Plant your Spring Flowering Bulbs

Now is the time to plant your spring flowering bulbs.

Spring Flowering Bulbs come in lots of shapes, sizes and colours but the one thing they have in common is the ability to turn a dull late winter, early spring garden into an oasis of light and colour. No garden is complete without the good old daffodil or tulip but there are many other spring flowering bulbs which will add additional interest.

There are bulbous plants for lots of different situations but nearly all require good drainage and many thrive in sunny sites. Many bulbous plants are threatened in the wild so it is important to buy bulbs from cultivated sources such as Crocus.co.uk which has a great range of colourful, healthy Spring Flowering Bulbs.

When planting incorporate well-rotted organic matter and a balanced fertiliser. Bulbs generally need planting quite deep; the general rule is three times their own depth. However, if you get the depth wrong most bulbs will pull themselves down into the ground using special, contractile roots. If you’re planting bulbs in heavy soil, add grit to the bottom of the hole to ensure good drainage.

A few bulbs prefer shallow planting. Plant Madonna lilies (Lilium candidum) with the tip of the bulb just showing above ground. Lay Crown Imperials (Fritillaria imperialis) on their sides so that water can’t collect in their hollow centre and make them rot.

Deadhead regularly and apply a low nitrogen, high potassium fertiliser in subsequent years. Lift and divide if they become overcrowded.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium cristophii – Star of Persia
Huge globes of small star-shaped, pinkish-purple flowers appear in summer above narrow, grey-green leaves. In bloom these fabulous globes – up to 20cm (8in) in diameter – have a metallic sheen. The faded flowerheads hold up well in the border and are useful for dried flower arrangements. Perfect for a sunny site, dotted in small groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ – Dutch Garlic
Dense, rich-purple globes held high on erect stems above strap-like, mid green leaves appear in early summer. They look spectacular grouped in a pot, or in a sunny border, dotted in groups among ornamental grasses, or as part of a Mediterranean scheme. Alliums look best planted between medium-sized herbaceous plants, which help to mask the strap-like leaves, which fade by the time the flowers appear.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Allium sphaerocephalon – round-headed leek
Small, egg-shaped, claret-coloured flowerheads appear like drumsticks on tall, slender stems above strap-like, mid-green leaves in mid to late summer. Planted en masse in a border in full sun, these diminutive claret flowers look great emerging from a screen of foliage, or against a backdrop of ornamental grasses. They gently fade as summer comes to a close.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Anemone blanda blue-flowered – winter windflower blue-flowered
This is a wonderful plant that produces cheerful, daisy-like flowers in shades of blue and purple in March and April. These are perfect plants for naturalising in a mixed border around the base of deciduous shrubs, or adding spring colour to the edge of a woodland garden. For maximum impact, plant in bold drifts in September or October, and if happy, they should spread quite quickly.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Crocus chrysanthus ‘Cream Beauty’
Rich-cream goblets with brown flushes and deep golden-yellow throats, emerge in February and March amid slender, strap-shaped, mid green leaves. These spring-flowering crocuses are perfect for naturalising in sunny, well-drained areas of the lawn. Relatively vigorous, they soon form large colonies, which can be divided in early autumn for use in other parts of the garden.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Fritillaria meleagris – snake’s head fritillary
Pretty, pendent, white and pinkish-purple bells with distinctive checkerboard markings on slender stems in April and May. These delightful snake’s head fritillaries are perfect for naturalising in a moist woodland edge or wildflower garden. It’s essential to select a site where the soil remains moist in summer.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridapice’ – snowdrop
A taller variety with a distinctive, long spathe which looks like the flowers have a hood. This is a good choice for those looking for a slightly more unusual snowdrop, or those wanting to add to their collection as it is still quite rare. Both the inner and outer petals are white, but have green markings which make them look as if they have been painted with a brush.

Spring Flowering Bulb
Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ – Hyacinth
A fabulous hyacinth with deep magenta-purple blooms that are delicately scented. Plant in mixed beds in the garden or in pots on the patio so you can move them around for best effect. A great colour for mixing with deep purples or plum shades to create a ‘bruised’ border.

