Linariifolia pests and diseases

[Mickeyjaytee]

Hey guys,

So once again this year my melaleuca linariifolia little reds have very distorted and struggling new growth. Does anyone know what causes this and how to solve it?

I’ve never had my linariifolia have that lush, healthy bright red new growth. I do know that the local wild rhaps and my own get attacked by thrips which does the same sort of thing. Very distorted and horrible looking foliage.

I’ve added some pics. I did a search on the web but, can’t find anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[treeman]

They seem to be suffering from severe chlorosis. Is your media/water very alkaline? What is your potting media? What do you fertilize with?

[Mickeyjaytee]

Thanks for the reply treeman. Geez I had no idea linariifolia struggled with chlorosis. Yes, the water is quite alkaline where I am. I’m not sure if that’s the problem though. I have some linariifolia saplings in the ground, about 2-3 years old and their new growth is fine. The other little reds in the ground are ok too.

I use a premium native potting mix which is very well draining and on the acidic side. The plants not affected in the ground are pretty much in sand with some soil improver.

I use a good quality native fertiliser (I think it’s troforte or something like that) and also seamungus pellets.

I hope that helps. Thanks mate!

EDIT: had a look at the plants in the ground and they don’t look as bad. Not sure if they are healthy or not. They are atm getting shaded out a little bit which, I’m getting around to. The first pictures in the first post were all potted. Perhaps the soil medium? With that said I have plain linariifolia in pots and their new growth is absolutely fine and healthy

[treeman]

Everything sounds good with your medium and the fertilizer seems ok. Seamugus could be alkaline because it's based on chicken manure and the chickens are fed with shell grit. The other possibility is that there may be some ammonium toxicity from the ferts if you used too much. Usually in the hot summer that isn't a problem but in cooler weather too much ammonium N can be quite damaging. https://www.pthorticulture.com/en/train ... -toxicity/
Apart from that, I have found some forms of the purple leaf linariifolium much more touchy than the normal form. Eg., I grew a lot from seed from the purple variety a while back. Some were very dwarf and weak with thin, insipid shoots and constantly gave me troubles and others from the same batch grew really strongly and had a nice strong purple in the new growth. They also varied in colour from normal green to deep purple. Needless to say, I through all the weak ones on the fire.... It' not impossible that you have a weak seed-grown form. Some of the named purple ones I've seen should never have been sold IMO.
Have a look at the root tips to see if they are clean and white. If they are you can pretty much rule out ammonium toxicity. If they are showing brown tips (you might need a magnifying glass) then there is probably something wrong with the mix/fertilizer combo.
Some kind of pest is possible too but in that case the plant should still have good colour.
I'm afraid you have some detective work ahead.

[Mickeyjaytee]

Thanks treeman, I’ll have a look at the roots tomorrow. I didn’t know seamungus had chicken manure in it? Wouldn’t that be bad for banksias etc? I haven’t had any issues with them yet. I thought it was just seasol in pellet form

I went to the local native nursery here in WA and they said thrips which would make sense cause my rhaphs get pillaged every year by them and did again currently. The problem is they move on after the damage is done so you don’t get to kill them. I should perhaps preemptively spray.

I’ll keep investigating and hopefully get an answer. I did manage to get some cuttings from some really healthy hedge little reds today so fingers crossed some survive. They seemed to be thriving in the middle of a car park

Thanks for the help mate, I appreciate it

[GavinG]

There's a systemic insecticide called RichGro Bug Killa, that you apply to soil before the bugs start moving about - it basically poisons the tree, as far as the bug is concerned. It may be difficult to find, as this stuff can have a dire effect on bees, but if you can guarantee that your target tree won't flower, there should not be a problem. Old hippie here, wholemeal, green tea and generally peaceable, but any damn thing that attacks my trees GETS NUKED VICIOUSLY, and damn the ideals! You do need to be careful how you use these things. We need bees.

Gavin

[Mickeyjaytee]

Thanks for the reply Gav, I’ll have a think on it. I’m also not too keen on potent insecticides etc. 2 dogs and a cat, lots of bees and frogs in the backyard so I try avoid them at all costs.

I did make a little quarantine area though so I may just have to use that as to I’m same, anything touches my plants, I’m dropping a nuke