Ask Gerry

I have a clematis called i believe Comettess de Bouchard .about six weeks ago the lower left side leaves started to turn brown and the buds to droop .The browning has spread to other parts but at the moment the plant has quite an amount of flowers on it although the leaves are not a healthy colour.I have heard a little about wilt could this be it?

My daughter's 2-3yr old Salix tree is covered in ants. The aphids are all over the soft new tips of the branches and the ants seemed to be on top of them. Were they eating them do you think? Is there a difference between aphids and greenfly?

A small beetle is killing of a house plant, can you suggest a treatment after re-potting with new fresh compost.

I have 6 sambucus trees planted in a circle. 2 planted in 2006 and 4 planted in 2006. 3 of the 4 have died, one before bud burst and 2 after leaves and flowers have developed. What caused this?

I've got vine weevil in my indoor pot plants. I've seen some adults & got rid of them. What can I use to control them? I've got a lot of indoor plants & don't want to throw them out especially a Ficus that I've had for 10 years. Would it be best to repot everything & use the nematodes in case any larve remain or to use a chemical control.

Our 3 yr old cork screw willow is dying. This spring it put out new leaves all over, in the last 2 weeks they have all turned brown. Why? In early spring, February, we planted Dogwood sapplings near this tree; we punched a small hole, planted and firmed-nothing more than that. Could we have disturbed the roots? Enough to kill it? Cheers.

Top portion of my cherry tree did not flower this year. Lower portion was in full bloom. Any reason please.

My camelia of many years has a black sooty mould on its leaves. this is the first time this has happened in all the time Ive had it. any help please.

Can I salvage this plant and if not please suggestions for a replacement.

Caterpillars are attacking my euonymus silver queen. there is a white webbing around where the white larvea are in clusters.could you suggest a suitable way to control them as I dont want them to ruin the shrubs apperance and I also have a problem with die back on euonymus microphyllus pulchellus.

I have brown patches on the underside of 2 white rhododendrons . will i cut all the affected parts out and will this spread to other plants of same family.

I have a clematis montana growing over my oil tank. It produces lovely white/pink flowers and has been growing for the last six years. However, this year there are no leaves on it at all and the branches are a brown/black colour. Would the frost have killed it do you think? I have bought an evergreen clematis just incase.

Last year all leaves went brown and fell off my cameilla. I cut it back very hard but there has been no regrowth. I think it may be dead. It was in a very large pot. Is there anything that can be down to rescue it?

Tidying up around base of weeping cherry and found this wound. I think this has opened up quickly and over winter. Thing is its about to burst into blossom, and is otherwise on fine form. Its about 10m away from an apple tree that has canker: which I am trying to sort out. What caused this, and any possible treatment?

I was wondering if there is a spray that I can put on my new griselina hedging that will deter my neighbour's sheep from munching on it?