obelixx

Sambucus woes

Sambucus varieties with fancy foliage don't like wind.   I have them along the northern boundary of my garden and they definitely need a windbreak to do well.  However physocarpus is tough as old boots.  You could also try a prunus such as cerasifera which has purple foliage and winter blossoms and can be grown as a large shrub or small tree.

what is it & why is it dying..

Ants are a major pest.  I've just had a rose and some lilies in two pots sicken and die in just a few days because ants made their nest in the compost.   No warnng and plenty of watering so i'm seriosuly peeved.

Wisteria still dormant in june!!!!!!!

It's been a hard winter and spring for many wisteria.  Mine has only just come into leaf and has skipped the flowering stage.  A friend has one that's been frozen almost back to its base.  Give it to the end of June to see if anything happens then cut it back to the new shoots or dig it out if there are none.

What's been eating the rhubarb?

Slugs do that on our rhubarb.   You can just cut out that part of the stem when you come to eat it.

What is this little tree..?

It looks like a form of acer negundo to me, probbaly flamingo, which has cream and pink tinges in spring.  They can be pollarded to keep them short if needs be and this will make for bigger, better foliage each spring.

It is regarded as an undesirable, invasive weed across the United States.

What is this little tree..?

No pictures.  Please try again.

Cats

Have a google for a water scarecrow.   It attaches to an outside tap and has a sensor so any passing cat triggers a wpray of water.  they hate getting wet and go away.  You just need to move the sensor regularly so they don't work it out.

I have always had cats and birds.  The trick is to hang peanut feeders and fat balls out of cat pouncing range and to put ground feed down where there is no shrub or fence for cats to hide and pounce from.   Having shrubs for the small birds to hide in also helps in case a sparrow hawk comes hunting.  

Works here.  In the last 10 years I've had no small birds caught by my cats, no matter how they try.

Angry Birds

It's been a lousy spring and food is scarce.  My garden visitors are currently on double rations per day for seeds and fat balls.   Heaven knows what they're doing to find grubs and insects for their young who need moist food.

I leave my cabbges and salads uncovered so they can get any caterpillars as I don't spray.  I don't get wrecked veggies but then I only have collared doves and no pigeons in teh mix.

Try feeding yours and yes, build a sturdier frame and tighter net for you veggies and salads that will keep off butterflies and birds and won't risk trapping them in loose net folds.

Gardeners world show

The management of the GW show was given over to the RHS some years ago and has nothing to do with the TV programme.  If its not included in the BBC TV coverage contracts it won't get air time.    People have said several times on here that the show lost the plot when it was merged with the Food and Drink shows.  

Clematis called john paul

Maybe it' s hungry.  Clematis are greedy plants so try giving it a good dollop of special clematis food and an instant tonic of liquid rose or tomato food.

It's a pruning group 2. maybe you're getting the pruning regime wrong.

Hello Jro - and any other old friends

Mare's tail

Encouraging bats in our gardens

Beechgrove this weekend

Weekend 22 March

Good Morning - 21 March

Choosing chillies

Hanging baskets and window boxes

New shed - any tips?