Gifts

So sorry to hear this Siris.
I'm sure somebody said earier this year that there's a treatment for some kind of chicken mite that is effective - sounds odd but worth a try as a preventative?

My Paeonia lutea has just produced similar seed pods and seeds. Are'nt they wonderful, black and shiny. The pods were magenta too.

Sorry to hear about the problem with the Fuchsia. Fuchsia mite not affecting mine yet. I hope they don't either. but mine are the only ones in the street so fingers crossed.

Thanks Sbg, on a positive note, the seed pods were pretty too. I cut a seed in half to see what it looked like, as I'm curious.
Regarding the Mite infestation, read it is quite prevalent here in the South, but moving northwards.
Speaking of curious, Stera, chicken Mite treatment, looks worth looking into. Mustn't speak too soon, but my other 4 Fuchsias appear ok at present.

Wonder if it would be worth while to prune them half way in the autumn this year in case any mites are left overwintering?

Stera, The info, I read suggested cutting to the ground for winter, if you must keep the plant. I have taken the distorted stems off next doors, so far. There are a lot of plants though, going to take a while.

I've grown a few different Peonies from seed. It took a couple of years but they did grow.

I've never heard of Fuchsia mite, what a shame, all that damage. You are kind helping your neighbour sort things

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed re Fuchsias. If this gets to me I'll have one very empty greenhouse. The only ones I bought this year were from my local Fuchsia show and, touch wood, they look ok. Some swopped with Hywel, also looking very healthy. I'm going to look up now, does it travel on the wind?

Having looked for treatment for chicken mites I kept coming across this same recipe. There are some things that contain permethrin that are recommended too.

To treat the chickens themselves, spray them with a garlic juice mixture. This treatment has been found by poultry scientists in the UK to have a 100% kill rate over 24 hours. This can be used as a treatment and also as an ongoing preventative.

Natural Mite Garlic Juice Spray

10 ounces of water
1 ounce of garlic juice (you can find it here)
1 teaspoon (total) any combination of these essential oils - bay, cinnamon, clove, coriander, lavender, spearmint and/or thyme

Mix in a spray bottle and spray hens bi-weekly as a preventative or every other day for two to three weeks in the case of an infestation.

Thorney, As I went to the shops today, looked at the Fuchsias around, most had F Gall Mite distortion, here in the South. I read it is probably wind (outdoor varieties) and human dispersed. My ones in my enclosed back garden look ok, (touch wood- no don't!). The one pictured was by the front wall, it's gone now.
Thank you for the info on chicken Mite control. Garlic spray sounds good, I use it against greenfly, but says useful on Some soft bodied insects.

So sorry to hear about f gall mite. Fingers crossed your other ones stay fine. Good luck with your seeds

Thanks Jen. If the seed germinates, don't know what I'm going to do with 20 Tree paeonies, get much too big for a small garden and the flowers are so fleeting.

Lol, but it's the fun and challenge of getting them to grow :-).

Yes, indeed, Jen, and lots as gifts.

Siris I nearly suggested cutting the stems to ground level but thought about possible frost - you'd need to give them a good mulch to protect them. (Sure you knew that anyway, lol)

Thanks Stera, I've removed completely my Variegated magellanica. My other Fuchsias so far seem free of Mite, I am going to spray them with garlic spray That will make me feel better, then cut them down well come the frosts. Won't mulch in case I provide a snug blanket for any mites.

Our lovely Fuchsia succumbed Genii......OH cut it to the ground, we shall see, it is always the South isn't it, we get the lot!!

Dd, I read cutting to the ground might work, especially if the little blighters succumb to a cold winter, but we'll be lucky to get away without reinfection next year.
My Genii is a picture still and clean of FM.

And long may it continue.......