The fall of the twins and the rise of an edible garden.

[Sporky]

Today saw the fall of the twin deciduous trees in our backyard.

It now means I don't have a shadowing tree in the back yard and more room for growing things (or at least that's the idea!)

I'm hoping for some gardening advice, at the moment I have a small veggie patch in the back right corner. I have planted beetroot, carrot, pea and an unknown (cause what the hell!) on the 1st June. I haven't seen the seedlings yet but it's too early.

I also have a lemon tree that is dying (it's what I do apparently) so I was hoping someone could tell me why the leaves have started to yellow at the top. I've lost 2 leaves so far. Since getting the tree, I have replanted it, added mushroom compost (on the advice of the gardening guru at the community garden) , and added a small amount of slow release fertilizer (when it was replanted). That's the extent of my lemon tree knowledge.

I will add photos once I figure out how lol

[Sporky]

[Sporky]

[Sporky]

[Sporky]

[Jason]

Hi @Sporky,

As per your table post, I've moved the photos you uploaded to the gallery and added them here so it makes it easier for other community members to see them.

I hope members can assist with your lemon tree. You might find these previous discussions about citrus trees helpful:

• Our lemon tree has lost almost all its leaves

• Sooty mould on lemon tree

• Citrus bugs

Hope that helps.

Jason

[greygardener]

It looks like sooty mould on the lemon tree @Sporky. You need to act fast. 

It's caused by scale insects which are sap suckers. They will kill the tree if untreated. You need to use a pyrethrim-based spray. It suffocates the insects.

Good luck.

[Sporky]

Hi @greygardener thanks for the tip!

I'm using eco-oil from bunnings (https://www.bunnings.com.au/eco-organic-garden-750ml-ready-to-use-eco-oil_p2961639) so I'm confused at what I've done wrong. Did I not put enough on the tree or does it require more often application than what it says on the bottle? Should I be using a different one? Because this is the stuff the garden person from bunnings told me to buy.

I am really good at killing things (often over watering and insects get me) so followed the directions of the person exactly. Buy this lemon tree, but this pot, buy this potting mix, buy this slow release fertilizer, buy this insecticide. Repot tree into pot with potting mix and a small amount of slow release. Wait 1 week, spray with eco oil, follow instructions on the bottle.

So did my tree get sold to me with sooty mould or is it something that's happened in the last 5 weeks? Is the oil I'm using no good? Should they have sold me a different spray?

I am going to go and read the threads on it, but I'm so disheartened that's things are going badly already I'm concerned that everything I buy from bunnings dies... maybe I'm the unofficial worst gardener in the world! Lol

Thanks again guys, I know it's frustrating for me to ask questions that have already been answered but I now know what sooty mold is.. and knowing is half the battle!!

[Isobel]

@Sporky

Bunnings has a "Perfect Plant Promise" - you can return them for a refund if you are not happy anytime in the first 12 months.

Don't worry. It sounds like you have done everything right!

[Sporky]

Yeah I know @Isobel but it feels like quite the failure that I can't keep it alive from when my MIL left to when she next gets here in July. Lol I had one job, keep the plant alive lol