Die back on Lleylandii

[treeseer]

Seiridium canker is pandemic in the SE USA. Are there bleeding lesions on the stems?

[Pete Tattam]

Thanks guys. Reading the FC release it doesn't seem to be Phytophthora but most likely aphid damage. Apart from the die back are there any other signs? Are the aphids themselves detectable (presumably not at this time of year!)? Rumour control suggested an increase in spiders webs visible on the hedge meant an infestation of aphids. Any truth in that?

[Mortimer Firewood]

We look after a lot of Lleylandii hedges and have seen a noticeable increases in aphid damage and have started sterilizing all our hedge cutters with insecticide before moving on to the next job could it be how the aphid is been spread about . Ive all so noticed more spider web in infected hedges but this could be coincidence.

[easylife]

I have considered sterilising equipment. Could you please expand on which type of insecticidal methods you apply, the products and how often. Likewise i have had several hedges subjected to the above symptoms which i have cut for several years without any problems. It has got to a point where i have delayed cutting hedges for my regular customers based on the possiblty of the onset of browning etc.

[Mortimer Firewood]

I have considered sterilising equipment. Could you please expand on which type of insecticidal methods you apply, the products and how often. Likewise i have had several hedges subjected to the above symptoms which i have cut for several years without any problems. It has got to a point where i have delayed cutting hedges for my regular customers based on the possiblty of the onset of browning etc.

 

I use Scots bug clear after cutting an infected hedge just give the cutters a good spray then start on another hedge up to now the new hedges we have taken on are not suffering from aphids . One of our clients who had a serious aphid problem a few years back kept spraying there hedge with water on frosty nights and it has started to come back quite well coincidence or not i don't know.

[david]

is there any way of treating aphids that are affecting a hedge? to stop / reduce the damage

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

insecticides are not my fave thing but these dead patches on well clipped leyland hedges are not a natural system so have some sympathy for their use in these circumstances.