Growing fruit trees can be rewarding, but it is not always easy. Indeed, it requires some knowledge about your plants’ needs and requirements. Of course, the same applies to lemon trees.
While they are not particularly challenging to grow, you should do more than watering them every couple of days. Indeed growing a lemon tree also involves preventing (and eliminating) the spread of pests and diseases.
While your lemon can reward you with fresh and delicious fruits during the spring and summer, it will only do so when healthy. For instance, when pests attack, your plant will probably stop producing.
If you have ever dealt with spider mites on lemon trees, you should know about the damage they can cause. But why do they appear? And what can you do to prevent and eliminate an infestation? Keep reading this essential guide if you want to find out!
Why Do Spider Mites Attack Lemon Trees?
Lemon trees are susceptible to attacks from pests. Unfortunately, most of them tend to be tiny and challenging to spot, making it even harder to take prompt action to prevent the infestation.
Spider mites like to feed on the sap from the tree’s leaves (which cause discoloration and wilting) and its fruits. While they might be hard to spot at first, you can suspect spider mites are attacking your lemon trees if you notice webs around the foliage.
Over time, spider mites might cause your tree to lose its leaves. Taking action before the infestation becomes severe is crucial to saving your plant from destruction. Shake a leaf on a white paper sheet to confirm the presence of mites.
But how can you eliminate these pests? Jump to the following sections to learn about our favorite tips!
Apply An Organic Pesticide
If you are dealing with a spider mite infestation, the best thing you should do is to get your hands on an organic pesticide. While you might have better results using chemical products, you should use natural insecticides if you want to consume your plant’s fruits.
They limit damage to your tree without harming other beneficial insects around your plant or damaging the fruits. Insecticidal soap can help: it is an effective way to eliminate most pests.
Alternatively, consider spraying petroleum oils: they bring about similar effects.
Don’t forget that you’ll have to repeat the product application frequently to maintain effectiveness. Keep applying organic pesticides until all signs of mites disappear. You will have to be patient!
Manually Remove the Mites
If the infestation isn’t severe, you might be able to eliminate the problem by removing mites by hand. You can spray them with water with a hose to drown them.
Doing so might kill them and clean your tree’s leaves of any dust, which will make your trees less attractive to the pests. While such a method might be effective for small populations, it will be of no use in the presence of a colony.
Still, you can use it with some of the other methods in this essential guide to increase your chances of success.
Introduce Natural Enemies
Gardeners who prefer natural solutions might find introducing natural enemies to spider mites ideal. Indeed it can help take care of an infestation without affecting the plant.
Such insects will feed on spider mites and decimate their populations without harming your tree. Some predators include pirate bugs, lady beetles, and thrips.
You can purchase them at your favorite gardening store or nurseries. But beware: if you used insecticidal soap, don’t forget to suspend the application, as it might harm the beneficial bugs too.
How to Prevent the Appearance of Spider Mites
Prevention is often better than cure. Taking proper care of your tree will save you plenty of headaches. After all, stressed or unhealthy trees are more susceptible to attacks from pests and diseases.
We recommend you keep your plant well-watered (without overdoing it). Spider mites love dry conditions, so keeping the environment moist can help eliminate them. If you are growing your tree in a container, consider raising humidity by keeping your tree in a pebble tree.
Spider mites on lemon tree: Conclusion
Also, keep your plant clean from dust and tidy: it will make the environment less attractive to mites.
If you need to help your tree recover from spider mites, ensure you fertilize it with a high-quality product. Use a balanced fertilizer that also contains magnesium to speed up the process.