Welcome to the problem solving forum

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.

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".

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...)

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

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

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!  

Hello Pansy,

Have a look at our advice on dealing with brown rot, at http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/problems/fruit-and-nuts/brown-rot/377.html - it lists a few more actions you can take. Hygiene is key. Please do let us know how you get on. Quinces can be lovely trees and you can do amazing things with the fruit.

Emma.

gardenersworld.com team

Hi there, I don't have a greenhouse, so this year for the first time I grew chillies and basil in front of my french windows. I had 10 chillie plants which were very successful and 2 really good pots of basil. However, after a couple of days away I came back to find one basil plant completely smothered in aphids. To cut the story short I lost both pots of basil and after several trips outside to treat the chillies I just gave up the hassle and harvested them. I read about how to treat plants with aphids, but it was so time consuming I don't know wether to bother again this year. I was wondering if anyone can tell me wether there are certain types of conditions, inside, that encourage the aphids to thrive. ie, humidity, heat, direct sunligh?  The basil appeared to be  the main culprit and I reckon the chillies would have been fine on their own. Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Regarding queries about white fly, I planted marigolds last year next to alot of my veges, and the white fly were far less, so perhaps this might help?

Hi!

I wonder if Dinah's advice about putting garlic powder tea on her wisteria, would work for mine.  I've had it for about seven years and it has never flowered.  It has lots of lovely leaves and I have been pruning it twice a year as the experts advise.

Can't do any harm if I try it anyway!

We have just had a new patio constructed ( 4 months since completion) and already a significant area is turning plae green. Would appreciate advice on best way to tackle this before it covers the whole patio please

I have problems with voles they have eating tulips and keep one in their larder......before i start the new allotment iwould like to solve the problem....any idea

Hi, I've taken on a new allotment and it`s covered in weed. So what I've done is I've sprayed all with roundup! Have I done the wrong thing with roundup? co`s it does only kills the weed not the earth and can I put my rotivator over it then plant??

Hi sue' The only reason i could think of for your snowdrop bulbs moving up to the soil surface would be moles. Have you had problems with moles?