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
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.
Questions for March 2008
Question
I bought a Grevillea plant today the guy at the garden centre just said it grows to about 3 feet and flowers until June I have since found there are many types mine has pink and black flowers on pine like branches what is the general rule of where to plant type of soil etc any tips welcomed thank you
Answer
It seems to be quite tender and prefers a light, sandy soil. Plant it out in a sunny, sheltered spot and perhaps protect it when the weather is severe. You shouldn’t need to prune it unless you want to keep it to a certain size or shape, if you do wish to prune it do it once flowering has finished.
Question
I want to replace my Acer in the garden. Is it ok to plant a new one in the same place as the one I am now digging out?
Answer
As long as the Acer you are replacing is healthy then I can see no reason why planting another would cause problems. Ensure you remove all the roots of the old tree and dig a hole twice the size of the root ball of the new tree. Add lots of well rotted compost to the soil when back-filling. Water if it doesn’t rain but ensure it doesn’t get waterlogged.
Question
I have a wisteria tree which is well established (over 25 years); it is situated in my front garden and has been trained to grow over an archway and along the side of my garage. We have invested in a larger vehicle and as a result need to widen our driveway area which impinges on where the wisteria trunk is sited. As we will be digging up this area to lay a new driveway and paving area, rather than lose the wisteria, we wondered whether once the roots are exposed whether it would be possible to re-site the trunk a few metres away and re-bed in the new paving without causing damage to the tree.
Answer
I am not confident that you will be able to easily re-site your wisteria. As a rule a tree’s roots spread the same distance underground as their branches do above ground so I would doubt that you would be able to remove all the roots without damaging them and therefore risking the tree. Having said that it sounds as if you have to remove the tree anyway so it may be worth the risk. If you decide to go ahead you should dig a hole in the new location before you begin removing the tree. Make sure the hole is wide enough and deep enough to contain all the roots and add lots of well rotted compost to give it as much help as possible. You may need to detach some branches from the support wires prior to moving. Once you are ready, carefully expose as much root as you can and only cut off roots if absolutely necessary. The most important roots are the smaller fibrous roots which take up the goodness in the soil, the bigger roots are there to hold the tree in place and seek out water further below the surface. Before laying the new paving give the tree lots of water each day for as long as you can to help it establish. If it does happen to die off you could always use it as support for another climber such as a clematis or honeysuckle.
Question
I bought a Cistus snow white yesterday and planted it by the instructions on the plant card however when I looked on the Internet it says not to use organic compost not to mulch and not to feed I used multi purpose compost give it a feed with miracle grow all of which the plant card suggested will it harm it or should I dig it up.
Answer
Cistus plants are originally from the dry, rocky soils of the Mediterranean, which means that they like poor, sandy soils so do not need fertile soil or fertilisers. I must admit that when I planted my first Cistus I also used compost and feed and it did OK. You may find it possibly won’t do as well as had you planted it in poor soil but as long as you don’t add any more mulch or feed then it will be OK in future years. However, if you have only just planted it, you should be able to dig it up quite easily if you prefer to replant. If you do just dig a hole and pop it in! The good news is that this plant copes with fairly extreme droughts so does not need much watering and loves strong sunlight. Also, this is one of the few Cistus plants that respond well to occasional pruning of its stems.
Questions for January 2008
Question
HI, I need some advice please on what to do with an old veggie patch in my backyard. The previous owner maintained a veggie patch, taking up about one-third of the yard. It is no longer maintained as a veggie patch and if I could afford it I would makeover the whole backyard. That area is now just a patch of dirt that is overgrown with weeds. The man that mows my front lawn previously cleared it, but then I found that the loose soil was unsightly and would blow onto the paved area on windy days. It also had a lot of debris in it (from old construction work on my house, bits of broken plaster) that was unnoticeable while the weeds were growing over it. How do I keep the patch looking neat, would it be possible to cover it over with gravel or wood chips? I don’t want to spend a lot of money by putting a lawn over it as I intend to redo the whole area someday.
Answer
It should be quite easy to deal with this area. First of all I would ensure that all the weeds are well and truly dead by treating the area with a good quality perennial weed killer. Leave it for a few weeks to see if any annual weeds germinate and if they do pull them out by hand. Then you should lay a weed suppressing membrane ensuring that the whole area is well covered. You will be able to buy this from your local garden centre or DIY store. Finally lay a thick layer of your chosen mulch. You can use anything you like as they all do the same job. The thing to remember is that weed seeds will find there way into the mulch and germinate. However they are usually quite weak so if you pull them up as soon as you see them they should be quite easy to control.
Question
I have just bought a lovely Cordyline australis red star it says on the plant card its only half hardy and wont survive hard frosts yet elsewhere I have read its fully hardy and the frost wont damage it I have bought it in doors placed it where it can get plenty of light and avoided putting it near radiators so should I keep it indoors for now or plant it out it is in a large black plastic pot at moment I have other Cordylines which have done ok over last two winters though different from this one
Answer
You are correct that some Cordylines do survive the winter but I think it best to play safe. Leave it indoors over this winter and plant it out into a sheltered, sunny spot once the risk of frost has passed. Next winter cover the leaves with horticultural fleece to protect it. Alternatively plant it into a nice pot and bring it indoors each winter.
