Help me, lazyweb, you’re my only hope. Remember we planted two pineapple guava trees last spring?
One of them is diseased. I’ve poked around for information on guava diseases in Western Australia, but haven’t had too much luck. It doesn’t look like the photos I’ve seen of algal leaf spot or guava rust or potassium deficiency. More photos below the cut.
In good news, the other one is doing nicely. So we’d really like to treat the sick one before it spreads.
It’s scale – gross little insects. Pick it off with your fingers if there’s not much, or white oil it if there’s a lot. And check your other woody fruit trees too.
Guavas like evenly moist soil. In your area it might be draining too quick, if you have a lot of the brown tips that’s probably the reason. More compost. If it’s just one it’s probably a bit of sunburn.
Yup, scale, I had it on M’s bay tree. White oil worked well.
I’ve had scale on the bay tree, but it looked a bit different. Different species, I guess.
We’ve definitely had a hideously dry time here, it’s been the driest late summer/autumn we’ve had for a long time (I think we’re on target for the record right now). We actually haven’t bothered prepping a winter vegetable garden this time because of the dryness. And the soil still needs a lot of improving.
An organic white oil recipe from the ABC. I’ve got to try it on my orange tree which is covered in powdery mildew and scale. Bad gardner (me that is).
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2281115.htm
Dare I say, it matches your diseased imagination. =8-)
{ducks hurriedly}