KPRC GardenLine Newsletter

September 7, 2006 - Issue #101

Here's Randy's Weekly KPRC GardenLine Tip:

LEAF MINERS - THE BANE OF MOST CITRUS CITRUS TREES


This past Saturday, on the GardenLine radio program, we were visited by Angela Chandler who is with the Harris County Precinct 2 Master Gardener Program. I've used Angela as one of my "go-to" people for Citrus questions along the Gulf Coast for a couple of years now. While she fielded a wide array of questions on Citrus and Fall Vegetable Gardens, the topic "Du Jour" was about Leaf Miners.

Most of the questions I get regarding Citrus Leaf Miners, both on the air and via email, usually start off one of two ways.

          1. The leaves on my citrus are shriveling up and have some squiggly lines embedded in the leaf.
          2. The leaves on my citrus are curling up and have shiny little trails on the leaves.

I'm not sure if it was Angela or Ray Sher (the Citrus expert from the Urban Harvest) but at the very least, between the two of them, a homemade regimen was concocted. I took that information last year, and have been doling it out to anyone who was interested. But this year, I swear the infestation is worse than it has been in the last two years, and I seem to giving out this regimen five times every weekend. I can attest personally that this regimen below does work. Once I saw the first infestation of Leaf Miners on one of my Satsumas, I started the weekly control listed below on all my citrus (Lemon, Lime and Satsumas), and I've not had a problem since.

To Control Leaf Miners on Citrus in Houston Alternate Neem Oil & Spinosad

Spray with one, and wait and week to 10 days and spray with the other.

But here are some of the thoughts that prevailed on Saturday's radio program regarding the use of these two products and controlling Leaf Miners in general:

- One you start this alternating of Neem & Spinosad, you must stay consistent with it on an every week or every other week basis.
- You can stop the applications once the high temperatures get below 85 degrees on a consistent basis. Often times that's from November through March in the Houston area.
- Despite the warning on Spinosad labels, you CAN use Spinosad more than three times in a season, because you are alternating the controls, and not only using Spinosad.
- The alternating of controls is a way to keep the insects from getting used to one insecticidal property.
- These are both organically-derived products and safe for fruit bearing crops.
- There are no known "systemic" chemical controls for citrus trees anyway.
- The moths which lay the leaf miners, love the new growth, which is mainly the growth that needs to be treated.
- While they can make a leaf turn "ugly", leaf miners are not life-threatening to the tree.
- These are relatively new insects to the Houston area. The problem originated in Florida in 1993 and made its way to Texas around 1995.
- Highly infected/affected leaves can be pinched off.
- Curled up leaves are often a sign of Leaf Miners too. So, spread the leaf out to be certain and look for the so called "snack trails".
- You can find Neem Oil in most garden centers, but it seems that Spinosad is more often found in independent nurseries and garden centers and seldom found at the big box stores and mass merchandisers.
- If you don't have an infestation, it has been noted that you can use these two as a "preventative," on a 10-14 day basis.

Until next issue, here's to Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively weekend mornings from 8 to noon on Talkradio 950 KPRC.





Be sure to check out Randy's event page to see where else Randy will be for the next few weekends. Bring your plants, bugs, and diseases for identification purpose.

Until our next issue, here's to great gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively weekend mornings 8 a.m.-noon on TALKRADIO 950 KPRC.

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