GARDEN GURU

Q

The leaves of my blueberry bushes appear to be covered with white insects.

How can I get rid of them? Pauline Taft

AThe ‘insects’ in the photo you sent are actually the skins shed by aphids as they develop. They are stuck to a substance known as honeydew, which is secreted by the aphids and can encourage the growth of black sooty mould. Although I can’t see them in your photo, I suspect aphids are present somewhere. Firstly, wipe the honeydew off with a damp cloth and then rub any aphids off with your fingers.

QI planted a few conkers last autumn and one of them is now about 4in tall. How do I look after it now?

E. Fair

AHorse chestnut seeds germinate readily. As you know, they can turn into stately trees, so please keep in mind that they’ll need plenty of space. If your seedling is in the ground, I’d lift it carefully and grow it in a 5in pot. Once established, plant it in a sunny spot and water regularly. It’s also possible to raise horse chestnuts as bonsai specimens.

QMy two pieris shrubs wilted over winter and have now lost their leaves. Is it possible to bring them back to life?

Bernie Maxwell

AThe plants in the pictures you

sent in certainly look poorly. An easy test to see whether they are alive is to scratch off a little bit of bark to see if there’s green, living tissue underneath – if it’s brown or white, then I’m afraid the shoot is dead.