Christmas Gift Idea: Calendars for Gardening Lovers

W H Smith have launched their 2012 calendars and wall planners.

Calendars always make great Christmas and New Year gifts and for the gardener they are a valuable planning tool. This year W H Smith have a great range of gardening related calendars and wall planners; click here to see the full range of 2012 calendars from W H Smiths or scroll down to see a sample of their gardening related calendars and wall planners.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Slim Calendar – £5.99	Beautiful Gardens Slim Calendar – £5.99	Alan Titchmarsh Gardening Calendar – £5.99

 

 

Click here to see the full range of Slim Calendars

Wild Flowers Square Calendar – £8.99	The Life of Trees Square Calendar – £9.99	Alan Titchmarsh Favourite Gardens Square Calendar – £9.99

 

 

Click here to see the full range of Square Calendars

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady A4 Family Organiser – £8.99	Week-to-View Lucy Cromwell A4 Family Planner – £8.99	Life in the Garden Week to View A4 Family Planner – £8.99

 

 

Click here to see the full range of A4 Family Planners

Online Garden Centres

Useful Links: Online Garden Centres

Plants Galore Online Quality garden plants, shrubs, perennials, trees, bulbs, plant care products and garden furniture all offered a amazingly competitive prices.

Rowan Tree

Loving the Rowan Tree in our garden with it’s bright red berries ….. the magpies are going mad over them!

The Rowan or Sorbus sargentiana is a slow-growing tree with large, sticky red buds in autumn. In spring, dark green leaves are produced which turn a fiery orange and red in autumn. The white flowers are produced in early summer usually followed by red berries which are quickly eaten by birds.

A lovely tree for the small garden. Our Rowan is a self-seeded specimen, bought in by the birds no doubt!

It like full sun or dappled shade and prefers a slightly acidic soil which is why it does well here. It doesn’t require regular pruning, just remove any broken or diseased brances in late autumn. Eventual height and spread is 10m.

Crocus.co.uk have a good range of Sorbus Trees, click to find out more.

The 12 Step Beginners Guide to Pruning

Not all shrubs require pruning but you may want to consider it in order to shape the plant, to encourage vigorous growth, flowering or fruit production or to remove dead, damaged or diseased material.

Here is a beginners guide to pruning:

1. Pruning is best carried out immediately after flowering to ensure a good display the following year but a general pruning in Autumn is also usual particularly for roses
2. Always cut at a downward angle to allow rain to fall away and not sit on the cut
3. Pruning to remove spent flower heads is always a good idea as it stops the plant spending energy producing seed
4. Always use good quality, sharp, clean tools
5. Cut out dead or diseased stems right down to where they reach the roots or main stem
6. Take out any stems that cross over other stems as they will eventually join together and cause injury which can let in disease
7. Take a look at the plant and decide what size and shape you want and bear this is mind throughout the pruning process
8. Take a stem and starting at the tip look along it’s length to where it reaches the base. The “nodes” you see along the length are where either leaves, new stems or flowers will appear; you won’t know in advance which of these it will be
9. By pruning just before a node (i.e. before when looking from the tip to the base) you stimulate a chemical at the node which tells the plant to shoot out from there and produce a flower, leaf or another stem
10. If you prune after a node the chances are that the stem will die back from the end down to the next node and may even continue down the stem
11. To hard prune, count the number of nodes up the stem from the base; you should leave at least two nodes to allow for die-back so pruning just before the third node is usually ideal; this type of pruning produces new growth and reinvigorates the plant
12. For an annual prune when you just want to keep the shrub in shape so you should cut just above the node needed to maintain the shape; this type of pruning usually produces flowers and new leaves the following season

Next you can find out more about pruning specific types of plants:

Evergreens – During May cut out dead, weak or crossing branches and remove extra branches if the shrub is overcrowded. Examples: Camellia, Pieris, Rhododendron -

Early Flowering Deciduous Shrubs – Immediately after flowering cut out dead, weak or crossing branches and remove extra branches if the shrub is overcrowded. Cut back all branches which have flowered this year. Examples: Forsythia, Weigela, Deutzia, Philadelphus

Later Flowering Deciduous Shrubs – During January to March before the new growth appears cut out dead, weak or crossing branches and remove extra branches if the shrub is overcrowded. Cut back all old wood to the ground. Examples: Buddleia, Hypericum, Cornus

Damaged or Diseased Trees – Identify the diseased or damaged branches and cut back to healthy, clean wood.

