Killer Plant Bug
I wouldn't read too much into this as it comes from yesterdays Daily Express !
The panic-mongering headline (on p.9) states "Gardeners are warned about killer plant bug heading for UK" . Xylella fastidiosa .
Apparently it restricts the movement of water in plants , and currently affects around 350 species throughout Europe .
I've never heard of it , have any others on the forum ?
Last edited: 30 December 2017 16:32:53
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I think there was something about it in The Garden this month, but I just flicked through when it arrived . I've not read it yet.
https://hta.org.uk/news/plant-and-disease-alert-xylella-fastidiosa.html
SADLY, I HAVE READ QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT.
HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE.
https://www.nature.com/news/italy-rebuked-for-failure-to-prevent-olive-tree-tragedy-1.22110
IT IS RAMPAGING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN EUROPEAN OLIVE GROVES..
BUY YOUR OLIVE OIL NOW. WHILE STOCKS LAST.
Last edited: 30 December 2017 17:07:10
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-plant-health-topical-issues
Hostafan1 and pansyface
Just looked at your links , sounds pretty nasty ; like the botanical version of foot & mouth disease !
I take back my (not so humourous now) comment re:- 'panic- mongering' . It may well be something TO worry about .
there has been discussion on the Hardy Tropicals page on FB that many palms are now being banned from import as of Jan 1st.
I know it has to be done, but fear for the livelihood of some suppliers.
https://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26693&p=488863
Last edited: 30 December 2017 17:26:35
Just looked at the hardy tropicals link ; interesting but very sad . Have plant hygiene standards dropped ?
In the early 1980's I worked at Whitestone Gardens in N.Yorkshire (defunct now) . Importation and distribution of mainly specimen cacti and succulents around the world was a major part of the business .
Even UK raised plants had to have all traces of soil/compost removed 100% ; then immersed for a time in a disinfectant solution .
Only then would the (then) Ministry of Agriculture issue a phytosanitary certificate authorising the exportation of the plants .
At that time we trusted that other countries had similar strict standards .
CAN’T EXACTLY BLAME THE ITALIANS FOR BEING UNSPEAKABLE ROTTERS.
DUTCH ELM DISEASE WASN’T CALLED ITALIAN ELM DISEASE.
AND ASH DIEBACK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN IMPORTED FROM THE SAME SUPPOSEDLY SENSIBLE NORTH EUROPEAN COUNTRY.
90% OF THE TREES ROUND HERE ARE ASH AND WE HAVE ALREADY FOUND ASH DIEBACK IN THE PEAK DISTRICT.
YOUR COMPANY MAY HAVE BEEN HOROURABLE, BUT CAN WE BE CERTAIN THAT EVERY BRITISH COMPANY HAS ALWAYS BEEN EQUALLY RIGOROUS? I DOUBT IT.
My Hosta supplier friend told me that Dutch nurseries are considered " clean " if 95% of plants are uninfected.
I was horrified that 5% of plants having some sort of ailment was considered "clean"
Some of the large gardens we work in (E.Lincs) ; the ash trees are exhibiting dieback already .
Being spread apparently by airborne spores , how on earth can this be contained ? Very worrying indeed.
pansyface , you are undoubtedly correct in the assumption of lax hygiene standards in many companies .
Inevitably we'll all reap the grim rewards