Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: GardenShed on June 01, 2014, 19:40

Title: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: GardenShed on June 01, 2014, 19:40

Ive noticed that in one or two my strawberry plants there is white foam in the centre of the plant, when I push some of the leaves aside and look down towards the crown.

There is also white foam on some of the curled leaves of my apple tree.

Any idea what it is?

Thanks.

Title: Re: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: DD. on June 01, 2014, 19:53

It's called "Cuckoo Spit" and surrounds the nymphs of the Froghopper.

It can be left as it has little detrimental effect on the plant.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=490

Title: Re: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: GardenShed on June 01, 2014, 20:07

OK thanks. 

Title: Re: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: TheWhiteRabbit on June 01, 2014, 20:44

My wife didn't believe me when I said a little bug lives in cuckoo spit, so I gently spread a little out one day to reveal a little froghopper (and then covered it back up again).

Title: Re: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: compostqueen on June 02, 2014, 23:35

There seems to be a lot of the about. My mint plant is covered

Title: Re: White Foam in Leaves
Post by: ConfusedGardener on June 03, 2014, 12:03

There does seem to be a lot more about this year. I was just about to start a new thread, but saw this one. I noticed that wherever there was some on my gooseberries, the new growth was distorted, so I've been removing it from them. I was surprised to find that in some of the globs there were as many as 4 or 5 frog hoppers residing, which is something I've not seen before. I'm not convinced that they are not causing significant harm to the bushes. Apart from the numbers this year, is there not a chance that they can transmit viruses?