Browse the full range of Spring Flowering Bulbs from Crocus.co.uk

Plant of the Month for September – Japanese Anemone

Our plant of the month for September is Japanese Anemone.

Japanese Anemone are beautiful plants, are very easy to grow and flower their heads off from August through to the frosts. During September they are at their best when there are few other plants around. The Gardening Register has two varieties in the garden Anemone ‘September Charm’ and Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’. Honorine Jobert has been in for nearly ten years now and it never ceases to amaze me every year. September Charm was planted last autumn so this is it’s first true flowering season. The plants need to bulk up a bit before they’ll be as showy as Honorine. Take a look at the plants in our garden.

They are happy in full sun or partial shade and prefer moist, fertile soil. They are fully hardy and flower between July and September or even to the frosts if you’re lucky.

To care for your Japanese Anemones:

• Cut back the stalks after the flowers have faded
• Tidy up old dead leaves in March
• Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring
• Avoid moving the plant since it resents disturbance
• Where necessary lift and divide congested clumps in early spring

BUY NOW

Click here to see the whole range of Japanese Anemone from Crocus.co.uk

Which growing medium should I use?

Question:
I have read in a well known gardening book that plants do not like being transplanted into a different medium. Does that include transplanting from peat based raising plant medium to garden soil?

Answer:
I must admit I don’t worry too much about the different types of growing medium. I use a good quality everyday compost and if I need it to be free draining, or for sowing seeds and planting cuttings, I add grit or vermiculite, if I need it rich I add manure, if I need it more fertile I’ll add pelleted chicken manure. When planting into the garden I add compost to the planting hole but back fill with the garden soil I’ve removed from the hole so it is not such a shock for the plant. There are only two situations in which I use the “correct” medium and that is to use ericaceous compost/soil for acid lovers and aquatic soil for planting in ponds. So far this method has not caused me any problems.

What’s looking good in August

I went out into the garden this morning not expecting to see much to photograph and was surprised at the number of plants looking really good.

Often August is a quiet time in the garden but with plants such as Japanese anemone, Rudbeckia, Buddleja and Hibiscus you can guarantee a good display of colour. Take a look below:

Rose mallow Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’	Anemone ‘September Charm’ Japanese anemone
Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Herbstsonne’ coneflower	Lysimachia clethroides – Loostrife
Rose campion (Lychnis coronaria)	Hypericum ‘magical red star’
Buddleja  ‘Pink Delight’ butterfly bush	Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ Japanese anemone

All photographs were taken and are owned by Linda Peppin if you wish to use these photographs in your own work please drop her a line using the contact us link below.

Wormeries

Wormeries are used outdoors to compost your kitchen waste. They are neat and unobtrusive and all you have to do it add the worms and let them do all the hard work. Throughout the composting process the wormery will also produce a steady supply of liquid plant feed.

Wormeries use both cooked and uncooked kitchen scraps so nothing is wasted.

The best composting worms are reds and dendras and you should use a combination of the two. The more worms you have the faster the compost will convert, on average you should aim to have a kilogram of worms to each cubic metre of waste.

The worms can eat half their body weight in waste each day and they neutralise odours as they work.

Every couple of weeks or so they can produce a dozen baby worms so you should not have to buy any once your system has stabilised.

Make your own Leafmould

Autumn can be a lovely time of year but the work involved in clearing up all the dropped leaves can be a chore each year. However, there is a benefit to be had – they make a fabulous free source of organic matter.

Leafmould is ideal for use as a soil improver, mulch or potting compost. Here’s what to do:

• Fill black polythene bags with wet leaves
• Tie a knot in the top of the bags
• Puncture a few holes in the sides of each bag
• Place the bags behind the garden shed for a year

Next autumn the rich organic material can be used to improve the soil and mulch the surface after planting.

Make your own Compost

Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it and the best part is that it can consist of any organic material that we all have access to every single day from the lawn, the garden, and the kitchen.

You can even re-cycle the leaves which fall during Autumn to make wonderful leafmould which is an ideal soil improver.

Compost is what happens when leaves, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, woodchips, straw, and small twigs are combined, then allowed to break down into a soil-like texture. Compost introduces and feeds diverse life in the soil, including bacteria, insects, worms, and more which support vigorous plant growth.

