As usual an amazing variety of questions were answered at Chelsea by the advice team – the top ten were:
1. Lily beetles These conspicuous beetles are on the move in spring and promnpt action is needed to stop them devastating lilies
2. Growing asparagus
3. Viburnum beetles Holes begin to appear on viburnums now and the beetle grubs are present on the undersides of leaves
4. Citrus – caring for them after a stressful period indoors over-winter Repotting, feeding and placing outside in summer are the usual remedies, but we find inadvertant over-watering is the commonest cause of citrus death
5. Wisteria – sudden leaf browning. The casue of this is often hard to find, but we suspect that graft incompatibility may be to blame, particularly where suckers are arising from the base, but the main part of the climber has died back. Check the graft region for significant differences between the wood above and below the graft. Unfortunately replacement is usually called for.
6. Wisteria Scale - this pest has been in the news and our insect experts have sumarised the situation here
7. Failure of recently planted trees and shrubs The recent sun and wind has drawn mosture out of newly planted trees and shrubs taking many gardeners by surprise. Prompt watering or even lifting plants, soaking the rootball in a bucket of water and replanting, can save the plant
8. Getting rid of ground elder
9. Rose pruning
10. Caterpillars – why are there so many this year? Our insect experts point out that numbers of insects fluctuate naturally but possible bird mortality might have been higher this winter due to the colder than usual conditions. However plentiful caterpillars should mean well fed-fledglings. Winter moths have been especially noticeable this spring
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