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Questions and Answers prior to 2007

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Question:

I’ve found a company who are selling sedum mats in small sizes i.e. 500x500mm is £45 and 1000mmx1000mm is £65. They are www.bostonseeds.co.uk.

Question:

My garden is in a bad way grass wise and i want to rotavate it and put down new turf, when is the best time to do it. Also the garden is used a lot by children and a golden lab bitch what is the best turf to use?

The best time to lay a new lawn is autumn or early spring so your timing is good. I'd wait until the worst of the frost is over and the weather isn't too wet. The important thing to remember when laying a lawn is that the soil should be well prepared, level and firm. Firm the soil by treading over the whole area very evenly then just rake over the top to loosen it slightly. Leave like this for a couple of weeks for weeds to germinate then apply a weed killer to get rid of them. This will avoid problems later. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/Lawns/lawns_home.htm.

The link above will take you to my lawn page which may help you a bit more. If you are using turf as opposed to sowing seed then you may be best asking your supplier which is the most hardwearing. You can usually buy cultivated turf which is good quality but can be expensive or normal meadow turf which is a lot cheaper. There are several sites on-line which look good - Turfland have a few varieties and tell you about the different qualities. If you go to my homepage http://www.gardeningregister.co.uk you will find a Google search box. Enter the word Turf for a selection of suppliers. Don't buy your turf too soon so that it doesn't dry out. Leave it standing for no longer than 2-3 days. As for dogs, I'm afraid bitches can make a bit of a mess of lawns. The only way I know around it is to hose off the area if you see her at it.

Question:

Hello I wonder whether you can help me I have had a Japanese maple in my front garden since I moved in my house 5 years ago, but suddenly the branches seem to have started to die, and stop growing. It is in my front garden which faces south and it isn't in direct winds I would be grateful for your opinion.

My initial thoughts are that it may have been too dry during the summer and is only just showing signs of dying. It may also be being attacked by Vine Weevil. I’ve attached a link to a page on the RHS site which will tell you how to treat these problems. http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0403/acer_cultivation.asp.

Question:

What do I do when seedlings are thin and wiry, I seam to remember something about nipping them out to encourage further growth from the base. Is this right !!!!

As long as you have at least three sets of leaves then yes, you can nip out the tops to make them bushier. If they are still young seedlings you may be too warm so either turn down the heat or move them to somewhere cooler but frost-free.

Question:

I have a mini raised seedbed which I have sown different varieties of vegetables in. I have used the same soil as last year, have checked it today seedlings are starting to appear which is good but there do seem to be some bugs in the soil, I think they are earwigs, will this hinder the crop, and should I have really started with a new lot of soil or not?

If you have earwigs they tend to only damage the flowers of Dahlias and Clematis but can be easily controlled. I have attached a link to the RHS page giving you more information on how to do this. http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0800/earwigs.asp. However if you have vine weevil then that would be a different issue. I have attached another page from the RHS which will explain how to identify vine weevil and how to control it. http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/vineweevil.asp.

Question:

I want to build a raised vegetable garden to avoid tree routes. Is it true that I should not use old recycled railway sleepers? Do you suggest anything else instead?

Treated railway sleepers should not be used where they will come in contact with foodstuff, children or animals. Therefore, you should not use them for your vegetable garden. However, you can buy new untreated or pressure treated sleepers which are perfectly safe. Below is a link to a site I’ve found which will give you more information on this: http://www.railwaysleeper.com/railway%20sleeper%20treatments.htm. Below is a link to the RHS page on the subject: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1202/raised_beds.asp.

Question:

Could you please give me some info on how to get garden advice about improving the soil condition

Here is a link to a page on my site which should help. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/soil.htm. The best thing to do for improvement is to dig over the whole site, remove all weeds and add well-rotted manure or compost. Leave for a couple of weeks for any weed seeds to germinate and re-weed the area. If this is too much work you may be OK with weeding and digging the manure or compost into the top few inches of the soil. This work is best done in the Autumn and the ground left through the winter to allow the elements to help break down the soil. It will then be ready to work in the Spring. If your soil is very heavy clay you may have no option than to remove the top 6-12 inches and replace with new top-soil.

Question:

I got a blueberry plant 18 months ago, it's about 18'' high, it's grown slightly but has not flowered as such it's in a pot with ericaceous compost but there's not a lot happening.

