"MC" mcathomalidotcom wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I have a lime, lemon and orange tree that have been in the ground for a
year
and evrytime they start to get a few new growing tips (and I get really
excited) they seem to get tipped by something?!

Hence, they are still very small and quite compact - my missus reckons
they
were mis-labelled at the nursery and are dwarf varieties! LOL

The ground they are on is quite hard/clay type soil, so that doesn't help,
although I did dig the hole over quite well and planted with plenty of
good
compost and mulch around the base.

Any ideas on what is taking the tips off the trees and/or how I can stop
it?

Cheers,
MC


Harlequin bugs are notorious for attacking citrus, they suck the sap out of
new growth and it withers. Hard buggers to get rid of, you can either spray
but need to thoroughly to get them as they hide under the leaves. I do it
the tried and true way. Firstly you need goggles and rubber gloves and old
clothes or overalls and a pair of tongs, (these bugs when you threaten them
they squirt and acidic and very smelly liquid at you) have a bucket of water
handy and when you catch them drop them in it and drown them, eventually you
will get them all, do a little bit each day.