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can encourage the problem. Compost sold specifically for tomatoes, such as grow bags, contains sufficient calcium for a good crop of fruits. Never apply fertiliser to dry soil, always give plants plenty of water first. tomatoes, peppers

Wasps love feeding on soft, juicy fruit. They can break through the skins of grapes, peaches and plums, and quickly nibble out sizeable cavities, but fruit with tougher skins such as apples and pears must first be broken open by pecking birds before

Sun-loving tomatoes can suffer outdoors during spells of cold weather, with ideal temperatures from 18-24˚C and no lower than 13˚C. If it is too cold there might be poor pollination, curling of leaves and the fruits might be scarred, with holes

problems affecting fruit bushes and treesGrey mould on soft fruitsApple sooty blotchPeach leaf curlBrown rot on apples, pears and plums

The cause of the splits is invariably irregular watering. When the tree suddenly gets a hefty drink following a period of drought, the apples quickly expand, which often leads to the skin cracking. The fruit usually produces a corky, scab

Apple sooty blotch is caused by an overwintering fungus, which is typically found on trees or branches growing in shade and damp. It creates a splatter of dark, sooty spots all over the skin of the fruit, although the flesh isn't affected at all

can cause fruit to split, will help reduce the likelihood of an attack. Spray the tree with myclobutanil during the summer.apples, pears, plumssummer, winterCommon problems affecting fruit treesPear leal blister mitePear wasp damageApple and pear scab

Left unchecked, canker can gradually spread to affect whole branches and sections of trees. Severely-infected old trees may be beyond rescue, while young trees are vulnerable to infection, particularly where other susceptible trees are growing

the fungus before the leaves emerge from the buds. peach, nectarine, apricot and almond treesall year roundMore advice on growing fruitTraining a nectarine tree videoRemoving pear leaf blister miteKeeping apple sawfly at bayMonty's favourite fruit varieties

-the-counter solution.pearssummer, autumn, winterMore advice on growing pear treesRemoving codling moth from pear treesTreating apple and pear scabPreventing pear leaf blister mite