How to treat homemade lemon diseases

It would seem, what diseases do indoor lemons have? The plant is grown in favorable conditions, and not in open ground, where the likelihood of contracting an infection is many times greater. But no, growing lemons at home is also not easy. Aphids, spider mites, gommosis, root rot - this is not the entire list of problems that can be encountered if the rules of plant care are not followed.

Causes of diseases in homemade lemons

When growing subtropical plants in an apartment, it is important to respect their biological characteristics, otherwise the plant will begin to hurt.

Diseases of lemon leaves at home can be provoked not only by the activity of pathological organisms and pests, but also by banal dry air in the room and non-compliance with agricultural practices. Therefore, at the first signs of illness, it is worth checking the microclimate in the apartment. Perhaps this is solely the case and you can prevent the lemon from wilting without the help of medications.

For reference. Lemons love warmth and moisture. With proper care, the plant will bear fruit every year, bearing 10-30 fruits per season.

Diseases of homemade lemons often occur due to the activity of pests, viral and fungal infections, and less often due to errors in care and improper maintenance. In any case, the plant will signal its malaise with the following signs:

• yellowing of leaves;
• the appearance of dots and spots;
• by dropping or curling leaves.

Depending on the type of disease, signs may vary.

Some errors in care provoke the development of diseases. For example, mycosis occurs due to excessive watering, and failure to follow the rules of agricultural technology does not exclude the spread of infection from other plants.

Limonaria diseases can also be caused by:

• incorrectly selected substrate;
• lack/excess of fertilizing with fertilizer mixtures;
• improper soil drainage system.

What diseases do indoor lemons have and their treatment?

The causes and treatment of lemon diseases are different: if a fungal infection can be cured with special medications, then a viral disease does not respond to medications and other treatment options. The only way to resist such diseases is proper prevention.

Root rot

An insidious disease of a fungal nature with hidden symptoms. Affects the root system. The first signs can be noticed during massive leaf fall:

• shedding of ovaries;
• wilting of leaves and branches;
• depressed look of the tree.

It is necessary to carefully examine all the roots of the plant, remove rotten and dead areas with a knife. Remove as much of the old soil as possible from the root system; treat the cuts with charcoal or activated carbon. For additional disinfection, you can treat the roots of the plant with weak solutions of manganese or treat a new substrate. Also among the mandatory recommendations is pasteurization of the new soil in the oven or over a steam bath.

Important. When transplanting limonaria, you must avoid burying the root collar in the ground.

To prevent the return of mycosis, the transplanted plant is watered as needed, avoiding stagnation of water in the substrate.

Gommoz

Another name is gum therapy. Drops of gum (a viscous substance that hardens in air) form on the surface of the trunk. Distinctive symptoms of the disease:

• the appearance of red-brown spots on the trunk and branches;
• necrosis and cracking of the bark under the affected areas.

The occurrence of gommosis is a peculiar reaction of a plant to damage, pest activity or disease. Gum discharge can also occur due to hypothermia, severe deepening of the trunk, potassium deficiency, or excess nitrogen in the soil.

Completely deformed branches are removed. The affected areas are cut off from the trunk bark. The cut areas are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate and covered with garden pitch. Repeat until the stains disappear completely.

For reference. Among gardeners, there are about ten options for preparing garden varnish. If you don’t want to bother, the product can be found on sale.

Next, it is necessary to identify the root cause of the disease. If there is a shortage of fertilizers, the crop is regularly fed with potassium and phosphorus. If the rules of agricultural technology have been violated, the plant must be transplanted into a new substrate and a good drainage system must be provided. In case of pest infestation, carry out symptomatic treatment with drugs.

Sooty fungus

It occurs against the background of pest activity, but as an independent disease it is quite rare, and that is due to high humidity and insufficient ventilation in the room. Belongs to the category of mold fungi, another name is niello (due to the characteristic black coating on the leaves, comparable to stove soot). Distributors include aphids, scale insects and mealybugs. These pests secrete a sticky substance that is favorable for the development of blackheads.

The result of fungal activity is a disruption of the photosynthesis process, which leads to the death of leaves and a deterioration in the plant’s immunity.

