Gardening tips and advice Database

Question
Should I remove the brown leaves on my outdoor Yucca plants?
Answer
With regard to your question on the yucca, the answer is yes, you can remove the brown leaves. The yucca plant tends to move the nutrients from older leaves to new growths as the plant matures. The brown leaves would naturally fall off in time so cutting them off is O.K and will help reduce the rise of rotting in the wet winter months. For More information click here

Question
Any advice on sowing vegetable seeds outdoors.
Answer
Seed sowing for vegetables in open ground: traditionally seeds have always been sown in rows. This allows for the plants to be weeded manually with the use of a hoe. It also allows for thinning out of the plants as they grow.
However, if you are growing vegetable plants in smaller numbers it is often better to sow the seeds in small blocks, a method suitable for small raised beds. This is because growing plants in this way forms a mini micro-climate around the plants. Each plant provides shelter for its neighbour and this creates a more humid climate, which is a more suitable climate for most vegetable plants.
Whether you are sowing in rows or blocks, the general guidelines are the same. Firstly, the soil must be broken down into a fine tilth. This is so the soil can make good contact with the seed when its been sown providing the germinating seed with a constant source of water. If the soil is in large lumps the seed might sit in an air pocket and not be able to take up any water or moisture from the soil.
Secondly, as a rule of thumb, a seed should be sown twice as deep as the size of the seed. For example a pea seed 10mm in size needs to be sown 20mm deep. Finally, after sowing and covering with the soil you should firm the soil in around the seed with the back of a rake or your feet.

Ideally you should sow seed so it’s spaced out. With pea seed it is quite easy because of the size of the seed; however, with the smallest seeds which are more the size of dust particles, it’s a good tip to add a couple of tea spoons of dry silver sand to help spread the seed and also enable you to see where the seed has been sown.

After you have finished sowing the seed, watering the area helps to fine the soil around the seed and remove any air pockets that are left in the seed bed. Use a watering can with a fine rose head: if it’s too coarse a rose it will de-structure the soil and it will become too compacted. . For More information click here

Question
How does one prepare the soil to grow grape vines?
Answer
The key to preparing the soil for a grape vine is to add a lot of organic matter such as well rotted horse or cow manure. Garden compost is another good source of organic matter. It needs to be well rotted as fresh compost and manure will burn the plant roots. As with wisteria, vines naturally grow up trees from the forest floor and naturally grow in rich organic soils. In the UK a good number of the older plants you see on country houses were planted on dead sheep or cows to make sure there would be a good supply of organic mater over the years as the carcasses rotted down. For More information click here

Question
I found a snake in my garden this weekend. I opened up my compost bin
yesterday and to my surprise, I found a snake lying in there. It was a
brown/beige snake about 30-50cm long.

How in God’s name did it get there, and what do I do with it? I left it
in there because I was too scared, but I am not quite sure how to handle
it. Would you know what to do?
Answer
The snake is almost certain to be a grass snake, they love to get into compost heaps and lay eggs because of the warmth and safety of a compost heap.
As a grass snake it’s quite harmless and will help to control the pests in the veg plot such as snails, slugs, mice etc and for it to be in your garden at all it must be finding some food near by.
I must admit I would not be too keen on finding one in my compost bin so the solution is to leave the compost bin for now, allow the snake eggs to hatch and then move on as young snakes then break up the compost in the autumn and use it for next year’s preparation.
I am sure the snake wishes to stay away from you as much as you wish to stay away from him or her. For More information click here

Question
The flowering cherry tree in my garden has grown too big; it is over 20ft tall and needs cutting back by at least one third. When is the best time of year to have this done and how soon would new growth occur?.
Answer
With regard to your question on your cherry tree, the best time to cut it back would be in the winter when the tree is dormant. In the spring it will send out a load of new shoots and whilst they are small you should thin them out to leave one in three. Then I would suggest pruning once every two years to keep the tree under control. For More information click here

Question
We have a 12ft Quercus Suber feathered 20/25cm girth which we bought at that height a year ago. We have a south facing garden. It does not appear to have grown at all since then and now in the last month, the leaves are going yellow with black spots on them and the tree is looking very sick.
Answer
Quercus are very hard to establish at the size you have and do not transplant well and can take some time to establish. This is because Quercus team up with a number of other soil organisms including bacteria and fungi. Then transplanting or planting from a pot large Quercus can take time to re-establish these relationships. The only thing I can suggest is to make sure the soil around the tree has a lot of organic matter incorporated into it. For More information click here

