Pests and Diseases

Ants in the garden more of a nuisance than a real problem. They rarely damage plants.

Aphids are the most common of all pests and almost every plant from the smallest shrub to the tallest oak tree can potentially become infested.

Black Spot is a common problem on roses. Prevention is better than the cure so it’s important to know the symptoms and methods to control it.

Blossom End Rot is a common problem of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines grown in a greenhouse caused by erratic watering or dryness at the root.

Bud Blast is a fungus disease spread by rhododendron Leaf Hopper which lay their eggs on the flower buds of these plants.

Capsid Bugs are nasty little green things about 6mm long with six long legs. They love tips of young shoots and have wide tastes.

Yes they will eat through fruit leaves, stems and even roots but one day the very hungry, creepy crawly before you may become a beautiful butterfly.

Cockroaches are a nocturnal household pest that will eat almost anything, even the grease on walls and the wallpaper.

Cuckoo Spit is a mass of frothy bubbles on stems of plants, in particular chrysanthemum, geum and solidago.

Earwigs eat the developing buds of chrysanthemums and dahlias. These bugs cause damage to plants as they eat the young leaves and flowers.

Certain species of the adult Flea Beetle are fond of Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Swede and other brassicas; some like Potatoes.

Temperatures below zero will always affect tender plants, and sometimes hardy ones when grown in containers.

Grey Mould is an extremely common fungus and grows on many plants. Its greyish fuzzy fungal growth develops over infected areas.

Iron can be locked up in soil so roots of raspberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias and other ericaceous plants cannot absorb any reserves.

Leaf Hoppers are yellowish in colour. The immature nymphs are creamy white and crawl. Both nymphs and adults feed on the sap of plants.

Leaf Spots can be of various colours – grey, brown or black. The spots are in fact dead leaf tissue caused by fungus which spreads the disease.

Pale yellow areas develop especially on foliage of fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes and rhododendrons are especially prone to show symptoms.

Nitrogen is a major nutrient that determines plant growth and green leaves. It is easily lost through winter rains so balanced feeding is needed.

Peach Leaf Curl is a crippling fungal disease of peaches, nectarines, almonds and apricots that distorts leaves and causes premature leaf fall.

Potash Deficiency is only a problem on tired soils that are deprived of organic matter or remain unfed for some time.

Rat and mouse activity is usually first noticed in the autumn when rats and mice are looking for a warm shelter where there is food available.

Rose suckers are thin sappy light green stems coming from the root stock. Usually has different leaf patterning and colour from the named variety.

Scale Insects are sap feeding bugs that gradually weaken plants. So called because a colony on the leaf or stem of plants resemble fish scales.

Leaf not growing normally? To track the causes and alleviate the symptoms you will need to be more specific.

Slugs and snails, there’s no need to tell you what they look like. The silvery trails will tell you where they came from and where they went after lunching.

Thrips (also called Thunder Flies) are yet another sap feeding insect but one with a difference: this one will happily feed on the surface of a leaf.

Vine Weevils are particularly rampant in containers but at least they are somewhat restricted to the plants in the container.

Social Wasps, the species that live together in nests, are certainly a garden pest if they are eating soft fruit on the trees.

Large numbers of woodlice may appear in your house gaining entry though cracks, doors and windows. They prefer damp conditions.

Weedkiller, pesticide and fungicide sensible precautions during usage, storage and disposal.