Vine weevil eats potted Acer roots.

Sorry to read about your Acer Alan - you must be gutted. I do hope it recovers. Keeping on top of the watering particularly at this time of the year will be important.
I managed to bring one back from the brink (I think you commented on my picture of it) so there's hope yet. Good luck with it.

these little blighters work for the gc in my opinion.

Lol SBG. What a very nasty thing to happen. Lets hope it recovers with lots of TLC.

glad the Robins got a tasty meal and you figured out the reason for the acer dying. hope it recovers!

Thanks Angie, it is frustrating, but, it isn't the first and it won't be the last shrub or plant to be destroyed by the VW's. All we can do, as gardeners is try and protect our plants from their predictors/parasites and diseases. So it is a case of "damage limitation" and doing what we can to keep our plants and shrubs healthy. After all "nature is nature" ....... Looking on the bright side, it could be worse, people used to go without food as a result of locusts devouring their crops. :-((

Interesting thought Seaburngirl, I wish they would all take "early retirement", if they do work for the GC's.

Thanks Steragram, I'll give it lots of TLC and hopefully have something positive to report in a year or two.

Jagienka, the one thing that cheered me up, during the day was, seeing the expression of delight when the Robin saw the VW's in the bird tray ....... As I said earlier in the blog, "nature is nature", we can only do our best.

Thanks for the warning,Alan.I didn't realise they went for Acers..mine is in it's 2nd year in a pot,so I will get some of that product..I lost a Heuchera in a pot this year,but the ones in the border have been fine..glad the Robin had a had a fine dining experience today..:o)

Sandra, I was surprised too. Hope this helps.

I've just had the same thing with a honeysuckle Alan nasty little creatures, I'd be even more gutted if it was an acer though!! hope it recovers, they attacked a lovely hydrangea petiolaris I had in a pot at my old house never thought it would recover but potted it in the ground here and its looking lovely now so don't give up hope.

Thanks Kathy, just the boost I needed. I'll keep a careful eye on it.

They're horrible things. I always use that product on my pot plants.
Your Acer may recover in time. I have had fuchsias with no root left at all, but they have recovered after being replanted in fresh compost ...

Thanks Hywel, nice to know. It's in the ground now, with some ericaceous mixed in the soil before planting. Fingers crossed heh!

Yes :)

I had never heard of this before Alan ! Nice to "meet" you ! I will keep an eye on my pots now as I have quite a few !
I noticed the chicken in the picture and it looks like the one I saw at a Garden Centre and wish I'd bought it now !

Rose, Thank you for taking the time to read this. It surprised me too. I thought they only went for young fresh soft roots ... It is a worry if you have a lot of pots ...... My wife, Wendy, has in excess of 75 pots and hanging baskets ..... I suggested she goes to the Doctors, I'm sure there must be some medication for her condition .... lol. Joking apart, she does a great job and they do look lovely ....... that's my attempt at damage limitation.

Wow... 75 ! They must take some watering Alan ! Do you do the house work then ! Hahaa!

But of course <]:-))

A late look at your pics Alan. Those vine weevils are a real menace. I hope your acer is recovering by now. I have a Waltz Jubelteen Fuchsia that had one tiny bit of root left. I fed those squidgy horrors to the robin and he/she feasted well. It has just come into bloom now today. I too use Provado and am finishing a container of Armillotox( not allowed by bossy EU ) to be advertised as a vine weevil egg killer, only as a path and paving cleaner. I don't think Provado kills the eggs. It smells heavily of gas tar like Jeyes fluid.

Thank you for this information Dorjac. I am glad the Robin enjoyed the vine weevil feast. The Pravado seems to be doing the trick at the moment. As for the Acer, it's not looking great, but we will leave it for 12 months and see what happens.