BobTheGardener

No blossom or magnolia flowers

Hi Paddy, many shrubs and trees will concentrate on growing new roots and branches when transplanted into soil which is richer than they were used to.  If you are feeding it, I would stop until it starts flowering again, or only give it a bit of sulphate of potash.  I would only water it with rainwater as they prefer acid conditions and some tap water is too limey.

Fruit Tree

Hi Gwen, check the underneath of the leaves as aphids will make them curl. 

Sawfly and willow trees

The adult soloman's seal sawfly is quite attractive - completely black with black wings - reminds me of a stealth fighter.  It's a pity the larvae are so damaging - they make a right mess of my clumps every year.

tulips losing their heads

Pigeons fighting/mating (hard to tell the difference!) around here.

What to do with dead flowers/Tulips/Daffodils

Hi Nick, the leaves will feed the bulb ready for next years flowers.  Bulb flowers are produced almost entirely from the stored goodness in the bulb, so if you cut the leaves off straight after flowering, there will be no flower the next year.

Chris L.

Hi Christine, It depends on how concentrated you have made the comfrey liquid, but usually about 15:1 to 25:1.  However, the simple/foolproof way is to add it to water until the colour is like weak tea (without milk, of course!)  That way you can't go wrong.

I use mine on literally everything and use no other type of feed except fish, blood and bone forked into the soil when planting things.

Asparagus

I have just a couple of asparagus which I grow in a flower border and I love the very fine foliage which acts as a great backdrop for nearby flowers.  I don't get many spears in one go, but enjoy them all the same!  Freshly picked and simply rinsed under the tap, they are superb and much better for you than when cooked.  You need to leave at least  one spear to turn into a full fern (which grow about 4 feet high) to feed the crown for next year.  So, my advice is to grow it as a decorative plant in a border and enjoy a few spears early in the year.

What is this seedling?

Yes, nutcutlet, it does look like a young 'ivy leaved' type of morning glory.

Cutting the top off raspberry canes

I cut the tops off of mine last year and just shoved them in the ground not expecting anything, but they rooted.

Saint or sinner?.....don't like annuals

You're not alone, Verdun.  Apart from veg, nearly everything in my garden is a perennial with the majority grown from seed (which can be a bit challenging, but I like that aspect!)  I do grow a few annuals, but mostly for fragrance and to plant-up a few containers and baskets.  To be honest, I'd now struggle to find space to plant out many annuals even if I wanted to, as I'd have to sacrifice some perennials (although I'm now fed-up with a few clumps of Aster novi-belgii which have turned rampant!)

Bee spotting

New deliveries

Flower ID

Oh no, lily beetles are back!