There’s so much to like about planting citrus in pots. They are attractive, provide year round interest. Add a splash of the ‘sub tropics’ to the garden and are, arguably one of the must-grow fruits in any yard. It’s surprising what you find on your citrus, apart from fruit, when you stop to check them over. Keep an eye for these raised lumps on your citrus. This is a gall caused by a citrus gall wasp. A small, insignificant wasp that flies in and lays its eggs in the citrus stem. The eggs hatch and burrow further in, causing the stem to become irritated and raised. If you can see holes in the gall, then the new wasps have escaped and are on the move to your other citrus. If there are no holes, then the newly forming wasps are still in the gall. Best way to deal with galls on your citrus is to cut off any affected stems. Sometimes it feels like you are removing most of the branches. Dispose in your green waste bin, not the compost. It’s unlikely these galls will kill your tree, but they do look unsightly and can reduce fruit production. A regular spray of horticultural oil will help reduce the citrus gall wasps from landing and laying their eggs. Then keep up the sprays and the checking to give your citrus trees the best chance of staying ‘gall’ free. WATCH THE CLIP
