| Q Is it possible to lift and transplant established conifers? (10feet high) |
A No it is not possible to move 10ft tall conifers yourself, but you could get this job done by professional tree movers. The problem is that this would cost far too much to be worthwhile.
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Q How do I get rid of worm casts on my lawn. They look unslightly and squash underfoot and under the lawn mower? |
A Really the only way is to distribute the cast over a larger area by brushing them with a stiff broom before mowing the lawn. There are no lawn wormkillers available but raking out the thatch, dead grass and debris from the surface of the lawn in the next month or so will help to reduce worm activity.
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| Q My neighbour is shovelling dog feces into my hedge. The hedge now looks weak and thin. My tree trimmer said my hackberry tree is dying. This tree is also exposed to the feces. What do I have to do to decontaminate the area, after my neighbor removes the feces? |
A I would water the area with a garden disinfectant, keeping it off the leaves of your hedge. Make sure the plants are well watered and then feed the plants well in the early spring with a general fertiliser.
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| Q Can coleus cuttings be overwintered in a unheated greenhouse? |
A No you will need to keep the coleus cuttings indoors if the greenhouse is not heated.
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| Q How do I take cuttings off my Acer Palmatum tree please? |
A These trees are normally budded or grafted on the nursery. You could try taking hardwood cuttings in October. Remove a 15cm (6in) section of the new growth ,as thick as possible.
Remove the softer tip cutting just above a bud, and then cut just below the lowest bud at the bottom of the cutting. Dip the lower end in rooting hormone and insert it into a pot containing a 50-50 mix of multi-purpose compost and horticultural grit or perlite.
Make sure that three quarters of the stem is under the compost and place the cutting in a protected but not hot place, like a cold greenhouse or frame. Success is not guaranteed but you could give it a go. With Best Wishes, <<Back to gardening questions index |
| QWe have a slow growing 'upright' cherry tree in the front garden. It has started to lean and a root is breaking through the lawn. Are we able to salvage it? Should we cut the root? How can we train the tree to an upright position? The tree is about 10 years old, but doesn't have a very thick trunk. |
A Yes you could try cutting the root and staking the tree more upright but cutting the root is likely to encourage suckers to appear all over the lawn. If you would like to keep the tree give it a go Autumn is a good time.
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Q When I was in Cornwall last year I noticed that a lot of the Hydrangers were a rich ruby red. I managed to get some cuttings which have now grown into the usual pink. I put it down to the soil but what can I do to get the red back? |
A I would try feeding the plants with tomato fertiliser during the growing season and giving them a dose of sulphate of potash straightaway.
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| Q I have a problem with birds (starlings) landing on my lawn and pulling chunks of grass and turf on the grass. It doesn't look like they are taking anything for their nests. Any suggestions why they are doing this and what can I do to stop it? |
A The starlings are visiting your lawn in order to eat the leatherjackets, larvae of the grane fly, that are living under your lawn eating away the roots of your grass.
The only treatment available to kill the leatherjackets is biological, using microscopic worms called nematodes. These are only available mail order from specialist suppliers like Green Gardener and this is a good time to apply the control. Visit www.greengardener.co.uk or phone 01603 715 096. <<Back to gardening questions index |
| Q What is wrong with my palm tree? It bloomed and made this huge appendice (on the top) which seams to suck the life out of the rest of the tree. Should I cut this appendice? The stem of it is so big I am affraid it will bleed to death. Please please help. |
A Your palm tree has just flowered. Cut off the floering stem and give the plant a couple of feeds using a liquid seaweed fertiliser as a tonic. The plant should recover from all this extra use of energy.
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| Q I have two bay trees in tubs, both their underside leaves are turning yellow. What's the problem please? |
A If the foliage is just turning yellow all over and there are no limpet like brown lumps on the backs of the leaves it is just short of iron and magnesium.
Feed it with sequested iron and all will be well. If the limpets, like scale insects, are present or the yellowing is around the edges of the leaves and they are crinkled up (bay sucker) then you need to apply a systemic insecticide like Bio Provado Ultimate Bug Killer. <<Back to gardening questions index |