Question
I have a very shaded area of my garden 5 6 hours max sun on a good day in summer I was looking at a relatively inexpensive way of planting some form of hedge that will not grow much over 3ft but will be noticeable perhaps something that may have flowers or berries on at some stage in the year any advice welcomed
Answer
I have done some research and found a few plants which should make a good, low hedge with some interest. There are not many hedging plants which like full shade so I have also included some that like partial shade. They should still do OK although they may bloom a little later than usual. Switch Ivy – likes acid soil, Snowy Woodrush – I don’t know this one well but enjoys full shade, Common Box – needs to be kept well pruned to shape, Berberis – likes sun or shade. Lovely colour but has thorns, Pyracantha – also like sun or shade but again is thorny and will need pruning well each year, Red-barked Dogwood – the red bark is even better when cut right down each year.
Questions for October 2007
Question:
Please could you tell me whether the fuchsia “Shadow Dancer” is hardy?
Answer:
Your Fuchsia “Shadow Dancer” has a hardiness rating of H3 which means that you need to give it some protection from frost. Either move it into an unheated greenhouse or cover with horticultural fleece when frost is expected.
Question:
I have bought several small cuttings today of Buxus golden dream how big can this grow in height and spread and does it grow all year round should I water and feed it in winter thank you for any advice you can give.
Answer:
Buxus ‘Golden Dream’ is a compact, evergreen shrub with dense foliage. Its colour is most pronounced in full sun, but will it will grow in either full sun or partial shade. This plant can be used for anything from a low growing hedge to a nice, neat, accent in any garden. As with most all boxwoods, it prefers slightly cooler, moist soils with good drainage. A good top dressing of mulch will do wonders to keep the soil conditions favourable. Its height and spread is 3-4 ft and it grows at a moderate rate. Although this is a hardy shrub if the cuttings are particularly small I would keep them in their pots and protect them over this winter, planting them out once the risk of frost has passed next spring. They shouldn’t need any feeding this winter but make sure they don’t dry out. When you plant them out give then a good mulch of well rotted manure.
Pet Prescriptions B
Baycox Solution 2.5% – 1 litre
For the treatment of coccidiosis in Broilers and Broiler Breeders. Baycox 2.5% Solution is effective against Eimeria acervulina, E. brunetti, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. tenella, E. mitis.
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Baytril 10% Oral Solution – 1 litre
Enrofloxacin is a synthetic, broad spectrum antimicrobial substance, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics. It is bactericidal in action by a concentration – dependant activity against many gram positive and gram negative bacteria as well as mycoplasmas.
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Baytril 2.5% Oral Solution – 100ml
Enrofloxacin is a synthetic, broad spectrum antimicrobial substance, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics.
£20.97 Petmeds
Baytril Injectable 10% Solution
Enrofloxacin is a synthetic, broad spectrum antimicrobial substance, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics.
£58.88 Petmeds
Baytril Injectable 2.5% Solution – 50ml
Enrofloxacin is a synthetic, broad spectrum antimicrobial substance, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics. It is bactericidal in action with activity against many gram positive and gram negative bacteria and mycoplasmas.
£11.74 Petmeds
Baytril Injectable 5% Solution
Enrofloxacin is a synthetic, broad spectrum antimicrobial substance, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics. It is bactericidal in action with activity against many gram positive and gram negative bacteria and mycoplasmas.
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Baytril Tablets – Single x 150mg
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Baytril Tablets – Single x 50mg
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Benazecare 5mg
Benazecare 5mg
£0.69 Petmeds
Betamox
For the treatment of infections caused by the wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria.
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Betamox LA
For the treatment of infections caused by the wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria.
£24.04 Petmeds
Betamox Palatable Drops
For the control of infections in dogs and cats, including infections of the alimentary tract, respiratory tract and urogenital tract, eye and ear infections, skin and wound infections. In vitro, amoxicillin is effective against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria
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Betamox Tablets – 250 x 200mg
For the treatment of bacterial infections of the alimentary, respiratory and urogenital tracts and in eye, ear, skin and wound infections caused by susceptible organisms.
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For the treatment of bacterial infections of the alimentary, respiratory and urogenital tracts and in eye, ear, skin and wound infections caused by susceptible organisms.
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Bimoxyl LA
Various Uses for Cattle and Sheep, Pigs and Dogs.
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Bisolvon Powder
As an aid to the treatment of respiratory disease in cattle, horses, pigs, dogs and cats where mucus is a complicating factor.
£52.73 Petmeds
Borgal 24% Solution
In vitro activity has been demonstrated with Borgal against common Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms.
£14.67 Petmeds
Bovidec Vaccine
For the active immunisation of female breeding cattle.
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Bovilis BVD:10
For active immunisation of cows and heifers to protect the foetus against transplacental infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus.
£22.33 Petmeds
Bovilis BVD:25
For active immunisation of cows and heifers to protect the foetus against transplacental infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus.
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Bovilis BVD:5
For active immunisation of cows and heifers to protect the foetus against transplacental infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhoea virus.
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Bovilis Huskvak
For the active immunisation of cattle to reduce clinical signs and lesions of parasitic bronchitis.
£59.45 Petmeds
Bovilis IBR
For the active immunisation of cattle.
£17.22 Petmeds
Bovipast RSP
For the active immunisation of cattle.
£56.95