Clematis

Group 1 – these are small-flowered species which flower in early spring on last season’s growth Immediately after flowering remove dead or damaged stems, and reduce other stems if needed. To renovate an older plant cut back to 15-30cm (6-12in) from the base immediately after flowering

Group 2 – large-flowered, flowering May-June on the previous year’s growth. Some flower again in summer on current season’s growth. Remove dead and damaged stems in early spring before growth begins, trimming all remaining stems to a pair of strong buds. To rejuvenate a mature specimen remove old shoots during spring

Group 3 – flowers late summer on current season’s growth. Cut back all growth to a pair of strong buds 15-20cm (6-8in) above soil level, before growth begins in early spring

Insurance Warning for Gardeners

In a recent report from the London Stock Exchange it was thought that most people are underinsured for the potential loss or damage of items in their gardens.

Comparethemarket.com say that 1.2 million households in the UK have been affected by garden crime, but only 25% of homes currently have policies that cover them for the loss of or damage to expensive goods in their gardens.

So when your household insurance is up for renewal why not search Comparethemarket to make sure your policy covers everything you have in your garden, shed and garage.

It is also worth while checking that you are covered for trees or fences coming down in your garden, and, if you have an allotment, check that the items you keep on site are also covered.

Links: Plants and Seeds

Garden Plants, Garden Bulbs, Shrubs, Perennials, Trees and Seeds

Artificial Palm Trees Silk Plants Direct offers a wide collection of the artificial palm trees made from high quality silk. Our collection includes artificial Areca Palm trees and plants, Fishtail Palm, Fan Palm, Kentia, Phoenix, Rhapis and many more silk Palm trees and plants to decorate your dull place.

 

 

 

 

Vegetable Seeds Quality but cheap vegetable seeds from Seed Parade. Wide range of heirloom, traditional and hybrid varieties. Low prices and fast delivery in the UK and EU. Among the vegetable seeds you can find a good range of herb and flower seeds too. Heirloom tomato seed and sweet pea seed specialist, and one of the cheapest retailer on F1 garden seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

The Gift List Service for Garden Lovers! Getting Married? Inspire your guests and choose plants, garden products and designs as presents. Find out all about us on our jolly website: www.weddinggardencompany.co.uk

Florida Palm Trees

An excellent resource offering palm tree advice and tips for transforming your garden and landscape into a tropical paradise. We have over 50 most popular palm trees in our catalog with detailed description and colorful photos.

Bonsai Trees
This site provides bonsai articles and tips including pruning, shaping, soil and other bonsai care issues. Our catalog has over 100 most popular bonsai trees with detailed description and colorful photos.

Hyde Cottage Palms and Exotics
An established nursery specialising in hardy and half hardy exotics. Olives,gingers, palms,bamboo, shrubs, trees and much more!

where garden people meet!
Biggest selection of plants for gardeners and a permanent online plant fair for commercial users.

Lawn Care
Get the latest information on everything you need to know about lawn care, including building a lawn, lawn care & maintenance, product reviews & more.

The Sensative Plant
The Touch Me Not Plant /sensative plant or Mimisa Pudica – the plant that moves when touched

Florida Palm Trees
Provides Articles and Tips on how to care for a Palm Tree.

