Pests, Diseases and Cures

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...

Another source of copper is old appliance cable. Strip the outer cover off to free the wires. Cut into lenths about 18" long, bare an end, wrap it around a pair of pliers so you can get a good grip and firmly pull the wire from the sleeve. Be carefull as friction can make it quite hot!Idealy...

Hornbeam...I'll stick with my normal organic method ...seek and crush!..No chem's in my plot either thank you!!

Rositu, have you seen the video that Hornbeam reminded us of recently: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/lifeintheundergrowth/video.shtml Leopard slugs mating- strangely beautiful if you don't mind slime! I remember seeing it on tv ages ago and being amazed. I didn't know those facts...

P of S - has your neighbour got a pond. I have no pond in my garden yet it is alive with frogs of all ages - because not only has my neighbour a pond, but the conditions are right for them in my gardenFrogs like shady places amongst foliage, where the slugs and other things they feed on lurk....

The black marks on your pear leaves could be either scab or pear leaf fleck. The treatment is the same. Spray according to the packet instructions with a fungicide. I use a copper sulphate based one, but there are others widely availabel.

Hello,can anyone help me with an organic cure for root rot- I am guessing its Phytophthora. It has killed of a few of my pelargoniums in the house this winter and although I cleaned up before sowing it now seems to be affecting my new seedlings that were germinated in the same location. I...

I'm not sure if the railway sleepers had anything to do with your problem - a friend of mine lost a number of plants and he put it down to the residual oil/tar products in okl sleepers!

35mm - that's as wide as a film! Transparency sounds like some sort of chrysalis. Found in the soil suggests leather jackets. Need a piccy, please!

Sounds more like chafer grub Capital Gardens: Chafer Grub Bio Control

Thanks Liz and Palustris for your replies.I went to check straight away and cut 2 stems and although they are very thin there is definitely no staining inside. I notice now some of the silver is turning black but the flowers are still beautiful - I will keep an eye on it and maybe treat it to...

Aw Waco says most of the flowers grown in this country are polinated or fed on by flying insects. I can't think of any that would actually act as deterant. I would suggest that you seek treatment for the phobia if you want to grow flowers - or indeed if you want to enjoy outside spaces....

My own experience with the nematodes is that although they are a bit pricy they normally work pretty well - you can have a conflict with the adult and juvenile slugs as I believe the nematodes tend to target the infants - so you may have to use them in conjunction with something else for the...

What happened to your piccies, steeev? If you need help posting pics try this link

This as the first year in a long time that my pansies have not been destroyed by aphids, maybe i've been lucky but this has been the coldest winter here for about 10 years and may have killed them off. Normally they have thrived in the mild winters and sucked the life out of the plants. Problem...

dendrobium, I'm grovelling. :D :D :D and Petes Agarve is "dead in the pot". :D :D :D

Thanks Pete,I drained the water away once they became moist, Mum has the same problem. She thinks they may have been overwatered for the journey :(

Hope Waco doesn't read my rant in the humour thread.! :eek: No beetle yet but I only have one stargazer to look out for.