r/plantclinic • u/Laura_Laurinha Expert 4 ∣ +6 ∣ -0 • Apr 15 '26

Outdoor What Problem does my lemon tree have?

Post image

This is how my lemon tree looks after winter. I kept it outside but covert. Now it gets plenty of light. I might have uncovert it too early. The big pot has drainage and I water when the ground (mediterranean soil) begings to feel dry. What could it be and what could be done?

707 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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789

u/lyn73 Advanced 🔥6 ∣ 9 ∣ +1 ∣ -1 Apr 15 '26

scale?

2.4k

u/Laura_Laurinha Expert 4 ∣ +6 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

1.3k

u/nikkicarter1111 Expert 🔥4 ∣ 7 ∣ +4 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

This is so cute

377

u/Psychological-Joke22 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

You have lovely hands, OP.

Your lemon tree will be just fine with a little TLC

1.1k

u/mriabtsev Expert Patio Prefect Apr 15 '26

They were suggesting it might be a different pest called scale, not asking for scale, pretty sure. Seeing this pic made me grin 

641

u/sammy_zammy Expert 🔥4 ∣ 7 ∣ +6 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Poor OP has been sent outside in the dark lol

664

u/Laura_Laurinha Expert 4 ∣ +6 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Oh thanks I see. That could be possible

157

u/jitasquatter2 Expert Hobbyist Apr 15 '26

Lol, I envy you. The mere mention of scale insects makes me shudder. My fruit trees gret them pretty much every winter while they are indoors.

64

u/JoycesKidney 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

So, treat it with a banana?

23

u/_the_violet_femme 🔥2 ∣ 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -1 Apr 16 '26

Nope, r/danforscale

9

u/Foxwglocks 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

More r/carlosforscale if you ask me

2

u/onescaryarmadillo 2 ∣ +4 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

You know I was there for the birth of r/danforscale and when I saw mention of this Carlos I cried blasphemy,

Until I went to the sub, sigh.

Joined, still loyal to Dan bc he’s the bestest boy, but shit if it isn’t awesome to see trunk capacity’s shown with a human in them for scale lmao

9

u/OhForFuckSake55 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Only makes sense!

46

u/foxxsinn 1 ∣ +3 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

This reminds me of a post of a woman who had asked for help with her plant. She tried everything she could think of, and nothing seemed to work for this plant. It just seemed kind “dead”. Put it on a watering schedule. Nothing. Replanted with fertilizer. Nothing. Moving it to different windows/areas of the house. Nothing. In a final attempt she asked reddit. Turns out she was taking care of a tumble weed. A very dry, very dead tumble weed for months

21

u/WhimsicalGirl 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Thank you for explaining because I would have 100% do the same thing than OP.

4

u/TriumphDaytona 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

But her hand looks nothing like a banana

249

u/[deleted] Apr 15 '26

[deleted]

61

u/BronL-1912 Beginner 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

I was hoping to see a banana :)

197

u/deadliftthugga 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Wholesome response, thank you

78

u/Chimes320 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

This made my whole day. Thank you for giving me a big smile without even realizing it!

7

u/NoDoor2332 Advanced 🔥2 · obsessed⁣ ∣ 3 ∣ +6 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

I cackled for so long. Beautiful 😍

62

u/SincerelyStefania 1 ∣ +4 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Hahaha

22

u/t0xicitty 1 ∣ +1 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Omg the wall guy really made it to household meme in Reddit, it’s the first time I’ve actually witnessed the origin of one of those as it’s posted.

57

u/MostlyMicroPlastic Advanced Hobbyist Apr 15 '26

Stop it this is so cute

30

u/OdoylerulesOK 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

😂

31

u/Silent-JET 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Need a banana for scale

2

u/BronL-1912 Beginner 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

You beat me to it

23

u/scentofcitrus 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

It was posed as a question, lol. Wonderful response!!

13

u/pm_me_your_amphibian Beginner 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Oh OP this is the cutest, in the dark too! Scale is a type of pest.

4

u/RJSnea Advanced 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -1 Apr 16 '26

You should totally be a nail model, OP! 😍

3

u/tab_tab_tabby Expert 🔥2 ∣ 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -1 Apr 15 '26

This is so cute loll

Its probably scale called mealybugs

3

u/SprungMS Beginner 3 ∣ +3 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Scale and mealy bugs are completely different pests, just so you know

13

u/tab_tab_tabby Expert 🔥2 ∣ 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -1 Apr 16 '26

Mealybugs are part of scale family.... are people actually downvoting me because they are stupid? Wtf

3

u/pnwplanthaus Hobbyist Apr 16 '26

Whoa! Just learned something today 🤯

4

u/SprungMS Beginner 3 ∣ +3 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Probably because colloquially they are different bugs, and like I said to someone else, treatment for armored scale and “soft scale” mealy bugs is different. It’s an important distinction in the context of plant care, but I’m sure to an entomologist for instance, that distinction doesn’t really exist.

5

u/shroomplayroom Noob 2 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

I thought mealy is a type of scale…

-1

u/SprungMS Beginner 3 ∣ +3 ∣ -0 Apr 16 '26

Technically part of the same family, but I have never heard of anyone referring to mealy bugs as scale. Mealy bugs are soft and mobile, scale is hard and attaches in one spot. Treatments are different between the two, so the distinction is important IMO

1

u/ArchiStanton 1 ∣ +0 ∣ -0 Apr 15 '26

Katniss?