Garden Problem Solving
Other problems to keep a look out for…
Every gardener runs into problems, and the first thing to say is do not panic. In fifty years I have seen very few that could not be put right, or at least lived with, once you understand what is actually going on. Most trouble in a garden comes down to a handful of causes, and the knack is reading the signs and matching the cause to the cure rather than reaching for a spray at the first sign of a nibbled leaf.
In this section I help you work out what has gone wrong and what to do about it: the common pests and how to deal with them before they take hold, the diseases worth worrying about and the many that are not, and the problems that are nothing to do with pests at all but down to soil, water, weather or how a plant has been grown. The aim throughout is a clear answer first, then the detail if you want it.
Start by looking closely and describing what you see, that is half the diagnosis done. The guides below cover the problems gardeners ask about most, with practical, tried-and-tested ways to deal with them.
Why are Busy Lizzies dying
When healthy busy Lizzies suddenly collapse, yellow and shed their leaves, the usual culprit is impatiens downy mildew, a .....
What’s eating the edges of fuchsia leaves
The fuchsias should be looking at their best in the summer, but look a little closer and you may .....
Why won’t flower buds open on daylilies
One of the delights of daylilies is the abundance of flowers that they produce in summer, but what's the .....
How to deal with greenfly, blackfly and other aphids
Certain seasons produce a preponderance of particular pests and this summer certainly seems to be the one for blackfly and .....
What’s causing the yellow streaks on leaves
In both spring and summer you may find the tell-tale signs of virus in the form of yellow streaks on .....
How to deal with bindweed
While many of the summer weeds that pop up in the garden can be dealt with using a hoe .....
Why have the leaves dropped from ‘Red Robin’
It is almost always natural leaf fall, not a dying plant. Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin' sheds its oldest .....
What makes a plant a weed
Spring warmth and moisture invariably encourage a rash of seedlings and shoots to appear in borders but it can be .....
Plants for shade
While many gardeners struggle to find plants that will cope with shade in its many forms, I relish the .....
How to stop daisies growing in the lawn
Daisies in a lawn are usually a sign that the ground beneath has become compacted, where grass struggles but .....