Question
How do I grow Deschampsia Zephyr?
Answer
It is a fairly straight forward plant to grow. The key things to remember are firstly not to over-feed it. Light feeding with a light nitrogen feed low in phosphorous is ideal. It needs a sand and/or free draining soil. Do not plant too deeply then planting out from the pot, the root ball should be level with the surface to avoid crown rotting. Finally, although easy to crop, it will stop growing in cooler weather. Although not a problem this means you have to be careful when cutting the plant back. Most grasses are cut back in the autumn; however ,with Deschampsia Zephyr it would be better cut back in May and even then only lightly. It will then recover quickly with some fresh green growth. . For More information click here

Question
Can you tell me the Mixture and ingredients for Bordeaux Fungicide.
Answer
Bordeaux Fungicide is an old and reliable fungicide that effectively controls various fungus diseases of flowers, ornamentals, trees and fruit. The standard solution that meets recommendations consists of 8 lbs. of copper sulphate and 8 lbs. of hydrated lime thoroughly dissolved in 100 gallons of water. This mixture is known as 8-8-10 formula. It is equal to a 4-4-50 formula. The contents of this container are this formulation, when thoroughly mixed in the prescribed amount of water. For More information click here

Question
We have a stand of leylandii castlewelland about 7ft. high x 12 ft. long which has been in our front garden for at least 15 years. Quite recently we have noticed a “browning” emanating from the centre - wider at the top than the bottom - and we would appreciate any advice on what may be the cause and if any treatment would solve the problem.
Answer
It sounds like Phytophthora. The only solution is to remove the brown areas feed the plants with a grow more fertilizer, add lots of organic matter around the plants in the soil i.e spent mushroom compost or garden compost, and water the plants in the summer. This will help the plants fight off the Phytophthora. I have included some notes below for your information.

“Phytophthora cinnamomi is a microscopic soilborne organism, invisible to the naked eye, which causes root rot of a wide variety of plant species including many native and introduced ornamental plants. Other species of Phytophthora may cause diseases on a wide range of plants but are generally less severe. The biology and control measures are very similar so this outline will concentrate only on Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Infection often results in the death of the plant, with earlier symptoms including wilting, yellowing and retention of dried foliage and darkening of young feeder roots and occasionally the larger roots. Phytophthora cinnamomi requires moist soil conditions and warm temperatures to be active, but damage caused by the disease most often occurs in summer when plants are drought stressed. The plant is unable to adequately absorb enough water from the soil because its roots are damaged and consequently may die. Small swimming zoospores are released which attach to and infect roots, normally behind the root tip. All spores and structures of Phytophthora are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. There is no way of visually telling if the pathogen is present in the soil.

Phytophthora grows through the root destroying the tissue which is then unable to absorb water and nutrients. Further zoospores are produced in sporangia, particularly when the soil is moist and warm, and are released into the soil. Consequently zoospore numbers can build up quite rapidly. Zoospores move in water and may infect neighbouring plants especially those down slope from a site of infection. These spores are easily transported in storm water, drainage water, contaminated soil and on tools, footwear and vehicles. A further two spore types may be produced, a chlamydospore and an oospore, which are survival structures produced when conditions become unfavourable such as when a food source is exhausted or in periods of low temperature or drought. These spores are capable of surviving for extended periods of time, and when conditions become favourable they germinate and renew the life cycle. This allows Phytophthora to survive in dead plant tissue for a number of years.

At present there is no one simple method for controlling Phytophthora cinnamomi. A combination of sanitation measures, good horticultural management, selective use of some fungicides and the addition of organic matter to soils can be used to retard the activity of Phytophthora.”

. For More information click here

Question
How can I divide my bamboo plant?
Answer
With regard to your question on dividing a bamboo plant, most bamboos can be divided as they form a dense root clump. The whole plant is best dug up in the early spring and divided into 3 equal parts using a spade to chop the root ball into the three equal sections. Each one can then be replanted in a new position. During the first year the new plants created should be fed with a general fertilizer and might need to be staked whilst they establish. For More information click here