Acer eaten by bugs, need advice please

Hi,

I'm in need of some help with my Acers please, I was given a couple this year in pots (about 18"~2' tall), one is a Bloodgood and the other is unidentified at this stage.

Anyway, the unidentified one has become infested by small bugs that look like they have a tortoise shell on them? I did a little research and I think they are mealy bugs, but I have several other Acers and this one was the only one that didn't develop properly this year, the leaves were small and droopy and it just generally didn't look in great health. There were also some small brown aphid like crawly bugs on there too.

Last week, I had noticed these small flies/bugs and yesterday I went to water it and it looked completely dead, all the leaves have shrivelled up and the stems look like they've been eaten away.

I've done a load of photos to show what I'm talking about, hopefully the forum will allow me to post them.

What I would like is to identify these bugs and if anyone could tell me if the tree is salvageable too, and what to do to save it. Also, could anyone recommend a general purpose bug spray that won't burn the leaves of my other Acers? I have a Suminagashi, Ukigumo, Orangeola and another unidentified finely cut green leaf Acer.

Last year they were killed off by some kind of tiny cottony scale insects, so this year, I'd like to give them some kind of preventative medicine if there is such a thing?

Thanks

Dave.

 

Could be Mealy bug Dave, but looks like scale insect to me. Either way, treat with a systemic bug killer.:gnthb:

 

Just a faint waft of RAID killed them all. I wonder if it'll have the same effect on the tree? I snipped off all the dead leaves cause they were covered in some kind of really sticky stuff and I washed it all down and I'll just have to see now if it grows more leaves I guess.

I went and bought some Provado too, so with a bit of luck, I wont get them on the other trees.

Thanks

 

Looks like you were right

Pulvinaria regalis



Although I didn't see any of the cottony stuff at all.

 

Can I add a further comment and that is your compost looks too wet and you should reduce the watering until the plant needs it.

Also as its going to be in a pot for a long time using only soilless compost (peat and general purpose compost) is not the best idea. Use a 50/50 mix of soil based compost (john Innes readily available) and soilless compost. Mix in a handfull of shrub fertiliser.

When prunning, cut back to 1/4" about a leaf joint and prune to make/keep an elegant shape.

 

One of mine has shrivelled up, will look later for evidence of bugs, having said that, it does sit in a shady area on heavy soil.

 

That one was potted by the woman that gave it to me, it's apparently a mixture of ericaceous compost and small stones. In my other pots, I've also been using ericaceous compost with about 2-3" of stones in the bottom for drainage. I had no idea about these soil-less composts, I'll check them out next time I'm at the garden centre, thanks for that

On a sad note though, I bought the provado ultimate bug spray and did a test on a couple of leaves on each plant and it was OK, so I did them all as a precaution, and sadly it's made all the leaves shrivel up, many of them look like they won't recover, the Suminagashi leaves are all drooping and lifeless and the Ukigumo is the same. Absolutely gutted about that, they were doing so well until then. I should point out that there were no bugs on the others, apart from the occasional fly, I gave them a good look over when the scale bugs got the other tree.

So, will the larger leaves make a recovery or are they all dead now, the smaller, new leaves look as though they have almost certainly been killed?

 

I have found that acers can shed their leaves if distressed but with a bit of TLC will grow new leaves. Dont give up.

Is the pot in a saucer? If so either get rid of it as this will provide a water resevoir when its not wanted and keeping the compost wet.

Lift the pot or tilt it - if it feels heavy then its too wet. Stick you finger in the soil.

 

No saucers for any of the pots, but I have been watering them all every other day, I'm guessing that's too much then?

I put 1/2"~1" stones in the bottom of all the pots for drainage and they have holes in the bottom, when you pour the water on, it takes a few seconds and then comes running out the bottom of the pot. The pots are Terracotta, I think clay or something similar, they are very heavy anyway and around 45cm wide.

 

tap the pots with your knuckles. If it rings and sounds hollow then too dry, if a dull thud then its wet.

 

They just sound solid? I've not watered for a couple of days, so I will leave them another couple of days and see how they sound then.

I've just checked the other Acers and the good news is, the Suminagashi looks a little more perky, but the small/new leaves have definitely died, but the Ukigumo looks like it's been stunned and everything's stopped....very odd.