A citrus blight goes overlooked

IT IS irresponsible to publish an article encouraging people to grow exotic citrus without mentioning the blight of citrus leaf miner that has devastated exotic citrus in the last few years [“Citrus With an Exotic Twist,” July 3]. Although mature plants can withstand the citrus leaf miner, the young plants that the average homeowner would buy at a local nursery cannot.

I have been battling citrus leaf miner for two years and wish that I had never purchased my exotic citrus plants. The only sure method of eliminating the citrus leaf miner is by hand, and I have spent hours hand-cleaning my kumquat and tangerine trees.

Sofia Ames

Los Angeles