If you think that the lavender heather is often attacked by pests and diseases, you are wrong. The plant is actually very robust. It is rarely infested.
The lavender heather (Pieris) is extremely robust and is rarely attacked by diseases or pests. If you also meet the location requirements of the lavender heath and if you avoid care mistakes, the shadow bell is a vigorous and vital enrichment in every garden. Only the following pests can occur on the lavender heather:
- Leaflets
- Weevil
- Andromeda Webbug
Leaflets become a danger unseen
They don't make it easy for us, because the microscopic roundworms cannot be seen on the leaves like scale insects and then collected. Little aphids get directly into the roots via the irrigation water. Initially unnoticed by the hobby gardener, this is where the pests begin to spread. The damage then gradually becomes visible on the leaves. These become unsightly discolorations, appear glassy and appear deformed and crippled due to growth disorders.
➭ What you can do:
If you notice an infestation in the bed, you should remove the infested plant immediately, because aphids spread extremely quickly and can attack neighboring plants. If you notice an infestation on potted plants, you do not have to destroy the lavender heather immediately, as it is virtually on its own. If you seal the plant pot airtight for about a week, this can destroy the roundworms and you can then cultivate the plant as usual. You should also remove dead or deformed leaves. If necessary, cut back accordingly, because the lavender heather tolerates pruning quite well. If new shoots appear, this is a sign of successful pest control.
Weevils like to eat roots
Unfortunately, you won't immediately notice an infestation with vine weevils. This pest also prefers the roots of the lavender heather and initially does its mischief there unseen. When the leavesdiscolor and wilt, the root is usually already seriously damaged and it becomes difficult to save the plant.
➭ What you can do:
Weevils have so far been fought with nematodes. These nematodes were added to the irrigation water. Unfortunately, in this way it was only possible to combat the larvae of the vine weevil, but not the pests themselves. A true innovation against vine weevils has been on the market for a short time. These are special bait traps, which now also safely fight the beetles themselves. The traps are soaked with a specific attractant and also contain a nematode active ingredient. The boards are simply attached to the plant and the infestation is eradicated within a few days. Only one bait trap is sufficient to reliably eliminate vine weevils in an area of ten square meters.
Andromeda web bug - the uninvited guest from Japan
Who doesn't know them - aphids, spider mites or scale insects. On the other hand, very few of you will have heard of the Andromeda web bug. This is not surprising, since the pest only came to us via Japan a few years ago. However, the net bugs are not exotic and also not rare, because there are over 2,000 species of them in the world. The pests owe their name to their wings, which have a net-like structure.
The Andromeda netting bug prefers to attack rhododendrons and unfortunately does not stop at lavender heather either. There is a risk of infestation from early summer. Then the pests begin to suck on the leaves. In late summer, the eggs are laid in the leaves. The puncture sites initially appear as small spots. As the infestation progresses, the leaves will turn yellow. A striking indication of an infestation are the black droppings that look like paint.
➭ What you can do:
You should take a close look at the plant when you buy it. It may happen that the plants are already infected. Infested plants should be pruned back in April, before the larvae begin to hatch. In the case of a severe infestation, home remedies fail here. Chemical pest control is so far the most effective measure against this pest imported from Japan.
Tip:
Since the Andromeda web bug causes a similar pattern of damage to spider mites, you should make sure you look for the remains of the larvae and the molting residues on the underside of the leafbe on the lookout for characteristic droppings.
Wrong location, waterlogging & root rot
The biggest maintenance mistake is a wrong location. Because if the soil is too heavy and the moisture cannot drain off, waterlogging occurs, the biggest enemy of the otherwise robust plants. Persistent waterlogging leads to root rot. This initially goes unnoticed and shows up in the advanced stage in discoloration of the leaves and growth disorders. You should therefore be careful when choosing a location, because root rot is difficult to combat. Infested plants often have to be disposed of.
➭ What you can do:
You can prevent all this by mixing the soil with coarse sand or gravel to improve the permeability of the substrate.