33 responses |
amanda starts with ... Hi guys, I have never had to deal with a plague b4 :( Is it just a case of waiting for it to run it's course? My trees are almost stripped (apricot in pic) I am treating as a free pruning service at this stage :-O ?? (bit tired of getting head butted by the damn things everytime I take a wander in the garden tho'....!?) They won't actually kill my trees will they?
| About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 13th February 2011 10:46pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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snottiegobble says... Hell Amanda, what next? We get one or 2 down here but never a swarm. What you must do is prune the tree down low & cover the new growth. The bare branches will only weaken it if you leave them & you will end up with a very spindly tree with all new growth at the top because deciduous trees dont like losing their leaves during summer. | About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busselton ( smack in the middle) 14th February 2011 1:37am #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Thanks snottiegobble - I didn't know that. It's a bummer really as it's not a good time for them to get lush new growth (due to hot winds). I should probably use some tree sunblock on the trunks/branches too - in case they get sunburnt now..? Pruning can be such a dodgy affair in the heat of summer - I wonder if others find this too? | About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 14th February 2011 10:16am #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Jantina says... We have only had one plague ever here, and they didn't affect the home orchard which I attribute to the free ranging chooks and in particular the free ranging guinea fowl (wonderful pest controllers)but in the back paddock they completely defoliated the olives (several hundred) and then proceeded to eat the green layer of bark (? cambium). Some trees were killed but most reshot from the roots, certainly not something you would want from any grafted trees. What a bummer amanda,there's nothing much nature can throw at you anymore is there( (maybe some bad frosts?). Sounds like snottie may have the only good idea, those locusts are merciless. I figure in your next garden you have earned the right to be pest and adverse weather event free. Good luck! | About the Author Jantina Mt Gambier 14th February 2011 11:02am #UserID: 1351 Posts: 1272 View All Jantina's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busselton ( smack in the middle) 14th February 2011 12:00pm #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author MaryT Sydney 14th February 2011 12:34pm #UserID: 5412 Posts: 2066 View All MaryT's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author ringelstrumpf1 Blue Mountains 14th February 2011 12:35pm #UserID: 3535 Posts: 148 View All ringelstrumpf1's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Thanks guys...Jantina - I can't believe they even ate the bark! EEK! they have eaten all of the citrus trees - but haven't touched the mandarin trees though?... I am really interested to see if they remain untouched..? Wonder what they don't like about mandarin leaves? Maybe I should make a spray using macerated leaves... I have some netting and stuff so will see if I can cover up the badly hit trees after a prune (that will teach me not to plant 80 odd fruit trees at next home..!) I'd get out there and catch n drown them but it's already 40c at noon now...yukk. Last time I free ranged a chook the Staffy ate it ringelstrumpf...oops... | About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 14th February 2011 3:17pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Julie Roleystone WA 14th February 2011 7:47pm #UserID: 154 Posts: 1842 View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 17th February 2011 1:47am #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Original Post was last edited: 17th February 2011 1:48am | |||||||
Jason says... Amanda I'm sure your trees will survive if it's just the leaves, I've had plenty of stone fruit trees 100% defoliated from Kangaroos, sometimes for 2-3 years in a row starting in early spring and having no leaves pretty much all season, they get weaker each year but as soon as you get a year where they are left alone they get stronger again. But next year might be a bit lean on fruit for you | About the Author Jason Portland 17th February 2011 1:35pm #UserID: 637 Posts: 1217 View All Jason's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Thanks Jason - that's heartening to hear! :) I have pruned them back and chucked anything I could get my hands on over the worst affected - just to keep them shaded and maybe put the 'hoppers off a little. It's not a common event (so the gurus say) - they move around with the tropical lows - and we have had plenty of them! The only treatments are things like carabyl... :( (pass..) Lucky I always buy up the net curtains at Op shops etc..! | About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 17th February 2011 