Doesn't look sad to me. Sooty mould isn't uncommon, mine has it, huge lemons, loaded tree, it has flowers, fruit all year now. Grows like a weed.
flopsie,
Aug 11, 12:52pm
It's been healthier. I have just put an insecticide on it. Very mild winter so aphids will be out and about.
flopsie,
Aug 11, 12:59pm
Will give it a hose down in a day or two ,thanks.
maclad,
Aug 11, 1:12pm
Most likely to be whitefly which excrete a sweet substance and the mould grows in that. Insecticide is fine but I would add an oil next time as this helps to kill the whitefly and to kill the mould as well. Pay particular attention to undersides of leaves. After about 6 weeks you will notice the mould cracking and lifting, this is the time to hose the tree.
flopsie,
Aug 11, 1:17pm
thanks I have oil here for roses will give it a separate spray
sla11,
Aug 11, 1:24pm
Don't Lemon trees like a dose of Epsom Salts?
finelawns,
Aug 11, 1:49pm
Nothing that neem oil can’t fix. It’s a natural product so not harmful when you consume the fruit. Simply just spray on. Prune out any dead wood now. Feed well, there is a plenty selection of citrus foods on the market osmocote from your your plant store well do a wonderful job.
harm_less,
Aug 11, 7:23pm
Sap sucking insects such as aphid, whitefly and scale excrete excess sugars from their diet which sooty mold then grows on. Spray with an appropriate insecticide (Conqueror oil for scale) to get rid of the insects, wait for a couple of weeks before hosing off the black stuff and refrain from nitrogen fertilisers as this attracts those insects and will keep them being a problem.
If you're pruning now (before spring brings on borer) 'open up' the centre of the tree as dense growth will keep it moist and prone to fungal issues and also prevent good spray coverage into the tree.
harm_less,
Aug 11, 7:26pm
Epson salts provide a quick fix if citrus lack magnesium but as it is very water soluble it quickly leaches beyond the root zone. If you have a magnesium deficiency sprinkle some dolomite around the drip zone.
tegretol,
Oct 8, 12:55pm
Dead on.
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