Cara About the best I can suggest is repotting them into some fresh mix. If you get rain in autumn, now would be a good time to do this. I bought a Syzygium last year and repotted promptly as it was very pot-bound. I used a bonsai-type mix- very free-draining with 5mm grit, but with some added humus as I know they like a rich soil that holds moisture. If your mix has been drying out too quickly because the roots have filled the pot, or it lacks humus, then your plants won't be able to repel 'invaders'. Don't take too much of the root ball back. Leave about a third and take out the older brown roots, leaving the young white growing tips as much as possible. When you've done it, put it on either the south or east side of the house and keep it just moist for about a month. Dunk it about once a week, wait until the bubbles stop, and let it drain, not stand in water. After the first month has passed from when you repotted, you might want to give it a monthly liquid fertiliser feed. Miracle Gro has been pretty good for my plants. If they make growth over winter, check again in spring to see if the roots have colonised the pot. If they have, and you've got good top growth, too, pot on without disturbing either top or roots. If it's really booming - do another check next autumn. I've got a Coprosma that's only about 15cm high but grows furiously so it needs repotting twice a year. I'm not sure how fast your lilly pillies will grow, but keeping an eye on root growth is a prudent thing to do to keep pests away. And thorough watering.

Hi Donna, Hard to tell which pathogen is the basis of the fungal infection. However, you can try a couple of things. Firstly, you need to ensure that the plant is not wallowing in a wet root zone. Sometimes drainage in gardens can be affected over time and surface as obscure plant health issues. Should you be satisfied with the drainage I would recommend you do the following: 1. Apply a solution of Seasol as directed on the bottle immediately. 2. Remove or clean away any dead or obviously diseased bark from the plant. Paint that area with a paste of Copper Oxychloride. This may assist if any bacterial infection is present. 3. Go out and buy some Yates Anti Rot Phosacid. Spray over the foliage and apply to root area as well . This is a broad range systemic fungicide which usually provides excellent pathogen defence. 4. When the weather warms up a little apply small amount of organic fertilzer such as organic life or better still some cow manure. Finally, cross your fingers and see how you go. Regards, Ted

As a rule all Acemna are psyllid free but only some of the Syzygiums, and most of the Austral varieties are affected although A. Resilience - resilient to psyllid - should be ok and is good to 3 or 4 metres so I've been told. Acmena Smithii is a spreading tree to around 5 metres perhaps a bit more. I am unfamiliar with A.S. Minor. Syz. Luehmannii is generally psyllid free and good for around 4 metres, maybe a bit more. You could also consider Photinea 'Red Robin', I have 3 of them in blocking the neighbours and they are around 6 metres plus after about 6 years. It is disease free, dense to about 3 metres wide with attractive reddish foliage. Hope that's of assistance.

Possibly scale, check the branches and see if there's a little, hard, bug infestation that's hard to remove, though you can flick them off with your finger nail sometimes. If there is, there's also likely to be ants travelling up and down the tree, they 'milk' the scales for their secretions. 'White' oil is the treatment - it chokes the bug and prevents it from sucking. You should also apply a ring of petroleum jelly around the base of the bush to stop the ants. I sometimes use a commercial insecticide but a lot of gardeners believe that's a no, no, now-a-days on account of possible damage to friendly insects.