Loosing our Laurel to bugs and leaf loss on the bottom

We live at the 3650' elevation on Mount Shasta, Ca. When we moved in our Laurel was full and beautiful. We were told it was a hardy drought resistant hedge. So, we only watered it once a week. The soil here is crushed granite and sand so fast drainage.
We are finding after 3 years it is dying! Yellow leaves and not much on the lower area's.. We are watering more and are going to remove the Black Oak Leaves around them as the contain an acid known as Tannin. So we are wondering if the Tannin is poising the Laurel. We have some areas on the leaves where something is chewing semi-circles and some black dots. It is a large plant growing around the
sides of the house and over 8' tall. We would hate to loose it. Please give us the benefit of your experience. We just inspected the Laurel and see new growth and a brown worm about 3/4" long eating the leaves.

On plant Prunus laurocerasus

8 Jun, 2018

Answers

Aleyna

Hello Joellaurel,

I'm from south Brazil, where the weather it is coldest, and we also have some snow during the winter. Although it might be warmer than your temperatures.
Reading your description it seeems to be a bug (scalpers) carried by ants. They suck the leaves close to the steam where you can see the very small tinny black points, the leaves turn yelow and fall.
I've used smoke broth, commercial formula, to help to get rid of these bugs. It seems to be the best option.

To keep using the leaves for cooking wash it with dishes detergent, rinse with clean water, sprinkle with alchool 70% and let it dry.

11 Jun, 2018

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