Winter repotting found Grubs again

[Edward Scissorhand]

Almost every year during repotting time, I find these annoying grubs. Its the second time in four years I found them in the soil of my poor cedar tree. After a sudden needle drop on one of my main branches, I decided to inspect the roots. The cedar is recorded being over 100 years old but was strong enough to handle 6 grubs munching on its roots. A couple of years ago I found 9 large grubs.

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[MattA]

Those bloody pesky curl grubs.... Good thing you found them sooner rather than later. This tree is absolutely stunning, my eyes kept being drawn to it over all the other fantastic trees you have. I meant to ask you about its history, would love to know its story.

I have a young one growing on in the ground at the moment but it will be a VERY long time before the bark looks anything like yours let alone the canopy.

The photos really dont do it justice, I happily volunteer to hide behind a sheet while you get pics of some of your collection. Any excuse to spend time amongst your trees

Matt

[SteveT]

Hi, that is a very nice tree!

I had quite a bit of trouble with curl grubs last season. I bought some EcoNeem as I heard that it is an effective treatment against them but haven't had cause to use it yet. Has anyone tried EcoNeem?

The only other effective method that I have used is to dunk the tree and drown the critters.



Steve

[Edward Scissorhand]

Hi, that is a very nice tree!

I had quite a bit of trouble with curl grubs last season. I bought some EcoNeem as I heard that it is an effective treatment against them but haven't had cause to use it yet. Has anyone tried EcoNeem?

The only other effective method that I have used is to dunk the tree and drown the critters.



Steve

Hi Steve, thanx for that bit of info. Do you know if EcoNeem has any effect on a tree's root system or soil? I will go to bunnings and check it out. I'm looking for a preventative rather than a cure. Thanx again, cheers Eddie

[Edward Scissorhand]

Those bloody pesky curl grubs.... Good thing you found them sooner rather than later. This tree is absolutely stunning, my eyes kept being drawn to it over all the other fantastic trees you have. I meant to ask you about its history, would love to know its story.

I have a young one growing on in the ground at the moment but it will be a VERY long time before the bark looks anything like yours let alone the canopy.

The photos really dont do it justice, I happily volunteer to hide behind a sheet while you get pics of some of your collection. Any excuse to spend time amongst your trees

Matt

Matt, the history is a long one but I will give you the jist of it. If only trees could speak! A nurseryman went on a ship voyage to Japan and brought three cedar seedlings back to Australia in 1909. They were kept in some sort of concrete tubs at his nursery. As they grew older people wanted to buy them. But he hanged on to them until he no longer could because of his age. A prominent Russian bonsai nurseryman acquired all three of them and one of his talented siblings was given the smallest one out of the three to work with from the 70s or 80s (sorry I cant remember) until her retirement from bonsai. I acquired it from her to carry on working on it. Out of the three cedars from 1909, this one is the only one that's still alive today.

[MattA]

All I can say is WOW... your right if only trees could talk in a way we could understand.

It has had an interesting life thats for sure... It is in the right place to ensure its continuing story thanks for sharing it with us.

Matt

[kcpoole]

GAAHHHHH Bloody Curl; Grubs!!!!

I hate the Little #(^%*ers!!!
I have lost numereous trees from these as EVERY time I repot I woudl 10 or more in even small pots

It is the profusion of these that led me to use Diatomite / Zeloite mix as I had heard that grubs and other bugs do not like it

Since using it for the last 4 years, I have never seen a grub in any of my pots that I have it in. Yay!

I will be transplanting the remainder of my trees into it this year so hopefully will never see another bloody Curl grub!

Ken

[Chris H]

Ken I agree.
Its all about the soil
When I used the Korreshof mix I had none of them
When I shifted to another mix I had infestation. Now I am onto Akadama with a bit of normal mix in it I am hoping it is too hard for them to survive.
There is a curl grub confidor which I just found and will this year use for the trees I have in ground to protect them.
Might not be able to eat them this year though!

[kcpoole]

Ken I agree.
Its all about the soil
When I used the Korreshof mix I had none of them
When I shifted to another mix I had infestation. Now I am onto Akadama with a bit of normal mix in it I am hoping it is too hard for them to survive.
There is a curl grub confidor which I just found and will this year use for the trees I have in ground to protect them.
Might not be able to eat them this year though!

I have a few trees in Akadama, but as yet have not seen any signs of them in it. ( I have only repotted few again so not a big sample either).
Interesting re the confidor. Let us knwo how it goes

Re the Dunking trees. My Black Pine has always been infested withthem and I have tried Dunking it monthly to no avail. Used to leave the pot submerged for an hour every month, and then still found them when repotted

Ken

[Graeme]

I have nearly lost more thasn a few trees to these D*mn Curl Grubs over the years.

When I lived in Darwin I used The "Dot" mix and still suffered them, have had many attacks since moving here as well. Only thing I have found to control them is a regular dose of an ant killer they sell in the Big Green Shed. Not sure of the name of it, but it comes in a large red container. If you look at the label the chemical is the same stuff as in the Lawn Grub powder, but is a whole lot cheaper. Curl Grub is the same grub as Lawn Bettle.

[Mojo Moyogi]

KC if you use a mild soap, NatraSoap or Eco Neem mixed with water, you may have more luck with submerging pots to control curl grubs. I rarely see them here, but I have a lot of birds in my garden and use diatomite in my mixes.

Cheers,
Mojo

[bonsaibruce]

Greetings,
At the Sydney AABC Convention I was told that a good layer of gravel will discourage the beetles laying their eggs.
I have in the past used ant nest gravel from the side of the road. It is fun digging and trying not to get covered in ants. You need a bucket with a tight fitting lid. There will be alot of clay to sift out. The ants leave a chemical that will stop weeds germinating and curl grubs living.
Happy Bonsai,
Bruce

[BirchMan]

Mate that is a fantastic Cedar, keep those grubs at bay and may she live another couple of centuries.

[Gareth]

perhaps the constant dunking didnt work because although the grubs drowned new eggs hatched.

although you cant stop the bettles from laying in most cases, perhaps submerging them in water, mixed with an oxidizer like peroxide or similar for a short period of time would be enough to oxidize or BURN the grubs, and the eggs but not harm the plant roots?

we use oxidizers like Ozone in Aquaculture all the time to control water quality, sterilize water and kill bacteria and parasites etc and it works, so i cant imagine that a soft bodied grub and eggs would stand up to an oxidizer of any sort.

Gareth

[Jamie]

would that kill of mycrozia in the soil/medium too?