Purchase online hedging plants
Sell quality hedging plants online UK wide Secure online payment

A 3-day lifestyle extravaganza
Premier event of its kind in Scotland – a taste of the best in food, horticulture and entertainment.

Perennials Nashville
Visit our gardening website for a broad selection of links for gardening information, books, magazines and the best selections of annuals, biennials, perennials, herbs, flowers, plants, banana plant care, over-winter banana plant, botanicals, flowering trees and flowering shrubs for gardens and landscapes

BALI-HAI MAIL ORDER NURSERY – Specialise in Hosta 1100+ varieties, Phormium ,Rhodohypoxis, Tree Ferns and other Perennials by mail-order, shipping worldwide. Situated in the lovely Glens Of Antrim, Northern Ireland, U.K.

IMPACT PLANTS
Supplying large trees, large hedges and plants in large numbers

Garden Plants and Garden Planters
Floraselect provide a wide range of garden plants and garden planters online.

 

 

Links: Gardening Blogs

Gardening Blogs some of the best blogs around with lots of interesting, useful information

What is RSS? Want to know more? Click here

 

MyGardenSchool

MyGardenSchool is your unique online horticultural classroom. We give you access to gardening courses taught by the world’s most acclaimed authors, wherever you are in the world. You’ll have one-to-one personal contact with your tutor, through your virtual classroom.

Gardening Tips and Advice Online How to Guides

The online garden resource for gardeners by Westland Horticulture.

The Gardeners’ World Blog
Welcome to the Gardeners’ World blog. This is where the production team will share their views on the realities of gardening and filming a gardening show.

Wiggly Wigglers

Wiggly Wigglers are based on the lovely Lower Blakemere Farm in rural Herefordshire. Their shop sells items for composting and soil improvement as well as seeds, plants, hedging and trees. Plus there is lots of useful information.

Gardeners Tips

Blog for tips and advice on gardening

Blooming Direct Blog

Not sure when to plant your sunflower seed? What plants to grow for summer bloom or desire to find a perfect plant partner, then look no further. This Gardening Advice blog will help you branch into something new. Visit often for timely tips from Gardening experts. Plant the seed and join our Blog community today.

Garden Articles, Submit your gardening articles here

A useful resource for gardeners and writers. Publish your articles for free. The UK’s fastest growing article directory for gardeners.

Personal gardening advice

A personal website specifically designed for newbie through to experienced gardeners. We give ideas for gardening and garden craft projects and talk about anything and everything garden related. We both have a keen interest in the maintenance of our planet and this is reflected in our advisory written posts.

Do you know of a good blog which should be included in our directory? If so drop us a line here.

Types of Plants – Evergreens

Evergreens are plants that keep their leaves all year round although they do tend to shed a few along the way. They are great for giving the garden year round colour and shape. Trees, shrubs, climbers, conifers and perennials all have evergreen species so visit the individual pages for care instructions.

Evergreens in our Garden: Below is a selection of evergreen plants we have in our garden; click the image to Buy your Own

Hedera helix – Goldheart*

Vinca major – Variegated Periwinkle*

Polystichum setiferum – Multilobum Group*

*Photographs 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.

Types of Plants – Alpine Plants

Alpines are small shrubs or perennials that grow naturally in mountainous areas and are often used in rockeries. They grow in poor, thin soils with very good drainage. Many are cushion or mat forming and creeping to prevent damage from wind and their fleshy or hair foliage prevents water loss. They do not like damp, humid conditions and like to have their foliage and roots kept dry.

Care: Alpines should be sited in full sun away from trees and in extremely well drained soil, if in doubt, add lots of extra grit. Alpines do very well in sink gardens or raised beds which show off small specimens. Many thrive in cracks between bricks in walls or between paving slaps in pathways.