Compost is multi-faceted but not intended as a fertilizer. It offers only a relatively low proportion of nutrients, yet what it does is close to magical. In its finished form as mulch, it reduces evaporation, reduces or prevents weed growth, and insulates the soil from extreme temperature changes. Mulch also keeps the upper inches of the soil cooler in daytime and warmer at night.

Regardless of the particular ingredients, making compost is akin to making bread or beer; soil-digesting bacteria like yeasts need warmth, moisture, air and something to feed on to keep them alive and growing. Almost all of the practical problems associated with making compost stem from too much or too little of those basic factors.

Compost is created from layers of grass clippings, leaves, weeds, kitchen scraps and, if available, farm animal manure. If you have meat eaters in your home, don’t use their meat scraps as they will attract rodents. Also, do not use litter from your dog or cat; it doesn’t break down properly and contains too many pathogens.

Over the years, composting has gotten a reputation for being a time-consuming job, but this is not necessarily the case. You don’t need to build a big box or turn the pile every so often. A barrel, a hole in the ground or a pile on top of the ground is satisfactory.

The important requirement is to be sure the waste material is covered with soil, so it doesn’t attract rats, other rodents or flies. You can build your layers directly on the ground, without any frame at all; if you use a container, be sure it is well ventilated.

The trick to successful compost is balancing ingredients high in nitrogen; fresh grass clippings, other fresh, green plant matter, most kitchen scraps – with those high in carbon; leaves, straw, dried grass, washed eggshells, wheat germ or other milled grains that have become too rancid or old to use, and any dried, brown plant matter. Too much nitrogenous matter yields an anaerobic, smelly pile. Too much carbonaceous matter results in a pile that never heats up. The ideal ratio is one part nitrogen to three parts carbon.

Start with a layer of small twigs, no large branches, a couple of inches deep; this will help your pile to breathe. Then, keeping in mind the 1 to 3 ratio of nitrogen to carbon, add a layer of mixed plant material. You may enrich the pile with horse or cow manure. These materials don’t break down; they simply add nutrients to the final product. Then lightly water the pile so it’s evenly moist. Too much water will interfere with aeration; too little water and the pile won’t ferment. If your pile sits in the open, you should cover it if heavy rains are forecast. An 8-inch layer of straw mulch spread over the top of the pile serves the same purpose.

Alternate layers until the pile is 5 feet high by 5 feet wide by whatever length you choose. A properly made pile that is loosely packed and well aerated will reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees within a few days. It should smell like wet hay. If the pile fails to heat up, pull it apart and redo it by adding layers of fresh green matter. If the pile becomes anaerobic (is too wet to aerate), pull it apart, let it dry out, use it as mulch and start a new pile.

After three weeks, the pile will have shrunk in size; this is normal. Dig into the pile with a fork and completely turn it over until the contents are redistributed; the idea is to put unfermented particles in contact with those that are further along. Let the pile rest, so the temperature will rise again. Turn it a second time five weeks later, let it rest a few weeks and, with luck, you’ll have a rich, crumbly pile of “black gold.”

Aquatic Gardening

There are several points you need to consider before building your pond or water feature. Should it be formal or informal, natural or modern? Do you want to keep fish, grow plants or attract wildlife? Are there children to keep safe?

Once you have answered these questions you need to decide where you want to site the pond or water feature. A pond should be kept away from big trees and shrubs so ensure their roots don’t puncture the lining. If you want to keep fish you need to have a pretty deep pond to stop it freezing over the winter. The smallest you should build a pond is 60cm (2ft) deep and 1 x 1.5m (3 x 5ft) across. However, the bigger the better.

If childrens’ safety is and issue or you prefer not to have to maintain a pond then a water feature is an excellent compromise. You could build a wall fountain or a pebble pool which can be sited in sun or shade near to a power supply. If you do not have external power then a wide plant container or half a barrel, without drainage holes, is ideal. You can still grow small aquatic plants or use floating oxygenators such as water hyacinth. You will need to protect them during winter or empty the container and start again in the spring.

For more about aquatic gardening visit these articles: Build a Garden Pond and Pond Plants

How do you grow your own cut flowers?

