Does your lemon tree have spider mites?

Red citrus spider mite mainly affects indoor lemons

If you discover a noticeable 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 in size and mostly sit on the underside of the leaves, where they tap the pathways of the plant and suck out plant sap. You can recognize a strong infestation by the characteristic webs that can spread under the leaves, in the leaf axils and up to the tip of the shoot. At this stage, there is a high probability that the tree is already in the process of shedding leaves. A leaf drop should always make you suspicious and look for the causes.

Prevention is better than treatment

Spider mites infested preferentially Lemon trees kept in the room, because the animal prefers dry air. Even improperly wintered - d. H. Overwintered lemons that are too warm and too dark are often affected, after all, heating air additionally dries out the room air, which is already dry in winter. Since prevention is known to make more sense than cure, you can counter the animals preventively in the following ways:

• Put lemon tree out in summer
• Spray indoor lemons regularly with water from a spray bottle
• Alternatively, you can also gently shower the plant (but pull protective film around the container and soil)
• Hibernate the plant in a cool place
• Avoid waterlogging, d. H. do not water the plant excessively
• Waterlogging leads to a weakening of the plant, which in turn becomes more susceptible to insect infestation

This is how you get rid of spider mites

Sooner or later, however, every lemon tree will be hit: spider mites! Did you discover these annoying animals early on - d. H. So far there are only a few - should it be enough to spray or spray the tree with a soap solution for several days in a row. to take a shower. Make sure that the soapy water does not get into the soil - this could damage the tree. Potash soap is particularly suitable for this purpose. In the case of a strong infestation, only the chemical club usually helps, which is necessary due to the otherwise severe damage to the tree. In order not to let things get that far in the first place, you should check your lemon tree for pests at least once a week - only then can you react in good time. Spider mites tend to appear in summer.

Tips & Tricks

if Your lemon tree sticks, are also responsible for insect pests - mostly scale insects or other lice sucking plant sap.