Pests and Diseases to watch out for:

• Aphids: Treat with a suitable pesticide such as fatty acids
• Birds: Plants may be torn to pieces. Lay lengths of cotton across the plants as a deterrent
• Caterpillars: Remove by hand
• Cutworms: These pests eat through the plant just below soil level. Lift the damaged plant to expose the grub and remove by hand
• Slugs: Can completely devour a plant in one night. Use biological control such as nematodes or buy a prepared solution from your local garden centre

When deciding where to site your rock garden bear in mind the following requirements. Position it in a sunny area away from large trees or shrubs. Any good garden soil will do but it must be gritty and well drained. If yours isn’t, then dig in a good amount of coarse sand and/or stone chippings.

The stone you use for decoration can be any natural, weathered stone but Tufa is also useful. The rocks should be firmly placed in the soil to ensure that don’t move as the plants grow and should look as natural as possible.

If space is limited the best way of growing alpines is in raised beds, sinks or troughs. These can be as small or as big as you want and as long as they have good drainage holes the plants will do well. Place crocks over the drainage holes and add a planting mixture of 2 parts good loam, 1 part of peat or peat substitute, 1 part coarse sand and 1 part of stone chippings.

Allow the soil to settle before planting; planting in groups will give the best affect. Weed regularly by hand, do not feed and water only during dry spells. Each year dress the top of the soil with some of the planting mixture to keep it looking neat and to keep the roots covered.

Hedging Ideas

Question:

I live in a block of flats with a communal garden that is adjacent to another block also with a communal garden. The two gardens used to be screened from one another by trees which have had to be cut down as we were told they were unsafe. Now we have a nasty wire fence separating the two gardens and we would like to plant some bushes that would act as a screen. Laurel was suggested but we already have a huge laurel hedge in another part of the garden and this has turned out to be very high maintenance as it grows furiously and costs huge amounts to trim. So we need something that is low maintenance and would screen adequately. Have you any suggestions?

Answer:

I’m afraid most hedges are high maintenance in that require trimming twice a year and need feeding and watering regularly until they establish. Here is a link to one of my favourite websites, Crocus.co.uk, which has a good selection of hedging plants to give you some ideas.

However, another solution may be to plant a number of ivy plants along the wire fence and weave them up and around the wires to produce a hedge affect. Once established Ivy is very quick growing and you can easily keep it in check if it gets too big. Here is a link to show you some ivys from crocus. If you wanted to you could grow other climbers, such as clematis, up the ivy to add some colour.

I don’t know how high you want the barrier but another solution may be to plant clump forming bamboo. They grow quite tall but as long as you get the non-invasive types it can produce a nice informal hedge. Again, another link.

I hope I have given you some ideas but there is one thing you don’t ever want to do and that is to plant Leylandii. It is very fast growing and without regular trimming can soon outgrow even the biggest garden.

Lavender dentata

Question:

In February I bought a lavender dentata tree which claimed on the label to be hardy to the UK I found out some time later it was not and bought the tree in and planted it in a pot I have put it out during the day has the weather has warmed up but on inspecting the same tree at my garden centre yesterday I think mine is dying the spikes are all drooping downwards and its spikes are brittle the one I saw in my garden centre seem to have the spikes pointing upright and the spikes are soft what I cant understand is when I bought it and on subsequent visits to my garden centre the trees were all outdoors for 24hoursso I unsure where I have gone wrong do you think it can be saved and what steps can I take to resurrect it any help appreciated

Answer:

I’m not sure how your garden centre managed to keep these lavenders outdoors all winter as they are not hardy in the UK. If all the spikes are brittle then I’m afraid it is probably dead. However, if you do have any soft green growth left you can try cutting back to the green parts, keep it indoors for another couple of months and see if it comes back. Don’t cut into the old, woody parts of the plant as it will not survive. Hope this helps and your plant survives.

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

Ants killing Kilmarnock Willow

Question:
I transplanted a Kilmarnock Willow this spring, it appeared to have survived the move quite well. In recent weeks it has been covered in ants and now the leaves have gone brown and the tree looks dead. Is there anything I can do?

Answer:
As for your Willow. Ants are a bother but they are not a destructive pest as they feed mainly on insects, including other ants. They also look for the sweet liquid known as honeydew, which is excreted by aphids and some other sap-feeding insects. However, ants do little damage to plants themselves, except by disturbing soil around plant roots while building their nests so I don’t think it is the ants which have damaged your Willow.

Getting rid of ants isn’t easy but you could try some of the controls available at garden centres and DIY stores.

I’m wondering if your Willow just hasn’t managed to survive the move, perhaps it dried out during the recent hot spell. You can tell if the tree is dead or not by gently scraping away some of the bark on its branches. If it is brown underneath then the tree is dead, if it is still green then it’s not dead. Try a few different branches as you may find the tips have died but the main stem and bigger stems are still alive. If you find some live stems, cut back the branches to the live part and cut out any branches which are totally dead. Water the tree well and keep it watered throughout the summer and it may come back in the spring. Also add some bone meal to the soil around the base of the tree, this will help the tree concentrate on producing roots.

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.

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.

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.

Questions for April 2008

Question

I am not sure if you can help but I am looking to buy some coprosma evening glow or/and coprosma fire burst so far I have had little luck I have tried googling it but very poor results none of my local garden centres stock it I bought some last year from a local market and would like to get more I really want a fairly well established rather than a small gutting that needs to be grown on do you know of any online nurseries that would sell this also regards dogwood I really like the look of this but again not been able to find it in my garden centres does this come in the form of a shrub or bush has its something I am not familiar with thanks for any help you can provide

Answer

I have to admit to not knowing about Coprosma but I have managed to find a company who sell a few varieties. Click on this link:  http://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pn_id=176. There are several types of Dogwood (Cornus) so I have added a link to a few at Crocus for you to look at.

Question

We have a well established pear tree in our garden. The problem is that is has grown lopsided / horizontally right across the garden, so much so that it is obstructing the garden path. I would like to keep the tree but would like some advice on how to prune it to encourage it to grow upwards rather than outwards.

Answer

It is possible to do what you are asking but it will need to be done in stages as to reduce the stress to the tree. I think the best thing for you to do is to follow RHS advice on this matter so I have included a link below on Apple and pear tree renovation: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1101/fruit_tree.asp

Question

I have what seems to be three different type of spotted laurels one is dark green in colour the other light green with what seems like the beginning of possibly some flowers the other is the same colour light green the first two were planted around a month ago and around 2 3 ft the last one was planted last summer and has hardly grown at all I did read for these to produce flowers you need a male and female like a holly and I thought they were very quick growers I have seen some has high has well over 20foot round where I live they seem to get bigger every year mine are planted in full sun in a good quality compost any information on this plant would be welcomed thank you. I bought a shrub called a beauty berry in October last year it had a abundance of purple berries which have gradually dropped of I believe it is suppose to have pink flowers in summer but at moment I have just a bare shrub is this normal

Answer

Regarding your laurels; do you know which variety you have? I have detailed three of the more common ones below and as you can see their sizes and flowering requirements do vary. If you can find the actual varieties I can do more research for you.

• Aucuba Japonica Crotonifolia. Evergreen, bushy, dense shrub with stout, green shoots. Large glossy, dark green leaves are heavily mottled yellow. Grows in sun or shade and well drained soil. Height 1.7m Spread 1.7m. Male.
• Aucuba Japonica Rozannie. Very handsome shrub which has large, toothed and leathery green leaves. This all green form is self pollinating and produces large red fruits in winter. Grows in any situation and any soil to about 1m. Male.
• Aucuba Japonica Variegata. Evergreen, bushy, dense shrub grown for its yellow spotted leathery leaves. Height 7 ft. Spread 7 ft. requires any reasonable soil. Will thrive in sun or shade. Plant with crotonifolia for berries. Can be kept as a colourful hedge or as a specimen plant. Female. As regards your Beauty Berry (Callicarpa bodinieri var. giraldii Profusion). The lovely purple berries will gradually drop off, or get eaten by the birds, before the end of the winter which is normal. It will remain bare until it begins to produce its leaves then small pink flowers around July.

