Can you help my chinese elm?- its got bugs!!

batgirl · White Belt Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 18

Hi- I'm new here, I've just found this site and think its brill its has loads of useful info!

My problem is i have a Chinese elm, I've had it about 10 months and its been fine i kept it in doors during the winter but now i keep it outside as it is quite warm now ( i live in south Yorkshire, near Barnsley), recently the leaves started to fall off, i at first thought it was over/under watering until i found little white spider mite type things all over it. they leave a cob web behind and seen to lay eggs under the leaves. They are very small, i have to use a magnifying glass to see them clearly! i treated my elm with an insect spray and systemic treatment called provardo, and they seemed to die and my tree put out new shoots and quickly recovered and it seemed healthy, but now these mites have returned within 6-8 weeks. I hoped you could tell me what i can do / use? and what these bugs are called? i cant seem to find them in any of my books?

I also have a Serissa which was in close contact with the elm and although it doesn't seem to have lost all its leaves or have the mites it hasn't been well , and has lost some leaves, one branches leaves all died , consequently i cut this branch off in case it was infected and it has not flowered. I also keep this tree outside in the warmer months but in the shade - it gets the morning sun until about 11am. I have continued to feed this tree unlike the elm.

I hope i have given you enough details to help, i really don't want them to die!! i would be grateful for any advice.

thanks Amy

Stymie

Hello Amy.
Batgirl indeed wow! the girls are piling up here I'm pleased to see.
I'm only about eight miles from you and my Elms stay outside all year round to their advantage.
I'm familiar with the Provado bug gun. Its good tackle and hasn't done any damage that I'm aware of. Its systemic of course and claims to give protection for six weeks. As you've gone over that limit, it would seem okay to give another treatment now. That should be enough to cover your infestation for this year as it will be getting cooler in another six weeks. I think that you diagnosed 'spider mites' correctly.
I'm going to leave the Serissa to someone else as I'm not growing them. However, if you subscribe to full membership, you will find helpful coverage of them in our A-Z forum. Keep in touch.

Dick

Hi Amy, (aka batgirl)

Welcome to the forum.

As for the critters, besides what ytou are doing, try misting the entire tree with soap water every other day for about 2 weeks. That will kill off any live bugs and those that will hatch in that time period.