WHAT IS A SATSUMA? Satsumas are a variety of Mandarin orange. They usually perform very well in the southern United States given full sunlight and a moderate amount of water. That isn't to say they don't also have their occasional health problems. Treating a satsuma is nearly identical to treating other citrus plants. fungus problems on satsumasSour Orange Scab, Brown Rot, Greasy Spot, Anthracnose are all very common and usually can be taken care of by applying a copper based fungicide. Sooty mold is usually the symptom of insects on your plant. Treat the insects and the sooty mold should clear itself up. Some of these fungus are spread by rain splashing off of the ground and getting to the leaves. A good preventative measure is to keep the area around the tree mulched. Insect infestations on satsumasScale, aphids and whiteflies seem to love satsumas. Paraffinic oil or Horticulture oil can easily take care of these pests. Permethrin is another option that can be used to treat whiteflies if you find you need additional control. Be sure to spray both the tops and bottoms of the foliage to get total coverage. Leafminers can be controlled using spinosaid made for citrus plants. Spinosaid should be applied when there is new growth on the plants or when the leaves have fresh damage for best results. Mites affecting satsumas can be treated with a miticide. Most satsumas don't need to be pruned very often, if ever. If you do choose to prune, major pruning should be done in early spring. Dead or infested limbs should be removed at the time they are discovered. how to fertilize a satsuma treeCitrus plants usually need a little more iron and magnesium than most other plants. You can treat the soil around the tree with a fertilizer utilizing a higher amount of both iron and magnesium. Alternatively, you can use a chelated foliar spray on both the tops and bottoms of the leaves to ensure proper absorption. With any pesticide, be sure to read the label to make sure it is okay to treat your plant with it. There are plenty of pesticides on the market that will treat your problem quickly but may also harm you if you ingest the fruit due to their residual control. WHY ARE PARTS OF MY YARD DYING? In southern Louisiana, both in early spring and again during mid to late summer is prime time for Chinch bugs. If you notice an irregular yellowing pattern in your lawn at these times, it's worth taking a look. A few moments of your time keep your yard from dying. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. You can make the insects visible by getting down to grass level and parting the grass. If you can't readily spot any insects, you can try the "soapy water test." Get one gallon of water with one tablespoon of lemon scented dish soap and pour it all in your problem area. You should see the insects move up to the grass blades. Adult chinch bugs are black with white wings and a white triangle on their back while young chinch bugs are either reddish or black with red bands. TREAT THE PROBLEM. Once you have them you can either treat them with an insecticide or you can let them destroy your grass. They will not leave until there isn't any food, what we call grass, left! Fortunately for you there is an abundance of products at any hardware store or even most grocery stores with an outdoor section. I find insecticides containing either Bifenthrin or Imidacloprid to work fairly well on chinch bugs. WHAT IF I DON'T FIND CHINCH BUGS? If you start looking and you find some other little monster in your grass, the first step is still identification. Resist the urge to apply the first insecticide you see since you may end up killing beneficial insects and doing nothing to the ones damaging your yard. You can always look online, call out a professional lawn care company or try bagging the little bugger and bringing him to the hardware store. If you don't find any insects, you may want to check your irrigation coverage.