Pests, Diseases and Cures

I think with an infestation like that you'll want an insecticide quick! Others may have alternate solutions but I'd get the spray gun out...

I've got Blackfly on unusual plants. Foxgloves, Lupins etc. This seems very early in the season, any one else found this?

Hi Val, I think it is birds, it happens with my daffs in early spring. I caught them at it redhanded one day. They are picking clean my coco matting from my baskets aswell, looking for nesting material.

Someone on gardeners question time today on R4 had this problem, not to your extent though. The sugestions were, * Soak it for a few days, and see if the soden water will get rid of the ants. * Pop the pots on legs and in trays of water. Then unless the ants build boats or bridges they are...

I have the stuff all over my garden as well. Horrible!!!!

This says it all just perfectly :gnthb::gnthb: But I'm not beyond setting out traps in the autumn when they do start being a bit of a pest and annoying us

A longer term plan would be to grow a few nettles (in a bucket) as the smell apparently attracts ladybirds, provide good nesting sites for ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies, and grow plenty of nectar rich flowers in an attempt to get hoverflies to move in.

I had this problem with wasps in the soil last year. I was digging up and disturbed the nest and got stung on the ear (Ouch!) My ploy to defeat this nuisance (particularly as we have dogs who kept heading for the nest, was to put a hose down the hole and connect it to the HOT tap and then...

Okay, the problem has been identified by someone at my work. It's edema, probably caused by overwatering/poor drainage. I'll sort that out tonight Thanks for your help anyway, I'm sure I'll come running when the next thing goes wrong...

BigBirdAnts do not do much damage in terms of flowers and crops. The main problem for gardeners is that ants will protect aphids from attack from ladybirds in order to harvest honeydew that the aphids produce in return for their protection.

Thanks kev25v6 I will do that :gnthb:

If they are in an exposed place it could be wind burn from these strong winds we have been having these last few weeks... The only other thing is we did have a few late frosts in this area, not sure about your area, but that would have done for the new top growth too.. Some pics might help to...

Thanks, I'll try and take a photo (it's a bit wet out there just now!). Not sure how long the bush has been there as we inherited when we moved in 3 years ago, but it was already well established then. Will come back with photo soon!

"SBPI is not a bad product......but, it warped my chillis badly when I used it to try and clear a whitefly problem. So much so that most of them were next to useless."Interesting. I've got a bottle but not used it as yet. I wonder if there is anything on the instructions about plants that are...

Thanks for the great tips and all the encouragement, as it's really appreciated. Kind regards Janet

I just had to show you this cracking good picture from a photographic forum I visit. Thanks go to Ron robert

Thanks, now they are more exposed they are beginning to look more normal so I'll give it a bit.Thanks again

I have found Soapy water works as well as anything.

Well done Claire, right first time!

Well I've not tried it on mildew, but it does wash off very easily.I preferred Nimrod