A walk in the Garden

Keep those labels as they are a wealth of information.

This dry, cracked soil needs compost topped off with a layer of mulch. To learn more about soil, click on the pic.

If it wasn't for a garden stroll, I wouldn't have spotted this strangled tomato vine.

A caterpillar is inside this rolled up apple leaf.

I know it looks scary and evil, but don't kill it as it's a good guy - a ladybug larva!

When you find something not right while perusing your garden, you’ll have to do a bit of detective work to figure out what is going on. Here’s a few diagnosing tips:

• Conditions: If a plant is unhealthy find out what conditions it likes (sun, water, soil). Oftentimes plants don’t do well because they are planted in the wrong place. Keep plant labels for their name and preferred growing conditions.
• Check the soil. Dig down with a trowel or shovel to see how moist the soil is. Is the soil around the roots moist?  Lack of water is often the cause of sick plants during the summer. Ensure you are soaking the soil deeply and not superficially.
• Soil too dry? Mix in compost, SeaSoil and other organic matter. Select drought tolerant plants and add 3 inches of an organic mulch.
• Soil too wet: clay soil? compacted soil? underground stream? neighbours property draining onto yours? Mix in compost, SeaSoil, well-rotted manure to clay and compacted soil. Install a French drain (click here on how) to move water away by using gravity.
• Soil improvement: To learn more about easy solutions to improve soil click here.
• Note plant symptoms: wilting leaves, dropping flowers, yellow old leaves, yellow new leaves, disfigured leaves, stunted growth, wilting, thin weedy stems, spots, holes and leaf discolouration.
• Where to look: Look under the leaves for insects, blemishes, webs, little black dots of excrement.
• Girdling: Look at the stem for imperfections and for binding from staking and ties.
• Correct planting: Inspect where the stems join the roots (the crown). It should be slightly above the soil surface not below nor above it. Roots shouldn’t be visible and the crown shouldn’t be covered. 
• After planting: If you recently planted it, make sure the roots are firmly in the soil by pressing the soil around the stem and make sure the soil is moist. 
• To learn more about troubleshooting plant and garden issues click on the links below:

• Rose Insects & Diseases
• Rose Sawfly
• Rose Bloom Balling
• Soil Building
• Drought Gardening
• Mulch & Mulching​
• Plant Pests 1
• Plant Pests Part 2 - Controlling Insects​
• Planting Know-How

• Tomato Troubles
• Dormant Oil/Lime Sulfur
• Japanese Beetles
• Viburnum Leaf Beetle
• Peony Blotch/Measles
• Slugs & Snails
• Powdery Mildew
• Plant Rusts
• Rhododendron Leaf Spot
• Feeding Plants 101

Rust, a common plant disease, has infected a foxglove. Look underneath the foliage for the rust spores. Click on the pic for more.

On the underside of a hollyhock leaf, lies rust spores. If a leaf is discoloured, flip it over and see if there are any insects or diseases lurking. Click on the pic for more.

Viburnum leaf beetles have tattered the leaves of this David viburnum. To learn more click on the pic.

Eggs from a cabbage moth will soon emerge as hungry cauliflower eating caterpillars.

Slug and snail damage. Time to get out the bait or copper. To learn more click on the pic.

Rose sawfly skeletonize rose leaves. Click on the pic for more info.