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GARDEN GURU

Got a problem in your plot? Email Martyn Cox at info@martyncox.biz

Q My box plants are under attack. I can’t see any obvious creatures but there are lots of webs on the plants.

S. Walton

A There are two possible culprits – box tree moth caterpillars or box red spider mite. First, check dead patches for caterpillars, webbing and their droppings. If present, pick off by hand and spray with a suitable organic pesticide. Box red spider mites suck the sap off leaves, causing a fine white mottling. Although unsightly, their feeding should not cause serious damage.

Q I’d like to plant a 30ft-long, wildlife-friendly hedge. The plants would need to grow up to 12ft and I’d like to avoid prickly things like hawthorn. What do you suggest?

Steve Lund-Beck

A It’s a pity that you want to avoid prickly plants as that

rules out holly, blackthorn and dog rose. Nevertheless, there are plenty of plants you could grow, such as bird cherry, alder, hazel, hornbeam, field maple, guelder rose and crab apple. Prune the hedge in autumn.

Q I have noticed a strange bulbous growth on the shoot tips of my fuchsias. Do you know what it is? Patricia Reader

A It sounds like damage caused by fuchsia gall mite. There are no sprays to control the pest but Green Gardener (greengardener.co.uk) supplies sachets of a biological control that contains a predatory mite called Amblyseius andersonii.

Gardens

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2021-09-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

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