Thank you for your column. It’s always helpful and interesting. I noticed a little white worm that emerges from some surinam cherries when I leave them soaking in water. I never had this before. What do you recommend? Mahalo, Teri
Thank you for your column. It’s always helpful and interesting. I noticed a little white worm that emerges from some surinam cherries when I leave them soaking in water. I never had this before. What do you recommend? Mahalo, Teri
Surinam cherries are highly susceptible to fruit flies. It is doubtful that these pests will ever be eliminated, but there are a few things that can be done to suppress them.
— Sanitation: Pick up all dropped fruit and discard.
— Attractants: There are special attractants available that will lure the males to a baited trap. This not only tells you what species of fruit fly you have, but also removes the males from the breeding cycle. If it is a new infestation, these traps can possibly catch enough males to reduce the population. Fruit fly lures can be purchased from the master gardeners at 875 Komohana St. in Hilo (981-5199) and at various community events.
— Baits: the use of protein bait sprays. Since infested fruit can harbor hundreds of fruit fly larvae, do not place them in a compost pile; or put them in a sealed plastic bag for 45 days then place in the compost pile. Infested fruit can also be buried, at least 18 inches deep. Feeding the fruit to animals is OK, too.
The four species of fruit flies on the Big Island have a choice of over 400 plants to infest.
Oriental fruit fly: Introduced in 1945, it ranges from sea level to 4,000 feet and likes citrus, guava, mango and papaya, among others.
Mediterranean fruit fly: Introduced in 1907, it is common at 1,000-4,000 feet and likes citrus, coffee, papaya, guava and others. This fruit fly is common in coffee groves.
Melon fruit fly: Introduced in 1895, it is found from sea level to 15,000 feet and likes melons, squash and cucumbers, as well as eggplant, pepper and tomatoes.
Malaysian or Solanaceous fruit fly: The newest addition to the group of fruit flies arrived in Hawaii about 10 years ago. It ranges from sea level to 1,500 feet and prefers solanaceous plants such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.
I really enjoy your column and save a lot of them for future reference. I live in Mountain View … and have a Mountain Apple tree that bloomed last year for the first time. The blooms were beautiful but it formed no fruit. It is forming blossoms again but the leaves look like it has the measles … pale green with red spots … not all of the leaves but about half. The tree is between my garden shed and the chicken house, so it does not get a lot of air currents. Could this be a mold or mildew? J.G.
The condition you describe is most likely a fungal rust disease (Puccinia psidii). It was first noticed in Oahu in 2005, but has since spread throughout the islands. The rust affects many plants in the myrtle family of which the mountain apple belongs; they include rose apple (Syzygium jambos), paperbark tree, and, most noticeably, ohia.
In wet climates, the fungal rust disease can be devastating, especially on rose apple. In drier areas, the disease still occurs but is less severe. Symptoms are seen as bright yellow powdery spots on the leaves, stems, flower buds and growing tips. These are the spores of the fungus erupting from the plant tissue. Dark and reddish spots can also be seen. They will enlarge and kill the tissue. Leaves are often deformed and drop, leaving blackened stem tips; the tree appears dead or close to it. No fungicide has been approved for controlling the disease. One approach is to remove and destroy all infected parts of the tree, although in wet areas, this may be futile.
Gardening Seminar
I am teaching a seminar entitled, “Introduction to Gardening in Hawaii.” The following topics will be discussed: soils, mulches, composting, fertilizers (organic and inorganic)and edibles related to these topics. The class will be Saturday, June 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There is a fee. Call UH-Hilo Continuing Education at 974-7664 or register online at http://hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/ccecs/registration/.
Hilo resident Nick Sakovich is a professor emeritus of the University of California. He has worked in the field of agriculture for 30 years. Email your questions to Sakovich at askthegardenguy@earthlink.net.