Author Topic: Help with Citrus Leaves  (Read 5263 times)

behlgarden

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Help with Citrus Leaves
« on: February 14, 2019, 09:20:21 PM »
I am tired of looking at leaves like this year over year. What is causing it and how do I fix it?





beicadad

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2019, 10:22:50 PM »
Looks like leafminer damage. I have them on my citrus too. Don’t know any effective way to control these nasty worms yet.

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2019, 12:58:20 AM »
Found this
Imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus, and Vegetable Insect Control) applied to the ground at the base of citrus trees provides the longest period of control, 1 to 3 months. Imidacloprid should only be applied once a year. Imidacloprid applications should be timed to protect periods of leaf flushing, such as in the spring and fall. Imidacloprid takes 1 to 2 weeks to move from the roots to the leaves, so it should be applied as soon as new flush begins to appear. To protect bees, avoid applying imidacloprid during the period 1 month prior to or during bloom. Removing blossoms before they open on young trees will prevent honey bee exposure to imidacloprid in the nectar/pollen.

SoCal2warm

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2019, 01:00:25 AM »
You will need to spray spinosad thoroughly throughout the canopy inside the tree, being sure to get all the undersides of the leaves. The best time to do this is in the evening before the sun goes down.
Then you will need to repeat the treatment 10 days later, and preferably a third treatment 10 days after that, if you want to make sure.

The leaves are permanently deformed, but there is no reason to remove them.

Laaz

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2019, 08:05:27 AM »
Bayer Advanced or any of the similar products that contain Imidacloprid will work. It's great for container trees, but you would go broke trying to use it on large inground trees.

Zitrusgaertner

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2019, 10:30:04 AM »
Imidacloprid is a bee-killer. Sorry.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2019, 11:28:07 AM by Millet »

Millet

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2019, 11:29:17 AM »
Not if applied correctly as the product label shows, such as at dusk when bees have returned to their hive.
« Last Edit: March 19, 2019, 03:34:58 PM by Millet »

Yorgos

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2019, 02:19:14 PM »
If applied as a systemic to the ground will Imidacloprid translocate to the flowers and impact bees?  I have always applied it to the soil at the base of the trees after blooming is done.  Since I understand citrus leaf miners aren't active until ambient temps are about 80 most of the citrus have finished flowering by this time where I live (except for kumquat which bloom late May, but the CLM's don't bother them much).
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Greg A

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2019, 04:08:18 PM »
Which tests are those? Maybe they're more recent than what I've seen.

I looked into the leafminer and imidacloprid issue some years ago because I was sick of one of my citrus trees getting attacked so badly. I wrote about it here: http://gregalder.com/yardposts/dont-spray-for-citrus-leafminers/

But the essence is that I read that soil drenches are said to translocate into flowers and harm bees. The University of California's webpage for imidacloprid says this: "Imidacloprid applied as a soil treatment can move up into flowers to injure or kill bees, other pollinators and beneficial insects." (The page: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/TOOLS/PNAI/pnaishow.php?id=42)

But maybe I'm not understanding it correctly, or maybe it's wrong or outdated?

gregalder.com/yardposts/

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2019, 12:03:23 PM »
Wow. Thanks for more insights. It's too late now as it was drenched last week. Hoping to not repeat it in future.

Tropheus76

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2019, 09:02:19 AM »
Just remove the flowers if you are concerned. Unfortunately for me and dealing with this is where I am , flowers and leaves come at the same time. This year I have decided I want my trees to grow and not have fruit. We shall see if it makes a difference. I like experimenting on my trees and bushes to see which methodology works in various applications. On the bright side of leaf miners, if I remember right, they just make the tree look like hell but do little actual damage, unlike caterpillars and weevils.

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2019, 12:40:50 PM »
I have an update. after research, I was able to get leafminer controlling bait from manufacturer in Riverside, CA. So far, its working well, new leaves have not curled and I see tonnes of egg laying moth trapped in there. This lure Traps baited with a pheromone attracts them.

ISCA Technologies, Inc.  (951) 686-5008

I will keep you posted on how these progress going forward and if control was effective or not.

Seanny

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2019, 04:02:31 PM »
This early flush won't get leaf miners. Later flushes will.

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2019, 04:09:07 PM »
This early flush won't get leaf miners. Later flushes will.

ok, will pay attention. but last year I got curls from getgo on first flushes.

Millet

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2019, 06:24:13 PM »
behlgarden, are you sure about leafminer on the tree's first flush of the year?  Seanny is correct in that the leaf miner does not attack until the second flush. 

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #15 on: March 19, 2019, 06:40:21 PM »
behlgarden, are you sure about leafminer on the tree's first flush of the year?  Seanny is correct in that the leaf miner does not attack until the second flush.

Last year I got horrible attack this time around and I remember I sprayed with neem oil and it was too much and all leaves defoliated.

zephian

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2019, 10:26:39 AM »
I too had pretty bad leafminer damage on my citrus last year during first flush.
I don't want to spray my trees with anything that will affect bees as they are active right now in my area....
I'm interested in those traps as my Meyer lemon and my lime are loaded with flowers and my trees are mature. The leafminer damage is ugly but my trees still overproduce.

Are these the traps you are using? https://www.amazon.com/Citrus-Leafminer-Traps-traps-lures/dp/B011SA1KD6
-Kris

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2019, 10:38:52 AM »
Yes. Same company.

saltyreefer

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #18 on: March 20, 2019, 04:31:40 PM »
I had the leaf minor in a big way also. I started applying spinosad right when I see
a flush starting and that solved all my problems.

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #19 on: March 20, 2019, 09:05:36 PM »
The manufacturer I spoke with and that UCR Article says that lures shall be applied at onset of new flush in spring for best results.

Seanny

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #20 on: March 22, 2019, 01:06:21 AM »
In my yard I don't have a problem with leaf miners in Spring flush.
Picture of pummelo flush taken today.




Flushes later get attacked by leaf miners badly.

Must be terrible to have to deal with miners all season like yours.

Ckitto

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #21 on: March 29, 2019, 01:59:26 AM »
Leaf miner season in Socal is from May to November. Those damage have been done from last year I suspect. My take: spinosad is more cost effective compared to the trap. Should be good if spray once a month.

TooFarNorth

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #22 on: April 21, 2019, 08:34:33 PM »



First flush...the fun begins.  I did not see any damage on first flush last year.

TFN

behlgarden

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #23 on: June 11, 2019, 11:40:06 AM »
confirming second flush is now clean as well. looks like Bayer advanced and traps combined did the trick. not sure which one did what. but attractant trap lure is only on big tree, other two smaller trees have yellow sticky pads. all three were given bayer treatment.

Yorgos

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Re: Help with Citrus Leaves
« Reply #24 on: June 11, 2019, 03:28:06 PM »



First flush...the fun begins.  I did not see any damage on first flush last year.

TFN
I never see CLM on the first flush as it is too cool for the insects to fly. Even second flush may not have them. Ambient temps need to be in upper 70's consistently for those moths.  The third flush and they will hit the flush hard. Also, once you see the flush its too late as the worm is already in the leaf, immune to any topical spray. 
I see flower buds.  You will kill bees applying imidacloropid (sp?) before flowering is over.
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