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The Conifer Aphid

julien

By julien

7 comments


Has anyone encountered this problem, in my line of work i have found this to be a an increasing problem, it can totally decimate whole hedges, or large parts of the hedge, many people are unaware of this bug which unlike other aphids feeds on the older wood and not on the young growth, they are very difficult to see, but a sure sign is noticing sooty mold about two to three inches from the tip, its not untill early to mid summer that signs of this can be seen and can be to late, the only way to deal with this problem is to spray with bugkiller, dont like using pesticides myself but its the only way to eradicate this problem,the best time really i have found is to spray in feb may and aug, a good way to check is to put your hands into the hedge and see what comes out, also look for black sooty mold, they are normally dark brown.

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Comments

 

I have this problem fortunately I have a large Montana growing over it which will look ok until a new Ewe hedge along side gets taller.

25 Apr, 2010

 

Heron - that's a sight to see - a Ewe hedge - does it baa much .. lol : o ))

25 Apr, 2010

 

I've got 'Ewes on the brain at the moment Megan, in the field next door we're getting hours of amusement watching the new born lambs, about 100 of them. The 'yew' is 7' tall now but it needs another foot and to thicken out some. Spraying is expensive if your hedge is long.

25 Apr, 2010

 

Wonderful to watch aren't they ? Why are Lambs the only animal described as "gambolling" which means a playful skipping or frolic in my dictionary ?
Would you post some photos of them doing just that ? : o ) )

25 Apr, 2010

 

I was asking that question only yesterday Megan. I'll do my best to snap them in mid-air but I'll have to be quick on the trigger. They should be called 'sprinters' they can run like a Greyhound. A few days ago four of them were playing chasing around a trough, just like children one stopped and went the other way round so another jumped into the trough. Then they got all got mixed up and ran off for a feed.

26 Apr, 2010

 

Julien, sorry if I've hi-jacked your post 'gambolling' on about sheep. I do hope you'll be able to improve your hedge, that's if you have one, you didn't say. When out n' about I see lots of decimated hedges, they look a right mess. They are much maligned but I've heard that they are coming back into fashion again. They really are the best screen makers.

26 Apr, 2010

 

Hi Heron, no i dont have one myself, but i have my own small garden buisness and i see this problem all the time, i have been battling the confer aphid on a private estates topiaried hedges for years now, its a case of keep spraying and being vigilant.

26 Apr, 2010

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