Have you ever noticed citrus leaves curling? You may witness the healthy citrus leaves curling up or down (inward or outward). I have faced this issue with my citrus leaves and managed to find the reasons. Once you find the specific reason, it will be easier for you to treat the curly citrus leaves.
Note: The most common reason for this is the leaf miner.
How can I tell if leaf miners are the cause?
By just looking at the leaves carefully, you can easily detect this. Look at the picture below:
If you follow my articles, you must know that I always prefer using organic pest control over chemical options.
But this time, it's not easy to treat the leaves using organic pest control methods.
Here is a complete guideline to treat this: Leaf Miner on Citrus - How to get rid of it
Due to leaf miner attack, the leaves usually curl outward or upward.
It's not just leaf miners. Any bug or pest that sucks sap from the leaves or leaf stems can cause curling leaves.
It might be aphids and spidermites, too.
Other major reasons for curly leaves on citrus
If you search the internet, you might find watering issues.
I have tested many citrus plants on different watering schedules, and here is my observation:
Citrus leaves curl when it is underwatered.
Overwatering will cause root damage, and you will find yellowish leaves.
In a few cases, I have also found curly leaves on an overwatered citrus or lemon tree.
But how can you identify if it is due to overwatering or underwatering?
Underwatering:
Citrus leaves curl inward and feel dry or brittle.
What did I mean by inward?
The edges of the leaf roll toward the center of the leaf (like it's folding up lengthwise).
Overwatering:
Citrus leaves usually curl downward or appear soft and limp.
Downward is different from inward. Here, the whole leaf droops or curls downward from the stem, like it's hanging limp.
Treatment: Always give time to dry the top 1 inch of the soil. Then water again.
Lack of Nutrients - Curly leaves on Citrus
Due to the lack of nitrogen or potassium, you may witness distorted leaves or curly leaves, just like the picture below.
Ignore the damaged leaf. Will talk about that in another article (Subscribe to this site to get updates for free).
Note: Yellowing between curly citrus leaf veins is a major indication of magnesium deficiency.
Treatment: Use a foliar spray that contains mostly nitrogen. If you see yellow leaves as well, use nitrogen mixed with magnesium.
Here is a picture of the nutrient-deficient citrus leaves from another citrus tree.
If you have used chemical fertilizer recently and found curly leaves and shrinking leaves, it is due to chemical damage.
Overfertilized citrus tree leaves usually shrink abnormally. The leaves curl as a result of shrinkage.
I hope this helps you treat your citrus tree. Share with other citrus lovers and subscribe to this site so that I can create guidelines for more plant diseases.
