Question
I have a lemon tree that I have grown beginning from a 1 foot tall boxed tree my son gave me from Florida.  It is now about 7 feet tall with bright green leaves but it has never produced a flower or a fruit.  My problem is recently it has been loosing its leaves and has a web like matter on the branches which I have been cutting away but it does not seem to be helping. What is happening to my tree?  It is important to me since my son gave it to me.  Any help would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi Deborah, some of the citrus trees in Florida may have been grown from seed.  If the plant has unusually long thorns it probably is, which means it could take many years to fruit.  If it is grafted or grown from a cutting from a tree that has been producing then it should produce especially being that size.  Loosing leaves could be not enough water or it could be getting ready to fruit, then it will loose the leaves in the middle of the plant and keep its leaves on the tips.  It will bloom and then leaves will come out again.  The webbing if you can see it around your tree but do not see bugs in it, is a and not sure of the spelling so I will spell it the way it sounds socids.  Socids actually are cleaning the tree for you, it is a good thing.  I really do not know of a pest that would build a web on a citrus tree.