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PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 12:28 pm 
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Details: Global White variety of crape myrtle, planted 11 yrs. ago, twice weekly automatic irrigation. Problem: The branch forks are oozing lots of what looks like honey leaving long streaks of liquid running down the trunk and branches. There is some evidence of tiny, white egg (?) clusters (1/4" and smaller) in some areas. Does anyone know what this is and what I should do? We returned from a two-week trip to this. This has been a beautiful abundantly blooming tree, with remarkable cinnamon colored trunk and bark. It is blooming about as well as always. Thank you!


Last edited by Mbp on Fri Jul 12, 2013 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 09, 2013 6:11 pm 
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Do you have a digital or phone camera? Please get as clear a close up photo of the white clusters, the sap, and a photo of the entire plant, including a clear view of the base.

How much water is going on the plant when you water? For a well-adapted crape myrtle that sounds to me like way too much water. I have some in my yard that I never water (they get a little slop-over from the next door neighbor watering, but I never give it additional.)

Cut back the water (probe around the base of the plant and see if the soil seems dry before you water. Use an old golf club with the head broken off, or something like that and you'll be able to feel if the soil is moist.)

The plant could also be too deep in the ground and is showing the stress and attracting pests because of it. Your photo of the entire plant will let us see if the root flare is exposed.

You may need to size photos down to about 1000px across for them to load on this site, or you can park them in Flickr or Photobucket or Picasa and put a link to the photo using the IMG button on the top of the reply form here.

Thanks!

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 11:09 am 
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How to send/attach photos from iphone? Can I email them here? Sorry, technically challenged here.

The yard guy said he sees this often on crape myrtles. He thinks a wet spring causes fast growth which makes the tree leak sap which then attracts some insects. He says there is no cause for alarm. It won't kill the tree and not to spray anything. I never use poisons anyway.

You are probably right about root flare not exposed enough, and perhaps watering. However, if we don't irrigate the yard, the lawn and many landscaping plants will die. I noticed our other generic "red" crape myrtles in the back yard are also weeping sap, but not to this extent.

It will be difficult to open the root flare since it is in a flower bed and would require a huge sunken hole. We'd have to remove many nice plants to do that - Golden Groundsill, Lamb's Ear. It is in a bed in the front of our house next to the sidewalk - that may also be a problem.

Thank you so much for your interest and willingness to help. I would like to know your opinion, and how to get photos to show you.


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 1:11 pm 
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Do you post photos from your camera to Instagram or facebook, or send them via twitter? If you can send a photo to your usual place then open the page and mouse over the photo - right click to select the photo and a drop down menu will allow you to click on "copy photo location" (the URL) and then paste the URL link to load here by coming back to the Dirt Doctor page and in your reply clicking on "choose file" and when that dialog opens you paste the link and click. This action will copy the image to this site (if it isn't too big). If the photo won't upload because of its size, then paste your link on the reply page in the form, mouse over that URL to select it, then click on the "IMG" button. Any photos you load that way should display on the post after you hit submit. You can test it using the preview button.

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2013 1:12 pm 
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It is a choice, whether you want to move the dirt off of the crape myrtle or keep the flowers. I have several saucer shapes in my yard where I pulled the dirt off of tree flares. In one, where there are iris all around, it isn't so noticeable because the iris leaves are tall and kind of conceal the gap.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 1:28 pm 
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Thank you so very much for your help. I cannot show a photo even with your excellent instructions, since I do not post them anywhere, only email them from the phone!

The images would show you a tree with what looks like a gallon of honey running down the trunk and branches. A few 1/4" white egg clusters in the sap, and other little white scale insects here and there. Poor tree is no doubt stressed.

I will try removing soil from the base as you suggested. It is just so hot here, it's a wonder anything green survives. It is a struggle to keep them alive.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:46 pm 
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Email them to me at [email removed] and I'll add them to the thread.

It didn't work, we'll try something else later.

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 7:43 am 
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They came via email. It is a lovely shrub but it does need help.

There is no root flare showing - that is your first task. I think you'll have to move any flowers around the base and pull the dirt back from the base. Carefully dig out about 18" radius from the plant and leave the resulting saucer without filling it with anything.

Close up of egg cluster.
Attachment:
Crape-1.JPG
Crape-1.JPG [ 105.88 KiB | Viewed 8046 times ]


Root flare.
Attachment:
Crape-2.JPG
Crape-2.JPG [ 178.28 KiB | Viewed 8046 times ]


Sap running on trunk. Limbs.
Attachment:
Crape-3.JPG
Crape-3.JPG [ 188.14 KiB | Viewed 8046 times ]


View of Global White crape myrtle.
Attachment:
Crape-4.JPG
Crape-4.JPG [ 158.82 KiB | Viewed 8046 times ]


This is what a crape myrtle root flare should look like (from the Dirt Doctor site):

Image

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PostPosted: Sun Jul 14, 2013 12:09 pm 
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Thank you so much. I've seen that image of an ideal root flare on the site. Will get to the task to save our stressed tree.
Any guess what the egg clusters are? To be expected?
I appreciate your help and advice.


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