Cabbage White Butterfly

What do they look like?The small white cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae) flies around the garden at this time of year looking for places to lay her eggs - usually on the underside of the leaves (see photo). Cabbage white butterfly is white with distinct black spots on the wings and is 40mm wide. The cabbage caterpillar is sof...

Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew is a constant curse in the garden and can attach a wide range of plant material in the garden. This fungal problem appears as if the leaves have been dusted with icing sugar (not to be confused with the insect pest Mealy Bug that appears more like cotton wool).Can we live with it? NoTreatment OptionsOrnamentals Ro...

Citrus Caterpillar

DescriptionThis caterpillar is mainly green with spines the length of the body. It will grow to 45 mm long with a voracious appetite. When disturbed, it produces a strong smell from a forked pink scent organ, which protrudes from the head. The butterfly has forewings, black with grey and white markings. Hind wings are marked in ...

Mealy Bug Alert

Over the last two weeks we have had many people call the Garden Clinic Helpline with a white powder on their Agapanthus and complaining ofWhat do they look like?Mealy bugs are small oval shaped insects covered with a soft white mealy coating. Some have white hairs attached to their bodies. They are usually covered with a coati...

Bird Protection for fruit trees

Protect your fruit trees from birds. As delicious fruit grows and ripens on your backytard tree it is essential to protect them from local birds. Here are some inspired ideas: We one sure fire way to protect figs is to place a bird net over the entire plant. A framework built from woldmesh or timber stakes and polypip...