[gardeners] Hummingbirds and mealybugs
Ron Hay (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 15 Mar 2000 07:31:33 -0800
Good morning to all my wise and wonderful gardening friends. I need help
with pest control problem. Our passion fruit vine, which is large and
luxuriant, has become home to a ruby-throated humming bird, which has
chosen to dangle its bower from one of the huge leaves on the inside of
our redwood lattice. Problem: during this recent spate of rain, when we
could not spray or even monitor the yard very well, our passion fruit
vine became infested with nasty white mealy bugs, causing the leaves to
turn sickly yellow and fall off, further spreading the nasties with
every gust of wind.
How can I both maintain our lovely passion fruit vine, which is Vivian's
pride and joy and spare the humming bird nest and its (as of yet unseen)
inhabitants.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions.
Ron