Buying cut flowers on a regular basis can be quite costly, so why not try growing your own in the garden?

They can be grown in their own cutting bed or mixed into a border to add to the display; either way you could raise enough flowers to have a constant supply of fresh blooms for your home.

To get the best quality flowers it is best to grow them in a sunny spot on well drained, fertile soil. Most will need to be supported to avoid damage and it is also wise to provide shelter from strong winds.

What typs of flowers can I grow?

• Half hardy annuals

• • The are the easiest to grow as the seed are sown directly into the soil where you want them flower
  • Sow between March and May, staggering the sowings to get a succession of flowers over the summer
  • Once all the flowers have been cut and no more buds form, lift the entire plant and put on the compost heap
  • Repeat the process next spring
  • Some examples are:
    • tobacco plants (nicotiana)
    • zinnia
    • snapdragons
    • cosmos
• Biennials
  • Sow seed between May and July to flower the following year
  • Sow where they are to flower or in seed trays
  • As with the annuals, discard after flowering is over
  • Keep sowing each May to get more flowers each year
  • Some examples are:
    • erysimum (wallflowers)
    • sweet william
    • dianthus
• Perennial
  • These will flower year after year so are a good investment
  • Plant rooted cuttings in spring or pot-grown specimens at any time
  • Perennials will die down for winter and most will be OK outside, however dahlias will need a good layer of mulch over them to help them through
  • Some examples are:
    • dahlia
    • chrysanthemum
    • alchemilla mollis
• Bulbs
  • Plant spring flowering bulbs at the end of summer or early autumn
  • Once the flowers have been cut and no more buds appear leave the foliage on the plant to die down naturally, this provides the bulb with food for the following year
  • Some examples are:
    • daffodils
    • tulips
    • allium

Most plants will benefit from being picked regularly as it will encourage more buds to form and extend your cutting season.

Keep all plants well watered throughout the growing season a feed every couple of weeks.

Plant of the Month for August – Hydrangea

Our plant of the month for August is Hydrangea.

Hydrangeas are wonderful plants and often under rated; they flower for months right up to the frosts, they grow to a good sized shrub so are ideal for adding structure to your borders and they can be used as a cut flower too.

The most popular hydrangea are Hydrangea macrophylla Mopheads which have large ball-like blooms. Hydrangea macrophylla Lacecaps have a flat flower-head with an outer ring of large flowers surrounding a central group of smaller flowers.Hydrangea paniculata have cone shaped flowers.

The main colours of the flowers are white, pink and blue but they often bloom in shades of lilac and purple. Take a look below at a great selection from Crocus.co.uk.

If you buy a blue Hydrangea and want to keep the flowers blue it is best to grow it in acidic soils with a pH of 5.5. When grown on neutral soil (pH 7) the flowers will tend to turn more mauve or even pink.

To maintain the blue flowers keep the soil acidic by treating with aluminium salts or grow your plant in a large container filled with ericaceous compost and feed regularly with a special ericaceous feed.

White or pink hydrangeas are happy growing in neutral or alkaline soil.

To care for your hydrangea:

• In dry weather water regularly and soak well if there are signs of distress
• Keep the flower heads on over winter and remove them back to a strong pair of buds, in spring after the danger of frost has passed
• Take out diseased shoots
• Mulch young plants with a well-rotted manure or compost in spring
• Once established, remove a quarter to a third of the shoots to the base of the plant

BUY NOW

Click here to see the whole range of Hydrangea from Crocus.co.uk

Dying Laurels

Question:

In October last year I planted 300 Laurels, they looked very healthy and doing well, now I have noticed that some of the leaves are turning yellow and dropping off. Are they dying?

I spoke to the Garden Centre where I bought them , they told me they needed food , bone meal etc.

What do you think? they were expensive and I don’t want them dying on me.

Answer:

Firstly you should ensure that the plants are getting enough water; check the soil around the roots and it they are dry give them a good watering and continue to water until you see an improvement. Don’t overwater, you don’t want them sitting in puddles. Feeding will be required on a regular basis, usually in Spring and again in Autumn, you can use bone meal or a general fertiliser if you prefer. Finally the plants could have a magnesium deficiency so do a one off treatment of Epsom salts which you can get from the garden centre; just follow the instructions on the box.

