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Welcome to the problem solving forum

Don't be downcast if your favourite plants are ravaged by bugs, beetles or blight. Share your woes with fellow gardeners, and someone will come to your aid. Similarly, if you can answer a cry for help, please do so!

Daniel Haynes

Editor, gardenersworld.com

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Posts

  • I agree with Daniel above and of course your own garden experts.  Write in what the layman gardener says and what your experts say to their questions on garden problems and how the layman gardener solves a problem in the garden.image

  • Yes there's a lot of good expereince out there! Has anyone a solution to whitefly on outdoor Brussel Sprouts? I don't want to use chemicals but, with the very dry summer, in this area anyway, the whitefly has devastated the crop. Many thanks!

  • It may be because this is just a trial site but the edit key doesn't work! I want to correct my spelling of "experience".

  • Sean FishpoolSean Fishpool Posts: 18 admin
    JSeymour wrote (see)

    It may be because this is just a trial site but the edit key doesn't work! I want to correct my spelling of "experience".

    Ah, it's true... a fix is coming shortly. (If only I could promise the same about your whitefly...)

  • Daniel HaynesDaniel Haynes Posts: 393 admin

    Hello CyprusLenny. Yes, we're very much looking forward to site visitors contributing their own solutions to gardening problems - it will greatly enrich the site if everyone shares their collective experience. image

  • happymarionhappymarion Posts: 4,591

    And we oldies can remember years way back that had drought, bad winters(1963!!!),wet summers, but I must say this year with its early summer in spring time and spring in October takes a lot of beating.

  • Hello J Seymour,

    Some people recommend using a small hand-held vacuum cleaner on whitefly. You are supposed to attack them in the morning when it is cold and they are sluggish. Next you put the vacuum cleaner in the freezer overnight and empty it the next morning. I haven't tried this myself. Silver foil used as a mulch is also suggested. This should be put down at the time of planting. Removal of old leaves and debris is also good to get rid of eggs and young.

    Thank you for coming on to the forum with this problem. Please do let us know how you are getting on.

    Emma.

    gardenersworld.com team

  • DinahDinah Posts: 294

    Just in case anyone found using garlic good for keeping slugs off, I expreimented with garlic powder purchased from an Asian Supermarket. I made a strong tea out of it, let it cool, painted it on and for the first time all year my fig plant and my medler and my wisteria actualy got to grow and photosynthasis from the leaves that they sprouted. Powder is, I think at least, easier to use than lots of cloves of fresh garlic boild up.

  • Hello Dinah,

    Thanks for a great tip. I would like to try it myself. Do let us know if you have any other successful solutions to share.

    Emma

    gardenersworld.com team

  • pansy2pansy2 Posts: 28

    Hi , I have a large, old Quince tree but every year the quinces suffer from brown rot and we rarely get to eat any.  I was told it was too dry  so in went loads of ash and compsost and leaf mould......if anything the problem is worse now, even the leaves had brown patches on them this year.   I clear up and burn all the leaves  and all the bad fruit is carefully disposed of.  What else can I try please?   Please don't say it is too wet after all my hard work!  

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