Stagonospora infection - collected threads

[kentish_lass]

Instead of the London Show - this is how I spent my day.  Fungiciding, repotting, finding new bulbs eaten by Swift Moth larvae, sowing mesh onto old hanging baskets.  It seems I am slowly digging everything up and potting them - I did not want to grow snowdrops in pots but in the borders.  Am getting very disheartened here 

[kentish_lass]

I posted the same photo twice - meant to post the close up of Sibbertoft White.  It is amazing how the bulbs are trying to regenerate.  They are the fortunate ones....three cultivars in this spot was wiped out and all I found was the larvae....all fat and plump 

I was so peed off by the time I came indoors that I made some comfort food - a steamed coconut pudding with raspberry jam, custard and cream.  Felt a bit better 

[kentish_lass]

Definitely worth trying trichoderma, but it needs about 10C before it can survive, and will die if it dries out. You'll need to apply it later on when the soil temp is higher, and reapply each year. I will be ordering some this spring if you want to share.

Thanks for that info Anne.  It will be a while before the soil reaches 50F (10C) - I wanted to get on with it now!  If I water my potted bulbs with it there is a good chance it will die as I put the coldframe lids down in the summer so the bulbs don't get too wet.....what a dilemma.

Which one do you get Anne and which size?  Does it work out cheaper to buy bigger amounts?  Thanks for your help.  I am starting to wonder if my garden soil is suitable for snowdrops at all - feel like I am fighting a losing battle.

[kentish_lass]

Here I am in the early hours Googling Swift Moth and their larvae.  The eggs are laid in flight as Alan mentioned in another post and they are 0.5mm x 0.7mm - so I am trying to measure the size of my mesh to see if the eggs could drop through !!  The larvae live in the soil for up to 2 years....just feeding and feeding 

Here is an article:-

http://www.donsgarden.co.uk/pests/538

[Chris Johnson]

Hi Jennie

Sorry to hear of your woes, especially as there is no sensible control. That is a very good article you have made reference to and I would emphasise that they prefer dense cover such as lawns and herbaceous borders rather than sporadic planting. Swifts belong to the Hepialidae family; primitive moths with no feeding apparatus. They live just long enough to reproduce.

Apart from the Common Swift your other main adversary is the Ghost Moth (images attached). The male is smaller and white (with a fine hair-do). Also pictured is a fully grown larvae of the Map-winged Swift but yours will be similar.

Love the comfort food, I can almost taste it.

Chris

[Brian Ellis]

An excellent link Jennie, thanks I've just looked up Botrytis

[kentish_lass]

Thanks Chris for your info on the moths....i do believe i may also have the Ghost Moth as the larvae was huge   We have a very big garden here just full of insects and moths and as i try to garden very organically....they all thrive!

Sorry about the botrytis Brian - i have had that in the past and no doubt will get it again this year the way my season is going.

[Brian Ellis]

Sorry about the botrytis Brian - i have had that in the past and no doubt will get it again this year the way my season is going.

Such is life, but a lot is down to the weather we have had, ideal conditions I am told.  Dear old David Quinton used to get it a lot and I always think of him when I hear of it.

[johnw]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned the article by Robin White of Blackthorn in the most recent AGS Journal.  Robin suggests peroxyacetic acid as a drench and the mixing rate is shown.  Also known as peracetic acid it is sold by home brewing establishments.  A friend is going to contact Robin on a few more specifics, I wonder if it could be used as a pot drench as well.

johnw

[Alan_b]

I have just (reluctantly) joined the AGS because I want access to their February snowdrop event.  I skimmed through a copy of their March journal (which is the only one I have) but did not find the article you mentioned, John.  Was I looking in the right place?   

[Tim Ingram]

Alan - its on page 9 of the March issue. Any advice from Robin is worth taking notice of! Hope you won't be so reluctant after a year; a lot of good things about the Journal - notably Robert Rolfe's tribute to Jim Archibald which may help [along with the archive on this website] to put plant-hunters and seed collectors, and specialist nurseries, into the proper place of value they have and deserve in the horticultural world.

[Maggi Young]

........ a lot of good things about the Journal - notably Robert Rolfe's tribute to Jim Archibald which may put plant-hunters and seed collectors, and specialist nurseries, into the proper place of value they have and deserve in the horticultural world.

A pity that no mention is made in that article to the Archibald Archive though, which exists to have a permanent tribute to the man and his work and that the article cannot be shared to the Archive.  It makes the talk of  remembrance and wider audiences ring a bit thin to my mind.

[Alan_b]

Hope you won't be so reluctant after a year; a lot of good things about the Journal ...

Thanks for the specific page, Tim.  My reluctance stems mainly from the fact that I seem to be in rather a lot of societies that have overlapping fields of interest but all requiring an annual subscription.  If it was down to me these societies would be merged.

[David Nicholson]

..............If it was down to me these societies would be merged.

Vive la difference (with a twiddly bit over the first 'e' that I can't do ), nay thrice.

[Tim Ingram]

Maggi - I agree with you. Maybe there is an opportunity for this to be mentioned in a future Journal? I've belonged to the AGS since 1978 and would like to see more people growing alpines (and have an entire set of Bulletins which gives me an historical perspective - i.e. I have read most of them!). David has it right and there is always value in making reference to source information and the Archibald archive is a superb resource, especially for those of us who knew Jim and corresponded with him. (I was making a general point).