AusBonsai

My elm has died overnight. Yesterday it looked fine, today all the leaves are brown and curled, or fallen off. We have had heaps of very wet, windy weather thanks to Cyclone Ului, which is now heading straight at us.

I did notice a very small (less than 1cm long) white mothy looking thing,. I sprayed it with Confidor, but it just scurried around the other side of the trunk. The trunk seemed to have white 'stuff' on the trunk right where the mothy thing was. Could this have caused the damage, or do you think it is just tooooooooo much water? My eucalyptus citrifolia had to be shifted last week as it was not looking its best, but everything else seems OK. Figs are thriving, and asking for more.

it was the confidor, elms are very sensitive to stuff like that. they dont like it at all.

Jamie wrote:it was the confidor, elms are very sensitive to stuff like that. they dont like it at all.

Oops Will it recover do you think?

Glenda

possibly, scratch the bark and check for green, it wouldnt of died over night thats for sure. then i think i would be trying to flush it with clean water, spraying over all the trunk and foliage whereever you sprayed with confidor

jamie

This has always been surprising to me as I used confidor on my Elms before anyone told me and never had an issue.
Just did a bit of a search and found Confidor regularly recommended against elm Beetle on elms

All indicate that this chemical[confidor] has been licensed for use as a soil drench in containerized
plants and of mature Ulmus species (Elms) in the treatment of Elm Bark Beetle.

http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/reso ... l_rep1.pdf

I have only used the satchels that I mix up myself. I wonder if it is possible others who have had issues are using the pre-mix, maybe there is something in the premix that is causing the issue?

quite possible brett, it could also be the dilution rates aswell mixing it up yourself might be giving you a slightly less dilution compared to the premixed stuff. i have the little bottle of it that you mix up and although hardly used it when i did it was with a lower dilution which still fixed my problem.

Hey guys, I just realised. Th elm was turning up its toes BEFORE I sprayed it with the Confidor! I was spraying the white mothy thing that was on it, so I don't think that was it. I should take a photo.

Glenda

Oh I have only used the satchels Jamie.

I use the premix spray bottle and have never had a problem with confidor on elms

Ken

Hi people,

Thanks for all the help. Today I looked at this elm, and it is a mass of new buds! I haven't 'flushed' the confidor, just watered it as normal. Hardy tree, this one.

Glenda

Hey Glenda I have used the premix confidor many times on my elm this season as it has been world war 3 with scale on a lot of my trees this year.
No problems.

I did have an issue with my mine curling at the leaves du to it get burnt by the sun on a few hot days whilst I was away on weekend.
I defoliated and gave it some charlie carp and and it had a flush of new growth in days