18 June 2012 ,12:12 Try as I mite...
Well I sure have been seeing a lot of this around on our poor camellias of late. You notice the symptoms of the Camellia Tea Mite more in the cooler months.
 
Characterised by a grey to light brown discolouration down the centre of the midrib (the central ‘vein’ on the leaf), this can sometimes turn the whole surface a washed-out grey and it looks terrible. It can also reduce growth and even affect flowering so it's best to try nip it in the bud (ecxuse the pun) as soon as you notice some affected foliage.
 
Spray both the top and bottom of all leaves with Natrasoap, or a pest-oil like eco-oil. This will cover the breathing holes in the sides of the insect's bodies. However it won't miraculously reinstate your deep green glossy foliage, as the damage is done and you'll have to wait for new growth. Keeping the health of the plant up with regular fish emulsion and seaweed tonics can also assist.
 
Remember that camellias and azaleas have shallow feeding roots so always keep them well-mulched.

About our Blogger

img Jody Rigby
Jody Rigby is a well-known horticulturist and TV presenter.
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A constant learning curve, gardening is all about trial and error. Knowledge grows from sharing information between friends, passing down through generations, or just getting it wrong a few times before you get it right. It's about getting grubby outside and aching from digging too much, but then feeling that fall away when you get your first flower or prize fruit off a new tree... and getting so excited you need to tell everyone.

Yours in Green is everything I’ve learnt so far - what to do when, how to do it right the first time, and of course, some frustrations along the way and how to remedy them.

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