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Fishbone Fern (Weeds)
Description: This semi evergreen fern tends to grow on the ground. The fronds can grow to 75cm long and tend to be upright or arching.
It reproduces in two ways. It has underground horizontal stems (rhizomes) from which new plants grow and tend to form clumps. It also produces spores and these by wind and water to new areas.
Often grown in damper or shady areas of a garden they can spread quite rapidly within the garden and are a problem in many bushland areas.
Affects: This plant may be dug out. The roots usually are not deep but form quite dense mats. If it is in dense matted clumps remove the central part of the roots from where the leaves are growing (the crown) with a knife.
Solution: Dig them out - it is not too difficult as the roots tend to be quite shallow.
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Flickweed (Weeds)
Description:
Flickweed (Cardamine hirsuta)is also known as Hairy Bittercress and Hoary Wood Cress. It is easily recognisable in the garden because of the rosette formation of the basal leaves, each leaf is made up of between 1-7 kidney shaped leaflets, its small white flowers and thin vertically pointing seed pods. When touched the ripe seed pods explode flicking the seeds away from the plant. The plant takes only 3-5 weeks from emergence to produce seed.
Affects:
This weed is a major problem for gardeners and nurseries. Tend to be a problem all year.
Solution:
As with all annuals the aim is to control them by removing the plants before they have time to set seed. With a very short life cycle - vigilance is the key, plants need to be removed before they produce any seed. Once the seed pods have formed the sensitive nature of the pods means that the pods explode and release seed as the plants are removed.
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Fruit Fly (Pests)
Description: There are two major types in Australia, the Mediterranean and the Queensland Fruit Fly. They are considered serious pests and must be controlled.
Eggs are laid by the adult fly via a thin tube (ovipostor) which pierces the fruit skin. On apple and tomato skins pin prick size dark spots indicate that eggs have been laid inside. When the larvae hatch they burrow towards the centre of the fruit to feed making the fruit inedible. When they are ready to pupate they leave the fruit and burrow into the soil from where they emerge in the warmer months.
The Queensland fruit fly is about 7mm long and has a reddish brown body with yellow markings and found along Eastern states of Australia.
The Mediterranean Fruit Fly is about 3.5-5mm in length, the body is yellowish with a brown tinge, the abdomen in encircled with two light rings is found in Western Australia
Affects: Tomatoes, eggplant, capsicum, passionfruit, olives, oranges, stone fruit, apples, pears and avocados
Solution: For low levels of fruit flies, beer or sugar solution traps may be all you need.
Prune trees regularly to a height that makes fruit picking easy.
Use Fruit Fly traps to show presence of Fruit Fly and when to start spraying. It is important to spray the fruit before eggs have been laid, once in fruit the skin offers protection to the developing larvae.
Total exclusion netting can be used. Fruit protection bags have been developed to protect individual fruit.
Options : Yates Natures Way Fruit Fly Control (Non Chemical). Lebaycid used to be the chemical of choice but as of 1st November 2012 it is now illegal to use this chemical.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Fruit Tree Moth Borer (Pests)
Description:
Fruit Tee Moth Borer despite its name affects many species including, Acacias, Banksia and Crepe Myrtles as well as stone fruit trees.
Borers tend to affect older or stressed trees.
The borer feeds on the external parts of the tree causing damage to the bark and branches particularly at the branch junctions. The damaged area is covered with a sawdust-like pad (Fras) consisting of chewed wood gum, webbing and excrement. The larvae feeds underneath this eating down to the Xylem and Phloem affecting the movement of water and nutrients up the plant and food down to the roots. In severe cases they can cut all movement (Ringbark) leading to death of a branch or the whole tree.
The tunnels created by the borer are used as resting place during the day, they come out at night to feed.
Affects:
Acacias, Banksia and Crepe Myrtles as well as stone fruit trees
Solution:
Prune off damaged branches.
Improve the health of tree, water and fertilise (if tree is an Australian native use low phosphate fertliser)
Prize out with a fine wire, blast out with a jet of water or WD40.
If the tree is badly damaged removal may be your only option.
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Fungal Gall - Wattle (Disease)
Description: Galls are usually hard brown and irregular in shape and covered with a rust coloured powder, they can vary in size from a few millimetres to almost 10cm. A Gall is the plant's response to tissue damage caused in this case by fungi. The look will depend on the species of wattle and where the infection has occurred. The infecting organism is a species of Uromycladium and is specific to certain species.
Affects: Infection can occur in the phyllodes, leaves, pods, stems and branches of different species of Acacia.
