Search - Articles

Purple-striped green beetles, 8mm long, congregate among the leaves, which they feed on. The beetles lay elongated eggs beneath the leaves from September and continue to do so on warm days right through winter. These hatch after a couple of weeks

Airborne fungal spores land on buds to infest newly-emerging leaves in spring. The fungus feeds on the young leaves and affects their development so that they become distorted. The smaller leaf size makes them less efficient at making food

in the region of 50 to 55 mm.In insects, small size is sometimes attributed to poor nutrition during the larval stage. Since painted lady caterpillars feed on thistles, food shortage seems unlikely...unless, perhaps, the recent poor weather meant that its

an egg into the acorn, it alsoinjects a cocktail of chemicals that causes the acorn's growth to be interrupted. Then as the grub feeds inside it too secretes chemicals thatalter the normal development of the acorn forcing it to grow into the knopper

, and the children are always impressed by how both male and female parents feed their young. Sparrows may be small, brown and not particularly exciting to look at, but I love them. They melt my heart, they really do. I know some gardeners are driven crazy

, or sparrows, which come in small groups, starlings always arrive mob-handed. It's hard counting them, as they're constantly on the move.And exactly what they're feeding on as they peck their way across my lawn is a mystery. Can there really be enough worms

act swiftly, I can resolve the problem by next year, or the year after at worst.Those bulbs have simply used up more of their 'resources' than they can afford, and need a bit of help. So, I'm resolving to:i) Feed them at the roots.ii) Spray the foliage

with a mulch of straw or ash.AdamWater regularly but sparingly and feed fortnightly during the growing season with a high-potash fertiliser, such as tomato feed. Agapanthus flower best when they're slightly pot bound, so plant them in a container smaller

Make fat cakes for the birdsEnjoy watching birds feeding in your garden all through the winter by making your own fat cakes for them. Feeding garden birds is important for their survival over the coming months so make up a pot of our mixture

The culprit is the flea beetle, which, like its namesake, jumps away when disturbed. The small, shiny, black, brown or blue beetles emerge in April and May, after winter hibernation, ready to start feeding. Eggs laid near host plants hatch in late