Leaf Miners

[MattyF]

I've never seen a holm oak that bare ! Started to see plenty of evidence of leaf miner on them though.

[David Humphries]

I've never seen a holm oak that bare ! Started to see plenty of evidence of leaf miner on them though.

 

Yeah, we were thinking that also Matty.

 

Thought it was dead when I first saw it from distance earlier this morning.

 

No other noticeable effects on its health, so constant mining seems to be the logical explanation.

 

Will keep an eye on how it fairs through the coming year, but it looks ok

 

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

That oak does indeed look shot! Hopefully it bounces back. Considered mulching it?

[David Humphries]

That oak does indeed look shot! Hopefully it bounces back. Considered mulching it?

 

No real need to Chris, pretty wet area and has an understory of shrubby/planty type things to keep people off its roots.

 

 

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

I was thinking along the lines of to provide the tree with a nutrient boost, principally. Of course, feasability is not a given if there are shrubs around it.

[David Humphries]

I think it's got good energy levels, hence all the new buds.

 

It just needs greater photosynthetic area to balance its production/useage ratio so needs to put out fresh photo/glucose factories to sustain itself.

 

 

 

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[Kveldssanger]

Fair points

[Marc Lewis]

What can be done for a tree attacked by leaf miner?

[David Humphries]

What can be done for a tree attacked by leaf miner?

 

Pesticide foliar spray and systemic stem injections using chemical and biological agents.

 

A good example are the control options available for Horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella)

 

On the bio front Allacin (garlic extract) and nematodes make the leaves unpalatable and alive with natural predation.

 

This probably works best on targeted individual isolated trees.

 

 

Not sure if anyone has developed anything specific for the Holm oak leaf miner yet.

 

 

 

 

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[David Humphries]

Evergreen Holm oak that has dropped 90% of its foliage probably in part to a number of constant years with the associated leaf miner (Ectoedemia heringella)

 

Budding up nicely and soon to wearing its new suit.

 

Will keep an eye on how it fairs through the coming year, but it looks ok

 

 

Six months on, looking good this morning (last two images)

 

 

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Edited November 14, 2016 by David Humphries