Search - Articles

There are many species of aphid, often with its own favourite host plants and particular life cycle. Greenfly and blackfly are the most familiar, but there are also yellow, red, orange and brown aphids. Aphids usually spend the summer on one plant

shelter of a thick clump of pampas grass. I'm not that partial to pampas, but have discovered ladybirds emerging from an evergreen euonymus in my garden.This early population of adults is just the thing every gardener needs to keep greenfly in check. They

'm in no doubt that greenfly, blackfly and just about every other colour of aphid do not seem to be around in their usual quantity. There have been a few on the okra plants I've raised from seed and the odd one on the roses, but that's about it. I've also noticed

and Their Haunts by the Rev. C.A. Johns, was published in 1862 by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, on the back of his success with Flowers of the Field (1851). Both books were in print for over a century, and it's easy to see why.To start, Johns

are available from mail order fruit suppliers for immediate potting. Kept on greenhouse staging, they quickly grow during spring. It’s important to be vigilant for signs of greenfly or red spider mite, and to treat affected plants immediately. Warm greenhouse

There's only one thing better than receiving emails, letters and phone calls from readers and that's meeting them in person. And with Gardeners' World Live starting tomorrow (Wednesday 15 June, 2011) and running until Sunday I'm looking forward