Hope someone can help. I live in mid west France and I have a lemon tree. The first year I had a good crop of lemons but last winter all the leaves dropped because it was wintered in the garage. It was brought indoors and the leaves recovered in time for spring. However since then the leaves have been pointing upwards and and have folded. I repotted about 4 weeks ago and noticed that there were yellow eggs amongst the roots. These eggs were 3- 4mm in dia and milky inside when squashed. I washed the roots and sterilized the pot but leaves have not changed. I have also sprayed the tree to kill amy spider mites. I would be grateful for any advice.

metty54 ha scritto:
Hope someone can help. I live in mid west France and I have a lemon
tree. The first year I had a good crop of lemons but last winter all
the leaves dropped because it was wintered in the garage.

You cannot keep a plant in a garage! A plant need light to grow. Lemon
keep its leaf during the winter so need light also during this season.
A plant take advantage of sun-light not only for its growth, but also
for many morpho-physiological functions, so that you can impair it
acting this way.

It was
brought indoors and the leaves recovered in time for spring. However
since then the leaves have been pointing upwards and and have folded.

Probably the plant was in place where light was not enough again, so its
leaves directed to the sun to allow the plant to sirvive.

I repotted about 4 weeks ago and noticed that there were yellow eggs
amongst the roots.

When a plant suffers bad environmental conditions weakens and parasites
can impair it.
These eggs were 3- 4mm in dia and milky inside when
squashed.

In this case the plant has probably been suffering a nematode attack and
has developed root gals, a kind of fito-hormonal reaction to nematode
attacks.

I washed the roots and sterilized the pot but leaves have not
changed.


I have also sprayed the tree to kill amy spider mites. I would
be grateful for any advice.

This is an other sign the plant weakened.

Have you killed all the mites, or do you need any advice about an
effective agro-chemical?

About nematodes generally it also depends from the a varietal sensitivity.

Anyway you can try to kill them by means of a systemic nematocide, or
better you can make a green manure adding Sinapis alba (white mustard),
or other brassicaceae to the soil.
Hope this helps.
Bye,
L.F.

Many thanks for your advice, the tree has been moved to a brighter outlook.
John