish I had a picture, but it wasn’t a pretty lemon. Now it’s got a ton of green fruit, but I noticed some leaf discoloration and googled it and it looks like citrus greening. Is there any way to know for sure? I’d hate to lose the tree but I don’t have a lot of room and would like something that produces. It has a mystery citrus next to it as well that is showing a little discoloration.

If it is, can I cut it down and replant? I cook with a lot of seafood and drink a lot of Mexican beer so Id really love to have a lemon and lime tree.

Lemon tree:







Possible Lime right next to it:




« Last Edit: June 05, 2019, 07:39:41 PM by DallasYoung »

achetadomestica

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2019, 08:41:54 PM »
80% of the citrus trees in Florida have greening. What the groves are doing is
fertilizing heavier on a yearly schedule. The trees are producing 1/3 of the harvest
if the growers are lucky. What this means for a backyard grower is trees are producing
100 fruit instead of 350. I have a kishu tangerine that produces 200+ tangerines a year
It is plenty for me and my family and I still gave some away this year.  The leaves of your
trees look like they need more fertilizer. The issue in Florida is the small growers are fertilizing
3x what they use to and producing 1/3 of the harvest. There is no room for error and then Irma
hit and allot of groves lost 90% of their crop. My sister has an old keylime in her yard and she
gets 150 limes a year and doesn't live here full time and neglects the tree. 

DallasYoung

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2019, 09:21:29 PM »
Is Citrus Tone recommended here? My local nursery recommended it so I picked some up.

achetadomestica

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2019, 10:03:07 PM »
I have never used it. most Epsoma is on the expensive side.
Yesterday we had 2 1/2" of rain and today we probably had 2"+
Any granular fertilizer that is not slow release is washed away.
They sell a fifty pound bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer with micros at Diamond R
for around $15. You are better off fertilizing your trees every 2 weeks
in the Spring and summer a small amount. I also have found miracle grow
and Southern Ag Citrus foliar spray very beneficial once a month.
Another ongoing issue is leaf minor. It drives me up the wall to have the
misshapen leaves. I use to hit my tree with imidacloprid every 3 months but
these days I have been trying to utilize compost including worms under
my trees. Citrus is not an easy fruit with the greening and pests. I am down to
4 trees and probably getting rid of one of those. The groves use different fertilizers
combinations including foliar sprays for most effective. I have access to a super worm
manure I add monthly and I use the mentioned foliar sprays

WGphil

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2019, 07:56:50 AM »
I stumped my key lime that had dead limbs from greening

Was going to finish digging it out but time got away from me so it leafed out again with no greening

Second year with fruit and no greening

It’s a seedling and noticed lots of seedlings in hammocks in the woods still growing

So I tried it on my grafted Dancy tangerine

Cut it back hard sprayed it with oil when it came out to deter leaf minors and it is cropping again like normal

sunworshiper

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2019, 11:37:34 AM »
I second southern ag nutrient spray. I have 3 citrus trees that produce well. I alternate between granular fertilizer (regular kind formulated by a local nursery for my soil type rather than a citrus specific type) and the nutrient spray. I give the granular fert first to and that induces foliar growth, when the leaves are about 3/4 expanded I spray with nutrient spray. Older leaves with nutrient deficiencies don't always get nice & green in response to fertilizer but new growth should if the tree is worth saving. I'd try that and see what happens with the next growth flush before deciding to get rid of the tree.

lebmung

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2019, 05:52:25 PM »
you would get better replies from qualified people in the citrus section

WGphil

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2019, 07:11:48 PM »
Nm
« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 07:14:14 PM by WGphil »

DallasYoung

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2019, 08:22:06 AM »
you would get better replies from qualified people in the citrus section

Thanks! I’m new to the forum and didn’t realize there was a citrus section.

Coach62

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Re: Is this citrus greening?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2019, 10:58:04 PM »
you would get better replies from qualified people in the citrus section

Thanks! I’m new to the forum and didn’t realize there was a citrus section.

True - but - I saw it and I'm fast becoming educated on this.  I tried the 3X fertilizer, it made it far worse.  Imidacloprid helps - a lot and can get your trees thru a tough spell if attacked from leaf miners, etc. 

I had a few trees hit - very hard - and found pruning back hard really, really helps a ton.

Bottom line is - I have found that as long as you take care of your trees, fertilize very well (as opposed to very heavy), foliar sprays, etc.  My trees are doing just fine now. 

6 months ago I was really concerned and thinking I was going have to give up on citrus.  I no longer think that.  I'm pretty optimistic that my trees, and fruit, will be just fine.  My trees are producing just fine, except for 2 which I don't think will make it, but that is 2 out of a couple dozen citrus trees. 
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