Ask David

The series has finished for the time being, but do look out for more from David Hurrion on GardenersWorld.com in 2021. In the meantime, you can still benefit from David's expertise by joining one of his online Masterclasses.

Ask David - Episode 31

In the final episode of the current season, David answers the following questions:

• Any tips on buying patio fruit trees? June
• How should I overwinter my perennials? Isabelle
• What can I do about worm casts? June
• How can I overwinter my lantana? Mahnaz
• Why are my hoya leaves going yellow? Jane

Published: Monday 2 November, 2020

Ask David - Episode 30

The five questions answered by David this week are:

• Any tips on pruning a large rhododendron? Joan
• Can I renovate my hydrangea? Shirley
• How should I overwinter aeoniums? Joanne
• What's wrong with my peach tree? Brian
• Can I move a gooseberry bush? Judith

Published: Monday 26 October, 2020

Ask David - Episode 29

In Episode 29 David answers five more questions from viewers:

• Should I prune my salvias? Stephanie
• What are these stalks - fungi? Gillian
• How do I look after my cobaea vine? Francis
• Any advice on pruning a grapevine? Patricia
• What can I grow in a cold greenhouse over winter? Angie

Published: Monday 19 October, 2020

Ask David - Episode 28

Autumn is well under way and your questions for David are still pouring in. Here are the questions featured in this week's episode:

• When should I repot my hydrangea? Annette
• How can I grow wildflowers with veg? Carol
• What next with my strawberry runners? Ron
• Should I cut back my 'Angel Wings'? John
• What should I do with my pepper plants? Jane

Published: Thursday 8 October, 2020

Ask David - Episode 27

This week, David responds to the following questions:

• Should I move my magnolia? Steve
• Can I make my own houseplant feed? Asia
• What are the blisters on my pear tree? Cathy
• How should I overwinter my dahlias? E. Turner
• What is this plant? Gillian

Published: Tuesday 6 October, 2020

Ask David - Episode 26

In Episode 26 of our weekly series, David Hurrion helps out with five more questions submitted by viewers:

• Can I keep my begonias after flowering? Rose
• Can I plant spring bulbs in an ericaceous bed? Mick
• Why are my strawberries always tiny? Karen
• What is wrong with my cornus? Laura
• Why are there holes in my Japanese anemone? Macfall

Published: Thursday 24 September, 2020

Ask David - Episode 25

Five more of your questions answered by the ever-obliging David Hurrion:

• Why has my indoor gardenia turned brown? Abi
• What can I grow under trees to suppress weeds? Jan
• What is wrong with my cucumber plants? Joan
• Why are there brown patches on my lawn? Tom
• Should I deadhead my cannas? Patricia

Published: Thursday 17 September, 2020

Ask David - Episode 24

In the 24th episode of our weekly video series, David Hurrion answers more of your questions:

• Should I remove tomato leaves to ripen fruits? Jen
• Any advice on warming a greenhouse in winter? Eva
• Why aren't my trees producing fruit? Stella
• How do I renovate my Judas tree? Yvette
• Any tips on soil preparation for wildflowers? Ben

Published: Friday 11 September, 2020

Ask David - Episode 23

Thanks to all of you who have submitted questions for David so far. Here are the questions answered this week:

• What's wrong with my courgettes? Carolyn
• What's happening to my roses? Laurence
• Why has my lavatera stopped flowering? Thaksha
• Can I re-use container compost for garlic? Chris
• Why won't my spring bulbs flower? Mat

Published: Thursday 3 September, 2020

Ask David - Episode 22

Your questions are still pouring in for David Hurrion. Topics this week:

• When should I plant out cuttings and plugs? Liz
• How should I plant my royal fern? Campbell
• Why haven't my foxgloves flowered? Toni
• Why do my roses get rust and black spot? Liz
• Why is my fig tree losing leaves? Stephie

Published: Thursday 27 August, 2020

Ask David - Episode 21

In Episode 21 David Hurrion answers five more of your questions:

• What can I do about weed seeds in compost? Theresa
• Why does my thalictrum have yellow leaves? Lindsay
• When should I transplant perennials? Richard
• Why do my plants have brown leaf spots? Irene
• How should I prune my Chilean lantern tree? Jayne

