Avocado tree with brown and spotted leaves

[Pan con tomate]

Help! I live in San Diego and am lucky enough that my rental unit has a mature avocado tree in the back patio. I had a pretty good yield of avocados last summer, but now many of the leaves either have light brown spots, are dying, or both. I suspect a nutrient deficiency but am also wondering if some other kind of disease could be afflicting them as well. The tree is growing out of a small patch of dirt but presumably the root system is predominantly underneath the cement paved patio. I am planning to start with an application of standard Citrus & Avocado fertilizer but wonder if you all may have other suggestions to ensure success, such as timing, watering, or other special additives. Thanks so much!

 

[Tetters]

My very first thought was ''insects'' so I investigated, and discovered that it may well be lace bugs. Not something I can advise much on, but you could look it up.

 

[Pan con tomate]

My very first thought was ''insects'' so I investigated, and discovered that it may well be lace bugs. Not something I can advise much on, but you could look it up.

You were spot on! I checked the underside of my leaves and saw the typical lacebug appearance, possibly with superimposed fungal problem, which apparently is a big problem here. Am hoping to eradicate with an insecticide. Thank you for opening me up to that possibility.

 

[Tetters]

Glad to help. Those white bits look like woolly aphids to me ?

 

[cpp gardener]

Possibly Giant Whitefly. Best controlled by a good spray with water and a good application of worm castings(!). The castings have chitin which is what makes up insect exoskeletons, plants absorb it and deposit it in their leaves which makes them unpalatable and hard to pierce with mouthparts. Ain’t it amazing what Nature can do!

 

[Tetters]

Well I've never heard of chitin before - similar, but not the same

 

[Pan con tomate]

My very first thought was ''insects'' so I investigated, and discovered that it may well be lace bugs. Not something I can advise much on, but you could look it up.

Wanted to give you a follow up on my avodcado tree. I applied one treatment of imidacloprid in late winter and it seemed to completely irradicate my lacebug problem. The old half-dead leaves have been mostly shed off and replaced by new healthy appearing leaves that don't have any bugs living on them. I am starting to see new baby avocados again too! Thanks again for your help.