Question
Hi Candace
I live in southern spain and have a variety of citrus trees in my garden. I have recently noticed the end leaves are curling and some have trail marks 'burnt' into them, there is also some evidence of them being eaten. I do not want to use chemical sprays (as is recommended locally). Is there any organic treatment I can use instead?
I have also noticed ants nuturing a small black insect on the branches (the size of a green fly but black). Is this good or bad?!

Thankyou in anticipation of your help
Laura

Answer
Laura,
You have hit the nail on the head with the ants.They are carrying around black citrus aphids. They nurture aphids which then exude a sugary substance called honeydew which can provide breeding grounds for bacteria and other icky things. So, one thing to do would be to discourage the ants and aphids by washing them off the trees with a strong spray of water. There are a number of home made sprays that are supposed to be effective including tobacco in water. Also using dormant oil spray is supposed to be effective.
Interplanting the trees with things that will repel the ants and aphids is recommended - examples would include nasturtiums or chives.
There are really a lot of ways to control aphids and definitely no need to use chemicals. You can also try onions and garlic as a spray, or a spray of limewater.
Finally, now that you know what the problem is, try going on line and searching for other organic solutions to the black citrus aphid, as I am not an expert on citrus trees, and I bet there are other things you can do too.
I hope this helps.
Candace