Box Blight Disease 

Box Blight refers to two separate fungi that attack Common Box and Dwarf Box.It does not affect Box-Leaf Holly, nor Sweet Box. The two fungi can be present together. Cylindrocladium buxicola is relatively new in the UK. It causes dead spots on leaves, and eventually full defoliation, killing the plant. It can be identified by the wispy grey-white fungus on the… Continue reading Box Blight Disease 

Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch

What are these brown spots on my conker tree’s leaves? Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch is a fungal condition called Guignardia aesculi that affects horse chestnuts, not sweet chestnut. The main symptom is irregular brown blotches on the leaves, starting at the edges, from late June. Although Horse Chestnut leaf blotch is not pretty, it does not… Continue reading Horse Chestnut Leaf Blotch

Silver Leaf Diagnosis & Treatment

There is no need to be afraid of Silver Leaf disease, which rarely affects Cherry and Plum trees in gardens, and even then typically on old trees.  The disease is a concern for orchard owners, who have their livelihoods on the line with long rows of the same variety, creating the ideal environment for disease to spread. With that said, when you have a… Continue reading Silver Leaf Diagnosis & Treatment

Powdery Mildew Disease

What is this White Fungus on my Trees and Hedges? Powdery Mildew is caused by a group of fungi that form a grey-white coating on leaves. Sometimes it’s so thick that it looks like the leaves were spray-painted, and sometimes it’s hard to see the fungus itself, only the damage it causes. Powdery Mildew can… Continue reading Powdery Mildew Disease

Laurel Leave “Shot Hole” Disease

Why Are There Holes in My Laurel Leaves? If it looks like something is eating Swiss cheese style holes in your cherry laurel or Portugal laurel hedge, it’s a harmless condition called Laurel Shot Hole. It may seem like a mysterious insect has been eating your leaves, but Shot Hole is caused by a couple of different fungi,… Continue reading Laurel Leave “Shot Hole” Disease

Coral Spot Fungus Disease

Coral Spot Identification Coral spot’s small orange-pink pustules are very distinctive. The fungus is active and producing spores almost year round, but you mainly see it in Winter. What is Coral Spot, and How Bad is It? Coral Spot fungus, Nectria cinnabarina, is mainly saprophytic, meaning it eats dead wood. But it can become a serious parasite… Continue reading Coral Spot Fungus Disease

Rose Black Spot Disease

What are these black spots and yellow patches on my rose’s leaves? Black spots on rose leaves, usually surrounded by yellowing areas, are caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae, the most widespread and serious fungal disease affecting members of the rose family. Black Spot spores lie dormant in the soil over Winter, then rise up and… Continue reading Rose Black Spot Disease

Year Round Guide To Essential Garden Jobs

January Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Bulbs Olive and Bay Nature Other February Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Bulbs Olive and Bay Nature Other March Hedging Fruit Trees Garden Trees Roses Soft Fruit Climbers Lavender Bulbs Olive and Bay Herbs and Veg Borders and Flowers Other April… Continue reading Year Round Guide To Essential Garden Jobs

How To Make Leaf Mould

What is Leaf Mould? Raking up leaves is part of a gardener’s life. The best way to make use of all those leaves is to keep them as mulch, compost, or leaf mould: that crumbly, airy, free draining stuff that improves soil, and makes a superb potting medium for seeds and cuttings. Which Leaves Should… Continue reading How To Make Leaf Mould

How To Use Horticultural Fleece on Pots

Wrap up outdoor potted plants to protect them from frost for Winter When Winter frosts are on their way, sensitive plants that aren’t practical to move into shelter should be wrapped up to protect them from the freezing weather. This is most important for tender plants, but even relatively hardy bay leaf trees can still… Continue reading How To Use Horticultural Fleece on Pots

Best Plants for a Small Garden Wildlife Hedge

A good hedge is an invaluable addition to any garden. It delineates and disguises boundaries, providing privacy for humans and habitats for wildlife, with nest sites for birds and foliage, blossom, nuts, and fruits to eat. The leaf litter at the base of a mature hedge is perfect for hibernating creatures, especially reptiles and amphibians,… Continue reading Best Plants for a Small Garden Wildlife Hedge

Best Plants for A Winter Garden

Tiny marvels dispel winter gloom: the uplifting power of nature! As I filled up the bird feeders yesterday, I noticed the intense dogwood stems contrasted against the fence, and the first winter clematis flowers emerging. I inhaled deeply, savouring the trace of witch hazel on the breeze. “Ah”, I said to myself, “I could feast… Continue reading Best Plants for A Winter Garden

Rootgrow by Empathy: RHS Approved Mycorrhizae AKA “Friendly Fungi”

Mycorrhizae fungi coexist with plant root systems in a sharing relationship underground The fungi give the plant water and soil nutrients in exchange for the sugars that plants make by photosynthesis Fungi grow much faster than roots, so they can increase a transplanted plant’s effective root area many times over in only a few weeks, during… Continue reading Rootgrow by Empathy: RHS Approved Mycorrhizae AKA “Friendly Fungi”

Urban Fruit Growing: Soft Fruit Edition

Wiltshire-based garden designer Dan Combes wonders why there aren’t more berries, especially in urban areas and their small gardens where a fruit tree might be too big Over the last the weeks, I have planted thousands of bulbs: all inedible. But why (London, I’m talking to you especially) am I not being asked to plant… Continue reading Urban Fruit Growing: Soft Fruit Edition

What Garden Zone Am I In?

“Where am I, and whose garden is this?” is a common question among cider drinkers and other fun people, and it’s pretty relevant to how your garden works Great Britain has one “temperate oceanic / maritime” climate and isn’t very big, but she is still varied enough that it helps to know where your garden… Continue reading What Garden Zone Am I In?

Restoring Scottish Montane Flora & Bees for High Altitude Fruit Trees

Montane habitats are at the top of and above the treeline, where the last wind-blasted trees and shrubs grow, below the even colder alpine habitats above where only small grasses and lichens live. Being high on a mountain may be pleasant, but going up a hundred feet is like taking giant strides towards the North… Continue reading Restoring Scottish Montane Flora & Bees for High Altitude Fruit Trees

Free Plants Forever: Pay With Your Lives!

The garden centre industry is a wonderful one, full of great people working in it and great customers intent on making their street that much more beautiful. But maintaining a lush border of beautiful plants, penguins, and a specimen polar bear does not come cheap according to HortWeek: I know what you all are thinking:… Continue reading Free Plants Forever: Pay With Your Lives!

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