Ask Gerry

My back garden willow (which I aggressively pruned in the Spring) is massively infested with black aphids, and in the last couple of weeks, their honeydew has been attracting wasps. The wasps make it difficult to be in the garden, plus, I need to prune the willow, but risk being stung. Is there anyway I can get rid of the aphids, and thereby also get rid of the wasps? I'm attaching a pic of the aphids in case I have the wrong bug.

This is a tree, Salix matsudana tortuosa, I've been told, that is suffering this year and wonder if you can help me to help it, thanks! could it be in too dry a spot?

I have a boston ivy, young plant, growing up trellis on my balcony. There seems to be these clear tiny globular things on the plants. I have brushed most of them off as my first thought was insect larvae (am hoping it's not a vine weevle) and was just wondering what it could be. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated?

My two new golden weeping willows are showing all the signs of willow canker. The leaves went black canker on the stems die back. Is it worth trying to spray them with fungicide or am I wasting my time?

My Prunus Serrulata 'Kiku-shidare-zakura has been badly attacked by blackfly. A lot of it is dying. What should I do?

I planted a standard flowering cherry tree in late April approx. 3m tall and staked it well. In the last few weeks I have noticed tiny holes in the top leaves and now brown patches on the leaves. What can i do?

We recently planted some young beech hedging which has a white substance growing on the back of the leaf can u give us some advice as what is best to do?

The hedge beside the 7th tee at Dundalk Golf Club in Blackrock Co. Louth appears to have been attacked by some kind of insect that has left it festooned with a web like structure reminiscent of a Harry Potter movie scene. There are three sections of hedge like this separated by green live hedge. Could an insect infestation have killed the hedge or would the hedge have been damaged by the past winter and subsequently colonised?

a quick follow-up to the q on a lilac i recently posted....do you recommend that i do lift it? also if i were to plant sometthing else in the same place is that ok, maybe an acer

I have a Parrot Plant (indoor) it is infested with white fly .I have sprayed continually and even washed each leaf and stem with the spray but no avail . Its still infected and even the floor around it gets sticky .what causes white fly and how can I get rid of it.

This lilac started to leaf as normal earlier this year but then i noticed that half of it seemed to suffer from curled up brown leaves. then recently i noticed that all its leaves seem to have followed suit. i knicked the bark and part of it is green particularly near the main trunk but towards the end of the small branches it is brown. should i leave it or can i do anything to help it?

My whitethorn and beech hedge isinfested with small caterpillars which have made "webs" which look a bit like spiders webs. my question is what are they? and do I need to eliminate them ? The whole hedge 50 metres is infested with them but I would rather not use insectiside unless absolutely necessary

I have a number of young fruit trees (Cherry, apple, plum and pear) and an ash in my garden. all were doing great last week. I went away for 4 days, back last night and all are dying, leaves all brown or black. Could the strong wind of the last few days have caused this? pollution?

I have lots of black sooty marks on my camillia leaves would I need to give it a specific treatment e.g. a wash or feed or what would you recommend please? thanks

My Clematis Armandii which I planted about 6 weeks ago was doing really well with fabulous glossy leaves. Now i notice they are drooping as if there is no strength in them and they look a little brownish - not at the edges the whole leaves. What can be wrong with it?