Totally OT - Bay tree problem
myrtle
should go to urg but I am still having terrible trouble with Usenet
and my software expert isn't coming in to clean up my computer until
next week. (I think my anti virus software has fire-walled Usenet).
I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.
J
Mike....
xpost added, gardening group, please leave food.misc in your replies
--
"Mike....."(not "Mike")
remove clothing to email
Mike....
hmmm, what went wrong there? Could anybody on gardening answer the above
for a poster on food.misc?
Martin Brown
Sounds like either mealy bug or outdoors more likely woolly aphid.
Treat locally with a paintbrush dipped in meths.
I once nearly killed a small bay tree (culinary use) by spraying it with
wetting agent in water (not wanting to use pesticides). The soap killed
all the pests, but also damaged the wax on the leaves and they
dessicated in a matter of days. All the top growth was lost and it
regrew from the roots, so I would not recommend using washing up liquid
or soapy water on bay.
Regards,
Martin Brown
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
Sacha
"Jennifer Sparkes" <jspa...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> The message <3f2c3$4833ef16$39...@news.teranews.com>
> from Martin Brown <|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk> contains these words:
>
>
>>>> I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
>>>> I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
>>>> white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
>>>> Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
>>>> but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
>>>> off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
>>>> you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.
>
>> Sounds like either mealy bug or outdoors more likely woolly aphid.
>> Treat locally with a paintbrush dipped in meths.
>
> I agree probably Woolly Aphid and I would use exactly the same
> treatment just painting the actual spot/aphid not the whole stem.
>
> Jennifer
Sounds right to me!
--
Sacha
myrtle
> On 21/5/08 11:04, in article 3130303030383534483401B...@zetnet.co.uk,
>
>
>
>
>
> "Jennifer Sparkes" <jspar...@zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> > The message <3f2c3$4833ef16$3...@news.teranews.com>
> > from Martin Brown <|||newspam...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> contains these words:
>
> >>>> I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
> >>>> I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
> >>>> white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
> >>>> Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
> >>>> but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
> >>>> off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
> >>>> you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.
>
> >> Sounds like either mealy bug or outdoors more likely woolly aphid.
> >> Treat locally with a paintbrush dipped in meths.
>
> > I agree probably Woolly Aphid and I would use exactly the same
> > treatment just painting the actual spot/aphid not the whole stem.
>
> > Jennifer
>
> Sounds right to me!
>
> --
>
> - Show quoted text -
Many thanks to you all for the help and advice. It sounds pretty
conclusive. I shall go out there later with a bottle of meths and a
paintbrush. I'll let you know how I go on. thanks again.
Judith in France
wrote:
I would have said it is Wooly Aphid, easy to pick off with an artists'
paintbrush with a little mets on it
Judith