An important stage of treatment is eliminating the root cause. Recommended insecticides: “Aktara”, “Aktellik”. Treat the plant with preparations every 4-5 days. At least 3-4 times. There is no need to use fungicides; after eliminating the pests, the fungus will also disappear.

Symptomatic treatment includes:

• treating the leaves with a solution of potassium soap, the frequency of the procedure is once every 2-3 days;
• removal and destruction of yellowed and wilted leaves.

How to treat powdery mildew

Also applies to fungal diseases. One of the characteristic signs is the appearance of a white powdery coating on small areas of the leaf plate. When the flow is advanced, it spreads to the stems and peduncles. Affected foliage turns yellow and withers, new shoots become deformed.

Among the provoking factors are the lack of pruning, a high percentage of humidity in the air and soil, and an excess of nitrogen fertilizers.

First, the provoking factors are eliminated:

1. Thin out the thickened crown.
2. Normalize watering.

Choose a well-lit and ventilated place for the plant. Start treating with fungicides 3-4 times every 6-7 days. The most effective representatives for combating powdery mildew: “Topaz”, “Previkur”, “Fundazol”.

During treatment, you should avoid any mineral fertilizers.

Scab and warts

They belong to the group of fungal diseases. With warts, small bulges form on lemon leaves, which over time transform into gray warts.Warty formations can completely cover the leaf blades and fruits of the plant.

Signs of scab include the formation of round spots and growths on fruits, leaves and branches. As the disease progresses, the growths turn brown and the spots on the fruit grow and become red.

Important. High humidity promotes the spread of diseases.

Scab and warts provoke abscission of the ovary, which delays the fruiting of the plant indefinitely. Without treatment, limonaria dies.

To prevent the dissemination of the fungus, all diseased areas of the lemon are cut out and burned. Treatment with fungicidal agents is required. The greatest effectiveness is shown by a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. To completely eliminate the fungus, you need to treat the plant 3-5 times with an interval of 5 days.

Viral diseases

Viral diseases of the lemon tree are considered the most dangerous. It is mainly transmitted from a diseased plant to a healthy one. There are no effective measures to combat viruses.

Tristeza

The tristeza virus spreads through the phloem, one of the components of the plant’s vascular system, leading to disruption or complete cessation of the transfer of photosynthetic products from leaves to plant parts.

Transmitted by insect carriers and through infected scions during vaccination. The main and most dangerous carrier of the virus is the citrus brown aphid. Favorable temperature for the development of the disease is +20…+25°C.

Scientists have identified a number of strains of the virus, which are characterized by different symptoms, both individually and in different combinations:

• plant growth retardation;
• yellowing of growing shoots, shedding of leaves;
• the appearance of light veins on leaf plates;
• fruit shrinkage;
• pitting of tree wood (appearance of convex grooves or “honeycombs”);
• the cut contour of the trunks and branches of diseased trees takes on an uneven shape.

The diseased plant is destroyed.

Mosaic

The appearance of round, concentric or annular chlorotic spots and streaks of white or light yellow color on the leaves of limonaria is a typical picture for a viral mosaic. The disease spreads through tools, soil and pests. It cannot be treated, but with proper agricultural technology and good conditions, the infected plant can live for several more years.

With unsatisfactory care, the virus depletes the lemon, leading to complete death. To avoid infection of other plants, the diseased tree is destroyed along with the soil.

Cancer

The disease is identified by small dark brown spots that visually resemble a tumor. Each such formation is surrounded by a yellow halo, with a small depression visible inside. First, spots appear on the leaves and shoots; as the virus spreads, the formed ovary is affected. Despite the fact that the cancer affects only the skin of the fruit, they fall off before they have time to fully ripen.

The disease develops slowly, but leads to the death of the plant: the shoots become twisted and deformed, leaves are falling and the ovaries, branches and trunk of the plant become covered with cracks and growths. A diseased lemon must be destroyed.

Important. Large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers can accelerate the development of the disease.

Parasites on homemade lemon

These are insects that are quite dangerous to the plant. In addition to the fact that parasites feed on plant juices, worsen its general condition, they are also carriers of many diseases. It's difficult to fight them.Traditional methods are not effective; the help of insecticides is required.

