Tim Burr

Latest posts by Tim Burr

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Red Bugs on my fritillaria imperialis

Posted: Yesterday at 19:01

Bookertoo - Provado is a systemic insect killer which is taken up by the plant and makes it toxic to ALL insects, including those we do want as well as those we don't. As well as killing Lilly Beetles, you're also killing bees, etc, because the nectar and pollen will contain the the insecticide. I've stopped using Provado for that very reason. I do use a tea strainer - the spring loaded tea ball one - looks like this.....

http://mystir.com/tea-ball-ttongs

Best bit of gardening equipment for capturing Lilly Beetles ever invented!

Very underweight hedgehog found on doorstep

Posted: 12/05/2013 at 22:51

Just thought I would provide an update. After spending the winter at a wildlife rescue (Harper Asprey the two hedgehogs I rescued in November have been returned for release back into my garden. They were released last Thursday. They join a hedgehog who had already taken up residence in the garden living in a Hogilo I was given as a Christmas present. I've since gone out and purchased two more Hogilos and the rescues were placed in them on arrival, and I am pleased to say that they have also stayed. I am providing some feed (chicken cat food and meal worm), as they re-adjust to living back in the wild. They normally spend an hour wandering around my garden before dissapearing down the side passage of the house to go off for their night time wandering.

bamboo

Posted: 09/05/2013 at 20:05

I successfully contain a clumping bamboo (which still spread) by planting the bamboo in one of those plastic (rubber?) trugs with the bottom cut off. The runners tend to come near the surface so any I see creeping over the lip of the trug, I simply snip off and remove. The trug is buried with about two inches left above ground. When it eventually fills the trug, I'll dig it up, cut it in to quarters replant one 1/4 where I got it from, and give the other 3/4s away.

Remove Crocosmia

Posted: 06/05/2013 at 23:47

The way crocosmia spreads is something quite amazing. I planted a small patch of 10 bulbs 3 years and which have spread quite considerably. My soil is light so it's perfect for it. I wanted to know how it spread so easily and what I discovered is that its not the corms that multiply (initially), but it send out tendrils several inches from the main corm, from which it then throws up some leaves, before moving the tendril on some more, before sending up more leaves Where the little plant is then it grows a corm, and that also starts sending out tendrils in the soil. Before you know it, you're over run! I've now got crocosmia which are 2/3 feet away from where I initially planted the original bulbs. I don't mind, because they are one of my favourite plants

Gardeners World

Posted: 05/05/2013 at 17:55

So, if that's the case Patty3, if there was ever only going to be so many shows, then why did Mr Don take to Twitter complaining about how the BBC shoved his programme out of the way to make way for a sports programme! If he was so well aware it was never going to be aired anyway then surely he can't protest so much.

Gardeners World

Posted: 05/05/2013 at 17:21

Why don't they still record it and make it available on BBC iplayer, and/or screen at another time, rather than just cancel completly. Really isn't that complicated. BBC need to think outside of the box (hedge).

Stamped on lilies

Posted: 05/05/2013 at 17:05

In clearing out some old nasty ivy I have managed to step on tree lilies that were just starting to poke out the ground (about an inch). Have I crushed them to death, or will they give up on that one and throw up another spike?

Small urban garden......

Posted: 04/05/2013 at 15:04

Trees or evergreens with dark leaves make spaces look smaller, but you can plant trees in a small garden that don't enclose you by planting one with soft pale green or yellow/golden leaves. The Acer Palmatum "Sango-Kaku" is ideal for a small garden. It has yellow/golden leave in the summer and in autumn they turn apricot yellow. Even after 10 years, the tree is only 8ft in height and 6 ft wide. Eventual height and width is 20 foot and 16 foot, but its a relatively slow grower and you can keep it in check by pruning it back. Its probably more of a large shrub then a tree and is ideal for a small garden because it grows upright.

Another good way of screening is bamboo - but it does need containing to stop it creeping around. Very easy to stop bamboo creeping - simply get a large plastic trug in a dark colour and cut the bottom of it off and then bury the trug (without bottom) in the ground, and then plant the bamboo in it. Leave the trug sides about 2 inches above the soil, so the bamboo can't creep sideways or over it. There are two forms of bamboo - clumping and non-clumping. Go for a clumping one as they tend to keep themselves together better. Go for a bamboo with light green/yellow/golden leaves and stems.

You could increase the height of your fence by topping it with trellis. People complain about high fences, but don't seem to mind trellis, because it doesn't block out light and views completely. Once installed, run climbers up the fence and encourage it along the trellis. Before you know it, you've got a comptely covered treliis, which if you choose the right combination of plants (Honeysuckle, Clematis, Winter Jasmie, etc, you could have colour and privacy all the way thru' the year.

Remember that the fence to the right side of the house, as you look out the back door can often belong to your neighbour, so seek their permission before attaching something to it. You can look at the deeds for the house and the side of the boundary with the inward facing T on it, is your responsibility, in which case, is your fence to do as you see fit. Note that not all deeds have this T shown.

Jeyes fluid uses

Posted: 04/05/2013 at 11:24

Please be careful - those grubs in the garden which are left dying or dead on or near the surface may be eaten by other wildlife such as hedghogs and birds. Jeyes is toxic, not just to insect we don't want but also to creatures we do. Perhaps think about using a natural alternative to chemicals - nematodes for example, which can be watered on the soil and attack the insects naturally.

Umbrella Plant

Posted: 04/05/2013 at 11:12

I've got an Umbrella Plant in the conservatory (well, three in a single pot - don't think they are the same plant). When I bought it from Homebase three years ago, it was only 2 foot tall. Now, it is over 9 foot tall and banging its head on the roof of the conservatory. I have been trying to train it sideways, but its not happy, and I'm sure its going to be a pain to try and repot when know doubt it will get much bigger again.

I've been wondering if I prune it back to about half height, will it bud out side shoots, making it more bushy, or will it just stop and remain a 4 1/2 foot stump with leaves for the remainder of its natural life? And what is the likely success of trying to root the bit I lop off?

Funny when I was in Canary Island a few years ago, I spotted they used Umbrella Plants as green planting in the central reservation of their roads.

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