Oh want aileth thee my dear Meyer Lemon Tree

[Zboltman]

OK, I've seen powdery mildew before; Not sure this is what this is.
This is on both of my Meyer Lemon trees. All leaves near the top facing up.
Do I just rinse it off or is there a medicine for this?
My Wife, Myself and my Lemon trees thank you so very much!

 

[Meadowlark]

Howdy @Zboltman

I could be wrong @zoltman but I don't think it is powdery mildew. Notice those silvery wiggly lines and curled leaves.... those are reliable signs of leaf miners. They tunnel between the surfaces of the leaf leaving trails that look like what yours show.

Are those plants outside in the ground or inside in pots?

First, you might remove the worst infected leaves and dispose of well away from the area. I would get some Spinosad spray (like below) and treat them immediately...moving them outside to spray if necessary.

Just in case, that is just in case it is powdery mildew which I don't think it is, an evening spraying of neem oil will get after both.

Here's just one of the typical Spinosad products available.

 

[Chuck]

Those are called citrus leafminers. They go after younger leaves first. Thouroughly spray the entire tree, BOTH sides of the leaves with spinosad every 7-9 days for a month. The same stuff Meadowlark spoke of. The spinosad will NOT kill the leafminers already on the inside of the leaves as it is not a systemic insectcide. I don't think you would want to use a systemic poison on something you eat. It takes care of the moth. Neem oil or dormant oil spray repels the moth that lays the egg that turns into the leafminer that eats merrily away from the inside of the leaf. I have never had much luck with the Neem on leafminers. On other pests yes, just not on leafminers.

 

[Zboltman]

Those are called citrus leafminers. They go after younger leaves first. Thouroughly spray the entire tree, BOTH sides of the leaves with spinosad every 7-9 days for a month. The same stuff Meadowlark spoke of. The spinosad will NOT kill the leafminers already on the inside of the leaves as it is not a systemic insectcide. I don't think you would want to use a systemic poison on something you eat. It takes care of the moth. Neem oil or dormant oil spray repels the moth that lays the egg that turns into the leafminer that eats merrily away from the inside of the leaf. I have never had much luck with the Neem on leafminers. On other pests yes, just not on leafminers.

Thank you Meadowlark and Chuck. We have some of that in the cabinet and will spray very soon. Our two lemon trees are in the ground. Having a heat wave right now, (Over 100), and thought I would wait till it's at least in the 80s. I know the trees are suffering heat stress right now and now sure if I should add more stress to it by spraying when it's so hot.
Thank you for pointing out that this is not a systemic poison. Our lemons WERE organic up until this point. :-(

 

[Chuck]

Thank you Meadowlark and Chuck. We have some of that in the cabinet and will spray very soon. Our two lemon trees are in the ground. Having a heat wave right now, (Over 100), and thought I would wait till it's at least in the 80s. I know the trees are suffering heat stress right now and now sure if I should add more stress to it by spraying when it's so hot.
Thank you for pointing out that this is not a systemic poison. Our lemons WERE organic up until this point. :-(

Spinosad is safe, distilled from a soil bacteria. Spraying now will kill the moths that will fly in, not the actual leafminers. Moths have a natural cycle that they are active. I do not know the periods of time the moths are active in your area, thus the need to spray over a length of time. If you don't spray now and the moths are active it will affect many more leaves. When and if you spray to avoid stress on the tree, spray in the late, late afternoon. And do NOT remove the affected leaves as these leaves are still green and photosynthesizing. Each leafminer will stay in its leaf. Pick up and destroy ALL fallen leaves as they fall.

 

[Zboltman]

Spinosad is safe, distilled from a soil bacteria. Spraying now will kill the moths that will fly in, not the actual leafminers. Moths have a natural cycle that they are active. I do not know the periods of time the moths are active in your area, thus the need to spray over a length of time. If you don't spray now and the moths are active it will affect many more leaves. When and if you spray to avoid stress on the tree, spray in the late, late afternoon. And do NOT remove the affected leaves as these leaves are still green and photosynthesizing. Each leafminer will stay in its leaf. Pick up and destroy ALL fallen leaves as they fall.

Thank you, will spray this evening.

 

[Meadowlark]

Thank you, will spray this evening.

I just checked the label, and it is recommended to spray when temps below 85 deg F.

 

[Zboltman]

I just checked the label, and it is recommended to spray when temps below 85 deg F.

Awh Fiddlesticks. I didn't read the label enough. Just sprayed and it is still 89 deg F outside. Hope things cool off quick.

 

[Chuck]

Awh Fiddlesticks. I didn't read the label enough. Just sprayed and it is still 89 deg F outside. Hope things cool off quick.

Don't worry about it. I have sprayed the stuff many many times in more adverse condiditons than yours and suffered no ill effects at all.