HELP! Calling all gardening experts

poppie123

rizla01 wrote: »

I used to live in Shoebury

Have you ever ventured onto the island. Though it's miltary, if you ring the pub
and make a booking, youi are allowed on there and it's a couple of mile drive
through some wonderful scenery to the pub. Well worth it.

Take a camera.

I couldn't agree more about Shoebury.

I have been over onto the Island, we used to have friends who had a farm there so went over quite alot.
Unfortunately the pub is no more sign of the times i suppose.

pookiewn

icecreamdogpark wrote: »

Be careful we had this in our area New Malden, Surrey and the council roped of a bush they have taken and recked (the caterpillers) a bush about 4 ft high by 25 feet along next to the A3

Oh dear, don't like the sound of that. It's rather close to me

Thought a pic of the moth might be useful for reference.

wssla00

It seems they are everywhere in Essex at the moment... http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/stories/829270-caterpillar-invasion-turns-cemetery-into-horror-film-set

ERICS_MUM

rizla01 wrote: »

Huh. Call that in infestation?

You Are Lucky.

Took these pcs about four days ago in ESSEX.



















Now THATS what I call an infestation.

I'd love to know what they are (Were - I got the council round to spray 'em)

sorry if you are squeemish.:)

OMG !! I live in Chelmsford, is this monstrosity heading my way ?

Linda :eek:

poppie123

wssla00 wrote: »

It seems they are everywhere in Essex at the moment... http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/stories/829270-caterpillar-invasion-turns-cemetery-into-horror-film-set

That's just up the road from me :eek:

Spoke to someone today who told me to spray the bush to death with washing up liquid and water, gave it a go so i will see what happens.
Someone else said use bugclear but don't really want to as the bush attracts loads of bees and on the bottle it says dangerous to bees

My Dad said he will come and cut it all back but not until late next week, there may not be anything left of it by then

poppie123

Yesterday we had to cut my beautiful cotoneaster to near stump level

We tried everything to salvage it from the caterpillars but they just completely destroyed it and at such an alarming rate. The whole thing was just a mass of dead wood, no green leaves left at all.

I am hopeful it will grow back next year. Does anyone know if i should do anything, put anything on where it has been cut off to help it?

Davesnave

It would have sprouted new leaves again, if you'd let it.

Anyway, regardless of whether it's just defoliated, or cut to a stump, it won't die. Cotoneasters are tough as old boots.

poppie123

Davesnave wrote: »

It would have sprouted new leaves again, if you'd let it.

Anyway, regardless of whether it's just defoliated, or cut to a stump, it won't die. Cotoneasters are tough as old boots.

I took a photo of it and took it to our local garden centre, he was really nice and popped in on his way home the other day to take a look (my house is on his route home)

He said usually he would advise exactly what you have just said but said there was so much dead wood that it would be best to just cut it off near the stump and start again.

I am glad they are as tough as old boots, it's going to take some time to get it back to how big it was though:(

ERICS_MUM

poppie123 wrote: »

Yesterday we had to cut my beautiful cotoneaster to near stump level

We tried everything to salvage it from the caterpillars but they just completely destroyed it and at such an alarming rate. The whole thing was just a mass of dead wood, no green leaves left at all.

I am hopeful it will grow back next year. Does anyone know if i should do anything, put anything on where it has been cut off to help it?

I agree with the previous poster, they are tough as old boots. Took me 3 years to get rid of one in my back garden, I kept hacking it back, digging bits up etc, but maybe I left enough in the ground for it to re-generate itself


Linda

PS are you (or more to the point, the caterpillars) anywhere near Chelmsford/Great Baddow :eek:

poppie123

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

PS are you (or more to the point, the caterpillars) anywhere near Chelmsford/Great Baddow :eek:

Great Wakering, so far enough away i think.