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Tiny sap-sucking scale insects. They are 1-6mm long, and their whitish, grey-brown shells are covered by protective, waxy scales. The insects don't cause too much damage unless they are present in huge numbers, but some excrete an unsightly, sticky
The distortion, known as fasciation, is a freak of nature, and often looks like several stems have been fused together. It's a rare phenomenon and does the plant no lasting harm. It can develop on a range of shrubs, flowers and perennials. The cause could be environmental, such a...
The caterpillars of both the small and large cabbage white butterflies are are the two culprits. The first is pale green with a body up to 2.5cm long, the second is bigger at 4cm and is yellow with black markings. The adult butterflies lay eggs
In spring and summer, pollen beetles fly in from nearby oilseed rape crops to gather in open flowers where they feed on ripe pollen. Mostly, the beetles do little harm although occasionally they may nibble into unopened flower buds and damage the developing flowers of cauliflower...
These tiny, sap-sucking pests may be only 0.5mm long but they can wreak havoc in a greenhouse or on houseplants indoors. For most of the year they are a pale green colour with two dark spots on their back; it's only in autumn and winter
The practice of removing dead flowerheads in order to encourage more blooms.
A method of pruning whereby the plant's tip is removed to encourage the production of side shoots.
An immature or small bulb found at the base of a mature bulb that may be removed to propagate additional plants.
The method of stopping a plant growing upwards by removing the growing tip, thereby encouraging the development of side shoots.
1) Barren. Incapable of producing fruit, seeds or spores.2) Aseptic, as in sand, vermiculite, perlite etc, which has been heat treated to remove all harmful living organisms.
