Trouble with Hollies

Hello,

I do alright in the garden and many say I have a green thumb but I have the darnedest time keeping Holly bushes healthy. The following pictures are of Blue Prince and Blue Princess Hollies that have ailments of some sort. I have treated all of the Holly bushes on our property with Bonide Tree and Shrub insecticidal systemic in the spring. A manager from a local nursery I used to work at stopped by in the beginning of summer to check out a tree we're having problems with and he noticed that three of our Hollies had what he called spider mite problems. So I got a spider mite spray(Spectricide), applied it twice, and it doesn't seem to have worked. Now I noticed that more of the Hollies have the same symptoms and in the last picture a few of them are getting these black dots on the leaves. I picked a few of the black dots off and they would smush between my fingernails just like a scale. But these are on the leaves so I didn't know if they were a leaf scale. But if that's the case then I'm not sure why the drench isn't killing them...

So basically I want to know if there is an insecticidal systemic that will kill spider mites if that is in fact what you all think is going on. Secondly, what pest is on the last picture and what can I do about it.

Geez...everyone else seems to have such an easy time with Hollies and they don't even try! Grr....

So the files didn't upload for some reason...hopefully this works.

Both Spider Mites (a bad case) & Scale- I would use a contact spray now then apply some Systemic insecticide to the soil.

First, I'd suggest you contact some exceptional experts in the field of Holly growing and care:

http://www.hollysocam.org/

While the scale insects and mites are superficial problems, you may have cultural and environmental conditions that may predict this as a repetitive problem. Ask the HSA - there are so many fine people right in your region that can offer very good advice.

Second, I'd lay off the howitzer of the blanket spectrum systemic insecticides - unless you are a fan of helping wipe out the fine pollinating insects that patronize plants like hollies and assist in the production of excellent fruit displays which make landscapes a treasure, and are crucial to so many components of the environment. Read up on the active ingredients in products you use, understand the unintended side effects, and use only pesticides that target your specific problem.

I hope you can solve this landscape problem, but without detriment to all the other good things that insects bring to the garden and the plant communities around us.

Amen, Viburnum Valley. Nothin' like spraying a good, hard spray of water for awhile at the doggone varmints.
Although your problems present too small to hand-pick, I will say that I am learning to SLOW DOWN, take the long and conservative route, and have a "Zen-Like" experience in my garden.
The results on my garden and my attitude are immense. My time in gardening is precious, and meant to heal my soul with doing simple things, like plucking a bit of wiregrass, or some nasty little worm from my roses...
I have cut down on even my organic attacks on bugs, viruses, and even fertilizers.
I have learned that taking short cuts always shows up in my garden. I do hope that you understand that I am NOT preaching at you, but offering another solution. This new way of gardening is so rewarding.

The trouble I have is I don't have enough of them. I've got a stray Winterberry that's getting pollinated by some Johnny come lately, but it's a secret to me. Mmm, maybe it's Jim Dandy sneaking around here.

Well Pseudo, get ye to the nursery! I just yanked two non-thriving shrubs after coddling them for two years. What did I learn? If you aren't FIRM when you find your new baby is root-bound, and cut the roots down the sides of the mass 4 x (in quarters, I've found this is the best system for me), you spend too much time coddling non-thriving plants that come out of the ground pretty much as you put them in - even MORE confirmation that you need to un-root bound the plant...

Anyhoo, I replaced them with a boy and also a girl Holly in the "Castle" series. I have two ladies in the front, now there is a boy on the side, and a lady behind him on the side...and he is FULL of pollen! I just planted them a couple of months ago, so again, get ye to the nursery and fix that problem! The girls are just full of berries...oh I LOVE hollies! You can always cram another in somewhere...I even have a humble Virginia native holly that is anything but humble after three years of my getting ahold of it and throwing the Hollytone at it...it is truly a beauty! THEY ALL ARE, is the problem, but boy are you happy to have them in winter...

Gracye, let me see if I've got this straight: you like hollies? ;) Thanks for the advice and I'll see to it that the leggy female I've got gets some respectable suitors. She deserves better...

BTW, we vacationed in Virginia this past summer. It's a beautiful part of the country.

Pseudo. well, you know, hollies are rather RETRO and that makes them just fine with me! I guess you could say safely that I "like" them...!
My house is a 1960's cinderblock cottage and we're pretty retro, from our septic field, to the non-dishwasher, to the antenna on the roof....yep, we like living like this!
And hollies fit in so well...and I appreciate their year 'round beauty!
Have fun finding your gentleman holly, and even more with all the berries you'll have. The birds will thank you.

Retro shmetro. I've got three potentillas planted in perhaps the most choice spot on the property. Is there anything more pedestrian than potentilla? Actually, I'm not sure they're earning their keep, but I'll keep them around a bit. They had a tough winter & early spring, but they're coming on strong.