I hope this helps and that your very expensive hedge survives.

Sharp Sand

Question:

Does “sharp sand” have a place in the garden?

Answer:

Sharp sand is used to improve drainage by either digging it directly into the soil or by mixing with compost when planting in containers.
It is also used in building works; mixing with concrete etc.

However, it shouldn’t be used in childrens’ play areas; there are special “safe” sands for this use.

Flowers for Young Children

Question:

I am planning to make miniature gardens with young children and would like to use petunias ans Impatiens (bizzie-lizzie). I just wanted to make sure that neither of these plants is poisonous.

Answer:

Petunias and Impatiens are not on the poisonous plants list. However, if eaten most ornamental plants will cause sickness in children and some adults. You will need to keep an eye on the children when they are in the garden or consider planting edible plants. Here’s a selection for you to consider:

• Nasturtiums – colourful and quick growing
• Alliums – taste of onions with purple or white flowers
• Rosemary – grows quite big but can be pruned down. Smells great. The flavour is strong so the kids won’t like it anyway!
• Mint – lots of different types with slightly different minty smells. They can take over so it’s best kept in a pot
• Violas and Pansies – cheap and easy to grow
• Parsley – annual only but easy to grow in a sunny spot
• Try planting strawberries or small tomatoes in hanging baskets

Cutting back Carnations

Question:

Last year I sent for some carnation plug plants which I duly planted in the garden, last year they increased in size but only one plant flowered. They over-wintered well and have produced masses of blooms this summer. I neglected to stake them and they now look awful, can I cut them back or will that kill them?

Answer:

Carnations can quickly look messy if they are not supported so I think the only thing you can do is to cut them down and start again next year. Don’t cut them too low, just enough to stop them falling over.

Carnations are very easy to propagate so why not use some of the cut-offs to produce new plants for next year. Ideally this should take place in the spring but they should still root Ok at this time of year:
• Fill a pot with at least 5 inches of sand or vermiculite, water well.
• Take your cuttings which should be about 6 inches long and should include at least three sets of leaves, remove the bottom sets to leave 3-4 inches of bear stem.
• Dip the bottom of each stem in rooting hormone powder (not essential but it will help with rooting).
• Use a pencil to poke a hole in the sand or vermiculite and insert the cutting to a depth of 3-4 inches and firm around the stem. The cuttings can be placed as close together as 1 or 2.
• Place in a shady, frost-free place and check regularly; water when needed.
• The cuttings should be rooted in six to eight weeks and can then be planted in their own pots over the winter and planted out next spring.

Planting carnations in groups means that they help each other to stay upright so the more the better. It is also worth noting that carnations prefer full sun and flop even more in shade; if you have them in the shade you may want to consider moving them.

Photinia Robina Wilt Problem

Question:
I have Photinia Robina in a pot. It is about 8 years old and has always done well. Last year having masses of flowers etc. However, this year the new growth has been dying back. Initially have a wilt and then dropping leaves. The older part of the plant is shiny and healthy. We pruned it back about 3 months ago, but this wilt is still happening on new shoots.

Answer:
It seems that maybe your Photinia has become pot-bound. Tip it out of it’s pot and have a look at the root ball. If the roots are tightly packed then re-pot in a pot a good few inches bigger than its current pot using a good quality compost mixed with some slow release fertiliser; water the plant before re-potting and again afterwards. Keep it well watered for a couple of months until it settles in. Also add a few crocks to the base of the pot to help drainage.

While the root ball is out of its pot check it for grubs; if you find any take a photo and send it on to me in case this is the problem.

Finally; there is a possibility that it may be water-logged but again you can check this when you tip out the plant. If it is very wet and a bit smelly then let it dry out thoroughly before watering.

Tomatoes and Olives

Question:
How do I nurture a tumbling tomatoe plant that we have hanging in a basket? How do I ensure a good crop? There are very small green baby tomatoes at present. Does it need repotting as it looks a bit big now for the basket

I bought the most gorgeous olive tree a couple of months ago. Its about 2.5 feet tall. I repotted it in John Innes No 3 mixed with grit. Is it right to keep it very moist initially? What feed, if any, should I use? How do I know its healthy?

