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rene_roberts96

Help my Meyer lemon tree wintered indoors just noticed bugs in soil

6 years ago

its been a long winter for my lemon trees that I purchased late summer from a local greenhouse. I’m in Ontario so it’s been inside for months under grow lights. My orange trees pretty good over the winter. I watered once a week kept everything dry (maybe too dry.) i fertilized with all purpose spikes every 6 weeks. When I took them out in full sun and gave them a good water I noticed all these tiny bugs. Please help with identifying and treatment. And why I lost all my mature leaves and at the same time had new growth. I’m including photos but watch video for the bugs moving around. appreci the help.




Comments (7)

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks Jim so it was very lush I‘ll post a pic of the pre fall just before I brought it in. Over the course of the winter I slowly lost every mature dark leaf and now it’s just the new growth at the top. It flowered a Few times over summer and once in early December. At first when I brought it inside it did well. My grow lights are on for 12 hours a day. I kept it very dry because that’s what everyone recommended. Maybe it was too dry, not feed enough, or the bugs. If you go on youtube my username is sassy24242000 you could check video and see the bugs walking around. They arent on leaves or branches and they only came up with watering.


  • 6 years ago

    I don't think it got enough water or light, if it were mine I'd cut it back. Mine looses some leaves over the winter but never all of them, and I also keep her a tad moist. I'll be looking for Jim Mat's thought's and advice.

    Rene Roberts thanked christine 5b
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I really like those shiny pots. Do they come with carrying handles. I get plastic pots that come with convenient Carry handles


    Steve

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Steve, you crack me up...lol Just put aluminum foil around the buckets and you will have shiny ones too)

    Rene, now that your trees are outside they will grow back leaves suited for summer. You gained leaves that are use to lights not the sun and that is why you shedded the darker older ones. They should grow back. Becareful though not to put your trees right back into the sun right away or they will burn off. They actually look pretty good for being held up indoors for so long. Hope you are not in stoe for another winter blast like we are here in good ole New England(

    As for the bugs, I use Neem oil mixed with a bit if natural soapy water and drown/suffoctae the buggers. Not sure whay they are, too hard to tell.

    Did you use outside soil, or a bagged sterile mix? What kind of soil is that?

    Rene Roberts thanked Meyermike(Zone 6a Ma.)
  • 6 years ago

    Lol Pots were from dollar store and they do have handles drilled holes in the bottom.

  • 6 years ago

    Soil was regular promix potting soil With a few inches of regular outdoor top soil. Im in Ontario so I try to put them out durning the warm days (very few so far) then I bring it by late afternoon. Every video warned of leaf drop from over watering I’ll bet I did keep them too dry. Should have put a humidifier near them. It’s funny my oranges did well. I brought them inside with no fruit and now I have tons of oranges. They were all under the same lights and watered the same. I did loose leaves from the orange trees but not as much.