Poorly Goji

[ceres]

I noticed today my goji isn't looking well.  It's a young plant in a pot.  A few leaves have dropped off. The older lower leaves have a blueish black mottling.  The new leaves are a bit limp and curling inwards.  I can't see any insects but did find one group of leaves had what looked like a fine cobweb around them.  We've had no frost here but fairly cold wind I suppose.

Any ideas for rescue?

[ceres]

[ceres]

Headed for the compost heap then.

[star]

Could it been red spider mite Ceres? I looked at mine today 2 had greenfly and the others are fine. Luckily they germinate very easily if you're starting again ;)

[ceres]

Thanks star.  I'll have another look and see if I can spot anything.  Definitely no greenfly but maybe red spider mite although it seems very early to have them outdoors.

I was googling goji pests and found this:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/planth/lycium.htm

Looks like goji could become a bit of a rarity in this country.

[star]

Oh.........I know quite a few people who have bought plants mail order, it is a problem I suppose (not thought about it before) where we introduce more aliens into the UK.

Seeds should be ok though, what do you reckon?

[ruud]

Star or ceres,can i ask one of you for some seeds,i want to grow my own goji.

[star]

Pm me your address Ruud, I will send you some  ;)

[ruud]

Sta you are a star what do you want in return

[ceres]

The goji is going downhill fast.  I keep looking for the culprit and today I thought I could see more of the tiny cobweby threads and possibly one or two tiny tiny white insects.  Not got the best eyesight and these were very small.

I also found these eggs on a leaf - I think whatever laid them isn't responsible for the goji being sick.  I'm sure I'd spot something laying eggs that size!  But happy to hear if someone knows otherwise.

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[Lindsay]

Ruud - there are some Goji berries in Jeannine's 2008 pass the parcel that is coming your way once it has been down to Spain!

[ceres]

Anyone know what they are?

[star]

I dont know what the eggs are Ceres, I had some at home on a wall at home but missed them hatching out, so was still no wiser. I will google in a bit.

The webs and white insects could be red spider mite as the name doesn't always imply the right colour. Some mites are pale green which may look white. Spraying under the leaves a couple of times a day with plain tepid water helps as they love hot dry conditions. Also standing the plant pot on a saucer (the large plant pot type saucers) full of pebbles with water to just under the pebbles, to provide humidity around the plant. The bigger the saucer the better.

It may be too late to save your plants if the infestation has got too bad, but hopefully it will help for future ones  ;)


Ruud..........I have pm'd you :D

[PurpleHeather]

In addition to being cultivated in China, Goji also grows on extensive vines in the sheltered valleys of the Himalayas in Tibet, and in Mongolia. The round, red Goji berries are very tender and must be shaken from the vine rather than picked in order to avoid spoiling. The Goji fruits are preserved by slowly drying them in the shade. The berry has been eaten locally in the Himalayan and Tibetan regions for centuries and is celebrated in festivals. The Goji fruit is nicknamed the "happy berry" because of the sense of well being it is said to induce.

You will need to protect it from the wind.

[star]

Aww..............I have a windy garden :(

Thanks for the information PH. wILL GIVE IT A TRY ANYWAY......(caps lock sorry)

[ceres]

Goji looks so sick I decided to take it out of the pot and see if there is any life in the roots.  The rootball was FULL of red ants and small white semi-transparent maggots about a quarter of an inch long.  I thought at first the ants were eating the grubs but they just appeared to be pushing them around.

[attachment=1]

I took all the soil off the roots and washed them.  The roots look like they are still alive so I've brought it home to go into intensive care.

I've been googling the maggots but the nearest I can find is cabbage root fly - but on a goji????

[cambourne7]

jo pulled all his goji berrys out on advice from DEFRA apparantly they can infect tomatos and potatoes. Which makes me think that the problem not connected to the eggs might be something like blight.

[ceres]

If you scroll back up this thread, I posted the DEFRA link a few days ago.  They've found no pests or diseases in imported goji plants.  It's a precautionary measure to protect commercial potato and tomato crops as goji is of the same family.  Doubt it's blight - 'taters and toms are fine - for now!

Besides, the goji has:
- mite like webs
- the biggest green eggs
- yucky maggots
- red ants

It doesn't need any more!

[manicscousers]

the maggots are baby ants, they move them, and the eggs around when they're disturbed, we've caused lots of disruption to ants in the past  ;D

[ceres]

Ah, thanks!  Do the maggots eat roots or are they harmless like the ants? 

[Isleworth]

Hi Ceres,

Hope the Goji pulls through... after reading your post regarding Defra Plant Health stopping the import, I have decided to order two plants and have ago at growing them myself just incase they become hard to get hold of.