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solada

By Solada

Cheshire, United Kingdom Gb

i have a rhododendron which has been nibbled at.What can I do to remedy this,please?
Thank You



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Answers

 

Hi Solada,
This looks like vine weevil to me. I know that they like ornamentals. If your rhododedron is outdoors in the soil, then your best bet is to pick off any adult weevils that you can spot (unfortunately the larvae will be in the ground and they cause more damage). I believe that you can use biological control (nematodes) but I've never used them so I can't recommend where to get any or if it's effective enough.

16 Apr, 2020

 

Can you get your hands on a bottle of hydrogen peroxide? if you can, add a cup of HP to a gallon of water and feed it to your plants. That will take care of the eggs in the soil plus it will give your Rhododendron a little boost of oxygen which it loves.

16 Apr, 2020

 

It does look like vine weevil damage - Nemesys vine weevil killer are the appropriate nematodes mixed up in water and used as a soil drench, but the soil needs to be 5degC or above for it to be effective, though its likely the soil is currently warm enough, or will be in a week or so.

16 Apr, 2020

 

The nematodes nly kill the brubs, not the adults. It is the adults which are damaging the leaves. Never found anything which kills the adults. Had one swim in pure bleach for a few days and survive (until I stood on it).

16 Apr, 2020

 

Thank you all very much.will see what I can do.πŸ™‚

17 Apr, 2020

 

Owdboggy...that’s absolutely incredible! Pretty indestructible then!

17 Apr, 2020

 

Cannot see any insects at all,will keep a close eye on it.πŸ˜„

18 Apr, 2020

 

V.W. adults tend to drop off the plant and are very hard to see when they are on the soil underneath a plant.

18 Apr, 2020

 

Can I put something in the soil around it?πŸ™‚

19 Apr, 2020

 

To catch the weevils? A sheet of white paper is often recommended.

19 Apr, 2020

 

Order yourself a couple bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide from Amazon. It's very inexpensive and it works. It does exactly what you are asking for:

Hydrogen peroxide is a nontoxic alternative to chemical pest control and breaks down into water and oxygen. It can be used as a foliar spray to control fungal diseases like powdery mildew, or to control microbial pests in the soil or small insects like spider mites and fungal gnats.

Full article:

Garden Uses For Hydrogen Peroxide: Will Hydrogen Peroxide Hurt Plants

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-hydrogen-peroxide-in-garden.htm

19 Apr, 2020

 

It does not kill adult Vine weevils. I know I have tried it on them!

19 Apr, 2020

 

It will certainly kill the eggs in the soil and disrupt the life cycle. That's the question. It works for me. I've saved several infected plants.

the Central Vancouver Island Orchid Society says a 5 percent solution, found at hydroponic stores, kills most insects and their eggs with the definite exception of scale insects. As an added benefit, the water and oxygen it releases help support your plants' cellular functions and growth.

Full article:

Hydrogen Peroxide for Garden Bug Spray

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/hydrogen-peroxide-garden-bug-spray-88685.html

19 Apr, 2020

 

Thank you very much I will certainly try that, Bathgate, anything that's worth a try πŸ˜„

20 Apr, 2020

How do I say thanks?

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