Ask Alys: your gardening queries answered

After a period of home renovation during which our garden went to seed, our arbutus now has nettles growing through its base, the branches look burned and stressed, and the leaves have a rust problem. What can I do? Competition from the hungry nettles may have stressed your strawberry tree ( Arbutus unedo ), making it vulnerable to attack from pathogens. It may have arbutus leaf spot, which can cause both leaves and twigs to die – this starts as purplish spots with a yellow or green centre, then eventually the leaves turn yellow and fall off. Some form of root rot may also be to blame: this causes leaves to yellow and fall off, with no new growth. Weeding out the nettles may be fiddly, because arbutus dislikes root disturbance: if necessary just cut them back until they give up. Bin infected leaves and twigs (do not add them to the compost). Mulch with well-rotted horse manure or homemade compost to feed the plant and save moisture. It may pull back, but if it looks the same next year, consider a new plant. • Got a question for Alys? Email [email protected] .