Garden RESCUE Garden RESCUE First aid for plants and flowers JO WHITTINGHAM Contents LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI KNOW YOUR GARDEN Senior Editor Chauney Dunford Senior Art Editor Alison Shackleton How plants work 10 Illustrator Vanessa Hamilton Know your site and soil 12 Senior Jacket Creative Nicola Powling Know your trees, shrubs, and climbers 14 Jacket Design Assistant Rosie Levine Know your perennials and bulbs 16 Senior producer, Pre-production Tony Phipps Senior Producer Seyhan Esen Know your bedding and lawn 18 Picture Research Lucy Claxton and Romaine Werblow How to spot a sick plant 20 Managing Editor Penny Warren How pests and diseases affect plants 22 Managing Art Editor Alison Donovan Growing without chemicals 24 Publisher Mary Ling Art Director Jane Bull Garden friends and foes 28 What is a weed? 30 DK Publishing Don’t Panic! 32 North American Consultants Lori Spencer and Kate Johnsen Editor Rebecca Warren First American Edition, 2013 Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 13 14 15 16 17 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 001—185276—Mar/2013 Copyright © 2013 Dorling Kindersley Limited All rights reserved Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. Jo Whittingham is a garden writer with a Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. postgraduate degree in horticulture from the University of Reading, and loves to grow her A catalog record for this book is available from the own crops in a plot bursting with produce. Library of Congress. Author of Grow Something to Eat Every Day, ISBN 978-1-4654-0204-2 awarded the Garden Media Guild's Practical Book of the Year 2011, she has also written two DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For books in DK's RHS Simple Steps to Success details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, series; Fruit and Vegetables in Pots and Vegetables New York, New York 10014 or [email protected]. in a Small Garden. She also writes for Amateur Gardening magazine and The Scotsman. Printed and bound by South China Co. Ltd, China. Discover more at www.dk.com THE EDIBLE GARDEN THE ORNAMENTAL GARDEN Vegetable Rescue How to grow ornamentals 110 How to grow vegetables 38 Know your crop types 44 Tree, shrub, and climber rescue Fruiting crop anatomy 46 Garden tree anatomy 120 What’s wrong with my fruiting crops? 48 What’s wrong with my garden tree? 122 Fruiting crop clinic 50 Garden tree clinic 124 Root crop anatomy 52 Pruning garden trees 128 What’s wrong with my root crops? 54 Garden shrub anatomy 130 Root crop clinic 56 What’s wrong with my garden shrub? 132 Leafy salad crop anatomy 58 Garden shrub clinic 134 What’s wrong with my leafy salad crops? 60 Pruning garden shrubs 138 Leafy salad crop clinic 62 Climbing plant anatomy 140 Garden greens anatomy 64 What’s wrong with my climber? 142 What’s wrong with my garden greens? 66 Climbing plant clinic 144 Garden greens clinic 68 Pruning climbing plants 146 Bulb and stem crop anatomy 70 What’s wrong with my bulbs and stems? 72 Perennials, bulbs, and bedding rescue Bulb and stem crop clinic 74 Perennial plant anatomy 150 Pod crop anatomy 76 What’s wrong with my perennials? 152 What’s wrong with my pod crops? 78 Perennial plant clinic 154 Pod crop clinic 80 Patio and bedding plant anatomy 158 What’s wrong with my patio plant? 160 Fruit Rescue Patio and bedding plant clinic 162 How to grow fruit 84 Garden bulb anatomy 164 Fruit tree anatomy 90 What’s wrong with my garden bulbs? 166 What’s wrong with my fruit tree? 92 Garden bulb clinic 168 Fruit tree clinic 94 Pruning fruit trees 98 Lawn Rescue Soft fruit anatomy 100 Garden lawn anatomy 172 What’s wrong with my soft fruit? 102 What’s wrong with my lawn? 174 Soft fruit clinic 104 Garden lawn clinic 176 Pruning fruit bushes 106 A–Z of common pests and diseases 180 Index/Acknowledgments 188 6 ABOUT THIS BOOK About this book This book will take you through all the stages necessary to help you diagnose sickly garden plants, including fruit and vegetable crops, and all types of ornamentals. The first step to identifying a problem is to understand how plants grow and what they need. If you know what is normal, it’s then far easier to tell when something is wrong. Check your plants for symptoms and use this book to lead you to a solution. LEARN THE BASICS What is normal? USING THE ICONS The “Know your garden” section These icons are used The quirks of some perennials and bulbs may lead you to think explains how plants work and what that there is something wrong when, in fact, what you see is totally throughout the book normal. The