Aphid

A small green insect that prefers juice from young shoots and leaves. Peak pest activity occurs in spring. The first signs of an aphid invasion are deformation and curling of leaf blades. If you carefully examine the underside of the leaf, you can see small insects. As the colony grows, other parts of the limonaria are also affected.

Aphids not only damage the plant, but also secrete a sticky substance, which interferes with the plant's gas exchange and provokes the development of fungal diseases.

Mechanical destruction of parasites is permissible at the initial stage of infection (you can use a soap solution). The affected areas are cut off.

When insects reproduce in large numbers, treatment with insecticides (“Fitoverm”, “Aktara”) is mandatory. Number of treatments - 3-4 times, frequency - every 5-7 days.

Shields

These insects have protective shields on their bodies, so they look like plaques on the plant. In the shortest possible time, the larvae settle throughout the tree and drink its sap. The leaves are completely covered with scutes, and red or yellow spots appear on the damaged areas. The plant dries out, its immunity decreases, and as a result, its resistance to various types of infection decreases.

During treatment, it is recommended to alternate insecticides. Infected areas of the lemon are cut off, and the cut areas are treated with garden varnish. The remaining leaves are moistened with a soap solution.

Spider mite

The mite also feeds on the cellular fluid of the plant and lives on the lower part of the leaf blade. Looks like small spiders of light yellow or brown color. Their characteristic features are the appearance of cobwebs around the curling foliage.Provoking factors are insufficient air humidity.

To destroy pests, use a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. 4-5 treatments are enough. Folk remedies help well against spider mites. You can use an infusion of garlic, onion or dandelion. If the tried methods are not effective, you should use chemicals (Aktellik, Antiklesch, Apollo).

For reference. When working with chemicals, protective clothing, gloves, and a respirator are required. The solution is prepared outdoors, and after treatment the room is ventilated for 30-60 minutes.

Mealybug

The appearance of the pest is indicated by the general lethargy of the plant, white powdery patches on the soil, and small white insects. In places where they accumulate, it seems as if dirty cotton wool is stuck to the leaves. Insects secrete honeydew - favorable conditions for the development of sooty fungus.

Due to the fact that there are adults, larvae, and eggs on the plant, processing should be cyclical. “Fitoverm”, “Aktara”, “Tanrek”, “Calypso” show effectiveness in the fight against parasites.

Nematode

This is a small worm that is transparent or white in color. Like other pests, it prefers to feed on plant sap, but settles in the roots, which makes it difficult to identify them in a timely manner. If you suspect a citrus nematode, inspect the root system of the lemon. Small swellings or growths turning into necrosis indicate the correctness of the assumptions.

Temperatures above 40°C are destructive for pests, so one of the treatment methods is heat treatment of the roots. The tree is carefully removed from the soil, the roots are washed under running water and “bathed” in hot water.Then the lemon is transplanted into a fresh substrate and a small dose of contact poison is added.

Prevention and proper care of lemon trees

Proper care is required for indoor citrus fruit cultivation; only in this case the plant will delight you with a harvest. Lemons love intense light, regular feeding and proper irrigation. If the basics of agricultural technology are violated, the plant weakens and becomes vulnerable to external attacks. Compliance with care conditions will minimize the possibility of invasion.

To maintain health and flush away insects, the plant should be washed generously in the shower. The soil is first covered with film, the branches and leaves are thoroughly moistened with water. Repeat the procedure no more than once a month.

Also, in the process of growing citrus fruits, it is important to follow preventive measures:

1. Inspect regularly for pests and signs of disease.
2. Treat the crown with a soap solution or copper oxychloride solution for periodic disinfection.
3. Replant the plant every 2-3 years.
4. In winter, provide additional lighting for at least 5 hours.
5. Feed with complex fertilizers to improve plant immunity.

It is important to choose the right substrate for the lemon tree, since it grows for several years in the same soil.

Conclusion

It pays to be patient if you want to grow a healthy houseplant. The care, although painstaking, gives excellent results. If all the above conditions are met, the lemon will grow, bloom and bear fruit throughout the year.