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as soon as it appears. It's armed with extremely sharp stems from tip to ground, so don't tackle it without a sturdy pair of gloves. Creeping thistle is a rampant weed that's spread via wind-blown seeds, as well as roots that can grow 6-12m per year

The culprit is Trionymus diminutus, a 4mm sap-feeding mealybug that breeds relentlessly when the weather is warm and isn't killed by winter frosts. It deposits a white, waxy substance at the base of the sheathed phormium leaves. A mild infestation is not a problem, but in excess ...

A viral infection, for which, sadly, there is no cure. Some cannas seem able to shrug it off, but it has the potential to spread quickly from plant to plant, so it's best to remove and dispose of affected individuals at the first sign of trouble. It

surrounding gardens, fields and waste-ground.Clump of leaves growing from a single or multiple point. Leaves and flower stalks ooze a milky substance when snapped. Bright yellow-orange flowers are followed by a fluffy seedhead or dandelion 'clock'.Remove

plant can produce 20,000 seeds in its short lifetime. Fat hen is a weed that will quickly spread and colonise any open ground, competing with your other plants for nutrients.Hand weed or hoe out seedlings as they appear, or smother them with a good layer

root using a knife or spike-like daisy grubber. Also, make sure you remove the flower spikes before they get a chance to produce seed.In paving or flowerbeds, apply a systemic weedkiller to the foliage of greater plantains. In lawns, use a selective

seedlings as they appear, or smother them with a good layer of compost or mulch. Try to remove plants before they flower and seed to slow its spread. Use a total weedkiller, such as glyphosate. Avoid spraying on a windy day and near other desirable plants

in no time. The best organic control is digging the plant out and trimming it to keep it in check if you don't want to remove it altogether. If it spreads onto the lawn it can be controlled by mowing. If you don't want to dig it out, you can spot

, the productivity of the tree isn't usually affected.Miniscule gall mites live in the foliage of pear trees. In spring, they secrete chemicals that cause blotches to appear on new foliage. These eventually turn black and the leaf dies, usually in late summer. Remove

. Plants are also able to overwinter.Small short-lived annual plants which spread rapidly by means of small seeds dispersed from spring-like seedpods. Remove young plants before they get a chance to flower and set seed. Pull them out individually by hand