Solution: Gall tend to occur in plants that are stressed often due to soil conditions. Once you have cut away any plant tissue infected with gall try to improve the growing conditions of the plant. There are no chemical solutions for this conditions
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Fusarium Wilt (Disease)
Description:
This is a persistent, soil inhabiting fungus ( Fusarium oxysporum) which enters the plant through the roots and effects the sap channels. It starts with a browning off of leaves and a rapid wilting of the leaves and branches. There are different types of this fungi and each affects specific plants
Affects:
Tomatoes, cucurbitis, carnations, gladioli
Solution:
Once its in the soil its tricky to eradicate.
Remove and destroy any infected plants.
Plant to allow good airflow between plants.
Practice crop rotation - allowing a 4-5 year cycle
Some people recommend covering the whole area with black plastic (held down with bricks all round) in order to heat the soil to high enough temperatures to kill the spores. You'll need to keep it there for a few weeks in sunny weather in order to ensure its fully cleansed. Once you have done this you can plant your crops.
Note: Use registered fungicides with care.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Grasshoppers (Pests)
Description: Large green insects that eat tender young twigs and leaves. They have chewing mouthparts and feed on on all plants but are particularly to cereals and grasses. In garden situations they are usually not a problems but cause problems when they swarm, eat everything and devastate large areas.
Affects: Any plant
Solution: Unless populations are high, grasshopper numbers are kept in check by natural predators. Netting over plants can prevent them getting to the plants . Neem Oil can be used as a deterrent.
Chemicals sprays can be used as a last resort.Yates Lebaycid is registered for the control of grasshoppers.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Grey Cabbage Aphid (Pests)
Description:
Also known as the Brassica Aphid and Mealy Cabbage Aphid. This insect is a common cause of problems on all plants of the Brassica family. It occurs throughout the year but tends to be worst in spring and autumn. The adult aphid has two forms both winged and wingless so when you first come across this pest the plant appears to be hosting two different insects.
Sticky dense grey patches appear on the leaves, flower head and stalks. These patches are colonies of aphids, including the mature grey wingless adults covered in a waxy white powder , nymphs and dried moults discarded as the nymphs mature. In winter you may also see eggs, the females lay eggs in winter but produce live young during the warmer months. When you knock the leave the small white winged aphids tend to fly away. The ash-like substance found collecting amongst the leaves consists of the dried moults, in severe cases the layers can be quite thick.
Aphids damage the plant in two ways. Firstly by sucking sap from the leaves causing them to be deformed and weaken the plant. Secondly by carrying a virus that can stunt and deform the plant.
Affects:
All Brassicas including Cabbages, cauliflowers, brocolli. Can be seen all year in most areas of Australia but numbers increase rapidly as the weather becomes warmer.
Solution:
Blast them off with a jet of water, spray with soapy water,remove weeds from around plant or squash them between your fingers. Can also make your own natural insecticide made with garlic and cayenne pepper.
Control the ants to allow natural predators to take over.
In the warmer months biological controls are available. Larvae of the green lacewing are wide-ranging predators that will attack and eat almost any small insects or eggs. Lacewing larvae are particularly effective at controlling aphids and can consume 60 aphids in an hour. These are available commercially.
Spray with a systemic or contact insecticide depending on plant and where the aphids are feeding. Systemic Insecticides:-Confidor, Folimat Contact Insecticides: Pyrethrum.
Plants affected by virus should be removed and destroyed.
Confidor is know to be harmful to bees and should only be used on plants that are not in flower or next to plants that are in flower.
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Grey Mould - Roses (Disease)
Description: Grey Mould is a fungal disease most commonly seen on flowers and fruit of roses during periods of high humidity.
Infected flowers first display small rings on the petals, these tend to be red-pink on white flowers and grey-brown on darker flowers. As the fungi spreads the flowers become covered in a grey furry growth, the flowers remain attached becoming slimy before drying out. The spores remain on the dead plant material over the cooler months and germinate as the humidity increases.
Photo Gemes Roses
Affects: Roses
Solution: Firstly reduce the humidity and improve air circulation around the plants. For roses to grow well they require a minimum of 6 hours sun a day, good air flow around the plant and no overhead watering.
Aim to plant your roses approximately a metre apart. When pruning your plants prune the stems to outward facing buds create a vase shape and improve the air flow through the plant. Always water in the morning and avoid wetting the leaves, a drip watering system or wand hose attachment allow the base of the plants to be watered leaving the above ground parts of the plant dry.
Remove and destroy any infected flowers immediately, make sure secateurs are cleaned before and after so as not to transfer spores to other plants.
Chemically this is a difficult disease to control as the mould has become resistant to many fungicides and others are no longer available.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Gum Leaf Skeletoniser (Pests)
Description:
The larvae of the Gum Leaf Skeletoniser is an unusual looking caterpillar. It is yellowy brown and covered with fine hairs but it is the hornlike projection on its head that makes it so distinctive. The projection is make of all the head capsules discarded eat time it moults
The caterpillars feed in groups starting on the leaf surface, then eat the blade to the veins and eventually the whole leaf. A badly affected tree may have a burnt appearance.
