It’s time for Tuesday Treats again – the answers to last Tuesday’s are here:
https://thepleasuregardener.blog/2020/07/14/tuesday-treats-15/
This week, I have a single mystery for you.
One of our gardeners reports spreading damage to some of her plants, with no sign of a culprit. I have some images, although it’s sometimes difficult to take close-ups, and these are a bit out of focus.
The damage is to the main leaf vein, and leaves the leaf broken and withering. A couple of weeks ago, we had some very serious windy weather – up to 80mph, as I recall, and certainly my Cannas suffered from breakage of the leaves, but that wouldn’t appear to explain this. The first affected plant was Hydrangea aspera ‘Hot Chocolate’, but I’m told it is spreading to Persicaria and Rodgersia.
Here are the images that I’ve been sent. All are of the hydrangea:
I think you can see that there is what looks like chewing damage on that midrib, although nowhere else.
Any ideas?
The Pleasure Gardener 
Sorry – I have no idea.
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Gads! I only got five correct last week.
And this week, I can not identify ONE problem. I seriously do not know what causes that.
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I think that was good for last week’s lot!
You don’t know the problem, I don’t know the problem, and when it was put to them, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Advisory Service didn’t know the problem. I think we’re exonerated!
I’ve suggested mice or voles. The gardener has sent more images, including a Rodgersia with a number of chunks missing from a midrib. It looked as though teeth had been involved. Otherwise, I’m clueless…
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How would a mouse hold onto the underside of a hydrangea leaf? Why would it just nibble on the middle of the midrib? It is weird.
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I know! But everything else is weirder… And for a city garden, I don’t think I can blame Satan’s minions, the rabbits.
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Rabbits would have taken bigger bites.
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