2:50pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busselton ( smack in the middle) 17th February 2011 3:29pm #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... LOL! Good idea S.G! I should have stocked up in Bali! Hopefully cyclone Dianne will suck them all out to sea :) My grape season was miserable this year :( The birds still mananged to get to them thru the bird net. Ah well - such are the challenges of gardening hey. (Kurrajongs will steal them though!) | About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 17th February 2011 5:53pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Jantina says... Amanda it's probably too late for your grapes this year, but after fighting the good fight against " feathered thieves" (as Glowinski calls them,)and losing each time I found these nifty bags at GreenHarvest. They are made of some semi opaque material, not paper and not fabric, that the air can pass thru but that totally protects the bunches from the birds (there's no holes for beaks). they weren't expensive and all my grapes are ripening in peace. Just google GreenHarvest and check out their pest control dept. | About the Author Jantina Mt Gambier 18th February 2011 9:58am #UserID: 1351 Posts: 1272 View All Jantina's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busselton ( smack in the middle) 18th February 2011 11:09am #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 18th February 2011 5:31pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 19th February 2011 12:07pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble 21st February 2011 1:40pm #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author amanda19 Gerladton. Mid West WA 22nd February 2011 4:38am #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Yay! the locusts have decided to move on...and literally thousands of dragonflies have taken over! :) Nature moves in mysterious ways.... The rain has inspired me to get out and start getting the veg patch ready for the autumn planting. I feel like I have come alive with the rain too! :))) | About the Author amanda19 Geraldton. Mid West WA. 23rd February 2011 5:15pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Jantina Mt Gambier 23rd February 2011 11:15pm #UserID: 1351 Posts: 1272 View All Jantina's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author sydney 24th February 2011 8:46am #UserID: 0 Posts: View All 's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busso (smack in the middle) 24th February 2011 2:13pm #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Hey kert - no - I used a unique method to keep them scared of coming back. A few of these reminders around the place... :-O Snottie - these drangonflies have me stumped - I can't work out where they come from and then where they go back to when they are not here....they come and go so fast..
| About the Author amanda19 Geraldton. Mid West WA. 24th February 2011 6:32pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author micarle Kurrajong Heights, NSW 24th February 2011 7:21pm #UserID: 3141 Posts: 250 View All micarle's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author snottiegobble Bunbury/Busso (smack in the middle) 25th February 2011 2:18pm #UserID: 3468 Posts: 1458 View All snottiegobble's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Charlesstillcantspell1 Perth Innaloo 26th February 2011 3:27pm #UserID: 2742 Posts: 411 View All Charlesstillcantspell1's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Fingers X'd! I just couldn't wait for autumn any longer - so last night (yes night - as it's the only cool time lately) I dug up a prime spot that had ornamentals - and put in a Herb n Salad bowl garden. It's sheltered and there is a shade sail. It was like getting a drug fix being able to buy seedlings and plant them! LOL!
| About the Author amanda19 Geraldton. Mid West WA. 26th February 2011 6:12pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Brendan Mackay, Q 27th February 2011 7:58am #UserID: 1947 Posts: 1722 View All Brendan's Edible Fruit Trees |
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amanda says... Ta Brendan - I have some large sliding door flywires (slavaged) - and this morning I am going to put a "roof" over them with shade cloth also... We are in the midst of a fairly long hot spell that reminds me very much of the "build-up" to the northern Wet.... Sounds like you need a "roofed" plot too!? maybe polycarbonate sheeting :) | About the Author amanda19 Geraldton. Mid West WA. 27th February 2011 10:17am #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author amanda19 Geraldton. Mid West WA 8th March 2011 7:46pm #UserID: 2309 Posts: 4607 View All amanda19's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Julie Roleystone WA 22nd March 2011 9:07pm #UserID: 154 Posts: 1842 View All Julie's Edible Fruit Trees |
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| About the Author Jason13 Portland 22nd March 2011 10:23pm #UserID: 5078 Posts: 3 View All Jason13's Edible Fruit Trees |
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