It’s probably something numerous fuchsia enthusiasts have heard about, but how many of them would recognize the symptoms of Fuchsia Gall Mite?
The main reason for including this topic on a separate page is not to suggest this problem is prevalent, but to give the necessary information on the procedure of dealing with this invasive and troublesome pest as quickly as possible, thus reducing the possibility of it spreading.
Included below are a few website addresses that will enable anyone to gain access to the relevant information and be able to take the necessary action should any of their fuchsias appear to suffer from this dreadful complaint.
Anyone who suspects they have fuchsia plants infested with Fuchsia Gall Mite should contact their local FERA Plant Health & Seeds Inspectorate Office. This can be done by using the email address link below.
It appears as though this troublesome pest is now established in the south of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It is a notifiable pest and FERA (on behalf of DEFRA) state that the affected plant(s) should be dug up and burnt and NOT, repeat NOT put in the recycle bag.
FERA has said to pass this message onto your friends and neighbours.
(Unfortunately, many growers mistake the symptoms as “Leaf Curl”)
Don’t forget to wash both yourself and the clothes you were wearing after dealing with this highly infectious pest, otherwise there is the possibility of passing it on to other unaffected fuchsias.
What is Aculops (Genus) fuchsiae (species) Kiefer (person who first described it scientifically) – a microscopic mite that will burrow into the nice juicy parts of fuchsias. It is a microscopic pest that maims and deforms fuchsias which is highly contagious and never easy to control.
ALL AMATEUR FUCHSIA GROWERS IN OUR REGION SHOULD COMMENCE A SPRAYING PROGRAMME USING WESTLAND PLANT RESCUE BUG KILLER FOR ORNAMENTAL PLANTS.
This is the only spray currently available to amateurs that contains abamectin and is known to provide some measure of mite control. As soon as the plants are in leaf, (indoors or out) spray at least every 21 days. If your plants were affected last year, the initial spray should be repeated in 4 days and again in 4 days and yet again 4 days.
All infected plant material should be placed immediately in a plastic bag. DON’T CARRY IT AROUND THE GARDEN WITHOUT THIS PRECAUTION!!!
Don’t put infected fuchsia material in your green waste sack – it needs to be burnt. If you haven’t a bonfire, put the infected material in an old compost bag and deposit it in your ordinary refuse bin.
When sorting out your fuchsia plants in the spring, shake off all the compost/soil and give them a quick wash by submerging them completely in a prepared solution of diluted Jeyes Fluid (50ml of Jeyes Fluid in a bucket of water and mix well). This procedure will clean and disinfect the plant(s). It has been mentioned that the reason Jeyes Fluid isn’t recognized by Europe for plant treatment is because Jeyes refuse to pay the licence fee, claiming that other uses of this product meant they didn’t require European approval. One of the main constituents of Jeyes Fluid is tar based, and therefore not harmful in diluted form.
I feel it my duty to inform you so you can get word out and inform all members that my collection has Fuchsia Gall Mite! I have informed Defra, RHS and BFS, but I also wanted this information promulgated to local fuchsia lovers asap! Thankfully for some strange reason, probably my health, I have not been to any shows or passed on any cuttings this year thank goodness!
I have a collection of over 40 varieties and have been a past member. Due to my health I have been forced to give up my competition horses and swimming, so other than my family, my fuchsias were my everything. It is completely heartbreaking. I have looked at neighbours gardens and can confirm that my next door neighbours have it and the house across the road from me, so this is not an isolated case.
I have cut them all back (crying as I did so) and am now spraying them with a mix of 70% alcohol and 30% hand gel mix base from hospitals – as the American Fuchsia Society has some success with this in the US.
Any further advice would be great, but I mainly wanted you to inform your members ASAP.
With Kind Regards
Not very good, judging by the past experiences of certain countries already involved with the attack of this troublesome pest. For instance, certain districts in the USA have had Fuchsia Gall Mite attacks for several years now.
An article in a bulletin on the A.F.S. website, that a possible contributory factor encouraging fuchsia gall mite to attack our favourite flower, was the speciality hybridizing of the massive American double varieties. These large doubles are apparently the least resistant to this particular pest. It was mentioned that ‘Santa Cruz’, a semi double, is the only one that comes anywhere near to a double having even a slight resistance to Fuchsia Gall Mite.