Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Sneaky Bugs

TantyTanty Posts: 59
in Problem solving

Hi

Hope someone can help with this!

I have what looks like a very healthy Viburnum Opulus Sterile which has put on lots of growth this Spring and has even flowered for the first time.

It's in a pot, waiting to go into its new home elsewhere in the garden.

I noticed recently though that some of the leaves (mostly at the ends of branches) have clusters of horrible little black things under them - very sticky when squished!  The leaves themselves haven't died, they've just curled up around the bugs.  Most of the leaves are fine, but clearly something undesirable has taken up residence!

i was planning to pot this plant up tomorrow anyway, but is there any treatment I can administer to get rid of these bugs and deter any new ones?  For the moment, I've just pruned off the leaves that were covered.

Thanks image

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hi Tanty - sounds like an aphid problem. Usually wiping off the bugs or using a jet of water (or a water sprayer with a little drop of washing up liquid if you want) will clear them off and not cause any damage. No need to remove leaves unless they're beyond repair. Once the plant is in the ground and gets more mature it'll shrug off this kind of thing. Encouraging birds in to eat aphids is the perfect solution, so  you may want to feed birds through the winter to get them visiting regularly if you can. They repay you by hoovering lots of pests! image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TantyTanty Posts: 59

    Thanks for this - will get the sprayer out tomorrow.  No shortage of birds here (they do an amazing job of waking me up at 4am every day...) but maybe this plant being low down in a corner isn't ideal...will stick it up on the wall so they can feast as they fly past image  Appreciate the advice.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Hope that does the trick Tanty. Just keep an eye out for any more and get in quick.

    A good tip is to hang a small feeder nearby and if you get blue or great tits coming in they will be attracted to that area and do the job for you image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TantyTanty Posts: 59

    Such a great idea, thank you!  I did some spraying today and pruned off any suss looking leaves and moved the plant away from other containers.  Appreciate all your advice

Sign In or Register to comment.