Western Morning News

Something’s bugging you in the garden

Gardening has been a lockdown lifesaver for many. But, as Emily Beament reports, it is not without its challenges

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PEOPLE spent more time tending their gardens last year – but faced familiar pests and diseases attacking prized plants and veg, the Royal Horticultu­ral Society said. The charity’s 25th annual pest and disease ranking – based on enquiries from gardeners – reveals that slugs and snails, a mainstay of the rankings over the years, topped the list in 2020.

It is the first time they have been in first place since 2017, as gardeners reported damage to crops such as potatoes and beans

Vine weevils were in second place again but the box tree caterpilla­r, which strip box plants of their leaves, slipped to third place in 2020 from first in 2019, as reports of the invasive species fell 40%.

The RHS said research had found box tree caterpilla­r spread slowed last year following rapid growth into northern England and Wales.

On the plant disease front, honey fungus was again top of the ranking, followed by pear rust, then leaf spot and canker of Prunus.

The RHS said its gardening advice service had an 88% increase in pest and disease enquiries last year as people spent more time in gardens

amid the pandemic and lockdown restrictio­ns.

Andrew Salisbury, principal entomologi­st at the RHS, says: “The pests and diseases that gardeners commonly face on their plots has fluctuated over the last 25 years but some age-old problems persist.

“With gardens important in supporting wellbeing and the environmen­t it’s important that research into management and mitigation of them continues and our rankings help inform this focus. “It’s also imperative that we continue to anticipate future threats such as the disease Xylella, which is already present in Europe, and the Marmorated stink bug, to protect our gardens for the future.”

 ??  ?? > A vine weevil and, right, snails demolish a hosta. Inset, the voracious box tree caterpilla­r
> A vine weevil and, right, snails demolish a hosta. Inset, the voracious box tree caterpilla­r

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