Re:curling oleander leaves
- To: "m*@ucdavis.edu"
- Subject: Re:curling oleander leaves
- From: D* L*
- Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 14:33 -0500
Hello Damian,
You wrote,
"Hello Anthony. Yes, those are the ones I'm embattled with. As I pointed
out to Moira, I'm not convinced that its the actual aphids which cause
the curling. I could, of course, be wrong. Reason is comparison with an
old oleander planted out in the garden which is *covered* in yellow
aphids this year - I just gave up the fight. Flowering on this plant
isn't as profuse as other years but there is no curling of the leaves.
The affected plants are youngsters in containers. They get little
clusters of aphids which I kill off with oil-based spray. Concerning
pruning, I bought them this winter so I don't know when they were
pruned. Which *is* the correct season for pruning oleanders? What is the
connection with aphid infestation?"
That your plants are young and in containers makes me think the leaf curl
could be a response to water stress. You might try taking one out of its pot and
making sure the root ball is actually moist after you have watered.
Even oleanders can be water stressed when young, especially in containers,
and leaf curl is a common sign of this in many plants.
On pruning: usually done here in the San Francisco Bay Area in early
spring. For us that would be mid to late February through mid to late March.
Aphids love succulent new growth of their host plants, so if you know when they
are at their worst you might try pruning later so that your new growth comes on
after the highest point of their season. Also in general, Aphids
love over-fertilized plants so be careful not to give too much nitrogen.
Best Regards,
Deborah Lindsay
Oakland, California
