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Sick lemon tree - any citrus illness experts out there ?

belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
in Fruit & veg
I have two similar aged edible lemon plants - about 4/5 years old. They are given all correct needs in terms of feeds and drainage,  reported each year, and for the first few years gave many fruit despite their size. Last year we have some brown spots on the fruit, which seemed to scrape off with your nail and were unsightly. I have just noticed, having taken the plants out of the heated greenhouse that one has very nasty looking scabs covering trunk/twigs. They scrape off with a nail and the trunk /twigs look ok underneath. I've done some searching and there are of course various cankers and illnesses with similar names and need an expert eye to ID - anybody able to help with mine ? I have a feeling this might be untreatable and I should dispose of the infected plant - as from my reading there are no organic safe ways to ensure treatment and fruit edibility. Any help gratefully received.......(added image second plant twig for comparison). 
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I can’t see clearly from your picture, but I think those are scale insects. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    Hi Dove - thanks for your reply - I shall take a better picture or two. They don't seem like scale insects - they seem like crispy wart shapes. I'll do a better macro and see if it helps. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I’ll give @Nanny Beach a nudge … she grows lots of citrus …

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    I'd be kind of 'delighted' if it was scale insects as seems there are a few safe treatment methods. It does seem to tie in with the brown spotted fruit last year ?
  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    Thanks everso. A few more photos - the leaf gives an indication of how the brown spots appeared last year on the fruit. (Though far more prolific than this leaf). 
  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    As you see on the leaf- they form kind of pointed small conical shapes, and come away with friction. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That still looks like a bad infestation of scale insects to me. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    Ok - and those could be on leaf and fruit as well ? I'll take a look through your initial link and start on the most 'garden friendly' treatment (the oil) . Thanks. 
  • belinda.ahmedfamilybelinda.ahmedfamily Posts: 14
    Thank you Pansyface for the confirmation! They are my husbands plants and even yesterday with the evidence and photos he said it looked like nothing was wrong, normal differences in trees  😆 Off out to train him now - with both of your replies!!!
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    belinda.ahmedfamily said:
    Thank you Pansyface for the confirmation! They are my husbands plants and even yesterday with the evidence and photos he said it looked like nothing was wrong, normal differences in trees  😆 Off out to train him now - with both of your replies!!!
    Definitely a very bad infestation of scale insects.
    A slightly more palatable treatment is to use neat alcohol, ie vodka to wipe every single leaf, underneath and above, branch, stem and in particular, leaf joint with a soft cloth or pad of cotton wool soaked in your chosen tipple. I use a soft small paintbrush to push right down between each leaf and stem because the scale insects likes to hide when young. The main trunk and thicker stems could be scrubbed very gently with an old nail brush or toothbrush to speed things up. The job will probably need to be repeated at regular 3 monthly intervals, including the winter, to get on top of such a bad infestation.
    Your husband has a long job on his hands if he decides to do anything about it. Perhaps a glass of tipple whilst doing it will help! It will be a messy job so have a bowl or bucket of warm soapy water to hand to wash his hands constantly, a n
    ice big glass for his drink and a big roll of cotton wool.
    Good luck with the training regime. A good supply of treats and lots of praise and encourage are supposed to help as well!
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