Hellebores can suffer from two common diseases. One is fungal Helleborus leaf blotch which can be seen as brown or grey lesions on leaves and flowers. The other is Hellebore Black Death, caused by a viral infection often spread by aphids. It leads to black streaks and distorted growth. In both cases, lift and dispose of infected plants before the problems spread.
Tomatoes - Common problems and how to nip them in the bud:
- Blight: Tomato blight is caused by a fungus-like organism and makes plants (and fruit) turn black and eventually die. It mostly affects tomatoes growing outside and is worse if the weather is very wet. There's little that can be done once blight takes a hold, but if you dispose of infected plants quickly, you may save others that are yet to be affected. You can also try growing blight-resistant varieties, which have the best chance of avoiding the problem.
- Split fruit: Inconsistent watering, with the soil being too dry one moment and too wet the next, causes tomatoes to split as they grow. This irritating problem is easily avoided with a regular watering regime, and by making sure that the soil or compost never becomes so dry that plants begin to wilt. Interestingly, it's thought that plants that are watered less often produce tomatoes with a better flavour, so don't overwater - being a bit stingy sometimes pays off.
- Blackfly: Tomatoes can attract a few pests that may become troublesome if they get out of control. Blackfly is a classic example - the tiny insects are attracted to the fresh new growth that tomatoes offer. It's easy to treat - you can simply remove the blackfly by hand if there aren't too many, or trying to blast them with a hose. If that doesn't work, resort to a spray - organic or chemical type.
Say Adios to Aphids
This short video from Suttons YouTube channel shows 5 simple but highly effective ways to deal with these bothersome little pests.