Question

I have got some branches on our pear tree where the buds are not opening – should I cut them back or just leave it?

Answer

If the tree is the right size and shape for you then I’d leave it. However, you may want to read the RHS article below for information on how to prune your tree should you wish. http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1101/fruit_tree.asp

Question

Now that the buds are out on the roses does this mean that I can cut them with an outward facing slope away from a bud at a height of 6 inches from the base now? Can I cut the honeysuckle back to 6 inches as well now?

Answer

I would wait until all risk of frost has passed because if you get a hard frost it can cause the tips of shrubs to die back. This die-back can be trimmed off but if the shrub is at its lowest height you will have nothing left to trim away. You should be OK to do it at the middle of April. You will still get a good display so don’t worry, you’ll be surprised how quickly they will grow from May onwards. You method sounds good but don’t forget to give them a little feed of fertilizer. You can buy one specifically for roses or you can use blood, fish and bone meal which can be used on all your plants. A mulch of well rotted manure around the base will also be good to keep down weeds and help improve the structure of the soil.

Question

Leaves on the hyacinth are going yellow. Can I cut them to the base; remove bulbs from the indoor pot and plant in the garden now? Any thoughts as to where best and how i.e. depth etc to plant them?

Answer

Yes you can cut them back and plant them out in the garden. Here’s a link to my Bulbs page which should help you when planting but the general rule is three times its own depth in a sunny position. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/bulbs.htm

Question

I have recently bought some of the pretty flowering heathers you see at this time of year but know little about them I did hear that they need to be planted I the special compost you use for azaleas and rhododendrons also how long do they flower for I am told the ones you see in the garden centres are all forced has I believe they do not flower until early summer do I prune them when they finish flowering and when should I feed them thank you for any advice you can provide

Answer

There are two types of heather so I’ll give you the details for both. The first type is the “Erica” variety. These heathers do prefer acid soil but they will tolerate slightly alkaline soil, either way it needs to be well-drained and placed in a sunny spot. If you don’t know how acidic your soil is then it would be best to plant into pots using Ericaceous compost although it’s not essential. This type of heather flowers January to March and should be trimmed after flowering with shears or secateurs to remove the dead flowers and encourage bushy growth. The second type is “Calluna”. They like full sun and well-drained, humus-rich, acid soil or ericaceous compost. They flower July to November. In March or April cut back the flowered shoots to within 2.5cm (1in) of the old growth.

Question

My husband would like to know are than any certain types of methods used to make top soil more firm? He’s clearing out some land and the soil is too soft to hold weight.

Answer

I’m not entirely certain I understand exactly what the problem is but I think it is one of the following. The top soil may be too “soft” meaning it is not compacted enough. If this is the case then you should be able to carefully tread down the surface by slowly walking around until it is firm. However, the problem may be that the soil is too sandy, meaning that it has no substance and keeps falling apart. The added problem here is that it will also be very poor making it difficult to grow anything. If this is the case then you need to improve the structure by adding lots and lots of well rotted organic matter such as horse or cow manure. This can be bought in bulk or, if you live near a farm or stables, you may get it for free if you agree to collect it. If you have to go this route then it will take some time for the soil to change and become more substantial, perhaps as long as a year. To avoid weeds taking hold while you’re waiting you could grow some green manure which will subsequently be incorporated into the soil, again adding goodness. Here is an article which might help. http://gardeningregister.co.uk/NonProductPages/Articles/soil.htm#Green_manures0

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 February 2008

Question

I have a Xylosteum (fly honeysuckle) growing in my garden. Please could you tell me if the red berries growing in the winter are poisonous? I have several young children and am concerned for their welfare.

