Horticulturists Help!

[tomlemke]

Hopefully theirs a horticulturist or someone that has experienced the same thing?!

Our Robina Mop Tops have gotten a borer and i ***** find anything online on how to kill the bug, hopefully someone has a cure.
Very frustrating as they are only 6 months old

 

[LibGS]

I've only had this problem in my citrus, but the principal is the same. Depends how many there are. If there are a lot....new trees. Otherwise, put some meths in the hole just a few drops, then poke the borer with wire. Seal the hole with molten wax.

Good luck.

 

[tomlemke]

I've only had this problem in my citrus, but the principal is the same. Depends how many there are. If there are a lot....new trees. Otherwise, put some meths in the hole just a few drops, then poke the borer with wire. Seal the hole with molten wax.

Gold luck.

thanks Libgs hard to tell exactly how many there are, any idea if i remove them and replace will the bugs stay in the soil and attack the new ones?

 

[perthguy]

To add to the above:

These beetle will target trees that may for some reason be in a stressed state. The best action to take to stop the tree from deteriorating further is to ensure that it maintains its health. You can do this by regular watering and fertilising.

http://www.yates.com.au/garden-expe...-robinia-moptop-sawdust-and-dieback-appearing

Apparently they don't attack healthy trees. If the leaves were yellowing before the attack, there may be trace elements missing from the soil. I had yellowing leaves with green veins on my lemon tree and got some trace elements powder from bunnings. The leaves grew back green after I applied it in the recommended amount.

 

[LibGS]

Sorry, I don't know. I was lucky, I only had a few.

 

[perthguy]

any idea if i remove them and replace will the bugs stay in the soil and attack the new ones?

If the new plants become stressed, the bugs will attack the new ones too. You need to find out what the issue was: water, fertilizer, soil compaction, trace, that caused the plant to become stressed in the first place.

To get rid of the pests in the existing tree, you can cut off the affected wood (where possible) and destroy it. For any wood you can't remove, as LibGS says, tip metho in the hole and squish the larva with a piece of wire, then cover the hole with wax or wood putty. I reckon it is worth trying to save the existing plants.

 

[tomlemke]

To add to the above:


http://www.yates.com.au/garden-expe...-robinia-moptop-sawdust-and-dieback-appearing

Apparently they don't attack healthy trees. If the leaves were yellowing before the attack, there may be trace elements missing from the soil. I had yellowing leaves with green veins on my lemon tree and got some trace elements powder from bunnings. The leaves grew back green after I applied it in the recommended amount.

thanks mate, trees looked a million dollars 7 days ago! the one on the right looked like the left one 6 days ago couldn't believe how quickly they turn.

i will try the metho method tomorrow thanks again

 

[perthguy]

I am worried about the yellow leaves on the left plant too. Mop top should not look like that. So either the soil has a deficiency or the bugs have already migrated to that tree. I'm concerned that if you don't find the underlying problems that the problem will reoccur.

In my experience, you can cut back Robinias very hard (the top part only, not the 'stem' part) and they grow back well.

 

[tomlemke]

I am worried about the yellow leaves on the left plant too. Mop top should not look like that. So either the soil has a deficiency or the bugs have already migrated to that tree. I'm concerned that if you don't find the underlying problems that the problem will reoccur.

In my experience, you can cut back Robinias very hard (the top part only, not the 'stem' part) and they grow back well.

Yep your right borers are in the left tree aswell!

Is their anyway to test the soil, could the bugs of been in the
wood chips or the golden duranta as the trees took a turn for the worst around two weeks after they were installed?
I don't over water, lawn has a sprinkler system which gets turned on maybe once a week.
we have had plenty of rain lately but nothing over the top soil isn't clay fairly sandy as we are around about 50m from the water.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Is it borer or is the plant just stressed? Water in seasol etc and see the gardener who planted them for advice.

 

[perthguy]

Is their anyway to test the soil, could the bugs of been in the wood chips or the golden duranta as the trees took a turn for the worst around two weeks after they were installed?

The issue is not the bugs, the issue is the plants. When the plants are going well they don't get attacked. When the plants are stressed, the bugs attack. Fix the plants, fix the problem. Sounds simple, it's not.

The things to check are: water, fertiliser, trace elements, soil compaction. Here is what I found on another site:

So maybe check the soil to see that it's not compacted and has plenty of moisture.

If the tree is stressed due to lack of water and nutrients the borers will in many cases continue to attack. Once you see borer holes and frass the damage is already done.

Here's what you could try.

*Water the tree well out to the drip line.

*Re check that water is actually getting down to the roots by digging a small hole to a depth of 20cm just inside the trees drip line.

