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, which can encourage sooty mould to develop. It's more of a problem in urban areas where temperatures are higher.Scrape the eggs off by hand and move them to an alternative tree, or destroy them.Spray with an insecticide containing imidaclprid

into the planting hole. For established roses, a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant will help. Before symptoms appear, apply a fungicide containing flutriafol or myclobutanil at the recommended intervals from early spring.roses - other powdery mildews

changing from pink to blue...a clear illustration of the affect of pH on plants.My garden soil must have got more alkaline, possibly through watering with 'hard' tap water during hot weather last summer, hence the pink flowers this year. I'll need to change

and trusted varieties. I always grow a few 'Tumbler' for home - they're cute and contained so perfectly for the patio. 'Sungold' and 'Gardeners' Delight' are my favourite tomato varieties. This year I'm trying a new variety, 'Sweet Olive', which

full of holes - leafcutter bees are delightful creatures and I'm more than happy to share my garden with them.This summer I saw no evidence of leafcutter bee activity on the leaves of my plants, but witnessed something much more exciting. When emptying

I’m cross! I'm fed up and I bet I'm not alone in my anger. I keep buying so-called frost-proof pots, but they always seem to break anyway.I tend to buy pots and containers marketed as being 'frost-proof'. It's the most sensible option as (in theory

into the recycling bin (hopefully your local authority does collect and recycle a good range of materials), but I'm sure there are still a few gardeners out there who could benefit from doing more.For instance, all cardboard rolls, tubes or egg boxes make great

I hope you had a good Christmas and a break from your normal routine - maybe a little extra sleep and a lot of extra time in the garden or greenhouse. I’m enjoying the post-Christmas peace and quiet, and the chance to spot some winter birdlife

.Sempervivum and Jovibarba species are commonly grown in containers, but they can thrive in bricks, driftwood and tufa rock, because of their ability to grow in very little compost. South-facing rockeries, gravel gardens and vertical walls also make good habitats

the metal cones in direct sunlight.AdamWater your hanging basket twice a day during summer months to ensure they don't dry out.More hanging basket and container ideasPlanting up a hanging basket - video guide with Sarah RavenRachel de Thame's video guide