Answer

The berries on the fly honeysuckle are mildly poisonous so I wouldn’t > take a chance near small children.

Question

We have recently purchased a property with a Bore, the Bore water has a high Iron content, and although my newly planted garden isn’t affected by this my neighbour has reported that he has lost his plants due to the Iron levels in the water. So my question is will the Iron affect the growth of my plants? (The Iron level isn’t extreme; it is still suitable for drinking)

Answer

I have tried to do some research on this but can’t find an awful lot on the subject. The usual problem in gardens is lack of iron as a lot of plants are unable to absorb the iron the soil. I would think that as long as you look after your soil and plant good quality specimens your plants should be OK. Keep the site well drained and add plenty of well rotted organic matter each year to improve the structure. Sorry I couldn’t offer more help.

Question

I live on a estate where when I come out of my flat I come on to a dark outside landing that gets little natural light I was wondering if there was any type of trees shrub I and my fellow neighbours could put in to pots that would brighten the place up I would like some thing that would grow to around 6ft I did thing about conifers but I believe like a lot of trees and plants they need a fair amount of sunshine and /or natural light if you can think of anything I would be grateful preferably something that would be evaluable in your average garden centres

Answer

Firstly you could try ferns. These come in various sizes, not as tall as 6ft but some can reach 3ft and have a good texture. Alternatively, why not put an obelisk into a container and grow ivy up it, twining it in and out as it grows to make it bush out. There are some lovely brightly coloured ivy such as Sulphur Heart. For a long term investment you could try a climbing hydrangea. I have one on the back wall of my house. It faces north and never gets any sun, it won’t grow as big as it says in the description and you can prune it each year if needed and it still flowers well. Here’s a link so you can see what it looks like. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/climbers/other-climbers/hydrangea-anomala-subsp.-petiolaris/itemno.PL00003342/. For a short-term show you could try a few hanging baskets or containers filled with Busy Lizzies. They won’t flower as long or as bright as when they are in sunlight but you should get a few weeks out of them and they will tolerate being dried out if they don’t get watered for a while. In all cases you will need to ensure the soil is of good quality and add some well rotted organic matter to help retain moisture. Either re-pot or top-up the containers each year to keep them fresh.

Questions for December 2007

Question:

I recently bought two holly trees one was a standard ilex with plenty berries the other I was told was a female has well but has a couple of berries on it so I assume that must be female has well I have been told I need a male nearby has I have not seen any in my area I am a bit confused has there is so many on the market but basically my question is will any male holly do for the female has I have been told there is only a one in 50 chance of getting a female of the same family thanks for any advice

Answer:

You are correct that you require a male ilex to ensure berries on your female plants. One male can fertilise up to five females. Be careful when buying your male plant as some have names which sound female, e.g. Silver Queen.

Question:

I wonder if you could help me please. My umbrella plant has started losing leaves and I am worried I am doing something wrong. We live in Turkey and during the summer it was unusually hot and while we were in the UK I don’t think it was watered as well as it could have been. It lost quite a lot of leaves during this time and although it has had lots of TLC since I am worried it may still be suffering the effects of the heat. I have sprayed with leave shine I do not overwater and it stands in a south facing light spot in our lounge. Can you offer any suggestions please?

Answer:

The Umbrella Plant likes to be kept moist but does not like to sit in water so it could be that, as you say, it was either not watered or indeed overwatered. When a plant goes through trauma like this is does take a while for it to recover so I wouldn’t give up hope just yet. Here are some care instructions which may help. It likes bright but indirect light so as long as it is not near a window it should be OK in your lounge. It needs to be kept warm over the winter at a minimum of 60°F. Water well over the summer months and less over the winter. Place in a pebble tray or mist regularly to keep up humidity. Feed a liquid feed every month over the growing season. If it is still not looking good by summer you may want to consider cutting it down and seeing if it will re-grow from the base. There are no guarantees that this will help so use it as a last resort.

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