This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Pest of the Year- Horticultural ones- what has driven you to distraction?
Allotment Boy
Posts: 6,774
Time to consider , what has given you the most trouble this year it could be a one off disaster or a persistant issue. I had several candidates including Pea & Bean weevil, mice, the squirrels that chewed off all my Autumn crocus shoots, as well as the usual slugs, snails, plum moth etc.
My brickbat has to go to the Cutworm, which though I knew of them, & had read of them, had never experienced trouble with before. My first enconter was a row of little Gem lettuce on the Allotment, one plant at the far end of the row wilted & was dying so I pulled it out but did not really investigate further untill -you guessed the next plant in the row started to fail. This time I lifted the plant carefully with a hand fork & the blighter was head first up the stem of the plant with his beastly friend close by (presumeably because I had taken out his dinner days before).
The next episode was much more serious; looking at one of my Acers (in a pot) I saw a mark on the stem and realised a big section was hollowed out, the only reason I knew the culprit was becase I found a shed skin in situ. The treee is surviving thus far but I am amazed at the extent of the damage, which was only revealed when I took away the wafer thin cover of dead bark over much of it.
So what is your POTY?
My brickbat has to go to the Cutworm, which though I knew of them, & had read of them, had never experienced trouble with before. My first enconter was a row of little Gem lettuce on the Allotment, one plant at the far end of the row wilted & was dying so I pulled it out but did not really investigate further untill -you guessed the next plant in the row started to fail. This time I lifted the plant carefully with a hand fork & the blighter was head first up the stem of the plant with his beastly friend close by (presumeably because I had taken out his dinner days before).
The next episode was much more serious; looking at one of my Acers (in a pot) I saw a mark on the stem and realised a big section was hollowed out, the only reason I knew the culprit was becase I found a shed skin in situ. The treee is surviving thus far but I am amazed at the extent of the damage, which was only revealed when I took away the wafer thin cover of dead bark over much of it.
So what is your POTY?
AB Still learning
0
Posts
My only other complaint this year has been rose blackspot.
@Allotment Boy What was it that caused the problem with the acer?
Maybe one of the moths. not sure how large that gouge is but Ermine moth or some biggish white one I think can do damage like that.
Our problem has been sawfly. Never had them so bad before. Splits in stems on several Roses and Clematis. I am upset with myself for not noticing earlier. Though not sure what one does when the eggs have been laid already. Not so fussed on a small Willow that is only for regular cutting and small.
Funnily enough the Solomans Seal normally hit, has been relatively untouched.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Slugs & snails haven't been that bad this year. I think the heatwave killed a lot of them for me👍, certain areas had a distinctive "rotting rockpool" stench about them.
I have just ordered an Acer 'Bloodgood' so hopefully the worms are not heading my way!