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Herbs Heaths & Heathers

Help with webbed heather

Viktoriya Stancheva

3 years ago

Dear plant-lovers, I have had two pots of heather being grown indoors in a sunny area for several months now and have no issues with them so far but I just noticed that one of them is covered in fine web that has little brown spots. I imagine it is from a pest eating it. Is there any way I can rescue my heather or should I just discard it in an attempt to rescue its unaffected friend? They are just next to each other so I am surprised they have not both got it. Could you please help?

Thanks,

Vicky

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Comments (3)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Look at images of spider mite webs and compare with your issue. If you think it’s a match look up solutions to that pest..

However, these heathers are hardy outdoor plants of a temperate climate which are really not suited to indoor culture. To be honest you’ve done well to keep them going this long inside. If you don’t live in a climate suited to their needs it’s probably best to treat them as temporary decoration. Looking at the radiator I’m guessing you’re in the British Isles. If that’s the case they’d be happier outside in a container of ericaceous compost. They’re staples of winter containers. (Warning to USA readers.’Compost ‘ has two meanings over here, one of which is ‘mix.’)
Embothrium
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Yes: cool climate outdoor plant lingering indoors = eventual mite infestation. With the time when these pests become noticeable outdoors being during the hottest and driest seasonal weather conditions, that are most like temperatures and humidity of inhabited indoor spaces.
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Grayentropy - what kind of fungus do you believe this to be? There are hundreds if not thousands of smaller webs that look exactly like a classic spider web. Would this be a fungus? The pictures I've seen of fungus-based webs - the webs look more "fuzzy" stuff growing on the grass - these are more a flat, definite web. When I asked about this in the original post - it never occured to me that this would be a fungus. I've always heard of sod webworm and wondered what that was - I thought maybe this was it. But doesn't sound like it. Bergenjersey (by the way I grew up in Ramsey) - I think you're right - I went back out mid afternoon after the dew dried up and the webs, while still there, were basically invisible. So I'm thinking this is some sort of spider, I'm going to assume harmless, and keep an eye on it. If spider, I'm also thinking that these could help to keep the mosquito population down. I suppose anything helps. Thanks!
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
If OP is in the British Isles spider mites will be pretty much unheard of on an outdoor heather. So the sooner it goes outside the better.

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