*If the soil is moist, apply an organic ferttilizer like Blood and Bone or Searles 5in 1.

*Water in the fertilizer.

*Add a layer of mulch using leaf mulch / coarse wood chip about 10cm deep out to the drip line and a bit further.

*If your soil is sandy water the tree heavily every week, if it's clayey, water well every fortnight. Keep the watering up until about the start of november; by that time the tree should have started repairing the borer damage.

*If we don't get much rain in late spring and summer keep watering the tree atleast every 3 weeks so that the tree is unstressed and look after itself.

Although nurseries will try to sell you poisons, the damge is already done; spend the money on mulch and water. In most cases the lack of water is the main cause of tree problems.

Well drained soil that has adequate moisture will allow a tree to naturally combat pests and disease.

http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/Client/Message.aspx?b=72&m=19319&ps=50&dm=1&pd=2&am=19319

 

[tomlemke]

The issue is not the bugs, the issue is the plants. When the plants are going well they don't get attacked. When the plants are stressed, the bugs attack. Fix the plants, fix the problem. Sounds simple, it's not.

The things to check are: water, fertiliser, trace elements, soil compaction. Here is what I found on another site:

http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/Client/Message.aspx?b=72&m=19319&ps=50&dm=1&pd=2&am=19319

Thanks perth guy really appreciate all your problem solving i dug out 10 tic tac sized bugs out of different parts of the tree.

the nursery recommend everything you had said they said if i could get my hands on some randor to syringe that into the hole where i pulled the bug out of then puttey up the holes!

so now the bugs are hopefully all gone i can concentrate on getting the tree healthy I've put dynamic lifter around both trees and removed the wood chips.
the soil seems fine and is draining well.

i think the issue could of started when someones car door hit the tree and put a large gash in the trunk i had no idea you couldn't leave it exposed like that.

 

[tomlemke]

Is it borer or is the plant just stressed? Water in seasol etc and see the gardener who planted them for advice.

deffintly borer dug around 10 out all up!

i'am the gardener haha

 

[perthguy]

the nursery recommend everything you had said they said if i could get my hands on some randor to syringe that into the hole where i pulled the bug out of then puttey up the holes!

Maybe some insider knowledge on my part... I studied horticulture at TAFE years ago

so now the bugs are hopefully all gone i can concentrate on getting the tree healthy I've put dynamic lifter around both trees and removed the wood chips. the soil seems fine and is draining well.

Good stuff. Just keep an eye on them to make sure the bugs don't come back.

i think the issue could of started when someones car door hit the tree and put a large gash in the trunk i had no idea you couldn't leave it exposed like that.

It's hard to tell. It wouldn't really explain the second tree being attacked.

 

[tomlemke]

Maybe some insider knowledge on my part... I studied horticulture at TAFE years ago


Good stuff. Just keep an eye on them to make sure the bugs don't come back.


It's hard to tell. It wouldn't really explain the second tree being attacked.

I sort of treated gardening like set and forget besides pruning ill have to be more on the ball now!

Yeah good point on why the other mop top caught the bug, guess ill have to keep eliminating all your suggestions.

If the mop top comes good will it grow any new leafs in autumn?

 

[perthguy]

If the mop top comes good will it grow any new leafs in autumn?

Should do. It depends on the weather a bit. In my area (Perth) they keep putting on new growth until fairly late in the season. From memory, they don't fully lose their leaves until winter.

I also forgot to mention that the ph of your soil might not be that conducive to growing this plant. It they don't come good with some TLC, it might be worth picking up a cheap ph testing kit. They are easy to use, I promise

The reason is:

As the pH increases and the soil becomes more alkaline, various nutrients can become unavailable to the plant, one of these nutrients being iron. The leaves will show this deficiency by yellowing of the leaves with green veins becoming prominent.

http://www.yates.com.au/garden-expe...-a-robinia-how-to-correct-the-iron-deficiency

Not suggesting your have iron deficiency, but it's worth keeping an eye on the colour of any new growth.

 

[tomlemke]

Should do. It depends on the weather a bit. In my area (Perth) they keep putting on new growth until fairly late in the season. From memory, they don't fully lose their leaves until winter.

I also forgot to mention that the ph of your soil might not be that conducive to growing this plant. It they don't come good with some TLC, it might be worth picking up a cheap ph testing kit. They are easy to use, I promise

The reason is:
http://www.yates.com.au/garden-expe...-a-robinia-how-to-correct-the-iron-deficiency

Not suggesting your have iron deficiency, but it's worth keeping an eye on the colour of any new growth.

thanks again mate leaves only started going yellow after the borer attacked before that they were fully green.

ill do the test anyway ***** hurt

thanks again for all your help.