Whats happening? Please help
Hi @adkandel,
There is a very good chance your lemon tree has citrus leaf miner, which is a very common pest on citrus. It usually attacks the soft new growth on lemon, lime, and orange trees. The larvae tunnel inside young leaves and create winding tracks as they feed, and the silvery squiggly lines on the leaves are a clear giveaway that leaf miner is present. This tunnelling damage causes the leaves to curl, twist, and become gnarled as they grow, which is why the foliage often looks distorted or crinkled.
While the damage looks dramatic, citrus leaf miner rarely causes serious harm. The main impact is cosmetic, and it can slow growth slightly because the damaged leaves do not photosynthesise as efficiently.
Management focuses on protecting new growth rather than trying to fix already damaged leaves. Spraying eco oil on fresh flushes of growth can help prevent the larvae from establishing. These sprays work best when applied in the evening and repeated every week or two while the tree is producing new leaves. Severely distorted leaves can be removed, but light damage is usually best left alone since the tree will naturally replace them over time.
Keeping the tree healthy also helps it recover more easily. Regular watering, a good citrus fertiliser during the growing season, and avoiding excessive pruning during peak leaf miner activity will all support stronger new growth. Once the current flush hardens off, the pest becomes much less active, and the next round of leaves should look healthier.
So, you should remove the worst effected leaves, spray eco oil over the existing healthy growth and new growth and then focus on the overall health of the plant by keeping up the water levels and applying a good citrus fertiliser.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
I hope you found Jacob's advice useful. I thought I'd also add these helpful growing guides: Top tips for growing citrus trees at home, Growing citrus and Expert tips for planting and growing citrus in pots.
Mitchell
