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Bay tree leaves being eaten

Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
in Problem solving
Hi folks - my bay tree leaves were getting eaten last year, so this year I used some Bugclear ultra vine weevil killer https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/product/bugclear-ultra-vine-weevil-killer-480ml . I have given them two doses of the product at this stage and the leaves are still getting eaten. Would anyone have suggestions as to what else I could try? 

I have been looking at some products that you spray on to the leaves directly, maybe something like that might work better?

Posts

  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    edited June 2021
    Hi Martin.  In my experience the stuff you used works sometimes on the offspring in the soil when they are grubs but rarely stops "new" weevils from eating the leaves.

    Is your tree in the garden or in a pot?  Mine is potted and I covered the entire top of the soil in grit.  I've not had any issues this year with grubs in the soil so I'm confident it worked (they don't like to lay eggs in grit).

    I'm not one for chemicals so I was out each evening with a headtorch and a pot.  Find weevil; knock it into pot (quickly and carefully cos they will drop off the leaves if they feel you approaching) and then squish/snip/drown).

    The main thing is to not let them lay eggs as this then leads to grubs in soil and possible plant death.  I'd take nibbled leaves over that any day. 

  • farsanaashiq4A656mEi-farsanaashiq4A656mEi- Posts: 5
    Very written .
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    farsanaashiq4A656mEi- said:
    Very written .
    What? 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    That's what I was thinking @Lyn

    I thought it best to ignore. Looks spammy! 
  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    JamesSB said:
    Hi Martin.  In my experience the stuff you used works sometimes on the offspring in the soil when they are grubs but rarely stops "new" weevils from eating the leaves.

    Is your tree in the garden or in a pot?  Mine is potted and I covered the entire top of the soil in grit.  I've not had any issues this year with grubs in the soil so I'm confident it worked (they don't like to lay eggs in grit).

    I'm not one for chemicals so I was out each evening with a headtorch and a pot.  Find weevil; knock it into pot (quickly and carefully cos they will drop off the leaves if they feel you approaching) and then squish/snip/drown).

    The main thing is to not let them lay eggs as this then leads to grubs in soil and possible plant death.  I'd take nibbled leaves over that any day. 

    Thanks James.

    My tree is potted and I also have entire top of soil covered in about inch of grit.

    Here is an example of an eaten leaf. Does it look like weevils?


  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    It isn't typical of vine weevils munching unless the leaf was folded over when they were eating it.  They tend to eat from the outside in a circle:

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https://gardening.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/214012605-Vine-weevil&psig=AOvVaw1d1PdLHoWGw91RwOPXyNEi&ust=1625758555589000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAoQjRxqFwoTCNCg692k0fECFQAAAAAdAAAAABAS


  • Desi_in_LondonDesi_in_London Posts: 731
    That doesn't look like weevil to me , those are generally much more jagged ( sometimes J shaped ) holes around the edge of the leaf only -- holes in the body of the leaf as you demonstrate there is likely to be something else -- caterpillars or slugs/snails? (guess)
    Kindness is always the right choice.
  • Martin GardenerMartin Gardener Posts: 70
    Thanks! What would be the best way of me stopping the leaves getting eaten? 

    Something like this? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bayer-Provado-Ultimate-Killer-Litre/dp/B004E12FC2
  • luis_prluis_pr Posts: 123
    Catch them doing the damage (you may need to do the "catching" at night) and then take a sample to a local garden center for identification. That way you can apply the proper controls. Otherwise, you may spend money on products that do nothing to them.
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