Now is the perfect time to inspect your Cotoneaster hedges for the dreaded Oystershell scale

Symptoms & Signs: you’ll notice a zillion little squiggly lines on the bark (that’s the scale the bug hides underneath) and if it’s extreme, parts of your hedge may not develop leaves, or worse yet, die altogether. 

Action Required: cut down the hedge and dispose of the branches. Some people will then treat the stumps with horticultural oil which would smother the crawlers – the newbies that emerge in April & May. Unless a section has died completely, the hedge will regrow from the roots and should fill in within a couple of years.

We posted this article last year but since it’s that time of year again, we thought you might want a refresher.

Click this CBC article for more information.

or check out this information sheet.

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