Prior to leaving for the Philippines some six weeks ago, I waged major battles with spider mites on my lemon tree. The tree was growing rapidly at that time, but only because I had been squelching the mite population by various means for several months. In the two weeks leading up to my departure, I stepped up my game and entered a regimen where I applied soap to the tree twice a day and then heavily misted it with water a couple of hours after each soap treatment.
I continued to see mites on the tree until just a
few days before we boarded our first plane and left the islands. I was not
convinced I had fully defeated the mites and feared I would return home to a
tree decimated by the tiny pests. Furthermore, I did not leave any instructions
regarding the mites with the person kind enough to water our houseplants in our
absence. I figured we would "let things ride," as they say.
I am happy to announce that I returned home to a
healthy, mite-free lemon tree. The tree grew considerably in my absence and has
even put forth a new cluster of branches at the base. It is as healthy as can
be, and I am beginning to think I will see lemons before long.
I am posting a picture of me, the tree, and my
standard reference for size—a Cold Smoke beer. Cheers, with a twist of lemon!
—Mitchell Hegman
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