Solanum crispum dying
United Kingdom 
I have an old white Solanum crispum which has flourished for years in our sheltered garden. This year it is really struggling, most of the leaves have gone anthough there are some flowers. The whole plant is covered in sparrows which seem to be eating something, although I cannot see anything. Any help would be great
24 Aug, 2008
The sparrows are probably eating aphids or other insects that are infesting the plant, the root should survive and resprout from lower down next year. Cut off any bits that you think are really dead (when you cut a live shoot it will normally be green inside, but if it is brown or snaps off cut down lower until you find a green healthy part). I had a white solanum that I planted during the autumn, once, it died down and seemed not to be showing any growth above ground the following year. Eventually I got fed up waiting and assumed it had died and dug it up, except there were lovely new shoots from deep down just about to break through the soil! Oh, well!
Good luck with yours and be patient, give it longer to re-emerge than I did!
24 Aug, 2008