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Another very serious disease that affects both
fuchsia's and pelargoniums is rust - although fuchsia rust will not affect
pelargoniums and vice versa. Fuchsia rust, Pucciniastrum epilobii,
will normally be acquired when purchasing new stock where plants have been
kept in close proximity to each other and will spread rapidly unless treated.
Fuchsia rust can be found growing on the native wild flower rose-bay willow
herb and if this plant grows near to your garden it should be destroyed to
stop rust being spread to your plants. The first signs that you may
have rust will be leaves that have a pale brown or reddish marking,
or blotchiness. On inspection of the underside of the leave the yellowish/orange
pustules, which are the spores, will be clearly seen. All infected
leaves should be carefully removed, burnt or placed in a sealed bag and put
in the dustbin. The spores can be easily transported by insects, wind
or you fingers whilst inspecting infected plants. Spray the leaves
and soil with a systemic fungicide such as Dithane 945 or Systhane.
Unfortunately, due to many changes enforced by the EU, many of the fungicides
that were in common use have now been withdrawn.
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Capsid bugs belong to the order Hemiptera,
sub order Heteroptera. Capsid bugs are closely associated to leafhoppers.
They attack the small growing tips which causes severe distortion, and in
some cases, blindness resulting in the loss of flower buds. The common green
capsid, Lygacaris pubulinus attacks many different plants, including fuchsia's.
There are over 200 species of capsid bug in the British Isles alone. Spray
regularly with a systemic insecticide at the first sign of attack. Caterpillars
can also cause serious damage to plants if left untreated. Again spray
with a contact insecticide or pick individual caterpillars from the plant
and destroy them.
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Red spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is perhaps
one of the most difficult of pests, which affect many plants including fuchsia,
to eradicate. Because they are so tiny they often go undetected until they
are at epidemic proportions. They breed at an alarming rate, given the right
temperature and humidity, and can soon become a serious problem, particularly
if they are in a greenhouse. Numerous sprays can be used but the problem
is that the mite inhabits the underside of the leaves, which makes it difficult
to treat, and because of the rapid rate at which they breed they soon become
immune to such sprays, even when they are alternated. There is a predatory
mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis, which can be used to treat severe attacks
but these mites also depend on the conditions of temperature and humidity
being suitable. First signs of an attack can be discolouring, mottling or
reddening of the leaves. On examination of these leaves you will find very
fine webs where the mite gains some protection from sprays or predators,
normally at the top of the plants. The mite thrives in hot and dry conditions,
so it is particularly helpful in the greenhouse to keep a moist atmosphere
by regularly misting the staging. At the first sign of red spider mite spray
with a systemic insecticide and repeat at regular intervals.
Blackfly, Greenfly, Brownfly, all come under the catergory of aphids. They attack nearly everything that grows in our gardens. These sap sucking insect pests distort buds, flowers and leaves. They multiply so quickly that unless you act as soon as you see them, you will have an infestation within days. Any of the normal systemic insecticides will kill them, but vary the types at each spray as they quickly build up a resistance if you keep to one brand. If you would prefer not to use chemicals then plant nectar rich plants in your garden to attract natural predators such as Hoverfly's, or make or buy Lacewing shelters (where the adults overwinter). The larvae of lacewings are another good predator of aphids. There is also the option of using soft soap formulations such as "Stergene", or "Naturen" which is based on rape seed oil, but you will have to read the instructions because the latter can cause leaf damage to certain plants.
Whitefly (Aleurodina) are small sap sucking insects that live on a variety of plants, including fuchsia's. They, and their larval stage, live on the undersides of leaves. The first you may know of an attack is the appearance of the sticky honey-dew on the upper surface of lower leaves and the clouds of these small moth-like flies. Regular spraying with systemic insecticides, which are rotated, can help but as with other pests immunity can soon be built up. The white fly adults coat themselves with a wax-like secretion, that is exuded from glands on their abdomens, which also acts as a protection against pesticides. Soft soap, "Stergene", is another alternative to chemicals, and a tiny predatory wasp, Encarsia formosa, can be used as a solution in greenhouses. The wasp lays its egg in the developing larva, which turns black, and the young wasp emerges from the eaten embryo. Another solution for greenhouses is to place yellow sticky sheets around, just above the plants, which will attract and collect whitefly.
