วีดีโอ

@@kbd5520 thank you! I try to make these videos as clear and helpful as possible so it’s lovely to hear your feedback. Happy gardening 🌸

@@raajgan2895 hello Raaj, fireblight and leaf blight are not the same disease. Fireblight is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora and leads to browning and die-back of whole shoot tips. In the case of quince trees, the leaf blight is caused by a fungus (Diplocarpon mespili) and leads to brown spots and blotches on individual leaves, and leaf drop. Hope that helps! 🌸

@@peterloup2302 Hello Peter, that’s great to hear the sparrows are happy to eat your box tree caterpillars! Hopefully our native birds are developing a taste for the box tree caterpillar. Yes, the pheromone traps are very effective at trapping the male moths, it’s good to hear the traps are working for you. Happy gardening 🌸

I think I saw starlings rummaging around in my Box plant when there were caterpillars around.

@@michaelbacon561 Hi Michael, that’s good to hear. In an ideal world we’ll find a balance between the box tree caterpillar and our native birds and other predators. Fingers crossed! 🌸

@@helenemcgregor686 Thanks Helene, I’m glad you found the videos helpful. When you’re pruning your apple tree, keep an eye out for canker as well and prune any cankers out. Good luck with your apple harvest! 🌸

@@ElisabethDampier Hello Elisabeth, I’m glad the video was helpful, good luck saving your Buxus 👍🌸

@@DanLiese-fx6ey Fungicides are a complex topic! Here in the UK you need a professional spray licence to spray fruit trees. The professional operator will provide appropriate advice at point of use. Other countries will have different regulations for spraying so unfortunately I can’t provide specific chemical advice. However, if fungicide sprays for fruit trees are legally available where you live, the general principle for treatment of brown rot is to spray once in the spring when approximately 10% of blossoms are open. This helps to prevent the blossom wilt fungus which later causes brown rot. Then spray again approximately 4 weeks prior to first fruit harvest to prevent brown rot on ripening fruit. Hope this helps 🌸

@@WoodlandT So sorry to hear you’re having such trouble with vine weevils (and moles and deer!). As you say it can be so demoralising to see your plants being destroyed. There are also traps for adult vine weevils available with biocontrol nematodes in, I think it may be worth investigating whether you can purchase those in Washington State. The adult traps may help to break the lifecycle of the vine weevils for you. Good luck, 🌸

@@lamaestro3143 you’re welcome! Unfortunately canker on the trunk near the base is very hard to treat. If it’s a small shallow canker you may be able to cut out the infected wood but still keep the tree alive. But for a larger canker the tree may not survive any treatment. You’ll need to weigh up risks in your garden. Do you have other apples which are healthy right now? In which case you may want to act to protect them. If it’s your only apple tree then you can watch and wait. Trees can survive a long time with canker, although will decline over time. You also want to monitor the safety/stability of the tree as it declines. Good luck 🌸

@@tiffanyvang1085 I’m so glad it was helpful, happy gardening! 🌸

@@simonacoja I have a video about how to identify and cure the caterpillar if you go on my channel > playlists > box plant and hedge health. The biological control products (Bacillus thuringiensis) are most effective. If you’re still stuck get back to me 🌸

BTK applied every 10 days starting in spring

@@organicgardenmamavictoriab2768 There are lots of other reason dahlias can be small, lack of nutrients, drought, shade, or they may have been eaten by slugs or snails! My dahlias this year are also small because the slugs keep eating their growing tips. Virus infection will usually also have the other symptoms of yellow marks on the leaves and leaf distortion alongside the short growth. Happy gardening 🌸

@@samatronn Thank you Samantha, I’m glad you found it informative. Wishing you happy gardening 🌸

@@brenbrady Hi Brendan, sorry to hear about your Portuguese Laurels, unfortunately adult vine weevils do seem to love them. You can use the biological nematode control in the ground/soil below the plants as well as in pots. Best times to treat are mid to late summer and autumn. Good luck and happy gardening 🌸

