Why do indoor lemon curl leaves and what to do to help the plant?
Growing a lemon tree at home is simple, but like all exotic plants, it requires proper care.
Failure to comply with the correct conditions may lead to leaf problems.
One of the most common problems is leaf curl. The causes of this ailment can be many: improper care, pests, diseases, lack of minerals.
Why do leaflets of a houseplant fold into a tube and what to do?
If homemade lemon leaves turn yellow and twist inward, first of all, you need to determine why this happens, After all, many factors can affect the plant's health, including:
- Improper care.
- Pests.
- Diseases
- Lack of minerals.
- Lack of oxygen.
- Wrong watering.
Improper care
Adverse conditions can destroy even the most persistent plants. Twisting the leaves is also a consequence of improper care.
Oxygen deficiency, excessive dryness or excessive humidity, drafts, poor soil, lack of fertilizers or their lack - all this affects the health of the tree.
Wrong watering
As in everything, in watering, you also need to find a middle ground. You can not fill the tree, but it is not advisable to arrange drought. Because of this, the leaves can not only curl, but also turn yellow or completely fall. Lemon tree does not tolerate cold and not defended water. For irrigation, water that has stood up for several days is ideal.
This is done so that all chlorine evaporates from it (this element has a bad effect on citrus fruits). It should also be at room temperature. If desired, a few drops of vinegar can be added to the water. Schisandra should be sprayed as the soil dries.
Humidification in the winter and in the summer
- In winteras you know, the air in the house is drier than in summer. Because of this, the foliage of the tree suffers. If you suddenly noticed that the leaves began to curl, you need to take quick measures and provide the tree with high humidity. Air humidifiers do a good job of this, if you don’t have the opportunity to purchase such a device, simply move the pot away from the batteries and place a container of water near it.
- Summer due to the high temperature, the soil dries quickly. To avoid this, simply spray and water the plant more often.
Lack of oxygen
Sometimes lemon leaves curl due to oxygen deficiency. In the summer, lemongrass is taken out to fresh air, and in the winter the room is ventilated.
When carrying out the above manipulations, make sure that there are no sudden changes in temperature and drafts, this can harm the tree.Pests
One of the causes of leaf twisting is the appearance of pests.
Spider, citrus mites and Yuma tick
Spider mite is a fairly common and dangerous pest. The insect has a very small size, so it can not be immediately seen with the naked eye and take any measures to eliminate it. Most often, ticks affect the lower part of the green.
They feed on the sap of plants, which leads to falling and twisting of leaves. Some time after the lesion, a cobweb and yellow dots on the leaves may appear. You can not hesitate with treatment when this pest appears, since it will not only suck all the juices, literally, from the tree, but can also suffer some kind of viral disease.
How to deal with spider web and other types of ticks:
- The first thing to do is rinse the tree crown with warm water, putting a bag or film on the pot. This will help to remove a significant amount of ticks.
- But one wash is not enough, the most effective way to combat the spider mite is with chemicals.
Well proven:
- "Fitoferm";
- "Actellik";
- "Demitan."
Fighting a spider mite is not easy, because their eggs are pretty resistant to chemicals. To avoid re-infection, several treatments are required at intervals of 7-10 days.
As a preventative measure, you can plant plants next to lemongrass that these types of mites cannot tolerate: geranium and garlic.Shield
Known for her disguise. Often affects citrus fruits, forming yellowish dots on the surface of the leaf. Outwardly, these dots look like dry plaque.
If treatment is not started in time, scabs will spread to other parts of the tree and fill everything with their shells, because of this the foliage may curl or fall.
How to deal with the scale shield:
- Check citrus for neoplasms on foliage and branches (if you still find them, remove the affected areas).
- Clean the leaves with an alcohol-containing solution.
- Spray a tree with an insecticide.
- Perform the procedure again after 7-14 days.
Thrips and aphids
Indoor lemons are also attacked by thrips and aphids. A characteristic sign of the appearance of parasites are silver streaks.
How to get rid? Getting rid of thrips and aphids is similar to combating scutes and spider mites.
Mineral deficiency
Foliage curl is observed with a lack of various minerals:
- Calcium: when there is a shortage of foliage, it begins to lose color, curl, dry out and then fall off. Shoots can begin to die. The good news is that a deficiency of this element is extremely rare, since tap water contains calcium salts.
- Magnesium: deficiency of this element causes chlorosis - the leaves turn pale between the veins. It is observed during fruiting. Eliminate the cause of complex nutrition or magnesium sulfate.
- Boron: First of all, the lack affects young shoots and leaves. They curl and become lethargic. Sometimes transparent spots or enlarged veins may appear. Boron deficiency is filled with boric acid.
- Copper: the leaves increase in size, acquire a dark green color and the tip of the leaf is tucked. Replenish with copper sulfate or copper sulfate.
Disease
Citrus diseases can be caused by pathogens:
- bacteria
- fungi;
- viruses.
They are carried by other plants, with water and wind.
- Sooty fungus. The disease interferes with the normal development and growth of the tree. It appears in the form of a dark brown coating on the leaves, and with time it can spread to the branches. When infected, plaque can be washed off with ordinary warm water, and ventilate the room.
- Gummosis. The disease attacks the lower part of the trunk. Over time, it can rise up or down and affect other parts of citrus. A bulge is formed at the site of the lesion, in which gum accumulates (brown or yellow liquid, which hardens upon contact with air). These sites subsequently die off. The leaves also suffer.
Infected plants continue to bear fruit, but the fruits lose their taste. Do not take any measures, lemongrass may die.
The treatment is quite complicated:
- Affected areas should be treated with a solution of copper sulfate.
- Then remove the tree from the soil, clean the roots and transplant into new soil.
- Cut and burn sick wood.
Prevention
The best prevention is good and proper care. It is always easier to prevent a disease than to treat it. Also, for the prevention of pathogens of viral, bacterial and fungal diseases, it is recommended to use the Fitosporin boifungicide. They need to spray and water the citrus. There can be many reasons for twisting the leaves of a lemon tree, but with proper care they can be avoided.