Here is another one

This one is dead

Amber, check with your local ag agent, or one of the well respected citrus tree growers/nurseries in your area, Maybe not the person you bought the trees from, as their knowledge sounds a little wanting. New citrus don't need a lot of fertilizer the first year, but after that year, you should start fertilizing in the early spring (after any chance of frosty temps have passed), then 4 applications during your growing season, which would be roughly February through Sept/early Oct. The spots - not sure, can't really see them up closely enough. Doesn't look like an insect. Looks more fungal in nature to me, which I find odd since you're in such a dry area of the country. The damage to the leaves in the first photo could be from snails, earwigs or other leaf-eating bugs. I try not to treat (except for snails, which I use an iron phosphate snail bait versus a metaldehyde snail bait, as metaldehyde is very poisonous to dogs, and dogs are attracted to it. No so for iron phosphate snail bait.) You can also use Sluggo Plus, which is iron phosphate and spinosad, which will kill sails, slugs and earwigs.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: UC IPM - Managing Pests in the Garden: Citrus

Hi Amber,

Did you bareroot the trees completely when you planted them in the ground? In my experience, citrus tends to be very sensitive to root stress. I usually only tap gently around the sides to loosen up the old soil or only bare root a portion at a time (maybe about a third or so). That being said, they should bounce back within 3 to 6 months if everything else is going well.

Transplant shock would not account for these current symptoms. Something is clearly eating the leaves, and the black spots are difficult to diagnose, as I cannot see the spots clearly to know if it is coming from a fungal source or an insect.

Patty S.

The black "spots" look almost like eggs, from whatever might have been eating your leaves. Have you tried rubbing or washing off the black spots? I always choose first to try physical removal ,especially for localized infestations; after that, and a good general policy is a good washing about once a week... it goes a long way to promoting the health of the tree.

The 2nd picture looks like citrus greasy spot to me.
I had it in 2 of my trees last year.

Thank you for your input, guys.
I am in a little bit of a rush here with the baby trying to type with me (or destroy the laptop!), so I will upload better photos and try to reply each and every one of you later.

Grapefruit tree

another grapefruit

Does this look like a leaf miner? It's just a couple of leaves on my orange tree.
I must add, trees look worse and worse every hour. I check them twice a day, and by the evening there are many more yellow and fallen leaves...

Thank you so much Patty.
I was googling "black spots on citrus trees" and thought it looked like fungus, too. But I can't believe this is the case! We had rain here two weeks ago, it lasted for just a day, and that was it. Sunny dry weather, just like always. I never give a shower to my trees (I will from now on), so I don't think it could be from water/wetness/whatever related...
Never noticed snails in my backyard... I will get Sluggo Plus today, thank you very much!