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Faraway
05-10-2015, 19:43
We have a problem with our citrus trees - misshapen leaves and mould growing on branches etc. I need someone who is qualified to treat the trees. Anyone got any ideas please?

Suzanne
05-10-2015, 20:16
have you enquired in your mearest garden centre, they may be able to advise you. might help to take some photos and some leaves with you.

canarybird
06-10-2015, 14:15
Depending on the type of leaf damage you have, you may have the Psila Africana de los citricos, a plague which has been on Tenerife citrus trees since 2002, when it came over from Africa.

So far it doesn't seem there is a cure for it, and I believe the government is trying to find a natural predator which could attempt to eliminate the insect responsible, the triozana erytreae, which is a tiny winged insect similar in appearance to a small flea.

I've had it on my grapefruit tree since 2003, and although it does debilitate the tree somewhat, there is still a good production of fruit.

My neighbour's grapefruit has the same affliction.

Here are a couple of photos from today of the top and underside of the leaves.

https://canarybird.smugmug.com/Other/Miscellaneous-1/i-FDk7Rjz/0/M/P1240141%20r%20r-M.jpg

https://canarybird.smugmug.com/Other/Miscellaneous-1/i-LbPJH9G/0/M/P1240140%20r%20r-M.jpg

The best you can do without resorting to poisons (no never and especially on edible fruit trees) is to wash the underside of the leaves regularly with a strong hose jet to try and dislodge the insects and the tops of the leaves to get rid of the sooty mould which forms.

Here's an article about the arrival of this plague in Gran Canaria.

http://www.elperiodicodecanarias.es/gran-canaria-pide-al-gobierno-que-declare-la-plaga-de-citricos-en-la-isla/

If you have another type of plague rather than this one, why not post a photo of the affected leaves.

Good luck.

- - - - - - - - - - merged double post - - - - - - - - - -

PS I forgot to mention that the plague attacks the new tender shoots first, so pruning them away when you see signs of them being affected could help to control it somewhat.

blondie
06-10-2015, 14:44
Hi Canarybird , you havn,t posted any pics of your lovely garden for a while , we miss them !

canarybird
06-10-2015, 20:31
Ok Blondie....I'll post a few later or tomorrow.

I hope you like birds as well because that's what I'm photographing mostly at the moment....the ones I see in my garden.

blondie
06-10-2015, 21:25
Love birds . Noticed the kestrels and hawks in Tenerife are getting very daring , saw quite a few of them diving among the shrubbery on the rocks in PDLA , never ever saw that before.Look forward to your pics.

Hepa
07-10-2015, 12:36
Regarding citrus trees, spray white oil at the first sign of infection, I use the same on my trees, also good for greenfly and caterpillars, been using it for years.

See link,

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2281115.htm