Tackling summer problems

Pests and diseases are an on-going battle for us all

NO gardens are immune to pests and disease and this summer has seen a welter of both in our patch, with both ornamental and edible plants targeted.

The garlic was hit by leek rust, but luckily shortly before harvest so the bulbs had time to grow well and not be shrivel as a result.

Leek rust is a disfiguring fungal problem that presents as bright orange pustules on the leaves of members of the allium family. It can be caused by over-crowding and too much nitrogen in the soil, so after harvest we will bin all the affected plant material and practice crop rotation so next year’s onions and garlic are grown somewhere else.

Our worst hit plant is a young ‘Jonagold’ apple tree that fruited well last year but this year has been hit by a double-whammy of severe blackfly infestations and winter moth caterpillars.