Pests, Diseases and Cures

If it's contained within the size of a typical bucket you won't get many new canes as bamboos expand outwards like most grasses. Lack of water and severe root restriction would explain why your bamboo is not faring well.

I sometimes leave the seedheads on too long and as a result the gravel path has a load of seedlings on it.

I'm like Shiney and don't use chemicals. We have field bindweed on oir allotmemt and just pull it up when we see it and don't find it much of a problem, it just weakens overtime and eventually goes. We also have the more troublesome bindweed variety and follow the same method as Shine mentions...

Well, the rate of stuff being taken in the outhouse has slowed, but some was taken last night; the tray in the greenhouse has been emptied, so I will fill that back up shortly. I'll keep going as long as it takes

I always try to live with the wildlife around me. Sometimes we get ants coming indoors, attracted by the honeydew from the houseplants (greenfly and scale insects). So I spray the houseplants with neem oil, to discourage the honeydew producers, wash the flooring regularly to remove the sticky...

Mine have some leaves that look similar, I've never done anything as the new growth usually covers it up. And the damaged leaves fall as you are finding which I think is pretty normal for this time of the year.

Blue tits eat them also, but as usual waiting for them to get on and do the job usually means the damage is done before they get going.

Just something I read on the label a long time ago. Probably pretty toxic on undiluted form I suppose.

Parlour palms prefer a cool room away from heat and windows but that isn't always possible. This one I had many years ago had slight browning of some leaves, even though it was away from direct light and in a slightly cooler room. It's a plant that was popular back in the Victorian era as it was...

You have not pointed the right finger ! The growth of the magpie population (due to loss of gamekeepers, and the movement of climate bands) accounts for the decline in small birds, especially in urban context. The spread of badgers has decimated hedgehog population, especially where they are...

I think as @Butterfly6 suggests, it comes down to what you like to eat, what is expensive in the shops, how many people in your household, will you have any help for free or will you need paid help. Are you planning to just be as self sufficient as possible in plant based food or are you...

I've seen (and squashed ) plenty of the little grey/black ones already. They seem to nestle in the grooves in the base of plastic pots

Part of my neighbour's laurel hedge developed those symptoms last year. They disappeared within a few weeks (the symptoms, not the neighbour ).

Thank you guys, this is really helpful again!

Thanks, I'll have to wait for some more to appear then check them under a magnifying glass.

How tomato plants protect themselves from some insects

I've never seen aphids on privet, but the yellow, spotted leaves are common. Privet isn't evergreen, although people tend to think it is, but it will always drop some foliage from time to time. Usually nothing to worry about though. The healthier the hedge is, the better it will manage to shrug...

Yes - it'll be happier, and so will you if it's in the ground! Much easier to manage them. They're fine for a while, as most trees and shrubs are, but keeping anything like that long term in a container is a lot more work. You'll probably find that there's a lot of roots and not so much soil...

yes, but not as much fun as a pair of scissors!

In a small space, plants [of any kind] have to earn their keep @ricky101 , so it's better to have something that will suit your site and conditions.