Answer:
Your tumbling tomato plant will need lots of watering to stop the fruits splitting and it will need feeding every week with a tomato feed to ensure a good healthy crop. They really need to be in a very sunny spot for the fruit to ripen successfully. I have never been able to grow tomatoes outside as my garden is north facing and doesn’t get much sun. I wouldn’t re-pot it; it should be fine if you keep feeding and watering.

Olives are not entirely hardy in the UK so will need some protection during cold and frosty periods. You were right to plant in a well-drained mix of compost and grit. Although they can cope with dry periods, olives in containers need regular watering and feeding to produce fruit. During the growing season keep the compost moist and feed every month. In winter, you can reduce watering, but don’t let the compost dry out completely. As long as the leaves are undamaged and there is sign of new growth you can assume the plant is healthy. If the plant is kept in a very sunny location you may even get fruit after a couple of years.

Blueberry Problems

Question:
We have two blueberry bushes about 3 yrs old which we moved from pots into garden last year. They are in fruit but all the leaves have been eaten? On odd remaining ones there is what looks like a yellow mildew.Can you advise if fruit once ripened is fit to eat and also what the problem is.

Answer:
Blueberries are often pest and disease free, but can occasionally suffer from powdery mildew and vine weevil. Click on the links to find out more from the RHS Advice Centre. Here is also a link to find out more about blueberries in general.

It is also worth noting that they prefer an acid soil so it would be as well to test the soil around the planting area and if it is not acidic enough perhaps consider putting them back into their pots:

I would say that the fruits will be fine once they ripen but if you have sprayed the plant make sure you wash them well.

Moving Monkey Puzzle Tree

Question:
We have planted a monkey puzzle tree from a container it did not have very big roots but looked very healthy a couple of the bottom branches are dying but the rest looks ok can you give me any advice on growing and feeding my tree as I would hate to lose it.

Answer:
All trees and shrubs take time to get established following a move, as long as you are keeping it well watered it should be OK.

However, the monkey puzzle trees like full sun and well-drained soil so check that it isn’t sitting in water and move it to a sunny area if it isn’t located in one currently.

The monkey puzzle tree is slow growing but can eventually grow to a height of 60-70ft and a width of 30-35ft so may eventually outgrow your garden. I know you’ve only just moved it out of a container but it may be better to grow it in a pot but the pot needs to be of considerable size in order for the tree to reach it’s full potential. Make sure you feed it regularly with a general feed such as pelleted chicken manure and mulch the surface with some well rotted organic matter such as manure. If it out grows its pot, wait until the autumn then re-pot in a large pot with plenty of drainage holes. Add some crocks or broken clay pots into the bottom to help drainage and to help stop it falling over, then fill with a good quality compost. Add a general feed such as pelleted chicken manure and mulch the surface with some well rotted organic matter such as manure. Each year you should top up the compost level, feed and add more organic matter.

If you do want to keep it in the ground keep it well watered during the first year and feed and mulch in the autumn.

Cordyline Drying Out

Question:
I’ve just got back from holiday to find that my cordyline red star has unexpectedly dried up. Everybody else’s in the close seems to be doing well. What could have gone wrong? Is there any way I can salvage the plant?

Answer:
I’m sorry to hear about your Cordyline. I think we need to establish whether the plant has dried up because the ground dried out or because it has been affected by a pest or disease. Is the soil around the plant dry and if so how far down is it dry? If the soil is damp a few inches down then the plant could be infected which has caused it to shrivel. Have a look around the leaves and the surrounding soil and let me know if you find any evidence of pests or diseases and I’ll investigate further.

In the meantime I would give it a good drink of water and a sprinkling of fertiliser. Add a couple of inches of well rotted manure around the base to help keep the moisture in.

Victoria Plum Tree

Question:
I planted a small Victoria Plum Tree last year in spring, I have no blossom this year only leaves, is this normal?

Answer:
Most fruit trees are very hardy but once they start into growth in spring, flowers and buds are especially vulnerable to frost. It may well be that the flower buds were affected by the frost and died. Next year in early spring cover the tree with horticultural fleece until all risk of frost has passed.

Next Page »