Hello Angela, I’m glad you found the video helpful. The canker can produce spores in summer and winter, so the longer it is in place the higher the chance of infection spreading to other apple trees nearby. However, summer pruning on apples is usually focussed on removing thin leggy growth, and making a significant cut in summer carries more risk for the tree. Having said that, the canker is also damaging the tree. So for me, balancing the risk of the two options, I’d personally go ahead and cut out the canker now. Prune in dry weather and clean your tools before and after each cut. Good luck 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Thank you so much for your reply, advice, and encouragement. I'd like to take it out sooner rather than later, too, especially given the risk to our other nearby apple trees that now have fresh cuts on them from summer pruning. We have a stretch of predicted dry days this week, so I'll go out and take care of it tonight. Thank you for providing me with the confidence to do so now!

I'm sad to report that the tree is a loss, as the diseased tissue was present going down into the main trunk, even when I stump-cut it at only about 12" tall. I'm glad to know now to take it out, though, lest it infect other nearby trees.

@@ahoffman1979 Angela, I’m sorry the tree is a lost cause, it’s always sad to lose a tree. As you say, the good news is that you spotted the canker and have taken the right action to reduce the risk to your other trees. Make sure you take a good look at your other apple trees this winter and prune out any small cankers you spot. Good luck 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Thank you again for the advice and encouragement. It was sad to lose the tree, especially so because we only have four apples (now three) and just ventured into them three years back. However, now that I know what to watch for, I hope I'll catch it more quickly if it recurs, and I will check the remaining three for canker in the winter. Best wishes!

Beneficial microbes are amazing aren’t they. There’s so much we still don’t fully know about how microbes interact with each other, and so much potential for prevention and treatment of diseases. It’s great to hear that this works for you, thanks for sharing! Happy gardening 🌸

Great questions Melanie! A little digging into the brand of test I used here would indicate that they don’t supply or produce fertiliser. So no apparent conflict of interest for this particular brand. But I can’t speak for all brands. The probe style soil pH meters can give accurate results, but they require the probes to be cleaned correctly and the soil to have just the right level of moisture. So they are often unreliable. I’d recommend buying pH test strips designed for soil, or getting the analysis from a certified soil laboratory. Happy gardening 🌸

Thank you Joanne! I put lots of effort into making my videos as helpful and as quick as possible - so lovely to hear your feedback! 🌸

Thanks Gerry, that’s a good point. In this case I used an accredited soil laboratory, so I hope the results are as accurate as they can be. However, of course the results will only be as representative as the soil sample I provided! That’s another problem with the home kits, you only test a tiny scoop of soil, so it’s not a good representation of the whole soil sample. Thanks, yes, a heavy metal test is certainly worthwhile for soil next to old properties or near old industrial areas. Happy gardening! 🌸

That sounds very frustrating Alistair. We have had a very bad year for pests and diseases this year. I’ve seen a lot more aphids on my buddleia this year, and many more distorted leaves than last year. If your aphid infestation is very bad then yes it may be damaging the flower buds. The other option may be a fungal disease with all the wet weather we’ve had. 🌸

Yes, mine look even worse this year as well! The aphids move on to other plants fairly quickly, so you won’t spot them or the ants now. Unfortunately the distorted leaves stay on the plant through the whole season, so you will see the leaf symptoms until leaf fall. I know a number of commercial nurseries sent samples be tested for viruses last year as they were concerned, and all the tested buddleia plants were virus free. So although the symptoms are dramatic the consensus is still that aphids are the cause! 🌸

Good question. Virus symptoms will vary slightly depending on the cultivar and depending on the virus causing the infection. Dark leaved dahlias for example may show different leaf colouration. However, if you see distorted leaves, different colours on the leaves (often yellow and sometimes ring shapes), and stunted growth of the plant, then virus is the likely cause. 🌸

That sounds like a good balance of caution and experimentation, Emgee! There are so many different viruses and diseases, if we threw out every infected plant we wouldn’t have any flowers left! Just remember that insects and tools can spread diseases between plants, so if you do have other healthy dahlias keep them at a distance and clean your tools. Good luck with your dahlias 🌸

​@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Thank you. The dahlia plant is already hip-tall and has buds, and I'm excited to see the color despite how questionable some of the leaves look.

