Watch out, there are sapsuckers about!

It's a strange old season so far. But I seem to be saying that every year as weather conditions don't follow set patterns that they seemed to in yesteryear. Perhaps they never did! One good thing about the cold Winter and Spring is that I've only just noticed the first green aphids on some rose buds as well as a few black aphids on some broad beans (by the way, broad beans are the only crop I grow to eat, not show....delicious). Their population was dealt a severe setback but rest assured they'll soon multiply and you'll need to check your parsnips and carrots carefully from now on. It's easy to neglect them once they're up and growing well but one day you'll notice the foliage looking mottled and possibly stunted and closer inspection will show you a colony of aphids on the central fresh shoot tips.