Camelia problem pest

Posts

• BobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

  November 2016

  The notches in the leaf edges look like adult vine weevil damage so I suspect the root damage is vine weevil larvae.  The adults are nocturnal and very good at hiding during the day but often hide under pots.  At this time of the year you can use "Provado 500ml Vine Weevil Killer2" which you water in to the soil.  However, it is systemic and will be absorbed into the plant so may pose a danger to bees when the camelia flowers.  "Nemasys vine weevil killer" (nematodes) are completely safe but really need warmer conditions to work - soil must not go below 5C.

  A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  

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• Hortum-cretae Posts: 979

  November 2016

  I think you have a combination of things. Vine weevil - irregular notches cut out on edges of leaf, but the small holes in the leaf middles are probably snail attack when the leaf was very young or still unfurling. Night time is when the weevils are out feeding, although the cold will slow them down. The real difficulty is eradicating the grubs from the soil. Using heavier soil-based compost in a pot will help (rather than a nice loose ericaceous or similar) and when watering, flood the plant and allow it to drain and almost dry out rather than keeping it gently watered from the top. That's good practice anyway, but seems to work well towards minimising weevil grub damage.

  H-C

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• Jetmorgan Posts: 79

  November 2016

  Hortum-cretae says:

  I think you have a combination of things. Vine weevil - irregular notches cut out on edges of leaf, but the small holes in the leaf middles are probably snail attack when the leaf was very young or still unfurling. Night time is when the weevils are out feeding, although the cold will slow them down. The real difficulty is eradicating the grubs from the soil. Using heavier soil-based compost in a pot will help (rather than a nice loose ericaceous or similar) and when watering, flood the plant and allow it to drain and almost dry out rather than keeping it gently watered from the top. That's good practice anyway, but seems to work well towards minimising weevil grub damage.

  H-C

  See original post

   Thank you for that. I did mix the ericaceous compost with garden soil, simply because I didn't buy enough compost. The soil is very heavy clay...almost like concrete in some places, so that may help. I wonder if I should have washed down the roots before replanting it but you live and learn.

  I'll try the best with the watering although that's a bit difficult at the moment with the dampness we've been having. Hopefully getting it into the pot will stop the snail attack.

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• Fairygirl Posts: 55,117

  November 2016

  Hi Jet - i'd agree with what the others have said, but I'd also add that if you're leaving the plant in that site, raise it up off the ground on some bricks, or similar, so that it's got enough room to let excess water drain away.

  You won't need to water much now, but just keep an eye on it. Anything in a pot near a wall can get dried out as the rain won't always reach it. Evergreens in particular. It shouldn't be in soaking wet soil all the time either though.

  It looks pretty healthy apart from a couple of bits and pieces so you'll probably find it will fight off slug and snail damage - they don't tend to bother Camellias much. A few damaged leaves here and there aren't an issue. The vine weevil is more of a nuisance so that's the thing to look out for next year. Potted plants are always more vulnerable. 

  It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
  
  
  
  I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...

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