AusBonsai

I'm having some trouble with thrips on my fig cuttings, and tiny black caterpillars on everything else. I read that elms don't like systemic pesticides, is that true for Chinese elms too? What trees can tolerate confidor?


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Hi Beano,
I have been trialling confidor tablets for nearly 12 months and have used them on leptos bottle brush tea trees corky bark elms figs bauhinia banksia cedars eucalypts ( I think that's all) and have had no adverse effect.
As a side note those figs I didn't treat all got the dreaded leaf tip grub and I had to spray them!
I haven't tried it on Chinese elms we don't seem to get many pests on them
Regards Steve

I've always given my Chinese Elms Confidor and have never had a problem.
I actually brought this up (elms not liking systemic) with a local nurseryman who told me that Systemics are used to treat Elm leaf beetle on Melbourne's English Elms.
He basically said it was boloney.

Here are two local (Melbourne based) companies that clearly state the use of Systemic insecticides for English elms
1
2

Oh good. Any ideas about swamp cypress, crepe myrtle, liquidambar, bougainvillea, crabapple and tridents?


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Beano wrote:Oh good. Any ideas about swamp cypress, crepe myrtle, liquidambar, bougainvillea, crabapple and tridents?


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Hope there ok cause I just sprayed mine I'll let you know in a week or two.

Josh.

I've used systemic on all my bonsai including chinese elms, I have never had a problem. Just remember to cover up and not to breath it in!

Yep me too Scott.

Excellent. I sprayed mine, they seem ok. Thanks for the advice.

Hi All,

We've been using Confidor and Folimat sprays in cans from Yates, which are now hard to get, on ALL our trees including Satsuki, Natives, and any deciduous ones for many years and they're all fine! Just make sure you spray the underside of the leaves as well!
Folimat has the added advantage you can use it when its raining as well - MASTERS are still selling it, Bunnings no longer sell spray cans.
Hope that helps?!

Cheers

bamboos wrote:Hi Beano,
I have been trialling confidor tablets for nearly 12 months and have used them on leptos bottle brush tea trees corky bark elms figs bauhinia banksia cedars eucalypts ( I think that's all) and have had no adverse effect.
As a side note those figs I didn't treat all got the dreaded leaf tip grub and I had to spray them!
I haven't tried it on Chinese elms we don't seem to get many pests on them
Regards Steve

Hi Steve,
I noticed you mentioned leaf tip grub. One of my figs was badly affected by this . What did you spray to control it? I tried Pyrethrum with little effect. Are the systemic Confidor tabs good for these?
Cheers
ric

I have used rogor which caused an elm to drop all of its leaves within a few days, they retuned the following spring about 4 months later

I believe that most plants are very tolerant to the use of systemic insecticides.
Rogor (dimethoate) is always one to look out for though. Read the label with that one.
I don't know why they state that you must spray the undersides of the leaves though as the systemic action works by entering the leaf and moving into the feeder system of the tree not by direct contact with the bug.
Cheers.......Brian

Hi Ric
I used maverik a couple of sprays one week apart fixes them although they tend to return once or twice during the end of summer.
Those figs with the tablets were unaffected-- figs without were. As an aside fused trunk figs seemed to only be protected on the side the tablet was --- the foliage on the other trunks was eaten so maybe it's a matter of placing the tablet where both sets of roots can get at the tablet.
Hope this helps
Steve