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Is this fuchsia gall mite?

BerkleyBerkley Posts: 431
in Plants
My fuchsias have been very disappointing this year. They are usually lovely and I have watered them constantly. I suspect it's simply been too hot ...

But now there's another problem and I'm really worried it may be be gall mite. A large number of plants is affected; please tell me what to do.


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Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Unfortunately it is Berkly. Cut it right back, dispose of it in the dustbin not on your compost heap.  Change the compost, put out in the GH or cold frame for the winter and maybe they will grow back ok next year. Keep the infected ones away from the good ones and clean the secateurs after use.
    Have a look on the net for remedy’s but there’s not much around to kill them completely.
    can you tell me where you live as it’s affecting some areas and not others. I don’t think it’s reached the South West yet, although I’m not sure about that, but I expect it will.  

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • BerkleyBerkley Posts: 431
    Thank you, Lyn. Although your comment wasn't what I wanted to hear, I half-expected it .... I have cut back 17 affected plants today ( 3 in pots) and would appreciate your advice about the 14 hardy fuchsias that are in flower beds. We live near Bournemouth.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    That’s that’s such a shame, I feel for you.  I wouldn’t normally cut those down until March but in the circumstances I would cut then back now and dispose of the infected growth.
    i don’t know if they will be ok next year, but I would give them a chance. 
    Please let us know how they are or if you lose them.  They may be ok next year. 
    You are in the area for it, and I dare say it will spread further down through the south west as well., but so far I’ve not seen it. 

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    Oh I hope all your plants survive it..........fingers crossed they will recover next year
  • Chrissy the gardenerChrissy the gardener Posts: 1,072
    I live in the south west and my fuchsias have got gall blight, it started last year with my neighbours bog standard fuschia getting it.
    I cut it out as soon as I see it and this seems to be holding it in check, though you have to be vigilant.
    It doesn’t seem to effect the other fuchias  just what I call the bog standard ones.
  • BerkleyBerkley Posts: 431
    Every optimistic comment is so welcome! Thank you! I just wish I hadn't dedicated a whole border to varieties of my favourite flower! 
  • jamesharcourtjamesharcourt Posts: 465
    I have several mature fuchsias and three are visible affected by this.  I only found out what it was yesterday but I saw it last year and put it down to bindweed.  This year I've been vigilant on the bindweed as I've had the time (due to lockdown).  

    I'm in Mid Sussex (West Sussex) and I hear it's rife around here.

    My approach will be to cut off what I can and cut to the ground in Autumn.

    I also do hot composting where it reaches a good 60-80 degrees centrigrade and that has normally been enough to kill pathogens but in this case I am tempted to put into the landfill.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    I don't think it's fatal. I cut a delta sarah right down and when I eventually got around to digging it out,  there was a mound of healthy leaves so I left it and it's growing well at the moment. Now I know what to look for,I pinch out affected leaves on other plants and still get flowers. Unfortunately, we've probably got it forever😕
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • JemulaJemula Posts: 196
    In my last garden in West Kent, although hybrid varieties suffered from gall mite, I found that fuchsia hatschbachii, fuchsia riccartoni and fuchsia magellanica var. gracilis variegata were never affected.  I don't know if this is so generally or whether I was just lucky.
  • heatherprosser1947qDisdnIeheatherprosser1947qDisdnIe Posts: 1
    I live in Somerset, just found out that Fuschia gall mite is what has devastated my plant. Hadn't heard of this before. After reading advice I'm going to cut it down to the ground so hopefully it won't affect any more of.my plants then wait and see next year. Otherwise it will have to be taken right out. Such a shame as it's always been lovely at this time of year.
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