New beech concerns...

JoeX · June 2020

Hi all,

I have twelve in the ground as per another thread since spring they’ve looked okay, I’m watering heavily once a week sometimes another drink in the heat.

One has developed dried leaves on the top which I assumed was just the sun we’ve had, but I notice white lines on the underside, and also on the healthy leaves of others?

Could the black/orange ladybird have anything to do with it?

Or is this all unrelated/normal?

😬

Cheers all,

Joe

BobTheGardener · June 2020

Your tree leaves have an aphid infestation as evidenced in your photos, particularly the top-centre one. The arrival of the ladybird is excellent news as that will start to clear them up for you. The ladybird will lay eggs which will develop into larvae which look like this:

https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/garden-wildlife-identifier-ladybird-larvae/

and those eat many, many more aphids than adults, so be happy when you see those appear.

JoeX · June 2020

Oh crap, woolly beech aphid infestation? I dont see any woolliness but I guess this is it.

” On young and newly planted hedges this can however be a real problem, especially with bare root hedging plants trying to get established, it can indeed kill new plants if they are struggling. A close eye should be kept for the first couple of seasons and treated if discovered with a recommended insecticide.”

🤦🏻

BobTheGardener · June 2020

They look more like 'ordinary' aphids to me. All I'd do is give the trees extra water as aphids generally attack plants already weakened by factors such as drought and they do look thirsty. I certainly would not personally use or recommend the use of insecticides, especially as those will also kill the 'good guys' like the ladybird which are capable of clearing-up infestations in a matter of weeks if not days and are already present.

New beech concerns...

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