Sadly this is a subject that we will have to keep on coming back to – as the more aware we all are then the less chance there is of it becoming too much worse.
- Be careful about where you get your fuchsias from and be on the lookout for plants that look odd
- Don’t take cuttings from the hedgerows or in public areas. If offered a cutting think twice and have a look around at all their plants for any signs of damage
- Only buy from sources that you can be sure of
If buying from a nursery - look around and check for gall mite damage before purchasing any plants.
Remember that fuchsia gall mite has been found in many cases in Brittany and the Channel Islands – so if you are thinking of bringing plants or cuttings back from either of these places DON’T ! - Check your plants weekly during the growing season.
In 2010 the reported cases started in July and so we need to be vigilant from now on. Maybe the cold winter will have deterred its progress but we can’t take that for granted. Cases in 2010 were again in the South and South West but this is not to say that this will always be the case – so please keep an eye out where ever you are.
What to do if you find it - It is still a notifiable pest and if found, your local DERA office or Plant Health and Seeds Inspector (PHSI) must be contacted. With regard to outbreaks in private gardens, they still like to monitor and confirm what is going on through people sending in samples for confirmation. You can also contact the RHS at Wisley for confirmation as well – just send them a sample in a sealed container with an sae for their reply.
Once confirmed, the current recommendation is to physically remove as much of the infested material as possible, which should be burnt.
We hope that by the time that you read this there will have been a summit between the BFS, RHS and DERA and other interested parties to look into the problem and to hopefully come up with new advice etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment