On Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:24:51 +0100, Slugs&snails
wrote:


Hi

Could anyone give me some advice please - my lime bush (which was on my
window sill but i've moved it outside and is still in its pot) has lost
a lot of leaves, there are little bumps now all up the stem which i'm
guessing is some kind of infestation?. Since i moved it outside it has
starting growing leaves but they are reddy/brown - does this mean it
has a deficiency?

any thoughts?

Kaffirs are notorious for scale, especially when over wintered
indoors. I have two and must keep vigilant. (other indoor citrus are
susceptible, too). If you have scale on the stem, though, you likely
have it on the underside of the leaves as well. Scale must be removed
by hand, scraping each one off, or using a q-tip and rubbing alcohol.

Kaffirs also tend to get aphids when kept in a warm, dry house over
the winter. You can spot this by the shiny, sticky exudate on the
leaves.

The ruddy-colored new growth you see may just be the tiny new leaves,
as when they emerge, they are reddish in hue and will green-up as they
get older. If the reddish color all over, or in sports, almost like
rust on existing growth?

They are not difficult to grow in pots. I use larger pots, but ones
that are pretty easy to move around and keep on the windowsill, surely
not tubs as some of my other exotics here in NJ are kept in.

I get my other potted citrus to bloom and fruit, but alas, not the
kaffir. All are fertilized with a special citrus mix.

Boron