How to soil drench potted citrus to combat Asian Citrus Psyllids?

[JakeFruit]

Just realized I have ACPs on my potted citrus trees, must have introduced them via citrus trees I bought from Home Depot a few months ago. I drenched all my citrus with Spinosad ~2 weeks ago, just now did another drench with horticultural oil today and think I need to do a soil drench soon to combat them over the winter. I see there's a Monterey Soil Drench and a Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable product that both claim to be effective against ACP, but both give instructions for in-ground trees. Has anybody used either of these products with potted citrus? I'm trying to figure out which one would work best and how I should apply it with potted citrus.

[caladri]

Given that you're in Florida, it may be more likely that they're simply in the environment rather than associated with a commercially-propagated tree. Whatever you end up doing, definitely try to select something you're willing and able to keep up. Your local agricultural extension might have the best insight about what to do in your area, based on their knowledge of local ACP/HLB conditions.

[JakeFruit]

I hear you, but I've been growing citrus for awhile and my home is many miles away from any citrus grove. Within a month of bringing in the new citrus I suddenly had mealybugs and ACP. Can't say for sure, but fairly confident I brought this problem in.

[Millet]

if you  live in Florida it dosen't matter if your close or far away from a citrus grove  The  ACP is located every where in Florida, even up into Georgia. As for mealy bug, aphids, thrips scale etc.  they are abundant in every state in the USA.

[JakeFruit]

No, I know, no doubt it's here. Just saying the sudden appearance of both pests among my citrus a month or so after purchasing big box store citrus seems more than coincidental.


In any case, anybody have any experience soil drenching potted citrus?? 

[FruitGrower]

I used the Bayer in my potted citrus a long time ago. It didn’t stop the psylids and they all got HLB and died. The only method I’ve found effective and I mention it whenever I can, is to grow under a protective netting.
Sorry it’s not exactly what you asked but, like others posted, in Florida, you have to expect psylids and ime the Bayer Advanced did nothing for them. 

[Daintree]

A double whammy of cyfluthrin spray and systemic imidicloprid is the most effective treatment. I have not had good luck with the Bayer imidicloprid product, so I use LADA drench. Super concentrated. For the cyfluthrin, I use Bayer Tempo.
Good luck!

Carolyn

[JakeFruit]

Thanks Carolyn! I'm assuming you are referencing potted citrus, correct? Did you modify the recommended label dosage with the LADA drench?
I have a very loose soil mix and my containers aren't very large; don't want to hurt my citrus (which is finally really taking off) or put unnecessary amounts of chemical into the environment.


I found the label sheet for it, has good indications for potted plant drenches: http://newsomseed.com/resources/Label%20Lada%202F.pdf

[Daintree]

Yes, all my citrus are in pots. For a 25 gallon pot I use 2ml of the concentrate in a few cups of water. I water normally first, wait a few days then dose with the drench. Now, we don't have ACPs here, but do have other psyllids, plus various other pests. I have also had good luck with a spray of LUCID in addition to the LADA. Both are made my Rotam. The LUCID has the advantage of being a good miticide too, and I have problems with spider mites sometimes.

Carolyn

[Lovetoplant]

Yes, all my citrus are in pots. For a 25 gallon pot I use 2ml of the concentrate in a few cups of water. I water normally first, wait a few days then dose with the drench. Now, we don't have ACPs here, but do have other psyllids, plus various other pests. I have also had good luck with a spray of LUCID in addition to the LADA. Both are made my Rotam. The LUCID has the advantage of being a good miticide too, and I have problems with spider mites sometimes.

Carolyn

Isn't imidacloprid a systematic pesticide?  Can you eat the fruits after?

[Millet]

Sadly if you live in Florida your trees will certainly die from HLB, NO MATTER what chemical you use.  The only thing that has been found to work is covering the tree with the screening that the people use when growing under cups.

[poncirsguy]

By that time you will spend more money on your tree than to buy the fruit at the market.  There are other fruit trees to grow.  Grow it indoors.

