From: Steve Sousa
To: ideboda
Subject: Fuchsia help
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 16:30:27 EDT

I live in Salinas California which has a cool climate because it is near the beach.
I love fuchsias and have been growing them for the past 10 years. Last year was my worst year for my fuchsia's they didn't bloom hardly at all and looked very sickly. This year I pruned them back around the end of Feb and have been feeding "Superthrive" and miracle grow, they look just wonderful!!!
The problem I have is about 2 years ago my plants started to get a curly leaf and disfigured stem ends. I managed to keep the problem under control by sniping the growth as soon as I saw it.
Now it seems I have this in most of my plants and I can't seem to find anyone that knows what it is and how to treat it - can you help?

Thanks!
-Steve Sousa

==================

Hello Steve,

I can't tell you what's wrong with your plants, but I suppose it will be an insect pest.
Sometimes green aphids make the leaves and growingtips curl (this summer we've got a lot of this pest in the Netherlands, and some fuchsias of mine have curled shoots too), but I can't possibly say if this is exactly your problem. There are several "curlers" among the insects, e.g. the "froghopper" causes this kind of deformation too - look at this page: Froghopper, and my page about fuchsia-problems in general: Fuchsia pests and diseases.

I've also heard about a serious disease in the USA, especially in California, called "gall mite", which is very difficult to control. I've never seen the pest, never been to the USA myself, and up till now this pest seems not to have occurred in Europe yet.
Funny enough, in the articles published about it, they never show any pictures of it on the web, so I don't know really what it looks like.
I can't really help you, but I wish you success in finding out, and making your fuchsias healthy again.

Kind regards,
Irene de Boer

====================

From: Steve Sousa
To: ideboda
Subject: Re: Fuchsia help
Date: Mon, 15 Jul 2002 19:13:33 EDT

Hello Irene,

I took my daughter outside and we took a few pictures of the Fuchsias for you to look at. I will forward the link to you shortly, this way there are no attachments for you to open.
I have not seen the foam on the plants or any of the green aphids so I am still at a loss to find out what is wrong with my plants.

I will also forward this link along to a Fuchsia society in my area to see if they may know what is wrong with my plants.

Thanks for any help!
-Steve Sousa

http://www.xpresssites.com/champaign/champaign/xpspecialsections/homeandgarden/story_276158.asp
http://www.xpresssites.com/vannet/vancourier/XpSpecialSections/HOMEANDGARDEN/story_275480.asp

(These now expired links contained the pictures used on my page about the fuchsia gall mite)

=========================

Hello Steve,

It's already a few weeks ago you sent this mail to me, just before my holidays, but I had a look at your pictures.
From articles about the Fuchsia gall mite, I have the idea this might be your problem. Swollen and distorted plant parts, discoloring, stunted growth, it all seems there in your pictures.
I looked around on the web today to find any other photos, but there are hardly any. One page containing a whole list of plant diseases contained a picture of it, I'll give you the URL:
http://www.orst.edu/dept/hort/dpd/pattern.htm

Did you already get any reaction from the Fuchsia Society?
Perhaps you should contact the American Fuchsia Society, I suppose they do know and perhaps they can give you proper advice.
This is their address:
http://www.american-fuchsia-soc.org/     (N.B. changed into http://www.americanfuchsiasociety.org/ in later years)

Wishing you success, and hoping to hear from you again once you know more about it (I'm interested too),

Irene de Boer

=======================

From: Steve Sousa
To: ideboda
Subject: Re: Fuchsia help
Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 13:00:16 EDT

Hello Irene,

Thanks for getting back with me.
You are absolutely correct on your assumption of the fuchsia mite...
I sent the pictures that I sent you to a local nursery that specializes in fuchsias and begonias and they said it was the Brazilian gall mite or more commonly known as fuchsia mite.
They directed me to treat all my fuchsias with Isotox IV once a week for the first three weeks, then a once a month treatment for prevention. Also, after the first treatment to cut away any areas that look infected with the mite.
They also said to seal all cuttings in a plastic bag and dispose of the cuttings immediately. So far I have treated every week and cut away all infected areas and it looks as though I have taken care of that little pest.

I have also been using a product called "Superthrive" on all my fuchsias for about 4 months now and my fuchsia garden, and all my other plants look much bigger and healthier than I have ever seen them. The product is a vitamin and hormone supplement for plants and since I have been using it my neighbors can't believe how great my gardens look. If you are interested I think you might find some information about it on the web.

Thanks again for all the information that you have provided! As soon as I get a chance I will take a few more pictures of my gardens for you to enjoy.

-Steve Sousa

===========================================

7-08-02

Hello Steve,

I'm glad you answered so soon, as I was very curious about this pest.
A few years ago I read about it already, it's considered so dangerous that people are recommended not to take fuchsia-material from America to other parts of the world, such as Europe.
At first there was no cure at all, now you apparently can get something to treat your plants with. What happens to the pest, when sealed in plastic bags, I wonder. Once they lie on the garbage dump, the bags may break open and the pest might spread to fuchsias nearby, so it seems to me.

What I'd want to ask you:
If you don't mind I'd like to put your unique pictures of the infested fuchsias on my website, with the other articles about pests and diseases.
Of course I'll not pretend to have taken the photos myself, I'll mention your name if you like and otherwise, if you prefer to remain anonymous, I'll say someone sent these to me. I think it would be very useful to have these photos on the web, as hardly any pictures can be found about this serious disease. It should be recognised by people who come across it, so that adequate measures can be taken to control it.

Of course I'd like to see some more pictures of your garden. I've never heard of "Superthrive" here in the Netherlands, but it's become clear to me that in every country they have different fertilizers and pesticides.

Well, I do hope you'll allow me to publish your gall mite pictures.

Kind regards,
Irene de Boer

=====================

From: Steve Sousa
To: ideboda
Subject: Re: Fuchsia help
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 2002 14:29:57 EDT

Hello Irene,

What happens to the pest, when sealed in plastic bags, I wonder. Once they lie on the garbage dump, the bags may break open and the pest might spread to fuchsias nearby, so it seems to me.
- You are right and I considered the same thing so I treated the plants then cut the infected pieces off and just for good measure I poured some bleach into the bag before I extracted the air and sealed the bag ...
This would ensure all the pest were destroyed. I don't want anyone else to have to deal with this pest.

If you don't mind I'd like to put your unique pictures of the infested fuchsias on my website
- Sure you may post these pictures to your website you may even mention that they came from me in America.
Either way you would like to post them would be fine with me...
I looked for pictures like mine and couldn't find anything on the web so it would be nice to show people what the disease looks like and how we treat it.

Of course I'd like to see some more pictures of your garden.
- I will take them and post them as soon as I get a chance...
I love to share my garden it is not really fancy but what little I have with all its color sure makes me and my family happy!

Great communicating with you...
Thanks again,

-Steve Sousa