Talkback: Ask Adam - Page 3 - Talkback

jessgardener

16/03/2012 at 10:27

Hi Adam
The bergenias in two places in the garden have a lot of dead areas on their leaves, but are managing to flower fairly well in spite of this. I have them in a sunny well-drained spot, what can I do for them?
Thanks!
Jess, Wexford, Ireland

JAYJARDIN

16/03/2012 at 15:05

Hi Adam

As there is a hose pipe ban starting 5th April in the South East I wondered if it does any harm to garden plants reusing water that has detergent (eg Fairy liquid or similar) that has been used for washing the dishes on the garden.

Thanks

cooljannie

16/03/2012 at 16:06

Just bought a Catalpa bignoides Aurea and have been told I can pollard it to keep it under control. If I do this will I still get flowers?

david spikes

16/03/2012 at 19:31

janhanley

the catalpa will bloom after pollarding-because it is more tender than the species i wait until new growth is evident-however it will be very vulnerable to high winds-in the course of the summer about half of mine is normally blown out but still its splendid

pybarlow

17/03/2012 at 07:50

Hi Adam, I sow my various seedlings and put them in the heated propagator to start, I also take them out as soon as 2 small green leaves show. I then keep them in my unheated conservatory but they then continue to grow and resemble cress rather than short stubby seedlings that you see in your magazine. Where am I going wrong.
Pauliwall

Lucy3

17/03/2012 at 13:35

Hi Adam, We are 'new' gardeners and thoroughly enjoying our attempts at growing from seed etc however we are having an 'overhaul' of our side garden which is south facing and open to the elements and we wish to have a few raised beds with some perennial flowers/wildflowers growing amongst and around the two raised beds, some that are preferably evergreen to give interest all year and some for summer colour.What do you suggest? Thank you so much....Lesley & Mark

ECOBABY

17/03/2012 at 14:33

In these days where rainwater is in short supply can anyone tell me if tap water put through a filter jug is a good alternative for blueberries, my water butt in the garden is dry and I am worried about my blueberry plant. It is in a pot of ericatious compost, on a warm patio and I live in Stafford in the midlands.

Thanks
Gillyflower

Jackson3

18/03/2012 at 09:47

In the past I have always pruned my climbing roses in the autumn and this has been very successful. It now seems to be recommended that these are pruned in early spring. Can you please advise which is best?
Pat1

Tai Chi

18/03/2012 at 12:07

My clematis is pot bound. What is the b est thing to do with it? I would like it to remain in a pot as my soil is clay and it would be impossible to dig a hole big enough for it to go into the ground. Presumably it cannot be split?

Cherry3

18/03/2012 at 14:16

I'd like advice on which climbers would be successful in my front chalky gardens that have the sun in the mornings & are also exposed to wind.
Wabbit

Cherry3

18/03/2012 at 14:18

I have a south facing back garden in Beds & am not having much success with my rhubarb of about 2 yrs old. What can I do to produce strong healthy plants---I usually get about 2/4 thin sticks--most disappointing.
Pieface

Ken Malone

19/03/2012 at 11:52

I live in S Yorkshire and grow a Fremontodendron californicum against a west facing fence.The shrub is now c 12' high and has flowered for the last few years.
Is it necessary to prune it and,if so, when and how,please?

Percy-Grower

19/03/2012 at 17:16

Hello Adam

I have just recently caught the gardening bug, after lots of research and reading over the winter it was time to put my new gained knowledge to good practical gardening use, but while at my local garden center looking for various growing mediums including peat i discoverd i could not find any peat and that it was more or less being phased out of composts, i must have been reading old books and using old sites as most of them included peat in there advice, i know the reason why peat is being phased out, but what i dont know is a good alternative..

Thanks

Davie-S

elephant ears

20/03/2012 at 11:43

Hi Adam
We have a holiday home in South Wales i grow bananas(musa)and palms Pheonix ,Windmill and New Zealand Flax.Yucca's.I have very moist clay soil.What else can i plant please.

Elephant Ears

Andrew walton

20/03/2012 at 19:39

hi wen you sow Obedient Plant from seed do you cover it with compost or vimicyoulight or agrgit thans

ritalilly

20/03/2012 at 20:46

Hi. I have just purchased 6 lost label roses. They are all barerooted. I have potted them all and they all seem quite healthy. Is there any way to tell what type these roses are before they flower. Many Thanks.

Alison Chambers

22/03/2012 at 08:39

Can I grow rambling or climbing roses against an ivy-clad fence without removing the ivy?

whitevanwoman

23/03/2012 at 00:27

To Ecobaby,

Sorry, filtering your water will not help as all that does is remove the particulate (bits), not change the pH of the water (its acidity or alkalinity)

Your Blueberries need Rainwater ideally, but of course you know that. More critical is that your Blueberries must not be kept short of water. So compromise time, keep watering your Blueberries until you get some rainwater in your container, but you can acidify your compost by adding flowers of Sulphate at the dose on the packet. I'm in the South East with exactly the same problem. Good luck.

Chard

23/03/2012 at 20:54

Hi i was wondering how long does it take for manure to become well rotted? Thanks

backscratcher

26/03/2012 at 09:20

Hi Could I use some plant material from outdoor pond to put into my gold fish tank indoors? Thank you. from Backscratcher.