I have a self seeded one in front of my window and it needs a severe pruning
or I soon won't be able to see out.
When I looked at it yesterday it has peculiar white growths on some of the
stems, small, like tiny balls and when I pick them off there is something
brown in the middle of it.
Any ideas what this is?

Tina

] wrote in message
...
Christina Websell wrote:
: I have a self seeded one in front of my window and it needs a severe
pruning
: or I soon won't be able to see out.
: When I looked at it yesterday it has peculiar white growths on some of
the
: stems, small, like tiny balls and when I pick them off there is
something
: brown in the middle of it.
: Any ideas what this is?

Hello Tina,

Woolly Aphid is a possibility. Does they look anything like
http://www.gardenseeker.com/plant_pe...5578XSmall.jpg ?

Regards
Tom.



Hi, Tom

Thanks for the reply. Yes, it looks very similar except not so extensive,
it's just dotted about on the older stems.
I just went out, picked one off and squashed it, whatever the brown thing
inside is, it has blood.
Why does it happen and what can I do about it? I have another similar plant
in the back garden which is not affected.
Thanks

Tina

] wrote in message
...
Aphids can be like that. I have seen a row of broadbeans with some
plants badly infested while others a few feet away are only lightly
infested. If it is woolly aphid the best bet is something containing
a systemic aphicide such as Pirimicarb. It kills only aphids and not
bees etc. Aphids suck the sap and a systemic should kill them even
when their 'wool' prevents the spray making direct contact.

Is there a possibility of an organic solution at all? Like wiping the stems
with surgical spirit or something like that?
If not, I'll have to bite the bullet with a systemic aphicide.
I appreciate your input, Tom. I'm fairly sure you are right that it's
woolly aphid - I've never seen it before.

Tina

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Christina Websell" contains these
words:


] wrote in message
...
Aphids can be like that. I have seen a row of broadbeans with some
plants badly infested while others a few feet away are only lightly
infested. If it is woolly aphid the best bet is something containing
a systemic aphicide such as Pirimicarb. It kills only aphids and not
bees etc. Aphids suck the sap and a systemic should kill them even
when their 'wool' prevents the spray making direct contact.

Is there a possibility of an organic solution at all? Like wiping the
stems
with surgical spirit or something like that?
If not, I'll have to bite the bullet with a systemic aphicide.

Soak half a bucket of comfrey in water until it stinks, then dilute
1/10 and water onto the plant.
Wear gloves and old clothes, the smell really is something else.


Hmm. The only comfrey I could get is in next doors garden, they both
deceased some time ago and brambles have taken over, I can see the comfrey
but not get to it.