Like almost all citrus plants, the lemon tree is susceptible to disease and pest infestation. Pests that suck plant sap, such as spider mites, mainly occur when kept indoors.
Red citrus spider mite mainly affects indoor lemons
If you discover a conspicuous number of bright spots on the leaves of your lemon tree, it is most likely an infestation with the red citrus spider mite. The adult arachnids are only about 0.5 millimeters long and mostly sit on the underside of the leaves, where they tap off the plant's pathways and suck out plant sap. You can recognize a severe infestation by the characteristic webs that can spread under the leaves, in the leaf axils and up to the shoot tip. At this stage, the tree is most likely already shedding leaves. A leaf shedding should always make you suspicious and let you look for the causes.
Prevention is better than treatment
Spider mites prefer to infest lemon trees kept indoors, as the little animal prefers dry air. Also improperly overwintered - i. H. too warm and too dark hibernated lemons are often affected, after all, heating air dries out the already dry room air in winter. Since prevention is known to make more sense than cure, you can preventively deal with the animals in the following way:
- Put the lemon tree outside in the summer
- Mist room lemons regularly with water from a spray bottle
- Alternatively, you can also gently shower the plant (but pull protective film around the bucket and soil)
- Overwinter the plant in a cool place
- Avoid waterlogging, d. H. do not water the plant excessively
- Waterlogging weakens the plant, which in turn becomes more susceptible to insect infestation
How to get rid of spider mites
Sooner or later, however, every lemon tree gets caught: spider mites! Did you discover the annoying little animals early on - i. H. there are only a few so far - it should be enough to spray or shower the tree with a soap solution for several days in a row. Be careful not to let the soapy water get into the soil - this could damage the tree. A potash soap is particularly suitable for this purpose. In the case of a severe infestation, only the chemical club usually helps, which is necessary due to the otherwise possibly severe damage to the tree. In order not to let it get that far in the first place, you should check your lemon tree for pest infestation at least once a week - only then can you react in good time. Spider mites tend to appear in summer.
tips and tricks
If your lemon tree sticks, there are also harmful insects behind it - but mostly they are scale insects or other lice that suck plant sap.