Despite being in individual containers, diseases can still spread to other plants.

Hello Cathy, the ants on your buddleia would certainly indicate aphids are causing the yellow spots on the leaves this time. Buddleias are usually pretty vigorous (unless it’s a very young plant), so no need to treat the aphids. The aphids will disappear soon naturally and the plant will recover just fine. Happy gardening 🌸

You're welcome Tom! 🌸

Unfortunately I find you do have to treat with nematodes every year (and sometimes twice a year!). Vine weevil adults will come into your garden from other gardens and the local area, so sadly you can’t eliminate them forever. They’re definitely one of the most frustrating creatures I encounter! 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor I have a balcony garden….everything is in pots….but even then, I doubt I will get rid of them without throwing out all my plants and soil and starting again!

@@Calicokit101although vine weevils don’t fly, they can climb a long way. I hope you can control them this year, good luck 🌸

Hi Jolie, if the powdery substance is white, then it's most likely powdery mildew fungus. Powdery mildew fungus is quite common on dahlias and they are often able to tolerate it and carry on growing, so no need to remove the plants. You can help the infected plants cutting out the worst of the infected branches, by spacing the plants a bit more widely and allowing more airflow through the plants, and watering at the base rather than overhead. If you want to use a fungicide then its best to check what's available in a garden centre near you. I hope this helps, 🌸

Hello Aryaz, I’m sorry I’m not able to provide advice via email right now, but if you’re able to take a video and post it on your own channel then do let me know by commenting back here on this video, and I’d be happy to take a look. In the meantime, it sounds like your quince trees have been living indoors in their pots for a while and I suspect this may be the root of the problem. It’s very hard to have sufficient light levels indoors for trees like quince to thrive. Plants indoors are also more susceptible to pests like spider mites and thrips which can cause mottled leaves, yellowing and poor growth. I’m not sure where you’re based, but if you are able to take a sample or photograph to a garden centre then they often have staff who can provide advice. If you’re in the US then try to find a local extension service master gardener as they are great at providing advice. I hope you can find the solution! 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Hello, Thank you for your prompt and helpful response. I appreciate your advice and understand your limitations regarding email. I do not have any TH-cam channel, so I have uploaded the pictures from one of the two little quince trees to a Dropbox link for you to review: Dropbox Link Click Please kindly note that I have labeled four pictures as "BACK of leaf" as the front and back of the leaves have different features. The back of the leaves contains very tiny dark dots that are not visible when looking at the front side of the same leaves. To provide some context, I am based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Unfortunately, quince is considered an exotic fruit in North America, and local gardeners are often unfamiliar with it. This makes finding knowledgeable advice a bit challenging. As a professor and scientist in medical imaging, I admit that I am not very familiar with horticulture. This is my first time trying to care for any plants, and I purchased them just two months ago. Thank you again for your assistance. I look forward to any insights you may have. Best regards, Ary

@@AryazB. Hello Aryaz, I’m sorry TH-cam deletes external links so that’s not working for me. I think I’m going to struggle to diagnose without the images. However, if you’ve only had the plants two months then they’re probably still adjusting to being potted up. Plants often look a bit sad as they are establishing. Quince (Cydonia) trees should grow ok outdoors in Canada, so I think moving them outside is the best step. Check that the pots are freely draining and water thoroughly once or twice a week through the summer, rather than more frequent small amounts of water. You may find that they drop a few leaves as they adjust but hopefully new leaves will look healthier. If you have a Reddit account then you could try posting your pics in the plantclinic sub, see what advice people give there. Good luck 👍🌸

No need to worry about treating it, the aphids themselves seem to disappear before the plant flowers. The buddleia in this video flowered beautifully despite having these symptoms on many of the leaves. 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Thank you! That's a relief, I don't want to miss all the butterflies!

