OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

I've been busy this summer, and yes, I have not looked at this tree in a
while.
I noticed it this morning, because some vine had grown up in it and were
blooming on top.
Then I took a closer look.
OMG!!!

This "tree" is kinda bushy, and all of the leaves on the lower part are
GONE!
just green twigs left.

The upper part is sparsely leafed, with obvious bite marks in the remaining
leaves.

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

jojo

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:40:40 GMT, "jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your
hat*yahoo.com wrote:

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

Mountain Laurels are pretty tough.

It is most likely some sort of caterpillar. Immediately spray
thoroughly with BT (Bacillus thurigiensis) suspension. The
caterpillars will dry up and fall off.

The BT spray is environmentally benign (except to the caterpillars!)
and is widely available.

Hope this helps


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

"Elliot Richmond" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:40:40 GMT, "jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your
hat*yahoo.com wrote:

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

Mountain Laurels are pretty tough.

It is most likely some sort of caterpillar. Immediately spray
thoroughly with BT (Bacillus thurigiensis) suspension. The
caterpillars will dry up and fall off.

The BT spray is environmentally benign (except to the caterpillars!)
and is widely available.

Hope this helps


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

Thank you so much...should I go ahead and cut the branches that are
leafless?
This in effect will tree the bush, which I'm ok with, but maybe it's too
early??

Thanks,
jojo

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

"jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your hat*yahoo.com wrote in message
et...

"Elliot Richmond" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:40:40 GMT, "jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your
hat*yahoo.com wrote:

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

Mountain Laurels are pretty tough.

It is most likely some sort of caterpillar. Immediately spray
thoroughly with BT (Bacillus thurigiensis) suspension. The
caterpillars will dry up and fall off.

The BT spray is environmentally benign (except to the caterpillars!)
and is widely available.

Hope this helps


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

Thank you so much...should I go ahead and cut the branches that are
leafless?
This in effect will tree the bush, which I'm ok with, but maybe it's too
early??

Thanks,
jojo

Unless whatever it is killed the branches as well (not likely) the leaves
will come back.

I usually give plants plenty of time to do any growing they're going to do
before I start pruning away damaged branches. I find that I tend to be more
pessimistic about what will recover than the plants are.

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 17:13:43 GMT, "jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your
hat*yahoo.com wrote:

Thank you so much...should I go ahead and cut the branches that are
leafless?
This in effect will tree the bush, which I'm ok with, but maybe it's too
early??

I agree with Mike, wait and see.

We have pruned our mountain laurels to a few main stems and I like the
way they look better that way. If you do prune, seal the cut with that
black stuff.


Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:40:40 GMT, "jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your
hat*yahoo.com wrote:

I've been busy this summer, and yes, I have not looked at this tree in a
while.
I noticed it this morning, because some vine had grown up in it and were
blooming on top.
Then I took a closer look.
OMG!!!

This "tree" is kinda bushy, and all of the leaves on the lower part are
GONE!
just green twigs left.

The upper part is sparsely leafed, with obvious bite marks in the remaining
leaves.

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

jojo


I suspect they are tent caterpillars. The Bt will kill them, but I
just open the bags, the worms come out and birds or paper wasps do
their work.

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

jojo,
I have *so* many starters! I probably have 25 little 3-4 inch plants. We
have new people moving in behind us, developing, so I have been waiting for
him to get done (at least on the property line, so he doesn't run them over)
before I put them in the ground.

With hope and heart,
Kathleen

--
He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn,
or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.
~ C.S.Lewis
"jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your hat*yahoo.com wrote in message
et...
I've been busy this summer, and yes, I have not looked at this tree in a
while.
I noticed it this morning, because some vine had grown up in it and were
blooming on top.
Then I took a closer look.
OMG!!!

This "tree" is kinda bushy, and all of the leaves on the lower part are
GONE!
just green twigs left.

The upper part is sparsely leafed, with obvious bite marks in the
remaining
leaves.

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

jojo

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
jojo,
I have *so* many starters! I probably have 25 little 3-4 inch plants. We
have new people moving in behind us, developing, so I have been waiting
for
him to get done (at least on the property line, so he doesn't run them
over)
before I put them in the ground.

With hope and heart,
Kathleen


I may have to beg one or two if this one croaks!
;-)

I'm glad they are working for you!!

jojo

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

"jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your hat*yahoo.com wrote in message
et...
I've been busy this summer, and yes, I have not looked at this tree in a
while.
I noticed it this morning, because some vine had grown up in it and were
blooming on top.
Then I took a closer look.
OMG!!!

This "tree" is kinda bushy, and all of the leaves on the lower part are
GONE!
just green twigs left.

The upper part is sparsely leafed, with obvious bite marks in the
remaining leaves.

What do I do? Is there any hope?

Kathleen, got any of those starters left from freecycle?

ACK!!

jojo

It's probably from the Sophora worm (caterpillar). I had a young "mountain
laurel" that was completely stripped of its newer leaves overnight from the
Sophora worm. It (the Laurel) came back fine in a couple of weeks without
any pruning.

OH mY What ate my mountain laurel?
 

Just let me know!!
With hope and heart,
Kathleen
--
He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn,
or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.
~ C.S.Lewis
"jojo" cgv_2000@*remove your hat*yahoo.com wrote in message
...

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
jojo,
I have *so* many starters! I probably have 25 little 3-4 inch plants.
We
have new people moving in behind us, developing, so I have been waiting
for
him to get done (at least on the property line, so he doesn't run them
over)
before I put them in the ground.

With hope and heart,
Kathleen


I may have to beg one or two if this one croaks!
;-)

I'm glad they are working for you!!

jojo