Adam Pasco

Talkback: Planting to cut winter fuel bills

Yes, I agree, oldchippy. It makes sense, doesn't it. We know that hedges, fences and walls protect us from high wind, although this affect only works for a certain distance from the fence (the distance depends on its height). Turbulence is created the further away you move.

Plants surrounding a property must help reduce the strength of cooling winds in winter, and also produce shade that helps cool warm air in summer.

It would be interesting to find out by how much we could all cut down on heat loss, and calculate the saving on fuel bills. Now that would provide a very good incentive for people to plant more. Perhaps the Government would then promote this, or even subsidise people who create gardens. Well that's a thought!

Talkback: Edible dahlia tubers

How were your dahlias cooked, sotongeoff? I wonder if some varieties taste better than others, or whether the way they're cooked makes a difference?

Talkback: Learning from 2012

Absolutely! Keep on gardening, and hedge your bets. You never know what the weather has in store, but surely it won't be another wet one. Have fun everyone.

Talkback: Learning from 2012

Peregrine is a lovely peach. Get ready with the soft paint brush to dab open flowers to improve pollination, as there are never any pollinating insects around at flowering time to help.
I've done this with a potted nectarine in the past, and then got such a heavy fruit-set that I've needed to thin out drastically.
Oh what a treat you'll have later this summer when they ripen! Well, that's what gardening's all about, isn't it?

Talkback: Learning from 2012

A peach tree will be lovely, happymarion. I have one outside, and it's teh variety 'Avalon Pride' that is naturally resistant to peach leaf curl. What variety do you have?

Talkback: Christmas traditions

Thanks Oldchippy, and a very Happy Christmas to you and all Gardeners' World readers. Look forward to talking to you all in the New Year! And remember to sow your onions!

Talkback: December gardening jobs

It just takes a cold snap to really appreciate the value of feeding garden birds. I've managed to position my feeder so I can watch it from the comfort of a chair, and the birds have been flooding in. I even had a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on it today, but it didn't stay long enough for me to be able to take a photo!

Talkback: Dealing with a waterlogged garden

Thanks Birdwatch2, but the problem is having somewhere to drain the water to. Unfortunately my garden is very level, so no slope to take the water down to a lower level. No, I think the problem is too much rain, and a water table that has reached the soil surface!

Hippeastrum (amaryllis)

As with so many things in gardening, there is more than one way of doing things, so more than one answer!

I remember visiting bulb expert Rupert Bowlby once and being reminded that Hippeastrum are actually an evergreen bulbous plant, so can be kept in leaf all year round. With this in mind it's best to keep them growing strongly through summer. Grow in good light, and keep watering and feeding.

Bulbs then need a cool period to help iniate new flowers inside the bulb.

I've just checked teh web link given by Norm2 above:

http://www.amaryllis.com/pac.htm

and teh advice here looks pretty good.

Tree Lily

These lilies are quite hardy, but compost in pots can get quite waterlogged and cause bulbs to rot. I prefer moving the pot to a sheltered position, such as an unheated greenhouse or frame. The compost can be allowed to dry out completely.

Water again in about March to start the bulb back into growth, and it will develop and flower again next summer. Provided you feed teh pot I wouldn't bother repotting into fresh compost next year, but you can if you prefer (repot in March, then water).

New flowers to recommend

Can you recommend a new variety of flowering plant to others? 

Talkback: Glow-worms

Now that's one creature I've never had the pleasure of discovering. How exciting. I've stood for many an hour in the past looking upwards i... 

Talkback: Feeding garden birds

Good advice, Kate. And it's not just bird feeders that must be kept clean, but bird baths too. Possibly it's even more important to keep bir...