Published: Thursday 20 August, 2020

Ask David - Episode 20

This week sees the 20th episode of our weekly video series hosted by David Hurrion, who answers the following questions:

• Can my crab apple be saved? Alexander
• Why won't my clematis flower? Kathleen
• Can I grow peonies from seed? Fred
• My hypericum won't flower - help! Kathy
• What's wrong with my honeysuckle? Jill

Published: Thursday 13 August, 2020

Ask David - Episode 19

This week, David Hurrion helps viewers with following five problems:

• Should I cut out straight growth on my twisted hazel? Margaret
• Why are my tomatoes going black? Ro
• How should I prune my lavender? Claire
• Why is my photinia shedding leaves? Christine
• Why are my plants not flowering? Brenda

Published: Thursday 6 August, 2020

Ask David - Episode 18

In the eighteenth episode of the series, David Hurrion answers the following five questions:

• How can I revive my rose? Sara
• What has happened to our shrubs? Barbara and Gemma
• Should I apply liquid feed during wet weather? Rosie
• Any tips on growing basil? Claire
• What is wrong with our peonies? Lucy and Neil

Published: Thursday 30 July, 2020

Ask David - Episode 17

This week, David Hurrion answers another five questions sent in by viewers:

• How do I get rid of fairy rings? Anne
• How do I control a climbing hydrangea? Patsy
• Why has my conifer gone brown? Jenny
• Can I remove blanketweed without harming newts? Marian
• How should I prune my 'King's Ransom' rose? Sue

Published: Thursday 23 July, 2020

Ask David - Episode 16

In episode 16, David Hurrion answers the following viewer questions:

• What's wrong with my cauliflower curds? Ann
• Should I prune my viburnum? Denise
• Can I mix acid and lime-loving plants? Lyndsay
• How do I revive my fig tree? Helen
• How do I tackle vine weevil? Christine

Published: Friday 17 July, 2020

Ask David - Episode 15

This week, David Hurrion turns his attention to the following gardening dilemmas:

• Should I deadhead my bottle brush plant? Leonard
• What is eating my runner bean plants? Ann
• What do I do with tulips after flowering? Jo
• What's wrong with my rubber plant? Michelle
• How can I tackle field bindweed? Sharyn

Published: Thursday 9 July, 2020

Ask David - Episode 14

Here are the questions answered by David this week, in Episode 14:

• How do I deal with mare's tail? Jane
• Why is my peony not flowering? Josie
• What's wrong with my acer? Ann
• Why are my hydrangea leaves yellow? Kim
• How do I divide a bearded iris? Toria

Published: Thursday 2 July, 2019

Ask David - Episode 13

In episode 13, David answers five more questions submitted by viewers:

• Why has my solanum stopped flowering? Sarah
• What is the 'Chelsea chop'? Bryan
• Why aren't my carrots growing? Diana
• Why are my yews turning yellow? Russ
• What compost should I use in a raised bed? Jordan

Published: Thursday 25 June, 2020

Ask David - Episode 12

This week, David Hurrion answers these questions submitted by viewers:

• Can I grow jasmine in a pot? Sreeja
• Should I collect my grass clippings? Richard
• Help! My rocket has flea beetle! Sarah
• Why won't my agapanthus flower? Helen
• Can I plant out my pot-grown acer? Claire

Published: Thursday 18 June, 2020

Ask David - Episode 11

In the eleventh episode of the series, David Hurrion answers the following questions:

• Why is my climbing hydrangea not flowering? Sandra
• Why does my holly tree have yellow leaves? Rob
• Should I prune my tree fern? Valandy
• How can I get rid of ground elder? Dave
• Why won't my rhododendron flower? Stella

Published: Thursday 11 June, 2020

Ask David - Episode 10

In Episode 10, David Hurrion turns his attention to the following questions:

• Why won't my camellia flower? Jackie
• What's wrong with my apple tree? Caroline
• How do I combat greenfly on my pelargoniums? Richard
• What is this plant? Liz
• When should I move my cherry trees? Keith

