Take a potato peeler to your lemon tree and say goodbye to gall wasps | Citrus | Gardening Australia

In most parts of Australia, if you've grown citrus, you’re more than likely to have come across swollen galls on your grapefruit, lemon, lime or orange.
They are caused by citrus gall wasps (Bruchophagus fellis) - native Australian insects that were originally found only in northern NSW and Queensland where native citrus grow, but they are now found in almost all states apart from Tasmania.
These small (about 2mm - 3mm) shiny black wasps are most active in spring and summer, with the female laying a clutch of eggs into the bark of the soft growth of citrus trees. As the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into soft stems. As the larvae grow, the plant forms woody tissue around them, causing swelling and the characteristic gall. Once the weather warms, the adults hatch and the cycle starts again…with the eggs being laid almost immediately, and often in the same tree!
While the galls generally won’t kill trees, they can seriously impact their vigour, reducing the size and yield of fruit, and causing growth to be weak and spindly.
Here’s how to tackle the problem:
First identify ‘active’ galls. If the gall is covered in tiny pin holes, the wasps inside have already hatched and gone. Look for swellings where the bark is still intact.
Traditionally, galls were pruned them off, cutting the affected limb well behind the gall, then bagging the prunings, solarising and placing in the bin, to prevent reinfestation. However, in smaller trees you can lose all the most productive branches this way.
Instead, grab some secateurs, a sharp knife or even a potato peeler and, facing the blade away from your body, slice the top off one side of the active gall, or slice the gall open (like a hot dog bun). This exposes the contents of the gall (the larvae) to air and kills them, without causing lasting damage to the tree. The best time to do this is mid to late winter.
Just make sure you don’t ring-bark the stem, as this will kill it.
To prevent reinfestation:
• Don’t prune citrus in winter
• Avoid overfeeding your citrus tree, particularly in winter and spring.
• Spray vulnerable new growth of citrus trees with a horticultural oil in spring
• Keep in mind that sticky traps can kill some of the ‘useful’ predatory insects too.
• Encourage your neighbours to treat their trees too!
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[@chrism3845]

Interesting approach, Thanks. For about 4 years I've been wrapping the gall in a little Gladwrap. This seals the gall and stops the new wasps from leaving and they die. I unwrap the Gladwrap and use again the following year.

[@calmblueocean7243]

Worth a try, thanks. What season would you do the wrap? 🤔

[@ianmiles2505]

Or paint the the galls with latex paint thereby ensuring the wasp remains trapped and dies.

[@Seapin1]

@@calmblueocean7243 perhaps do the Glad Wrap before the wasps emerge, so late winter. This is also the time to put up traps if you are using them, since they emerge in Spring

[@munaal-taie9840]

Seems a good idea. But if you have been doing this for 4 years and the problem is still there , you might need to collaborate with the neighbours as suggested in the video. All the best.

[@calmblueocean7243]

@@Seapin1 thank you! I would like to try this method before the more invasive ones as my tree is only small (it hasn't borne fruit yet!) ✌🌱

[@kelradford374]

You are always full of great info Jane. Thank you for easing peoples concerns about their lemon trees again. 🍋

[@kateymateymusic1]

Thank you! I saw this video randomly a few weeks ago and watched it, not thinking much of it. Imagine my surprise today when counting lemons on my Meyer dwarf lemon tree when I discovered huge falls today. I followed your trusty advice and have potato peeled the galls. Fingers crossed they won’t be back

[@BananaConcoction]

Only started noticing these this season and had no idea what they were. Thank you for this.

[@PebblesChan]

What a gorgeous puppy dog!

[@calmblueocean7243]

Yep, I have been loving GA videos lately, thanks!🌱

[@thisearththeonlyheaven]

Those galls are way bigger and more numerous than on my citrus in Qld. I vaguely recall that there is another native insect that helps control the gall wasp here. I see now why they are considered a problem elsewhere.

[@tannecy]

I went to work immediately. Been wanting to do something about those lumps on my lemon tree!!

[@wellingtonsboots4074]

Thank you for this. I will certainly be trying this. My lemon tree has them pretty bad.

[@beachdays561]

Went through my lime tree today, worked well! A satisfying use of the peeler

[@cherylcarter6426]

Love the dog too.

[@Aangel452]

Wow, good for you for sharing this...I never knew, but have seen these black ants on the tree. Cheers, the neighbourhood joining in is also a good idea.

[@lauren8627]

My lime was so badly affected too. If you have ants you have a bigger problem. This is copy/paste from Google. "Ants on your lemon tree are likely a sign that your lemon tree has scale and/or aphids. The ants aren't causing any damage to the tree, but sometimes they "farm" the aphids or scale insects because both of these pests produce honeydew, a sweet, sticky, saplike substance that the ants eat."

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

Wonderful. No more having to prune back the tree heavily and no more of those yellow sticky tubes form Bunnings.

[@Batman-nz2ue]

The "Go Natural Citrus Gall Wasp And Medfly Insect Traps"?

[@deslynmcintyre3833]

Thank you, i have been peeling these galls for three years.

[@spateri728]

Thank you! It's never ending.

[@Dmitry_Y]

I have used this approach, but most recently put a paint over the swollen areas, will see if it works.

[@VanLe-ex8hr]

Thanks for wonderful idea, simple but effective.

[@maxinefullinfaw4009]

Thanks Jane, I will try this. Louie is gorgeous ❤

[@apistosig4173]

Gorgeous Staffie ;-)

[@chezgirlrose7654]

Very informative video thank you G.A. 🍋

[@chairmanmeow3693]

Louie is a cutie pie!