Here is the RHS’s advise on why shrubs grown in contains may not flower. Hope it helps. There are several reasons why container-grown shrubs will not flower or stop flowering.

Drought Towards the end of the growing season the wood of many shrubs begins to ripen and flower buds are initiated for the following year. Lack of water at this vital time can stop this development reducing flowering in the following season or causing bud drop. Ensure that during times of drought in late summer and early autumn plants are watered thoroughly. Fill the container to the rim, allowing it to drain before filling a second time to ensure that the compost is moistened to the full depth of the container. Check for moisture daily from April to September, and evergreens and conifers weekly during the winter months.

Waterlogging Excess moisture can kill plant roots due to a lack of oxygen and subsequent root decay. This will reduce the ability of the shrub to take up necessary moisture and food leading to a decline in growth and flowering. Use containers with adequate drainage holes and raise plants up on feet in the winter. In excessively wet weather containers can be sheltered against a wall where they are less likely to become waterlogged.

Feeding Most composts have sufficient nutrients in them to provide food for six to eight weeks after potting on. After this plants need additional feeding to maintain healthy growth. This can either be in the form of controlled-release fertilisers used once a year in spring, or more frequent use (from weekly to fortnightly) of liquid feeds.

Pot-bound Root-bound plants will rapidly suffer from drought and lack of food. If this happens then they should be potted on to the next size pot. If plants are in the largest size pot that can be managed, top dress or remove excess compost before replacing it in same pot. Ensure that such plants are kept well fed and watered, as they will be far more prone to drying out.

Question:

I am a true beginner in gardening and have recently (April) acquired an allotment plot. I am encountering a few problems with bugs which so far have completely eaten my carrots and onions (though this problem is only in one of the beds. Now all my brassicas have been eaten bare. Also I have inherited a plant that I thought may be a Brussels Sprout which is doing well but seems to be producing something akin to green beans but somehow it is all wrong as I know that Beans / Peas grow differently. My most burning questions are: 1. Do I have to pollinate my Tomatoes that I am growing on my window sill at home (and that are doing fantastically well at the moment but are only producing 1 meagre tomato amongst about 20 plants at the moment?) 2. How do I tackle the bug problem - and how come only one bed is affected? 3. Finally how do I go about identifying the mystery plant that is doing so well in my allotment against all the odds? Who, or what would you recommend?

It is still quite early for tomatoes so I wouldn’t despair just yet. However, if the plants still have flowers it wouldn’t do any harm to put them outside during the day or to leave your windows open at times. If the flowers have already gone over then the fruit will have already started to form so there isn’t much you can do about it at this stage. Regarding the bugs in one of your beds. It is difficult to know what is happening without more information about the bug/bugs but it is unusual that the same bug would affect carrots and onions so it may be mice or slugs/snails. For further information on problems see the RHS page http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/problem_solver/index.asp. Another thought is that it isn’t a bug at all. When growing vegetables you need to ensure that you don’t grow the same “type” of vegetable in the same bed two years in succession. If that particular bed, or area of soil, previously had root vegetables growing in it then you need to grow something else (see the RHS page http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1200/crop_rotation.asp). The problem you have is that this is a new plot to you so I assume you don’t know what was growing before you acquired it. The way around it is to replace all the soil and start again or persevere in the hopes of getting something to grow and rotate from next year. Pigeons love brassicas so if you grow them again you are best to cover them over with fleece or a cloche.

Question:

Hi I am very interested in planting fast growing interesting trees, & need to know what they are, (as I am a beginner) in a large garden that has only had grass for the last 18 years. It is west facing & on the side of a hill in Tavistock Devon.

One of the most interesting tree is the Birch (Betula). The Silver Birch (Betula pendula) grows to 35ft, has a weeping habit and a white, peeling bark. Any reasonable soil will do; in sun or partial shade/

Eucalyptus gunnii is extremely fast growing (3-6ft a year) and has evergreen blue/grey leaves. Needs a well-drained site which you will have on the side of a hill and it thrives in the sun. The common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is quick growing and thrives in almost any soil and situation but can grow up to 60ft. Two other varieties F. jaspidea and F.pendula don’t grow as tall. Laburnum is a lovely flowering tree; L. watereri Vossii is the best one. It has long yellow tassels of flowers and can grow to 15ft. Any soil will do in sun or partial shade; protect from strong winds. The False Acacia (Robinia) is fast growing and will grow to 60ft. It has long leaves and may flower. Any situation will do but protect from strong winds.

