UC Master Gardener Volunteers in Los Angeles County offer workshops and other events to help educate the public about the disease, its spread, and how to select and care for fruit trees. If you’d like to schedule a workshop or event in Los Angeles County, contact Master Gardener Program Coordinator Valerie Borel at vtborel@ucanr.edu.
Do you need advice about the pest, disease and tree care? Contact your Local UC Master Gardener Program for advice:
Los Angeles County: http://celosangeles.ucanr.edu/UC_Master_Gardener_Program/
Orange County: http://mgorange.ucanr.edu/
Riverside County: https://ucanr.edu/sites/RiversideMG/
San Bernardino County: http://mgsb.ucanr.edu/
Ventura County: https://ucanr.edu/sites/VCMG/
Beyond Citrus: Fruit Tree Options for Los Angeles & Southern California
Los Angeles County and neighboring areas of Southern California are a paradise for gardeners who enjoy growing fruit trees in their backyards, at their community garden, or even in a container on their patio. This website suggests some possible fruit trees for your family to enjoy.
Adding fruit trees to your garden can improve your family’s health, since the fruit you harvest will be full of fiber and vitamins. People who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy eating style are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Learn more about the benefits of eating more fruit and recipe ideas here.
Citrus trees, such as oranges and lemons, are not included in our recommended list. That’s because of a tiny insect called the Asian Citrus Psyllid, which carries a disease called Huanglongbing, or citrus greening, that kills citrus trees. Once a neighborhood is infected with the disease, it can be spread quickly by this pest, endangering local citrus trees and California’s commercial citrus orchards.
Until there is a cure for the disease, it’s a good idea to select other types of fruit trees for your yard. Enjoy everything from apples to figs to pomegranates from your garden and purchase citrus from farmer’s markets or grocery stores. This precaution will help keep remaining California citrus safe.
If you do have citrus trees in your yard, learn more about how to care for, protect, and monitor them for the psyllid and disease here: https://ucanr.edu/sites/ACP/Homeowner_Options/.
Where there are confirmed incidences of Huanglongbing close to your location, you may want to be proactive and consider replacing your citrus tree with another fruit tree. This guide can help you determine whether you should think about replacing your tree, and our interactive map can determine how close HLB is to your home.
Watch a short video about the Asian Citrus Psyllid and Huanglongbing disease and the Alternatives to Citrus project:
https://youtu.be/jk1dD3V01MM.
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