Hello,

I'm a begginer citrus grower. I grow a Kumquat (Fortunella Margarita grafted on a Citrus macrophylla rootstock) and a Ponderosa Lemon propagated from a cutting. Recently both of the trees suffered by soft scale insects and so I was searching the web for an advice. What I have found and done wasn't probably the greatest idea of all. My effort resulted in spraying both trees with an vinegar-water (1:1 ratio) solution. Two days after yellow stains started to appear on Ponderosas leaves (see attached photo) while leaves of Kumquat remained visibly unchanged. At first the stains were not so visible and their boundaries also but it had changed few days after. Since that fatal day (15.10.2012) both of the trees began to defoliate. Kumquat drops around eight leaves a day and Ponderosa one or two. I'm starting to worry about their destinies. Is the vinegar solution the cause of the defoliation or is it occuring because of upcoming winter. Sun amount has changed dramatically within last week here in Czech Republic (Zone map: http://www.gardenweb.com/zones/europe/hze4.html) and I keep them both in flat in permanent 22ðC beacause I have no other options. I still fertilize them with a citrus fertilizer and I was about to continue with fertilization to mid of November. I mist them once a day and water them when top of the soil starts to change its color. Kumquat also started to drop fruits simultaneously with leaves.

One last think the fallen leaves are all fresh and green except very few of Kumquat leaves that are dry and twisted.

Do you think they will survive, especially Ponderosa?

Is the vinegar cause of defoliation and fruit drops or the sun changes and sun-temperature ratio?

If all of the leaves would fall during winter, will there still be a chance they will survive to spring?

Has anyone any idea what to do to help them and stop defoliation?

PS: Got rid of soft scale insects but what price will it take :/.

Thank you.