We came back from holiday to see that the garden, small, but many-potted, had been well-watered by Lewis, a neighbouring nephew. However, our two hardy fuchsias were leafy but showing little sign of the usual rampant display of colour for this time of year. I'd attributed their slowness to a late-in-the-year pruning. And might not have looked further, had not a visiting Prodigal pointed out that they were being attacked by something nasty.
I put my glasses on. Possibly something I should do more often in the garden. I could then see clusters of mutated leaves and flowers. Eeeuch. Whatever it was, was not simply chewing but turning the plant into something quietly grotesque.
So I did what any modern gardener does, and I googled it. Depressing reading.
The Fuchsia Gall Mite is a microscopic sap-sucking pest that is specific to fuchsias.
Fuchsia Gall Mites are small between 0.20 and 0.25mm long, The mites feed by puncturing individual plant cells with their needle–like mouthparts and sucking out the cell contents. The feeding activities of the mites cause the plants cells to grow abnormally and proliferate, causing swelling (galling) and disfigurement of the growing tips, leaves and flowers.
Does not respond to insecticide, either. These ghastly creatures have been brought over from Brazil.
So I gave the bush a Brazilian.
Suck on that suckers! The old girl is fighting back.
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| Last summer... |
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| And now.... |
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