News from Fletching Glasshouses

Talks on Biological Controls

Last year we were invited by ten local horticultural societies to give talks about biological controls illustrated by our own microscope images. Clips from the talks can be viewed here

If you would like us to give a talk for your society, and you are within an hours drive from Lewes, then please do contact us.

Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner

Over the past few years sadly many of our lovely horse chestnut trees have been blighted with rusty mottled leaves . A major is the horse chestnut leaf miner, and you can see up to date information about its spread here https://www.forestry.gov.uk/horsechestnutleafminer One new approach is to trap the moths before they lay there eggs, and we can now offer a baited trap loaded with a specific hormone to attract them.

Leatherjackets, leatherjackets and more leatherjackets

Many gardeners are phoning us with lawn problems, and it appears that the main culprit is still leatherjackets. We are advising people who have a really bad problem to try a treatment in spring this year, rather than wait until the Autumn. More about leatherjackets

New ideas for caterpillar control

Caterpillars come in many shapes and sizes, and many of them are a real problem in the garden. We have recently introduced a very general caterpillar control which we hope will target many of the common problems. Do give us feedback as there is not a lot of research on which caterpillars are vulnerable outside commercial horticulture.... more on caterpillar cards

Other new products to tackle the adults

Pest clinic service

Over the past few years we are starting to build up some really useful experience with common garden pests and we have been using our computer microscope here to help customers identifying their problems. You will see some of the pictures we have been taken on the "Pests" pages of our web site, and we are planning to include the videos soon. If you have any soil or leaf pest that is puzzling you then please do send in some live creatures for us to examine. Just protect them by putting them in a little box or tube and then pop them in the post and send them to:
Ladybird Plant Care
Fletching Glasshouses
Newick
LEWES
BN8 4JJ
(Please do not just call in - we are not open the public - sorry)