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Leaf mite/spider mite?
susiebower
Posts: 138
Newbie gardener here! The hedge at the bottom of my garden (not sure what it is, but not laurel) has developed sort of whitish, mottled leaves. My gardener took a photo and said it was leaf mite. I've been researching to see what to do, but am puzzled as spider mites apparently aren't active in the UK in the winter. Should I cut off all the affected branches, or what? Any kind of organic pesticide that I should use? Thanks!
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Leaf miners may be the cause, but If you can post us some photos, we'll try and identify the problem.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Jagged edges could be leaf cutter bees and others
To upload a photo, click on the little framed mountain icon above.
.jpg files of less than 6MB
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Do you not know what the hedge is? That would help with advice. I assume it's evergreen, or semi evergreen [like privet] if it has foliage just now.
A photo will help though - keep it at around 1MB or less. The site doesn't work properly at all with photos, and if they're smaller they load better and also the right way round, which is yet another problem....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I have red spider mite in my greenhouse in the summer.
I also have some type of mite on by beech hedge (see the thread) that caused early leaf drop. The mites, larvae and eggs will be there overwintering on the old leaves.
My Picea conica also gets mite that leads to needle drop. I spray with systemic insecticide. For the yards and yards of beech hedge I use a rapeseed oil emulsion. I will try to catch it earlier next year.
Search for earlier threads. And please send a pic, plus enlarged view of the underside.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Good. I hope you reread my current posts as my style is to return and add and edit for a good hour.
As far as organic is concerned, I can't answer for commercial products. Rapeseed oil should be organic (I don't know about cheapest), Tap water apparently is not !!! I use a spot or two of soft soap as emulsifier, a dish washing detergent might be better functionally, some are organic. The emulsiifer also has miticidal and insecticidal properties.
Some posters have recommebded Neem Oil as a " eco-friendly" insect (? mite) repellant. However, all oils work the same way.
Way back, when I first noticed what I call beech-mite, an RHS chief entomologist visited and declared it a European Mite. He promised to revert, but didn't.
I also asked how I could spray the back of the leaves and the far side I can't reach. No answer. Some -ologists have theoretical, booksie knowledge only; just as some "gardeners" know how to cut hedges and mow lawns, but nothing deeper.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."