And the waters shall cover the earth...

We needed it and we got it, liquid sunshine by the bucketful, at times torrential but oh so welcome! Growth has been instant — a natural reaction to a required resource, and with such growth and the after effects of heavy rains, we can expect some problems, therefore husbandry will be the order of the day to ensure continued healthy growth.

New and, I suspect, rapid growth will encourage insects to become very active especially on the new soft foliage. These will include aphids, caterpillars, cut worms and perhaps scale and mealy bug. Common pests can be divided into three groups, viz.: sucking, biting and chewing and rasping; by inspection of the plant, especially foliage, the type of insect can be determined.

Sucking insects include aphids, scale, mealy bug, white fly. Aphids are small bodied and found in several colours from green, yellow to black; usually found on the underside of leaves or around tip growth and their sucking of sap creates curling and deformed leaves.

They reproduce rapidly therefore treatment should be immediate once observed. Scale is as the name implies and cover stems eventually demise of the plant.

Mealybugs as the name implies are cottony in appearance covered with a white waxy substance. Whiteflies are found on the underside of leaves they are not true flies but do fly from plant to plant and colonise.

Biting or chewing include: cutworms, leaf rollers snails and slugs and caterpillars in general. All of these are obvious by their presence and destructive nature of the chewed foliage. Cutworms will often be seen at ground level where they are notorious for cutting off growth at ground level, whereas caterpillars will chew foliage above ground and at any height.

Slugs and snails will adhere to soft growth and chew at will, using leaving a trail of sticky frass behind them. Rasping or scraping insects include leaf minors and thrips. Leaf minor is seen as tunnelling under the leaf epidermis in a zigzag fashion whereas thrips, which are difficult to see with the naked eye, scrape the surface of the leaf or fruit, leaving a bronze appearance.

Controls for the above pests are usually by chemical sprays obtained from the nursery or garden centre; if you are not sure of the actual problem take a piece of the leaf or plant for identification and recommended controls. Before making an application read the label for application rates and method of spraying! Wet conditions are ideal for the spread of fungal problems, such as leaf spots, damping off, wilting, mildews etc.

Overcrowding of foliage can also encourage incubation of spores and thus fungal activity. Black spot on roses is obvious but many fungal problems are not so, with numerous symptoms being aids to identification in some cases.

Leaf markings showing symptoms include lesions, water marks and halos on foliage or decay of tissue on young stems. Broad spectrum fungicides should be applied once a partial identification has been made.

Healthy plants in well drained soils and proper pruning methods, combined with a fertilise programme, will assist to some extent in good healthy growth but not always, as soft new growth is a great attraction for many pests.

Observation of garden is an integral part of catching problems in the initial stages of development and prompt actions will reduce spread of same.

Secondary infection is often found on damaged tissue, be it though poor pruning or wind damage; mechanical damage can also be a source of initiation for infection to enter tissue.

A rough cut, torn branch or damage caused by a strimmer around bark are all examples of mechanical damage; however a more major cause is usually mower damage, debarking or bruising trunk or lower branches, which can cause in time the onset of infection. Control is usually with chemical sprays, dusts or powders with a sprayer or applicator being the vehicle for application. Spray equipment should be cleaned after use; never leave solutions standing in sprayer for any length of time as it loses its concentration level.

Always read instructions and never spray when a plant is under stress or the temperature is over eighty five degrees.

Ratios of mix are given for a reason too strong a mix can have the opposite of the required effect. Do not keep chemicals for any length of time as their shelf life is limited.

Always wear protective clothing which includes: water resistant coverall, goggles, gloves, wellingtons and respirator if recommended on label; wash all equipment after use and store in a dry airy area.

It is important to check the label as to sensitivity of plants listed, as not all plants will tolerate chemical sprays if over a certain 'concentration'.

Such applications can cause burning or disfigurement of foliage.