Published: Thursday 4 June, 2020

Ask David - Episode 9

It's week nine of Ask David, featuring answers to these questions:

• Can I leave weeds in my flower meadow? Marie
• Any tips on planting olive trees? Kerrie
• What is this plant? Gemma
• How should I prune my camellias? Marianne
• Why won't my wisteria flower? Karen

Published: Thursday 28 May, 2020

Ask David - Episode 8

In this episode, David replies to the following gardening questions:

• Should we prune our pineapple broom? Phil and Sheila
• Can I plant sprouting potatoes? Ann
• Can a Japanese quince be hard pruned? Louisa
• My roses are stunted - help! Easwary
• What's wrong with my Ilex crenata? Simon

Published: Thursday 21 May, 2020

Ask David - Episode 7

This week, David Hurrion answers the following questions:

• What are these plants?! Hannah
• Why don't my cannas flower? Paul
• Can I move alliums after flowering? Richard
• When should I dig up my plants before moving house? Elaine
• Is my gooseberry bush worth saving? Gordon

Published: Thursday 14 May, 2020

Ask David - Episode 6

In this episode, David answers five questions from viewers:

• Should I replace my old clematis? Richard
• When should I move my tomatoes and cucumbers? Angie
• When should I start watering my dahlias? Christine
• When will my magnolia flower? Sarah
• Can camellias be pruned? Nicky

Published: Thursday 7 May, 2020

Ask David - Episode 5

In this fifth episode, David Hurrion helps viewers with the following issues:

• What should I do with potted tulips after flowering? Phil
• What can I plant in very damp soil? Gemma
• What's attacking my viburnum shrub? Sarah
• Does membrane completely kill weed seeds? Sue
• What is this strange plant? Geoff

Published: Thursday 30 April, 2020

Ask David - Episode 4

This week, David answers the following questions:

• Can I grow rhubarb in a tub? Irene R
• Can I move my skimmia now? Josephine H
• Veg crops for partial shade? Alexandra S
• How do I tackle leatherjackets? Kim W
• How do I prune my callicarpa? Alan

Published: Thursday 23 April, 2020

Ask David - Episode 3

In this third episode of the series, David answers the following questions:

• My does my Daphne 'Jacqueline Postill' have yellow leaves? Chris
• How do I stop little red insects eating my lilies? Yvonne
• Why hasn't my forsythia flowered this year? Sarah
• Can you divide hellebores and, if so, when? Carol
• Why are my cosmos seedlings leggy? Heather

Published: Thursday 16 April, 2020

Ask David - Episode 2

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for David this week. Here are the questions he answers in episode 2:

• I can't grow radish, all top and no root. Help! Kay B
• Any tips on growing begonias in pots? Edith G
• Can I dig excess grass clippings into flower beds? Stephen T
• Could you identify this plant, please? Liz H
• Any plant tips for very dry shade? Thanks. Shelagh

Published: Thursday 9 April, 2020

Ask David - Episode 1

During the coronavirus pandemic, horticultural expert David Hurrion will be on hand to answer your questions about gardening during lockdown. Each week he'll choose five questions to answer and we'll publish his responses in these regular videos.

Hundreds of you have submitted questions already - watch David's first video, above. In this episode, David answers the following questions:

• Is it too late to cut back my Mexican fleabane? Julie K
• Why are we told to place cuttings round the edge of pots, not the centre? Len J
• My well-established olive tree has developed a 'yellow rust'. Any suggestions? Victor W
• My seedlings die right at the base. What am I doing wrong? Evelyn D
• Why does this tree have two branches that never flower? Lisa H

Published: Thursday 2 April, 2020

More advice on gardening

Please don't feel discouraged if your question isn't included in David's videos. We receive such a high volume that, unfortunately, he isn't able to answer all of them. Happily, there are various other ways we can help:

10 ways to garden during self-isolation

Working at home - quick gardening breaks

Can I still go to the allotment?

Gardening without a garden

Coronavirus - online plant retailers

What to do if your council waste collections have stopped

10 tips for gardening with children

No Fuss Guides - practical gardening videos

More from David Hurrion