Keep Carrot Fly at Bay with Netting & Companions
Carrot Fly has an annoying habit of ruining the roots, so that instead of pulling up beautiful carrots like the ones pictured, you end up pulling up a sad looking…
Problems and Pests
Dealing with Aphids
One of the most common pests in the veg patch, aphids suck the sap from stems and, if numbers are too much, can be quite troublesome with your veg plants….
5 essentials for keeping pests at bay this year
Slugs, aphids, caterpillars… these pests can be disheartening if they eat more of your veggies than you do. Prevention is better than cure! Planting lots of companion plants is a…
What’s up with my leeks?
Leeks are not always in tip-top condition when it comes to pulling them up. Here are a few possible scenarios that you may encounter…
Algae in greenhouses or tunnels/cloches
You may notice algae growing on the soil in greenhouses or polytunnels, or under any cloche tunnels. This is actually quite common at this time of year when the surface…
Watch out for Leaf Spot
If you’re growing spinach or chard at the moment, or any other beet plants, you may notice some chocolate brown/purple spots appearing on their leaves. It can be more prevalent…
Why your plants may not be thriving
Perhaps some newly planted winter lettuces are looking droopy, or some young kale seems to neither be dying nor growing like the Red Russian Kale pictured above which was planted…
Should I use fleece or mesh netting for autumn plants?
The two can seem interchangeable, but in fact they do not do quite the same job… Use horticultural fleece for warmth (and insect protection) Horticultural fleece is designed primarily for…
How to minimise slug damage in autumn
Slugs remain active at this time of year, and if it is a mild winter, they may well stay active right through until spring. One disadvantage of autumn is that…
Alternaria leaf spot on brassicas
This is a common disease that strikes a lot of plants in the brassica family, like broccoli, kale and cabbage leaves. It is particularly prevalent during prolonged periods of warm,…
Planting for autumn? Protect against slugs…
Pests are generally less of a problem in autumn and winter, but there is one that you need to keep at bay when planting out your new veggies in September/October….slugs!…