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soothes sore throats.Take one teaspoonful four to five times a day until symptoms improve. If symptoms persist after a week, consult your doctor.Large, fresh onionJar of clear honeyBowlFunnelSterilised bottleCling filmall year round20 minutesPeel, top

Of the black, red and yellow ants that are commonly seen in the garden, only the red ones (from the Myrmica species) sting. Other than that, ants are more of a nuisance than a pest. They feed mostly on insects, including other ants, and honeydew, the sweet sticky substance that a...

Creamy-yellow larvae hatch from the white eggs of the carrot fly, Psila rosae, and tunnel into the roots of carrots and other related plants, such as parsnips and celery. The damage creates brown scarring on the exterior of the taproots. Damaged roots are then susceptible to seco...

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-summer. The beetles feed for a f...

Mole hills - piles of fresh, excavated soil - don't fully convey the extent of one mole's underground tunnel system, which can cover a surprisingly large area. If a young plant isn't developing, it could be due to tunnelling beneath it. Seedlings can also suffer badly when their ...

Every garden has its fair share of slugs and the bad news is that they are around for most of the year. They're active mostly after dark, especially when it's damp. In hot dry weather they bury themselves to avoid dehydrating.Holes are chewed in soft, new growth, young stems are ...

Turn over a leaf and you'll see 2mm long white flies. With a life cycle of just three weeks, whitefly breed very fast. Both adults and offspring are sap feeders and a severe attack will weaken a plant. They excrete the sticky excess, called honeydew

The common, quick-spreading fungal disease Botrytis cinerea strikes in damp, humid weather, and often enters the lettuce through a cut or tear in a leaf. Affected leaves are inedible and should be thrown away but not composted. The worst scenario is when the lettuce is attacked a...

The white powdery coating on a curcubit's leaves is made up of spreading fungal spores. This affects the plant's performance, with growth, flowering and fruiting all being adversely affected. In extreme cases, the mildew can lead to dieback and even kill a plant. Since there are ...

with copper fungicide every 10 days or so. They don't provide 100 per cent protection, but an attack will be slowed down and you should get a ripe crop.potatoes, tomatoessummer, autumn, winterMore advice on growing potatoesAdvice on earthing up potatoes