foliage of many bulbs, for example, quickly looks tatty long they need to grow well. It includes to help you find the before it can be removed, and is best concealed with surrounding plants. summaries of what to expect from all information you are common plant types to help you tell looking for more quickly. Utilize them the difference between problems and as a guide. normal plant behavior. Panels (see right) show common characteristics Dying back The leaves Brief display Blooms of Flowers but no leaves that can be mistaken for problems. of some spring-flowering many perennials and bulbs Some bulbs and perennials perennials can die back may only last a day, and produce their flowers and The section also identifies your or look tired by summer. displays just over a week. foliage at different times. garden friends and foes, and explains how to garden without chemicals. Don’t worry Some plants may Normal Check here to see plant seem sick but are perfectly healthy characteristics not to worry about. DETAILED ANATOMY 64 THE EDIBLE GARDEN The “Edible garden” and “Ornamental Garden greens anatomy All members of the cabbage family, garden greens are large plants, grown for their garden” sections feature detailed leaves or tightly packed flower heads. Slow-growing, they require plenty of space and moist, fertile soil to fuel development. Planting them together and moving their growing advice to help you avoid bed each year helps protect crops from pests and soilborne diseases. Diagnosis Look here for plant plant problems. Anatomy guides LWEinAterF c aCbRbaOgeP, kSale, and Salerpaerv ipneisgc, k cneaodbt b afsau gllloe ho cesuael dtisvars Aswolhl hcearnor vtpheses wty tiahllr eermu rne pa trdooy smepedtl,y symptoms and signs of poor health. (see right) give an overview of the Brussels sprouts are all hardy winter crops, and main plant features common to the kcyeaalbaerb -araonguden scdoa.m nG erbo ecw uhnlta irfvrvaoermsst oe fd Pbbpriulraotdnttseet scar fltnw ildeeit saeh vbg enygse -c tflortaoivynemignri gn g many plant types, and show where spelaendt so, rt hbeoyu garhet aatst rsamctailvl e enough to look good in a problems can occur. Use this flower bed if you don’t have a vegetable patch. information to help you understand OyJueldsllteo rrw,e lm oanwodve erf aalelnla.d vD ecoosn mn’ta pwtouosrart rltylhy. e m Clinic Learn more about plant and care for your plants better. problems and how to treat them. CTswhLioUs ldlBei nsRe OraosOoet Tcs aaunsde s Trpfaohllaoelnitinsrt g ssm hpoaarvoklelenor ewth t eo kills plants. To help avoid it, rotate crops, Info panels Learn more iamndp raodvde ldimraein taog e, IUNseS EcoClTla rCsO toL LpAreRveSnt cabbage root about key plant health issues acidic soils. See p.69. flofie yso furonmg p lalaynintsg. tSheeeir p e.g6g9s. at the base LEAFY GREENS Leafy greens look and taste different from each other. Harvest cabbage heads Plant galleries These show wleahvoeles , aanndd B priucsks kealsl e Pruning See how to prune your related plants and characteristics sprouts individually. Summer cabbage Winter cabbage Kale Brussels sprouts plants to solve or avoid problems. ABOUT THIS BOOK 7 SOLVING PROBLEMS Diagnosis charts Use these charts to narrow down the likely causes for poor plant health, then refer to the following clinic pages to confirm a As soon as you see signs of poor diagnosis. Look at the sick plant while reading, or take a sample indoors. plant health, first refer to the diagnostic chart (see right) that relates to the plant or crop type. What’s wrong with my fruit tree? These feature the most common The list of fruit tree ailments seems long, but if a watchful eye is kept from the moment the blossoms open in the spring until the branches symptoms, and by following the are bare late in the fall, then any pests and diseases can be dealt arrows—red for no, green for yes with quickly, and a healthy, problem-free crop of fruit harvested. —they will lead to the most likely cause, whether a pest or disease, TWHHEA FTR HUAITS? BEEN EATING From the outside? From the inside? or poor growing conditions. Ftaono ldsloe fiewn m athlloyer efip naadbg oeo uurett fthehroeew np cbreoesbs glte itmvoe ,n mfrsPwuoerihtoetlhalib ecpsrahgt .abs9 ecl,ls7 yasho. ne ow Wf elmeea iepssnad,p.t k9 esoe4,r n . BirdAs raeren Stteheheete tlpi ek.p9edl7ly.a? cnulptsri ts. tMhmpepaol onu.ir9n tymw7sh ii;n( od pmppsre.mele,9ou cae7tsmtirh.;ts hSm a) ep eeppa.ire9pdt. 1 a 7flgc8ser;oeu 6 mssd i.ptaalasw.iw g9nfrg6flgfloo; yym t s treat it and avoid it in the future. Yes Follow the page No Take the advice or Notes Use these panels references given