The hairs can cause severe skin irritations, careful choice of trees is needed in high traffic public areas.
Photo: Dept of Agriculture and Fisheries - Queensland
Affects:
Certain Eucalyptus including Eucalytpus pilularis, Eucalyptus saligna and Lophostemon confertus
Solution:
Smaller trees can be sprayed with a contact insecticide mixed with a wetting agent.
For larger trees improve the health.
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Hard Scale (Pests)
Description: Small shell-like creatures that attach themselves to leaves or stems like limpets where they suck sap and weaken the plant. The best time to control these pest is during the mobile stage "crawling stage' immediately after they hatched, they remain mobile long enough to find a suitable attachment area along the viens of leaves or stems. They then start to suck the sap and develop a protective cover. They cause much damage to the leaves and stems and in severe cases can lead to the death of the plant.
Affects: There are many different types of hard scale, some attach a wide range of plants but others are more specific ie Rose Scale, Tea Scale, White Palm Scale and White Louse Scale.
Solution: Observe plant carefully for signs of crawlers and then spray with Pest Oil.
Chilocorus ladybird beetles are important predators of many species of scale insects. These are available commercially.
If you would rather not use chemicals, small infestations can be removed by hand either rub the scale off leaves or smooth stems or brush vigorously with an old toothbrush to remove scale from older branches. Remove and destroy heavily infested branches.
If you prefer to use chemicals then once the scale is attached and feeding the most effective method of control is to use a mix of Pest Oil and Pyrethrum ie Yates Scale Gun. Apply every 2-3 weeks.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Hibiscus Flower Beetle (Pests)
Description:
These tiny black beetles are oval, about 3mm in length are often found in the hibiscus flowers.
They chew holes in the petals but are not believed to be responsible for holes in the leaves.
Can cause buds to drop.
Affects:
Hibiscus and magnolias
Solution:
Remove beetles by hand. Prune badly infested flowers. Collect and destroy all fallen flowers and buds.
If you cannot see any sign of beetles, the flowers may be dropping for other non pest related reasons, maybe the ground is too dry or there has been a sudden cold period during spring. In which case watering and feeding the plant will help.
Chemical sprays have proved effective. Yates Confidor is no longer an option as it is now known that Confidor is harmful to bees and should not be used when a plant is in flower or next to plants that are in flower.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to other insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Iron Deficiency (Disease)
Description: The leaves, initially the new growth, turn yellow whilst the veins remain green, this effect is known as chlorosis. The most likely cause is that the soil is too alkaline; at high pH the plant cannot absorb the iron the soil. Other causes may be over watering, drought and in spring a big difference between the air and soil temperature - this will improve as the soil temperature increases.
Affects: All plants
Solution: Check the pH. If the soil is too alkaline add Sulphur. If the soil pH is neutral use chelated iron either as a foliar spray or directly to the soil.
Note: Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Lambs Tongue or Plantain (Weeds)
Description:
Lamb's Tongue (Plantago lanceolata)tends to be a greater problem in lawns. It has broad lanceolate flattened leaves that grow in rosette formation around a flower stems. The flowers are tiny are white or cream in colour they form a cylindrical spike around the stem. Each inflorescence produces huge numbers of seeds which can remain dormant for up to 60 years!! These will grow in full sun and most soil types.
Affects:
They can be found in most gardens, along roadsides and in pastures.
Solution:
Remove by hand - make sure that all the root is removed otherwise it will grow back. Do not add to your compost but bag to destroy.
Selective herbicides can be used on the lawn.Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Lantana (Weeds)
Description: In some areas of the world this plant is considered a garden shrub. In Australia they are considered a noxious weed. The grow into a scrambling wood shrub with bright coloured flowers of reds, yellows and pinks, the flowers have a distinct perfume.
Affects:
Solution: Remove seedlings by hand, prune and remove shrubs by hand making sure that all parts of the plant are removed. Mulching can help to prevent growth of lantana seeds.
Spray leaves with a non-selective herbicide. Cutback hard and paint herbicide on newly cut branches.
Note: Many chemicals sold can be harmful to insects as well as some animals and in some cases, humans.
Always read the manufacturers instructions and warnings before you begin and use as directed.
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Large Citrus Butterfly or Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly (Pests)
Description:
Butterfly lays its eggs on citrus branches. The larvae migrate to the leaves where they start to gorge themselves, they are able to eat through leaves very quickly so need to be removed as soon as they are seen.
The larvae look like bird droppings when first hatched but as they feed on the leaves they grow fat and become olive green in colour with diagonal brown stripes edged in white. When disturbed it emits a foul odour.
Affects:
All citrus and Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya ternata) and Eristomen.
Solution:
The larvae pupate after 2-3 days and cause only a small amount of damage to the leaves. Leave them to pupate and enjoy the butterflies when they emerge.
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Author: Bob Saunders.