@@LauraGomez-bl2so You're very welcome! I hope they are covered in butterflies for you 🌸

Good question! The pocket plum fungus and the plum leaf curl aphid will both only infect/infest plums, damsons, sloes and closely related stone fruit. This means that other fruit such as apples, pears and berries won’t catch these particular problems from your plum tree. So, yes, you are safe to plant most other fruit. 🌸

The rust fungus usually survives on fallen plant material rather than the soil itself. So there’s no effective way to treat the soil. I find the best method is to put a nice thick layer of mulch on the soil surface as this buries any fragments of infected plants which may have fallen in the soil. I also find snapdragons self seed easily and the overwintered plants are a source of early spring infection. So it may be worth checking there are no rogue infected plants growing nearby! 🌸

I’m sorry you found the video unhelpful, gardening is a year to year process and often the best control measures are season dependent. Bordeaux mixture was widely used in the past for the control of a range of different bacterial and fungal diseases. However, copper based fungicides were found to be harmful to soil microbes and earthworms and hence they were withdrawn for almost all uses across the EU and UK. This has created a gap in the market and there are now no fungicides I can legally recommend gardeners use on their fruit trees. You will need to check with a local professional to confirm which plant protection products are available in your locality. 🌸

Hi YT - yes, if you can, it's always worth taking the infected pocket plums off the tree to reduce fungal spores. 🌸

Thank you for your lovely comment Stacy, I’m so glad you found my video helpful. I hope you are able to figure out what’s happening to your boxwood hedges and how to treat them. I’m hoping to finish my next video this week which is about identification and treatment of the box tree caterpillar/moth, so you might find that useful too! Wishing you healthy plants and happy gardening 🌸

The severity of this disease varies from year to year, and is worse with wet spring weather. Personally, I would try one more year with control methods before deciding whether to remove the tree or not. If you see distorted shoots now, prune them out. Remove all fallen leaves from below the tree, now and over the next winter. Put down a fresh layer of mulch below the tree now and again in the winter. Then see what happens next year. Good luck! 🌸

Sorry to hear your damson has been badly infected with pocket plum. It’s been a very wet spring again which unfortunately encourages fungal diseases such as pocket plum, hence another bad year. You should only cut out distorted foliage, cutting out too many leaves will also harm the health of the tree. If the tree is against a wall and you don’t mind an unattractive solution you could try putting a rain shield over the tree next year, remembering to water at the base of the tree as necessary. Reducing rain on the fruit should help to reduce fungal spore germination. 🌸

Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the advice.

​No problem! I hope you got it sorted. 🌸​ @@davidyoung9753

Thank you - this video was the first I ever made! 🌸

Dahlias unfortunately get a few different viruses. The dahlia mosaic virus is specific to dahlias, so will not infect other flowers in your garden. But some other dahlia viruses are more general, such as cucumber mosaic virus (which despite its name will infect hundreds of other plants including lily and phlox). This means it’s always wise to remove symptomatic dahlias quickly to reduce the chance of the virus spreading. 🌸

Good question! A few of the common dahlia viruses can be transmitted via seed. So infected seed is certainly a possibility, particularly if you saw symptoms in very young plants. However, the plants are loved by aphids and other insects which can transmit viruses, so they may also have become infected as seedlings. 🌸

The vine weevil larvae turn into adult weevils in April/May. So you won’t find the larvae in the soil at this time of year although they may have been in the pot over the winter. The adult weevils now hide in dark places like under pots, and under the rims of plant pots. It’s harder to treat the adult weevils, but they cause less damage so they’re not so much of a problem. The good news is that now you know you have vine weevils you can stop the weevil larvae next year by treating your pots with nematodes in late summer. Good luck and happy gardening! 🌸

@@rebekahtheukplantdoctor Thank you for your reply. “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” 🦗🪳🦟🐜🕷🪳

Thank you for the encouragement! I’m really glad you found the video helpful, happy gardening 🌸

Thank you! I’m really pleased you found the video helpful. Good luck managing your pocket plum and fingers crossed for a disease free harvest next year 👍🌸