[FruitGrower]

Sadly if you live in Florida your trees will certainly die from HLB, NO MATTER what chemical you use.  The only thing that has been found to work is covering the tree with the screening that the people use when growing under cups.

I second and third this as it has been my experience with over 3 dozen citrus trees over 7 years. Nothing I did stopped the psylid from infecting my trees except the protective netting. With that in place, citrus has been relatively easy to grow for me.

[FruitGrower]

Sadly if you live in Florida your trees will certainly die from HLB, NO MATTER what chemical you use.  The only thing that has been found to work is covering the tree with the screening that the people use when growing under cups.

I second and third this as it has been my experience with over 3 dozen citrus trees over 7 years. Nothing I did stopped the psylid from infecting my trees except the protective netting. With that in place, citrus has been relatively easy to grow for me.

The notable exception to this has been finger limes.

[Epicatt2]

Just adding my 2¢ worth here . . .

There is a parisitic wasp release program underway in Gainsville aiming to help control the Asian Citrus Psyllid populations in Florida.

That program is providing free vials to release of the tiny Tamarixia (non-stinging) wasps that feed on ACPs.  These wasps predate both the ACP adults and their nymphs by laying eggs in them or simply feeding on the adults ACPs. ACPs are the sole food for this Tamarixia wasp species.

The aim of the program is over time to drastically lower the ACP population that is affecting Florida citrus.

Interested parties may contact Amy Croft at the 'Methods Development & Biological Control
Division of Plant Industry' in Gainsville, FL at [ Amy.Croft@fdacs.gov  ]
to inquire about this free Tamarixia release program and details about it including instructions for ordering the wasps.

I released several free vials of these tiny Tamarixia wasps in my yard here in Tampa back in late spring and now no longer notice any ACPs on any of my citrus trees.

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==

[Calusa]

Just adding my 2¢ worth here . . .

There is a parisitic wasp release program underway in Gainsville aiming to help control the Asian Citrus Psyllid populations in Florida.

That program is providing free vials to release of the tiny Tamarixia (non-stinging) wasps that feed on ACPs.  These wasps predate both the ACP adults and their nymphs by laying eggs in them or simply feeding on the adults ACPs. ACPs are the sole food for this Tamarixia wasp species.

The aim of the program is over time to drastically lower the ACP population that is affecting Florida citrus.

Interested parties may contact Amy Croft at the 'Methods Development & Biological Control
Division of Plant Industry' in Gainsville, FL at [ Amy.Croft@fdacs.gov  ]
to inquire about this free Tamarixia release program and details about it including instructions for ordering the wasps.

I released several free vials of these tiny Tamarixia wasps in my yard here in Tampa back in late spring and now no longer notice any ACPs on any of my citrus trees.

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==

The wasp release program for backyard citrus will do nothing for trees that are probably already infected with HLB.

Amy Croft sent me a few vials of wasps last Winter. I attached the vials to the foliage in my two small trees. The tiny little critters exited the vials and in a day or two they were gone. The next week or so there were more psyllids.

Assuming the wasps took care of the psyllids in your yard, I suspect they flew away to parts unknown to find another infestation. This immediately left your yard vulnerable to ACP's. What I'm leading to is, what use are the wasps if they just hit and run? UF will need to breed tens of trillions of those wasps for state-wide release if there is any chance such a strategy will work.

[Epicatt2]

Calusa,

FWIW, Ms. Croft advised me in several email exchanges that their studies show that the Tamarixia wasps will stay in the area as long as there are phyllids present.  The ACPs can feed on more members of the Rutaceae than just citrus.

Ms. Croft further advised that these little wasps will breed in your yard and can eventually range as far as five miles from their original release point.

True the wasps don't cure HLB but by curbing the ACP population that has the effect of slowing down the infection rate of citrus trees.

I'm also of the mind that getting wasps to release a couple times per year should help keep the ACP population whittled down to a much smaller number.

Cheers!

Paul M.
==