HOW many times have you looked on horrified as your favourite plant starts withering and browning at the edges or getting weird lumps, or even worse, turning to slimy sludge?
It's every gardener's worst nightmare, and all too often we notice too late to do anything about it.
But the RHS has just published its ‘annual disease ranking’ which reveals the top ten problems for gardeners in 2023.
And this year it's got four new entries - fruit tree blossom wilt, pocket plum, tulip fire and slime flux - all thanks to last year’s damp and rainy spring and summer.
The top diseases for 2023 reported to the RHS helpline are...
HONEY FUNGUS
This tops the list for the 28th year running. It causes white fungal growth between bark and wood - with possible clumps of honey-coloured mushrooms and affects more than 140 plants.
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The most commonly affected in 2023 were privet, rose and viburnum, and it resulted in dramatic symptoms, including death, cracked and bleeding bark and failure to flower.
APPLE AND PEAR SCAB
This causes dark scabby marks on the fruit trees - and twig infections causing cankers.
ROSE BLACK SPOT
Develops black spots on rose leaves, causing them to fall. Take extra care when clearing up the fallen leaves - make sure you burn them to avoid spreading the disease in your compost.
PEAR RUST
Bright orange spots on the upper surfaces of pear leaves.
BLOSSOM WILT OF FRUIT TREES
Causes brown and shrivelled blossoms and leaves.
BACTERIAL LEAF SPOT AND PRUNUS CANKER
Dead bark and small shotholes in leaves.
PHYTOPHTHORA ROOT
This creates wilting, yellow or sparse foliage and branch dieback.
POCKET PLUM
Causes elongated, hollow fruits with no stone on plums and damsons, and affects ornamental Prunus.
TULIP FIRE
Produces brown spots and twisted, withered leaves.
SLIME FLUX
Affects a wide range of trees and shrubs, causing a bad smell and bleeding cankers - eventually leading to death.
It's National Compost Week!
Here's Compost King Mick Poultney's top tip's on how to create compost in a month
- The more natural ingredients you can add the better
- Use chopped-up kitchen waste along with shredded paper, nothing glossy or coloured.
- Topsoil is full of nutrients & organic matter - molehills are superb.
- Add manure as it’s where you get your worms from.
- Mix a handful of each into a plastic bag bag and upend several times.
- Empty the bag into a Blackwell 330lt plastic compost bin. Cover in black plastic to absorb the sunlight.
- Level and water if needed. Put carpet layers on top. Let the worms do their work. If you need compost, scrape off the top 4 inches, take what you need, and replace the scraped layer.
Liz Beal, RHS Plant Pathologist, said: “Unusually wet weather in 2023 had a significant effect on plant health across the UK, with the prevalence of tulip fire and pocket plum demonstrating the impact of prolonged damp conditions.
“Understanding the conditions of your garden is key in deciding which plants will thrive where; the right plant in the right place will always have a better chance of fighting off infection.
“Additionally, gardeners can help combat many of the most common diseases in our ranking by practising good hygiene, keeping tools clean and removing – and safely disposing of - diseased plant material from their gardens.”
NATURAL HEALTH SERVICE
A NEW study by Toolstation has demonstrated what we all know - that gardening reduces stress and cortisol levels.
According to their research from 100,000 Reddit comments, it’s the most relaxing household task.
Dr Gurpreet Kaur, clinical psychologist, said: “Gardening can help with stress reduction as ecotherapy, the interaction with nature, has been linked to the regulation of cortisol, the stress hormone.
"Spending time in a garden environment may help lower cortisol levels, promoting a sense of calmness and reducing stress.”
AIR TO THE THRONE
Florists Chrysanthemum, Lady Palm, Peace Lilies, English Ivy, and the Snake Plant are the top five indoor plants to ‘purify air’ - according to new data from Home Improvement specialists Everest.
It analysed data from NASA, the Mississippi Academy of Sciences and Colorado State University.
TOP TIP
You can prune your established Magnolia now - even if it's flowering. This will prevent ‘watershoots’ growing up - the weak vertical shoots which zap the tree’s energy.
THIS WEEK'S JOB
Cut dogwood, Cotinus (Smoke Bush) and Willows right down to just a few inches above ground, before they’ve started to leaf, to encourage vigorous growth.
LEARN
Q. Is there a way of stopping cut tulips from drooping when put in a vase? Mother’s Day tulips here are looking a bit sorry for themselves. James Thompson, Sunderland.
A. Take all your tulips out of the vase, snip a couple of centimetres off the end of the tulip to start. Then get a needle, and very carefully push it through the tulip stem below the flower head. This should release any air bubbles in the stems. Replace in fresh water and hopefully they should perk up overnight!!
WIN!
It's World Water Day on Friday and studies show that natural water sounds are linked to relaxation and improved mental health.
Our fabulous friends at Hydria Life want to give TWO lucky readers a fountain bundle - worth £199 - which combines their Hydria Water Feature Kit with either a charcoal or white planter, plus an Onyx Mosaic and Mindfulness Pebbles fountainhead.
Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
For more details visit www.thesun.co.uk/HYDRIACOMP
Or enter here
Or write to Sun Hydria competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.
Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 30/03/24.
Terms and Conditions HERE
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SAVE!
BRUSH up a storm with Wayfair’s £20.99 Deanna Push Broom
Or get the Stiff Bassine Broom from The Range for just £1.89