The vine weevil (Otiorhynchus Sulcatus) has become a very serious pest in recent years attacking many plants, including fuchsia's. Nocturnal in habit the adult vine weevil does not fly but you may believe it does so by its agility in reaching almost impossible locations where it feeds on the leaves and lays its eggs. It appears that all adult vine weevils are female and are capable of laying around 500 eggs a week over a period of several months. Although the adult weevil does not do much damage, a few ragged notches cut from the leaves of host plants, it is the larval stage, the crescent shaped white maggot that is the real threat. Eggs are usually laid between August and September and the grubs, after hatching, set about devouring the root system and crown of of the plant, usually during the dormant season whilst the plants are stored over winter. The first you may know of their presence in when the growth of your plant seems a little slow and on checking the stem comes away from the soil. There are numerous remedies available, including nematodes (thread like worms), "Armillatox" and "Provado". It has also been reported that "Nippon" ant gel and wood lice powder attract and kill vine weevil although I have not tried this method myself. The most reliable way to combat this threat is to break the life cycle. Course grit on top of the soil acts as a deterrent to stop the adult laying eggs, but the most affective remedy, in my opinion, is to strip the plants, wash the root system, and repot in fresh compost before storing the plants at the end of the growing season. Any old compost should be discarded in the dustbin and not onto the garden.
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Blackfly, Greenfly, Brownfly, all come under the catergory of aphids. They attack nearly everything that grows in our gardens. These sap sucking insect pests distort buds, flowers and leaves. They multiply so quickly that unless you act as soon as you see them, you will have an infestation within days. Any of the normal systemic insecticides will kill them, but vary the types at each spray as they quickly build up a resistance if you keep to one brand. If you would prefer not to use chemicals then plant nectar rich plants in your garden to attract natural predators such as Hoverfly's, or make or buy Lacewing shelters (where the adults overwinter). The larvae of lacewings are another good predator of aphids. There is also the option of using soft soap formulations such as "Stergene", or "Naturen" which is based on rape seed oil, but you will have to read the instructions because the latter can cause leaf damage to certain plants.
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Whitefly (Aleurodina) are small sap sucking insects that live on a variety of plants, including fuchsia's. They, and their larval stage, live on the undersides of leaves. The first you may know of an attack is the appearance of the sticky honey-dew on the upper surface of lower leaves and the clouds of these small moth-like flies. Regular spraying with systemic insecticides, which are rotated, can help but as with other pests immunity can soon be built up. The white fly adults coat themselves with a wax-like secretion, that is exuded from glands on their abdomens, which also acts as a protection against pesticides. Soft soap, "Stergene", is another alternative to chemicals, and a tiny predatory wasp, Encarsia formosa, can be used as a solution in greenhouses. The wasp lays its egg in the developing larva, which turns black, and the young wasp emerges from the eaten embryo. Another solution for greenhouses is to place yellow sticky sheets around, just above the plants, which will attract and collect whitefly.
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The vine weevil (Otiorhynchus Sulcatus) has become a very serious pest in recent years attacking many plants, including fuchsia's. Nocturnal in habit the adult vine weevil does not fly but you may believe it does so by its agility in reaching almost impossible locations where it feeds on the leaves and lays its eggs. It appears that all adult vine weevils are female and are capable of laying around 500 eggs a week over a period of several months. Although the adult weevil does not do much damage, a few ragged notches cut from the leaves of host plants, it is the larval stage, the crescent shaped white maggot that is the real threat. Eggs are usually laid between August and September and the grubs, after hatching, set about devouring the root system and crown of of the plant, usually during the dormant season whilst the plants are stored over winter. The first you may know of their presence in when the growth of your plant seems a little slow and on checking the stem comes away from the soil. There are numerous remedies available, including nematodes (thread like worms), "Armillatox" and "Provado". It has also been reported that "Nippon" ant gel and wood lice powder attract and kill vine weevil although I have not tried this method myself. The most reliable way to combat this threat is to break the life cycle. Course grit on top of the soil acts as a deterrent to stop the adult laying eggs, but the most affective remedy, in my opinion, is to strip the plants, wash the root system, and repot in fresh compost before storing the plants at the end of the growing season. Any old compost should be discarded in the dustbin and not onto the garden.
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