Hydrangeas
Last post 14-05-2008 1:42 PM by bogweevil. 12 replies.
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04/05/2008 01:29 PM
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H.jpg
I planted a number of Hydrangeas last year thinking that this was an easy shrub to grow. This spring my Hydrangeas are being attacked. Some new growth near soil level has been completely removed. Some leaves have been partly eaten. Can anyone tell me what might be attacking these plants?
PS The attached file shows Hydrangea Zaunkoenig with damaged new growth.
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06/05/2008 09:24 PM
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Slugs, caterpillars?
Damage unlikely to be significant.
Your plant looks as if it could do with a feed and a mulch but seems robust enough to take little light 'grazing' without long term harm.
There appears to be some frost damage - this should not be significant n the long run either.
Boggy
Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
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06/05/2008 10:06 PM
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Thank you Boggy for your suggestions. I have been searching for slugs and caterpillars but so far I have not found any on the plants. I think feed should help them recover so I shall feed them tomorrow. Do you know if it is ok to surround them with ash from the wood burner. This might help deter slugs.
Tim
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07/05/2008 01:28 PM
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I'm no expert, but I use ash from the stove around loads of plants and they really like it. Not sure if it deteres slugs, though it would make sense that it does. Apparantly tt's alkaline though, so if you're hydrangea is blue-coloured then perhaps not the best thing to use.
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07/05/2008 02:02 PM
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- Figwort
- Peterborough
- 20 Dec 2007
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239
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Tim Most of the caterpillars - like slugs & snails - tend to come out at night and they're very hard to spot in the day - so it's a midnight vigil with a torch for you!
There are never any problems in gardening - just opportunities!
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07/05/2008 03:19 PM
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Thanks for tip about the alkalinity of wood ash. I wondered the ash had to be left outside before use so as to leach out any toxins. Mind you it is only wood ash so should be ok. Do you go straight from burner to plants?
Tim
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07/05/2008 03:21 PM
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I was out at 10.30pm last night and still could not find any ! I hope that is late enough !
Tim
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07/05/2008 04:43 PM
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I use ash straight from the stove - clean out teh ash pan on Saturday and sprinkle around the plants striaght away. Am sure it would be better to put it onto compost heap first, but.....
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07/05/2008 08:01 PM
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I always smile at the old homily of going out after dark to look for caterpillars and slugs.
No,no,no, let the slugs come to you by putting, in the evening, a spoonful of breakfast cereal under an upturned saucer or some such - any slugs in the area will be beneath the saucer in the morning ready for a trip to the microwave.
Caterpillars have slender appetites when small so their nibbling goes unoticed, then just before they pupate they are whoppers that eat like lanky teenagers but by the time you notice they are below ground pupating, damage done and too late to do a thing about it.
Boggy
Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
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07/05/2008 10:04 PM
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- kandeakay
- west sussex
- 03 Aug 2007
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53
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I think the damage may be caused by capsid bugs - they are hard to spot - damage already done - so spray may be the answer to avoid more problems.
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09/05/2008 10:39 PM
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I am not so sure about the capsid bug. It is about its dirty work in warm weather when it penetrates the buds with its feeding needly thing sucking sap, after which the leaves expand and the holes appear. The damage in this case appears to have begun earlier.
Once you see the holes the bug is long-gone - it looks like an aphid only more energetic.
Boggy
Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
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12/05/2008 10:23 AM
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- Rae
- Dorset
- 31 Jul 2007
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135
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Neither of my hydrangeas look like they are going to flower this year - one was marvellous last year but the other one didnt flower last year either. Never had that before. Maybe these bugs are eating the flower buds?
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14/05/2008 01:42 PM
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Doubtful - lack of light is usual cause. That and faulty pruning technique.
Boggy
Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
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