Look out for colonies of aphids
Aphids are a year-round, everpresent garden pest, and seeing some overwinter on plants in unheated greenhouses at Beechgrove can still come as a surprise in colder months. Now summer is nearly here, regular, dedicated pest checks are needed, particularly on indoor plants. Often concealed underneath leaves, puncturing veins to feed on sugary sap, they can go unnoticed without closer inspection. Even if the aphids themselves can’t be seen, signs of activity include skin casts as they moult, distorted shoots and curled leaves, and the growth of sooty mould, which grows on the honeydew they excrete.