Monday, September 03, 2018

Ash Dieback


Just a little self-sown sapling at the edge of the growing area that has succumbed to the Chalara ash dieback fungus. Bert spotted it a couple of weeks ago. It's a notifiable plant disease so he started looking for the number of the plant inspector who calls once or twice a year. Of course, he couldn't find the number and after about a week he cut down the sapling and chucked it in a shed. The very next day the plant inspector drove into the yard. Bert told her about the sapling and she took a sample to test. She informed him that the disease is now rife in Counties Antrim and Down and there is no real benefit in taking precautionary measures. Apparently, it is mainly saplings that are affected so hopefully, our mature trees will be able to fight it off.

So it's not always buddleia and butterflies in Nelly's Garden. Yet, on a cheerier note...



3 comments:

Dermot said...

Nasty thing. It's been rife here in the South of England for a few years now.

Nelly said...

Yes. It's worrying. Ashes are a huge part of our native woodlands all over the British Isles.

Susannah said...

Here in Vermont the emerald ash borer has moved into the state. We knew it would get here eventually and it is really sad. It kills mature trees and it will really change our landscape.