This will be brief. I just wanted to share. So the community I live in has a company come every Monday to take care of the landscaping. So I seen the guys loading the mowers and clippers etc in the trucks and decided to ask if they also treat the trees if they are sick. And there response was just to fertilize them and they will be fine. Look I'm still totally wet behind the ears with gardening and you guys here always have great advice. But I don't know what the heck that dude is talking about. How and the heck does fertilizer do anything for diseases! Maybe he knows something I don't... Am I a complete idiot? Doesn't fertilizer just feed the plants and give them the 3 elements? So like an idiot again I asked just my 10/10/10? And he's like no that's for grass. I didn't know what to say so I just said thanks and walked away. My fertilizer says veggies and flowers on the bag. I don't know that was just weird! Haha Does fertilizer help diseases? Don't laugh ok!
Hi Mrs Galeassi, Glad to meet you. I am sorry your tree is 'sick'. It might just need some fertilizer--maybe. Or it could have a fungus, or an insect problem or ? Can you post a picture of it, and get a close up of the problem? Then someone here might have the experience to help diagnose its ailment. As you suspect, you need to know what is wrong, before you can figure out the best method of treating it. You could also try taking a small branch that is affected to a local nursery with trees [they may try to sell you a new tree instead], or your county extension agent. They should be in the phone book, probably under local govt. He/she would be the best advice other than folks on here. The county agent ought to be able to help out for free, or low cost. If you get a tree surgeon, they are high priced. And no, I am not laughing at you. Everyone has to start at the beginning with gardening. Hang around here, and you could be a pro in no time.
Thanks night owl, I posted about it yesterday I think and Toni helped me. I was just seeing if those guys might know or if they could of treated them with something they had.... haha I was secretly hoping..... But my post was titled something like "Papya tree maybe diseased deffinately" ... We just moved to this cute little beach apartment and they have tiny fenced in yards and ours is the only one with trees and was thrilled, but they are diseased such a shame, hope I can save them.... even if they aren't mine technically...
By no stretch of the imagination am I any sort of authority on diseased trees, flowers, veggies or any other living thing... but I think you did right by just walking away from those guys' prescription of "just fertilizing" to treat your poor Papaya trees. I'd imagine that well-fed plants/trees would have an advantage in fending off certain diseases. But to treat them? I dunno about that. Sounds like you have some brains in-between those "wet ears" of yours.
Those guys had no clue what to tell you. I guess I would do a web search and see if you can find out what is going on with the tree. Maybe is could use a good dose of fertilizer. But that would cure it if is sick. I'll check out your other post on it.
I've seen the "lawn care" guys, and I wouldn't trust them with cacti! A diseased tree is stressed already, and giving it a dose of fertilizer will just stress it more as it tries to put out new growth. Find out what the disease is (fungus, insect infestation, or both) and since it is a small tree (your papaya) spray with an organic fungicide/insecticide as needed. Then, when the disease is well under control, give half-feedings of a mild fertilizer to help it recover. We all started out as beginner gardeners, and some of us (me) are stuck at that stage ! Don't sell yourself short--you are trying and learning.
Haha see that's what I get for assuming they might know something about trees! Yes I'm going to look into some of the suggestions given to me on different forums.... Thanks everyone for all the help, cause sometimes I feel a bit helpless.... there's always so much to learn and as soon as you think you know something you don't... haha.
