If you cherish your gooseberry crop, keep an eye out for gooseberry sawfly, which can devastate the foliage on your gooseberry bush. They first thing you’ll notice is that the foliage will start to disappear and then when you look underneath remaining leaves you will see little green caterpillars with […]
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The tips of broad bean plants are something of a magnet for blackfly (black aphids). These will cause stunted growth and affect the quality of the pods. So what can you do about it? 1. Prevention. When the flowers on the plant start to set (produce pods) at the bottom […]
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My rosemary plant has what looks like white foamy spit on the stems. What is causing this? Mrs R Peters, Dorset This is called cuckoo spit as it often appears in spring around about the time you start hearing cuckoos calling. It is common on certain plants such as lavender […]
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How do I protect my brassicas, they always get eaten? Several rows of young Brussels sprout plants were destroyed overnight by something Mr H Graham, Suffolk Brussels, cabbages and in fact all brassicas are prone to damage by pigeons and cabbage white caterpillars. The only way to prevent the damage […]
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Why are my carrots all forked and misshapen? Mrs P, Dorset Soil that is stony or has compacted layers can cause roots of carrots and other root crops to fork. Also additions of manure or manure type fertiliser can cause this too. They need a fertile soil but add your […]
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If after sowing tomatoes the seedlings are a little tall and leggy simply lift and replant them. Bury the stem deeper and this will encourage new roots to grow from the stem and help produce a stronger plant. Keep in a bright spot and not too warm to grow on. […]
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Journalist Ella Hendrix explains how gardening help to alleviate the stresses and strains of modern living There is a lot happening in the world at the moment, and it can sometimes be a little overwhelming and difficult to escape from. Combine these global affairs with the general ups-and-downs of life […]
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