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Killer Plant Bug
I wouldn't read too much into this as it comes from yesterdays Daily Express !
The panic-mongering headline (on p.9) states "Gardeners are warned about killer plant bug heading for UK" . Xylella fastidiosa .
Apparently it restricts the movement of water in plants , and currently affects around 350 species throughout Europe .
I've never heard of it , have any others on the forum ?
Last edited: 30 December 2017 16:32:53
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I think there was something about it in The Garden this month, but I just flicked through when it arrived . I've not read it yet.
https://hta.org.uk/news/plant-and-disease-alert-xylella-fastidiosa.html
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-plant-health-topical-issues
Hostafan1 and pansyface
Just looked at your links , sounds pretty nasty ; like the botanical version of foot & mouth disease !
I take back my (not so humourous now) comment re:- 'panic- mongering' . It may well be something TO worry about .
there has been discussion on the Hardy Tropicals page on FB that many palms are now being banned from import as of Jan 1st.
I know it has to be done, but fear for the livelihood of some suppliers.
https://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26693&p=488863
Last edited: 30 December 2017 17:26:35
Just looked at the hardy tropicals link ; interesting but very sad . Have plant hygiene standards dropped ?
In the early 1980's I worked at Whitestone Gardens in N.Yorkshire (defunct now) . Importation and distribution of mainly specimen cacti and succulents around the world was a major part of the business .
Even UK raised plants had to have all traces of soil/compost removed 100% ; then immersed for a time in a disinfectant solution .
Only then would the (then) Ministry of Agriculture issue a phytosanitary certificate authorising the exportation of the plants .
At that time we trusted that other countries had similar strict standards .
My Hosta supplier friend told me that Dutch nurseries are considered " clean " if 95% of plants are uninfected.
I was horrified that 5% of plants having some sort of ailment was considered "clean"
Some of the large gardens we work in (E.Lincs) ; the ash trees are exhibiting dieback already .
Being spread apparently by airborne spores , how on earth can this be contained ? Very worrying indeed.
pansyface , you are undoubtedly correct in the assumption of lax hygiene standards in many companies .
Inevitably we'll all reap the grim rewards