refer back to the chart to learn more about plant pests and diseases Diagnostic chart 94 THE EDIBLE GARDEN Symptoms Diagnosis ? Fruit tree clinic In late summer and fall Codling moth larvae are holes appear in the skin usually responsible for Fruit trees seem beset by problems, but because they are large plants that bear of apples and pears, or damaging ripening fruit. hareea vsoy mcreo spesr, isomusa lils saumeos uton tbse o af wdaamrea ogfe, ianr eo rodfeter nto e acsaitlcyh t oalnedra ttreeda.t Hthoewme vqeuri,c tkhleyr e scfeoaemtdeerinptigiml lianer sst h scmea cnao lblr,e ew sf hoouift ner dip e Ttlarheyee e’ysg ogbvsa erbkrew, tawinnetdee ran d ilnua tltteh mes po rtihnsg before crops, or the trees themselves, are badly damaged. fruit when sliced. and midsummer. See p.182. WsSpleiwoiFlfshtftewmfrl efo tnyoruoleraalweoo stemastftwmtdt yeuhtiso oearhema erosnrtpcre rlf,silaeo ’n r,tyobdlflpn s on lc mrlui t cotoa,endfhar whsvenraiwauseeeuane omt shnrdnimrigefetientia idr ,lnitnfsgeg cu ne lw eagbgobrigct nw?yh tuoh tni filehtnebbod crr e ha,usei f en d irwc t gut e.is tt . QAWFfyfcttrrhhriauueuerhiiilritts dtyyy tasioyn rn laeasueegorreenae e sadgrr ed et vswfshrxerouaupaersl yittest te f ilrwmhcerrie auethtansloalie ylctv pnsl ey?rprw ee tdcrhdevroreelouol,dn pc utatreu;gn estdc hedht.eh tsi S,nw diimtssnhh. iaenelinglr QAfWAttdsdohaparp oelahmrpliepcerylame ,ef”n g hr tiauo toefan ivrod tvdde oc,w e e ocamp vhunrmee i ryilatnlsea ohr tf i hntpentehrra.y e eteKtti e aylrsnaesre mrao, l enyegrw eaa?sdiv ntulsiulis tmn aerfilagsralm lu ss“ltJymeehiu tdtrena .h, lerilne s t DdehimsTooncaarenr aaaorvt v ylhrnrtepy ae he- ob alicafeineosrr ons esopsdtmdlkdhmkoii nis emiarnpn tgeiltsorali. hd d armtMose,tscpk fe ura hatpiadonmgrtelp ueu.egwspmer go faeli htetred p hufsherupr , ino aauretai lesliaennte d r gdt s AatmtjiAgtunhhmhprstaeepaeotpgo yp tge blg n tlnherdheeogo ,aael st wocsttms achcaaw iwthoeapnph rgtg-flsibaehsne itylf.ude to rt toSc ulshusba keskiwenuytoie i,nnsfhgn mripg eis,niut t.sl tei1i sia,nthit 8nir weesaae6tgenlonh .lcbg y ed trs r si eg ht they ripen in late summer. leaves with their toxic saliva. Questions such Leaves at the shoot tips Fortunately, damage is only as “What has mwiatyh asmlsoa lbl eh opleepsp.ered sbuep eeartfiecni.a Sl eaen dp .f1ru81it. can still eaten the leaves on my plant?” Ragged holes appear Wasps find ripe fruit in the skins of ripe fruit, irresistible and will eat their are real issues such as peaches, plums, own way into soft-skinned and apples during summer, fruit or feed where birds have and gradually increase in already damaged the tougher PEST-FREE PEARS WELL-WATERED APPLES FALLEN FRUITLETS size as the sweet flesh skins of apples and pears. Q Q beneath is eaten away. See p.187. How do I know if my How can I tell if my tree has winter moth? apples have bitter pit? Small ripening fruit, Birds enjoy the taste of ripe AThe caterpillars of winter AThis fruit (right) is affected such as cherries, vanish fruit and will either eat them moths eat holes in the by apple bitter pit, which altogether, or larger whole or peck through the leaves of fruit trees as also causes dark mottling specimens, such as apples, skin with their beaks to take Answers These tshperiyn gem. Yeerllgoew d-gurreinegn e, aanrldy ocaf nth aepirp fleeasrh o. nS ytmhep ttroeme so r pdeeeaprs h, aonleds pwluhmerse ethxeh isbkiti n pfrourittiso wnsil ol of fjuteicny b flee dsihs.l oLdagregde r give expert advice, athbeo cuat t1eirnp (i2lla.5rcsm of) tleonn gh,i d e wis ha isley mfrupitto ism in o sf tcoarlacgiuem. It had been pierced. from the tree. See p.180. explaining what to btoegtewteheenr wleiathve ssi lbk othurneda d, dreesfiucltie onfc dyr, yu csuoanldlyi taios nas , Plums ripen prematurely, Plum moth caterpillars do now, or refer you abny dd acmana aglisnog r ebdlouocme ys iaenldds wfrohmich ta pkrienvge unpt tthhee tmreien eral aa nbdr owwhne na rceuat aorpoeunn, dr etvheea l hbuatrcrho win i neator ldy esvuemlompienrg a fnrdu it on for treatment young fruitlets. See p.187. from the soil. stone containing maggot to feed on their flesh. They excrement or sometimes then eat their way out and the culprit; a 1⁄2in- (1cm-) overwinter in the bark, ready long, pale pink caterpillar. for next year. See p.185. Plant clinics The clinic pages give more detail about plant problems to Common symptoms To help decide help you determine what is wrong with your plant. How to treat the issue is between similar problems, many are grouped then explained in the “A–Z of common pests and diseases,” pp.180–187. together to show the differences between them.