[@RussAimz]

Thanks, this will help lots.

[@saltui64]

Thanks so much definitely try this one. My lime tree is badly affected. Good job 👍 thanks for sharing

[@GardeningAustralia]

Thanks for watching!

[@munaal-taie9840]

So peeling takes place late winter . I am confused about the ones on top of the tree. Please clarify.

[@lauren8627]

She said Autumn was the best time. Just prune the upper branches you can't peel. Autumn is not egg laying time for these wasps it should be fine.

[@Mealzanator]

Darn I already chop all of the infected areas off. I wish I had found your video before I cut it. I read multiple website saying to chop them off.

[@johnfitzpatrick2469]

Yes: thank you. I often wonder how I would treat them. 🌤

[@ambycakes]

I have some dwarf citrus varieties and wonder if I should keep a look out. Thank you!

[@shairryshell8510]

Wow Great information thnks dear👌🌷

[@jakjulius8323]

This is great!!!

[@sandovalmu6825]

Thank you❤

[@zenonkolacz3004]

Spray regularly with Vasilli’s GWS

[@manishgarjola1603]

Ur companion I m in lov with him

[@ianmiles2505]

A cordinated county wide application of systemic fertilzer sacrificing one years crop is all it would take to do them all in.

[@siewbianang4227]

WA Dept of Agriculture, advised me to prune and keep prunings in a sealed garbage bag. Then solarise it for at least four weeks.

[@gayedawn1]

Is there any spray for the top of the tree after pruning as a deterrent. I also pruned many wasp infected branches and the lime tree shot up like crazy. My neighbour has two huge old lemon trees and they are infected. He will not be able or prepared to do anything as he still gets heaps of lemons. I am also over 70 but will try the potato peeler this time.

[@eileendumo6602]

Thank you pretty lady

[@jenben996]

This method is not suitable for WA and it’s not what the Agricultural department of WA has been asking people to do. I wish that Gardening Australia has been more specific with their advice and actually mention it’s not applicable everywhere. This pest is relatively new to WA, they are still trying to stoop it from getting into the WA citrus industry. The problem with the potato peeler method is that it only lowers numbers since you can’t peel the whole gall without ringbarking the branch. It does not eradicate them from a tree and every hatched wasp leads to heaps more galls. I am constantly having to educate WA people on social media who are following this bad advice. Thanks a lot for that Gardening Australia! You have made this problem much bigger in WA by forgetting we are not the same as the eastern states.....

[@martinadelaide3385]

I'd love to know what keeps wasps away from certain trees. I have a client with 4 citrus trees but galls on only one.

[@mahmutalbayrak7097]

Thanks 👍👍👍👍👍

[@nickp5093]

this appeels to me

[@nitisingh6110]

Hi, thanks for this vedio, but I am too late I just cut whole of my lemon tree

[@mariaelmahdy1962]

I had them in Victoria .

[@sparksmacoy]

Love it

[@mrziggy1759]

So the bits shaved off just go in the rubbish and not the compost? Is that right

[@AlintaMcMurdo]

What do you do at this time of year when they’re hatching? The tree in the yard is far too big to possibly shave them all

[@NoNopeAndNo]

Exorcism I'm in same boat

[@jamiekeenan6121]

Perhaps you could prune the tree back during late summer when the wasps dont lay there eggs and hope that by spring the wood has hardened enough to protect the tree.

[@marka5937]

I just pruned half my lemon tree was going to prune the next half, now what do I do now 🤷‍♂️

[@thepotager9816]

I think you guys need to look into the use of kaolin clay

[@Dixar]

I know this has nothing to do with lemon trees, but why did they censor the dogs junk at 4:49 by masking it over with some grass from the background?

[@allieb7757]

lol family show

[@gisselmi142]

Could you please tell us how to get red of Fruit flies... They are absolutely annoying and they hurt so much when they bite us... Yes we got them inside the house too... Could you please help us.

[@oftin_wong]

You'll never win like this

[@xelak75s]

Can I still do this in Melbourne late January

[@paintwithmyrthle9565]

How to get rids of ants?

[@paintwithmyrthle9565]

And how to get rid of aphids?

[@Sabaho668]

Can you shave it any time of the year

[@missk8teu]

I wish i'd seen this earlier :( i completely pruned back my Tahitian Lime tree to just its stem and 2 branches and i'm scared ive killed it :/

[@zurva]

Did it survive? I’m afraid I did the same

[@missk8teu]

@@zurva yes!!!!!! It has come back fine! I have taken pics every week of its growth. And no more wasps!! Hopefully i get some fruit... eventually!

[@alisonburgess345]

My beautiful Lisbon lemon collapsed suddenly and died a month ago. It had a bit of gall wasp but I really don’t know what happened. It had no collar rot and the roots seemed fine 😢

[@allieb7757]

did you buy compost from a nursery in Victoria? There have been some sold laced with herbicide that killed a lot of people's plants.

[@atecay3636]

Thanks! And what breed of your gorgeous doggo?

[@sharonwebb945]

It looks like a staffordshire terrier - a gorgeous breed and similar to pitbull

[@annettevaughan8174]

It’s an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier, beautiful dogs with all the family including children. Definitely not a Pit Bull, nothing like it.

[@annettevaughan8174]

@@annkus3 Definitely not a PIT BULL🤣

[@sophiewhitehouse6718]

@@annettevaughan8174 "nothing like it". They're closely related, come off your high horse.

[@Kenthol_]

1st comment

[@chrism3845]

Show off ! : )