dmdrabble wrote:
Hello,
I have a Mayer Lemon tree which is around 5 feet tall. I bought it
around November last year and since then, the tree produced plenty of
loverly smelling flowers that turned into small fruit. The problems
started then. The fruit fell off first and then loads of leaves. I was
confused as to why this was happening to a healthy tree, kept indoors
over winter.

Lack of light, humidity too low, overwatering, underwatering, inadequate
drainage, excess fertiliser....... some combination of the above. Citrus
trees are not indoor plants it takes some juggling to keep them going in
tubs under those conditions, it isn't always practical to do it. What is
the temperature range where it is?


Then the infestation came. It started with what looked like cotton
wool on the branches, with sap all over the leaves. Eventually, this
turned into scale.

If this happens again act more swiftly to remove the infestation.

I tried to get rid of the small insects, using
organic spray, but this didn't seem to help. I read somewhere that
alcohol kills them, so I sprayed them with some cheap aftershave.
This did kill them all off, but the very last couple of leaves
eventually fell off a few days ago.

Insects often attack weakened plants. Use pest oil with the insecticide for
scale.


The tree is now completely leafless and some of the branches have
started to turn brown. The scale has gone, but the brown is spreading
to most branches. I have tried to cut back some of the dead wood


It is very vulnerable now, fungus or bacterial diseases could take over that
you can't beat.

The tree is in full sun indoors, but I am worried that the brown will
spread to all of the branches and the tree will eventually die off.


How many hours of sunlight does it get per day in mid summer and in mid
winter?

Please someone help. The tree has turned from a healthy specimen to a
bald twig in the space of 3 months. Can the tree be saved?

Maybe. Keep it in the sun, make sure the soil drains well, water sparingly
and do not feed until there are signs of growth. When the weather warms up
if it is still alive new shoots will appear, then feed in moderation and
increase the water. Cut of any dead bits. It may re-shoot from below the
graft, if so cut that shoot off you don't want it. Feed again in mid
summer. Hope.

David