Common beech hedges are very robust and cause few problems in a favorable location. Occasionally pest infestations can occur in wet or dry summers. This is how you can tell which pests have attacked your beech hedge. Tips for combating.
Which pests attack beech hedges and how do you combat them?
Common pests on beech hedges are beech mealybugs, whiteflies, spider mites and gall midges. Combat usually consists of cutting off affected parts of the plant and removing fallen leaves. Natural enemies such as ladybirds or homemade decoctions made from nettle and horsetail can also help.
These pests plague beech hedges
- Beech mealybugs, also called beech ornamental louse
- Whiteflies
- Spider mites
- Gall mosquitoes
Basically it can be said that older, he althy beech hedges cope well with pest infestation. Pest control is particularly necessary for young beech trees and newly planted beech hedges.
If the copper beeches are already sickly, you also have to remove pests from older hedges.
You should also ensure that the plants have sufficient nutrients and that they are neither too moist nor too dry. Regular cutting is also a good preventive measure against pest infestation.
Identify and treat beech mealybugs
The beech mealybug or beech ornamental louse can become a real problem. The lice cover the leaves with a sticky coating called honeydew. You can often find ants on the leaves.
Cut off affected plant parts and dispose of them. If possible, do not use any chemical agents (€12.00 on Amazon) as honeydew is also absorbed by bees. Settle the natural enemies of aphids, lacewings, ladybirds and hoverflies in the garden.
How to combat whiteflies and spider mites
Whiteflies are mainly found on the undersides of leaves, while spider mites stretch a web of fine threads over the leaves.
Cutting out affected parts of the plant is the first step. You will also need to rake up and remove any fallen leaves. The pests hibernate there.
The plant parts do not belong in the compost, but must be disposed of with household waste.
The gall mosquito causes no damage
If there are small bumps on the leaves that are gelatinous or solid depending on the species, these are gall midges. They do not damage the beech hedge and disappear by themselves with the leaf litter in winter.
Tip
A harmless method of combating pests and diseases on the beech hedge is a home-made decoction of nettle or field horsetail. The non-flowering herb is collected and soaked in water for 24 hours. After straining, the brew is diluted and the beech hedge is sprayed several times.
