Fuchsia and capsid bugs

Melanie Richardson2

I'd like some advice about a fuchsia that I think has suffered damage from capsid bugs. I'm a novice gardener. Is spraying the plant my only option? It has produced very few buds so far - is there anything to be gained by cutting back the affected areas - will it sprout again or is it too late in the season for that? Should I just leave it to produce the few flowers it has and then cut it back in the autumn? Any advice gratefully received!

Lyn

Is it an outdoor fuchsia, if so, they are hardly out yet. 

Did you see the bug, most times its the vine weevil do damage on fuchsias, if it is you can either buy Provado vine weevil killer or nematodes. By now the bug will have laid eggs and the grubs will chew the roots.

It will sprout out again, but will flower much later, everytime its stopped, it takes 3 weeks to catch up. But if you really dont like the dead bits, chop them out.

I never cut back any fuchsia, hardy or not, until the Spring.

Melanie Richardson2

It is an outdoor fuchsia, but others in the garden do seem to be budding much better - this one has barely three buds on it. I've double checked pictures of the damage and I don't think it's vine weevil - the damage looks most like capsid from what I can identify.



If I did cut it back now are you saying that it would produce new shoots and hopefully new buds within a couple of weeks? Or would I be putting the plant under too much stress?

Melanie Richardson2

Thanks Edd. Is the plant permanently doomed then? Or, even if it doesn't improve this year, will it recover next year? Any thoughts on preventative action?