Chewy, Stringy Celery?
Conditions have not been ideal for growing celery this summer – it is a thirsty plant, and the long, dry spells have been unfavourable. If you have harvested some recently,…
Rocket Blog: Category: Problems & Pests
A Brassica Health Check
With the recent heatwave, cool-loving brassicas may need a little bit of extra care. This article looks at a few different things, from discoloured leaves and caterpillar damage, to cabbage…
Mildew on peas
Late summer brings mildew to pea plants of all types, sugarsnap, garden and mangetout. You’ll recognise it from the white coating on the leaves, which will rapidly spread across the…
3 tips for dealing with aphids
Aphids (greenfly, blackfly, whitefly etc) can be a real pain in the veg patch. They’re not particularly fussy and will happily make themselves at home on many of your veg…
Blossom End Rot in Courgettes and Squashes
We suspect a few of our growers out there may struggle with blossom end rot this season due to the dry weather that we’ve had lately. Once the fruit is…
Fennel bulbs not forming?
If your bulb fennel is looking decidedly un-bulb like, as in the picture here, then we have three suggestions for you to consider: Not enough water Fennel is a thirsty…
Recognise & Deal with Potato Blight
What does blight look like on potatoes? Check your potato plants regularly for the following symptoms on the plants. Brown patches appearing on leaves, often starting at the tips (as…
3 top tips for growing mint
If your mint plants have grown to the sides of your pot, leaving a bare patch in the centre, or if it’s almost flowering and you’re wondering whether to cut…
Protect strawberries from birds, slugs and squirrels
If you’ve got a strawberry patch on the go, they may well be starting to ripen up now… make sure the pests don’t get to them first! The three main…
Common Leaf Problems to Look Out For
It’s good to check your plants regularly for some of the more common problems so that you can give plants some first aid if needed. This article guides you through…
Discoloured leaves with newly planted seedlings?
If you see pink/purple tints on seedlings a few days after planting, or perhaps yellowing leaves, the chances are that your plants are not getting the nutrients and water that…
Slugs & other common pests
In the early days after your new plants are in the ground, they will be particularly vulnerable to pests. Here some of the most common and a few ways of…