Rhododendron being ravaged by something

I think it's a rhododendron anyway. There are no pests that I can see on the plant but it's been ravaged by something.

Can anyone help? I read something about an insect that attacks the roots and leaves but I was also told that everything eats a rhododendron.

Any advice or guidance would be very appreciated

 

Leaf Cutter bee, or the dreaded Vine Weevil perspexion,:(

If the plant is in a pot take it out, wash the roots. Then buy Pravado and spray under and over the leaves.

Check if its ok first for rhododendron from this forum. I have my rhododendron on my front garden and no Insects have ever touched it, maybe its too woody now.

If it is Vine Weevil its the white larvae you'll see in the root system...Its them blighters that cause the damage.

Good luck!

 

I'd tend to agree with Vine Weevil.

But I think the plants has other problems, mainly chlorosis, it appears to have made poor growth last year.
Is it in acid soil?

If not a dose of sequestrene in early spring would help.

An afterthought, did it get dry last summer?

 

The soil was heavy clay but I removed a lot of that and replaced it with with sandy soil and a lot of ericacious compost before digging it all even.

I got the plant from B&Q last year and planted it out according to the tag, I fed it, kept it clear of weeds, etc. and there seemed to be some growth, all of the leaves with the yellowed edges or that have been shredded by a pest were new growth. I only noticed last week the damage that had been done. I watered the plant whenever I saw the surface of the soil under the plant getting too dry but that might not have been enough.

It's been planted out so I can't wash the roots easily, should I dig it up or is the area I planted in now infected with this weevil?

Should I spray it with sequestrene and Provado or is one a trade name for the other?

 

Do nothing perspexion till you read this article I found just now,

It covers everything from 'site, to bugs'.

I would dig it up, buy Ericacius compost and a new pot. Look at the roots to see if any white bugs before planting in a pot.

Spread out the roots to search for the bugs.

The pot is so it begins to recover nice an easy. It may flower this spring.

The link: Glendoick - How to grow rhododendrons

:D

 

A friend said I should dig it up and burn it because it looks like a disease he had but can't remember the name of it and I can't find any reference to any disease that means the plant needs burning :s

I'll dig it up, I have some spare containers and a few bags of ericacious left over.

Do I need to treat the site or can I can use it right away once the Rhododendron is potted? I've got a cherry tree I was going to put in the back that would look good in that spot.

 

Don't burn it do as your doing, repot it,

Remember to feed it, try some Miraclefrow or a feed for those kind of plants. Some rhodies flower in spring, well mine does so I need to do the same.

I have some on mine, my leaves are also redish too. Its looking like Caterpillar damage. There has been questions elsewhere about Caterpiller damage. Looks like the mild winter never killed them off.

Look at this pic.

Managing Pests in Gardens: Trees and Shrubs: Invertebrates: Cutworms—UC IPM

I think we both have had that kind of damage Perpexion.

 

That makes a kind of sense, there is a large number and variety of moths and butterflies where I live, this could easily be something to do with them.

I'll repot it tomorrow. Should I clip away the damaged leaves?

 

Looking at the plant,
the growth that was there when planted still looks OK.

Its only the "new", growth, ie. that which grew last year, (after planting presumably), that appears yellow and stunted.
My personal thoughts, for what they are worth, are that although you watered it last summer the rootball was drying out, and peat based compost rootballs are difficult to wet once they get dry.
That would stop the roots spreading to the surrounding soil.

Only complete soaking during dry spells will keep the rootball moist.

To me the leaf damage is not worth bothering about, the pest that caused it is probably gone on its way by now.
Unless its vine weevil, in which case a watering with Provado vine weevil killer might be a good idea.

Sequestrene is something different, and supplies the plant with iron, a trace element that is short on higher PH soils, when growing ericaceous plants.
Murphy Sequestrene Granules: Provides iron in a form which can be taken up in any soil | Gardening tips and advice | LoveTheGarden.com

 

Thats helpful Pete to me too,

Funny you should mention the rootball and not many roots on a dry one.

Going back a few year since I began with these plants I have always had so few surface roots and a very hard rootball.

I just presumes this was how they grew. They seemed to flower ok though, probably why I thought it was usual.

Time to treat myself with two new dwarf variety anyway. I bought them for two dogs who have since passed on.

Thanks again.

 

Well Rhodos do like moist conditions naturally, kind of damp and spongy.

But I was mainly referring to a newly planted pot grown plant and how it requires a good soaking rather than a watering with a can during the first summer to stop the rootball drying out and allow the roots to move into the new soil.