Pests, Diseases and Cures

Two reasons for plums going odd shaped. One is insect damage, so look for a tiny puncture wound. There should be a tiny plum stone inside the plum. If there is no stone in the fruit and they look a bit like bananas then it could(very doubtfully though) be Pocket plum which is a fungal infection....

The cranefly larvae are the leather jackets that can infest lawns. Anyone care to ID the lovely flower in this photo?

Thanks Hornbeam!

It might be a relative of Jeff Goldblum in 'THE FLY'

I have found some little eggs on my caulis. They look like cabbage white eggs but there is only 1 egg in any location (not clumps). These single eggs are on either side of the leaf. Does anyone have any idea what they could be? I did see some very tiny creatures that looked like ladybird larvae...

Just had another thought(dangerous things thoughts) is your house new? our house isn't new but when we came here the house had stood empty for 4years, my husband has just reminded me of my lawn dilema. My grass would not pick up, on excavating we found the problem. there had been a huge glass...

I also have one of those acers! I put it in a pot and watered it well - 1 week on and it has lovely foliage and is looking good.

can anyone recommend plants that rabbits do not like, so i can plant them near the plants that they do like to munch on.

Thanks both for the info. now I know they are not harmful I will relax a bit.

Thanks Liz

I have been in Walnut Cottage for over 20 years, and our silver birch were well established when we came. Only thing we do to them is - oh and I hate to admit this, my husband sometimes washes them as he likes them to look clean.we are on wet land, so may be something in what frogesque says.

Another thing that can happen is that having been in the conservatory they may have made a lot of soft growth, which when exposed to the real world shrivels a little. I had some in the greenhouse on a lower shelf, when I put them outside this happened. Again they will recover from this.

Thanks Liz, saves me murdering a poor acer then!

Now, if you'd said you hadn't seen ants on your paeony then I would have been surprised.I'm sure it will be the aphids like Jazid said.

Thanks Strongy. I've just been doing a bit more scrabbling around the www. Some suggestions I've found include -#Copper fungicide - I'd rather not use this on food crops though. #Spraying with calcium chloride. #Spraying with milk in various dilutions - won't cure but is claimed to reduce...

Thanks for your answers. Tried the meths and it worked a treat, will repeat as nesessary.

I found this online hope it helps...Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: prefers moist, well-drained acidic soil but will grow in sandy or normal soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Other features: light blue berries (July) Hardiness: fully hardyGarden care: Prepare the ground well before...

Hey, you know Charlie, you may have put your finger on the problem. You are giving it too much of the GOOD LIFE. :rolleyes: Just mist it daily & feed & water occasionally & keep out of direct sunlight... Allot of these thrive on neglect.... :eek:

Hi Poppy, Yes it's the quick fix and the instant solution that people go for. Too many people see instant television garden make overs by designers who know nothing about gardening. So they go to the garden centres, buy plants in bloom, dig holes and then scatter pellets as thick as confetti...

timecharger:Yes and no. Cloches will not keep slugs out but you can control the environment better and keep out birds and frogs etc. so there is less risk from using slug pellets. They tend to last longer as they are not washed out by rain.Most cold frames and greenhouses also have gaps...