Pebble Garden

Purple sprouting Broccoli

I am completely new to growing Brassicas and my purple sprouting Broccolli was growing well until last week. I noticed some small holes appearing in the leaves on some of the plants and thougt at first it was slugs. However I have now noticed that black spots are forming on the underside of the leaves, which are eating right through to the surface side and forming holes. I think this is the wrong colour for the Blister Fungus. Any ideas on what it is, whether it will effect my crop and if so how to treat it?

Nathalie

Lawn maintainace

We laid a new lawn in April on the back plot. I have been intending to scarify, airate and dress this Autumn, but have had no time inbetween the rain until now. Our beautiful green new turf has developed yellow blades this autumn and the lawn is beginning to look slightly sorrow for itself. Since the heavy rain the suface area squelches underfoot. Although we did topsoil and preapare the surface beforehand, the underlying soil is clay. I think with all the rain and foot traffic the soil is compacted and would benefit from airating and top dressing. However the temperature is dropping and frost is predicted over the next few nights and I am concerned that I will damage the grass roots. Or is grass hardy enough to cope? Advice would be welcome. Thanks in advance Nathalie

Cutting back to recovery

Thank you for advice that I received on this forum to cut back my brown leaved and  withering Heucherella, suspected to be suffering from a fungus. I said I would report on its progress and I am pleased to say that it is recovering  from its drastic haircut, with a nice head of green variegated leaves.

In the middle of the summer an aquilega was covered in a rust/fungus and it looked so bad that I thought the plant was beyond rescuing. I cut back all the stems to the roots to remove the diseased plant material, intending to dig up the roots and dispose of them too. Well I was busy for a few days and when I returned with my spade the plant was already re-sprouting, so I left it. Within a few weeks the plant had developed a nice new head of leaves again and with feeding has become larger and far more beautiful than before.

The last two issues of gardener's world has given advice on pruning trees and shrubs. I have learnt this year that perenials can benefit from a pruning sometimes too!

Sick Heucherella

Thanks for your responses Christopher, Christine and Jean.

I went out this morning and lifted the Heucherella and at first thought I had spotted some vine weevil grubs, but quickly realised they were white worms!  Not many, only about five of the small  wrigglers. 

 Anyway I checked the roots, all seem intact and no sign of grubs and to be honest I was quite relieved. So I have followed Jeans advice on treating the Heucherella for rust ( thanks for the web-link, very useful). I replanted the Heucherella with some fresh compost and root fungi and gave it a good dousing of seaweed tonic. I then proceeded with the drastic haircut and now wait to see if it grows back healthily. I have some Rose clear already in the shed to spray on the new growth when it appears. I will post the outcome

Sick Heucherella

Thanks for that Christopher and Christine. My heucherella is a green variety called Tapestry. I will dig around the roots and have a look.  I 'm searching for white grubs with brown heads? (correct me if I am wrong, I have never seen them before). If I find vine weevil grubs, what is the best way to get rid of them without damaging the plant roots further?

Sick Heucherella

I bought a Heucherella about 8 weeks ago from a garden centre, not only because it looked nice, but because it is famed to be generally disease and pest free. A few leaves were brown at the base on purchase, but this can be normal with potted plants. I tidied the plant up and transplanted with good compost and some bonemeal. The plant seemed to respond by spreading quite fast, but at the same time leaves kept turning orange brown, with shiny brown patches in the leaves which would then start to wilt. I kept removing the damaged leaves, but noticed that the initial spread was quickly being stunted by the disease and now the plant is shrinking as a result. I have looked up problems for the plant on the internet. It is not rust, because the brown patches are shiny within the leaf structure. No raised spots. I then found a picture of a diseased heucherella leaf on the internet and instantly recognised it as the same as my plant. It was bacterial leaf spot , Xanthomonas species. I then realised the web site was American and this disease is a common problem with Heucherella in the states. I have researched so many UK sites, but none mention bacterial leaf spot in the short list of problems that Heucherella can experience. As anyone else heard of it on Heucherella in the U.K?Nathalie S

Paper for Organic Compost?

How do I chit sprouted Poatoes?

Sprouting Tulip Bulbs

To All Veg Growers

Purple sprouting Broccoli

Lawn maintainace

Cutting back to recovery

Sick Heucherella