Totally OT - Bay tree problem
 

Following up to myrtle

xpost added, gardening group, please leave food.misc in your replies

Sorry folks, apart from bay leaves being used in food, this is OT and
should go to urg but I am still having terrible trouble with Usenet
and my software expert isn't coming in to clean up my computer until
next week. (I think my anti virus software has fire-walled Usenet).

I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.


--
"Mike....."(not "Mike")
remove clothing to email

Totally OT - Bay tree problem
 

Mike.... wrote:
Following up to myrtle

xpost added, gardening group, please leave food.misc in your replies

Sorry folks, apart from bay leaves being used in food, this is OT and
should go to urg but I am still having terrible trouble with Usenet
and my software expert isn't coming in to clean up my computer until
next week. (I think my anti virus software has fire-walled Usenet).

I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.

Sounds like either mealy bug or outdoors more likely woolly aphid.
Treat locally with a paintbrush dipped in meths.

I once nearly killed a small bay tree (culinary use) by spraying it with
wetting agent in water (not wanting to use pesticides). The soap killed
all the pests, but also damaged the wax on the leaves and they
dessicated in a matter of days. All the top growth was lost and it
regrew from the roots, so I would not recommend using washing up liquid
or soapy water on bay.

Regards,
Martin Brown
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

Totally OT - Bay tree problem
 

On May 21, 10:37 am, "Mike...."
wrote:
Following up to myrtle

xpost added, gardening group, please leave food.misc in your replies

Sorry folks, apart from bay leaves being used in food, this is OT and
should go to urg but I am still having terrible trouble with Usenet
and my software expert isn't coming in to clean up my computer until
next week. (I think my anti virus software has fire-walled Usenet).

I hope perhaps Sacha or Mike will be able to offer a word of advice -
I have two mature bay trees in my garden and one of them has small
white furry spots on its trunk, which wipe off with kitchen paper.
Inside the spots is a small brown mark, which looks like a little grub
but it doesn't move and just 'melts' into the white stuff when smeared
off the tree. I am worried it is some sort of fungus disease. Can
you offer advice please? many thanks in advance.

--
"Mike....."(not "Mike")
remove clothing to email

I would have said it is Wooly Aphid, easy to pick off with an artists'
paintbrush with a little mets on it

Judith