Hi Tui, my lemon tree is not a year old yet. I have watered it, given it Tui Citrus Food, it is very hot here in Tauranga at the moment, why are the leaves being eaten?

Hi Beverley, it could be a number of things affecting your lemon tree. It could be slugs and snails, even though it is very dry, they are still coming out at night to feed, go out with a torch at night and you may find them on your tree. If you do, place slug and snail bait around the tree using Tui Quash which is a safer slug and snail bait option, especially if you have pets and children playing in the garden. It could be caterpillars, they are likely to be on the underside of the leaf and also feed at night, there may be evidence of droppings or webbing where they are hiding. If the tree is small, I would remove the caterpillars and squish using your fingers or throw in the rubbish. It could also be beetles feeding on the plant, they are harder to control and can usually be removed with a blast from a hose. The Tui Team.