I don’t know if you intend to lift the grass from the whole area or to plant in pockets. Either way you will have to do quite a lot of soil preparation. Dig a hole 2-3 times wider than the root ball and deeper than the depth of the root ball. Add plenty of well rotted compost into the bottom of the hole and with the soil you will be back-filling with. Check out my soil preparation and planting pages for more information: http://www.gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/IndexPages/Articles/soil.htm. http://www.gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/IndexPages/Articles/planting.htm. Container grown trees can be planted at any time but bear rooted (which are usually cheaper) should be planted in the autumn.

Question:

I feel a bit of an idiot e-mailing you for Sweetcorn trauma, but my next door neighbour is growing the stuff and very beautifully may I add. The problem we have got is we cannot find the Cobs! We know there is a really silly answer to this problem and would appreciate all the help you can give us.

The tassels at the top of each plant are the male flowers and the female flowers are the “silks” down the stalk. The cobs will form from the female flowers so if you can see the silky female flowers then the cobs should appear shortly. Tapping the tassels at the top of each plant when they are fully developed will help pollination. Each plant will produce just 1 or 2 cobs so if they had begun to form and are no longer there then the birds may have eaten them! They are a major problem with sweetcorn. If this is the case next year try protecting the crop once is begins to develop. Sweetcorn plants should be sown in rectangular blocks which will ensure that the wind pollinates the female flowers effectively. Assuming your neighbour sowed the seed during May/June the cobs should be ready to harvest mid to late August.

Question:

I will shortly be transforming an island bed that I have got in my garden. I have decided on the colour scheme red and pink. This may seem like an unusual combination, but I will give it a go. I would like advice on some evergreen shrubs that have pink or red flowers on them. I do not want them to grow too tall or spread too much either. I thought possibly the red hydrangea (lady in red), your thoughts on this please. Other plants that I intend for this bed are geraniums, azaleas, cyclaems, fuschias, sedum, pieris (Kerrie, the new one with the dark red leaves), potentilla, weiglea (the one with the dark leaves and bright red flowers), carnations and Bishop of Llandaff in summer. I also intend planting some red and pink tulips for the spring, both tall and dwarf.

I have done some research and have come up with the following suggestions. You don't say what soil type you have so I have included some acid loving ones. Most Hydrangea are deciduous but if this is OK then Preziosa has masses of mophead flowers start out pinkisk in June, maturing to red with a crescendo of burgundy by the end of the year. It produces these colours best in acidic soil. Although deciduous it will only reach 1.5m. Bergina Abendglut (Elephants Ears). Vivid pink spikes in spring with dark green leaves tinged with red. Cistus (Rock Rose) provides great ground cover and comes in lots of shades of pink. It loves the sun. There are some pink Daphne which are highly scented and not too big. Day lilies always give a good show. If you want structure then the New Zealand Flax (Phormium Rainbow Queen) has red stripes on the leaves. Skimmia japonica Rubella (male) has the red dark red flower buds which last through autumn and winter. For acid soils: There are some lovely red Camelias but the pinks are nice too and there are some nice compact Azaleas, Mothers Day is a particularly nice red.

Question:

Every year I purchase Busy Lizzies and Impatiens Don't mind the cost really but would love to be able to save them tell me how to do it please.

Unfortunately you won’t be able to save your busy lizzies. Being annuals they will naturally day after one season regardless of how you look after them. What you can do is propagate from your existing stock.

Cut off a good sized stem (3-4 inches should do) Trim just below the lowest node (the small bump below a leaf) Remove all leaves, except for those at the tip Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone powder Plant 4-5 cuttings to a small pot and keep on a window sill or heated greenhouse Protect from frost and don’t over water They should be ready to move into individual pots in Spring Plant out after all risk of frost has passed.

Question:

I am looking for a heater to use it in a garden shed to control the frost Please

If you visit my Greenhouse page using the link below there is a company advertised called Two Wests and Elliot. If you click on their banner and go to their heaters page you will see that they have different types of heaters including tubular. There are other suppliers there too which may be of use. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/greenhouse_gardening.htm

Question:

I live in North Central Florida. I have a very tall bleeding heart vine on a front porch post. Should I prune it back now ? Or Spring ?

Question: