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My ornamental cherry tree which is about 30 years old has been struggling for the past 5 years with both a large canker on the trunk as well as a fungus that causes the leaves to go brown but continue to stay on the tree. I think it’s time to remove the tree and plant something in its place. I’d love another cherry but think that it will also get infected by the fungus? What tree would you suggest that would be about the same size and also have the year round interest of the cherry?

I am sorry to hear of your Cherry tree starting to fail. If it is removed I would recommend using a stump killer to help prevent the remaining root in the ground from sending up suckers. Trees that will give similar interest to the cherry include several Crab apples such as Malus Everest, Red Sentinel, John Downie, Scarlet Brandywine. Amelanchier Robin Hill, Ballerina and Snowflake. Alternatively Sorbus (Rowan / Mountain Ash) Pink Pagoda, Cardinal Royal, Copper Kettle or Pink Charm, all will give flowers in the spring and a good autumn display

Hello. I have been given a pack of Cyclamen and ferns which I have potted in a container. I assume the Cyclamen are C. persicum and therefore half hardy, but I cannot identify the ferns. Can you please let me know which species they are, so that I know how to look after them.

I have contacted the suppler of the fern and Cyclamen packs to confirm the variety of fern used. The predominant variety is Athyrium felix-femina or lady fern. This is a large vigorous fern eventually reaching some 80cm in height if planted out in the garden. It is best in light shade in a sheltered spot in a moist fertile soil entriched with leaf mould or garden compost.

I scarified some of my grass and this was the result, should I leave it until next spring, or is there anything I can do now, I cannot put any autumn fertiliser on as we have a dog

Scarification of the lawn is beneficial as it gets rid of thatch and helps get more air around the grass to help it cope with the wet over winter. It will also help improve the lawn if you can either spike the lawn with a garden fork, rocking it back and forth to remove it or use a hollow tine aerator which will remove a plug of soil that can be swept away. You can then apply turf top dressing or sharp sand over the lawn and brush it into the holes left from spiking or aerating the area. This will have the affect of increasing the drainage of the lawn that will help to prevent problems such as moss build up in the lawn. Should there be any bare patches in the lawn you can re-seed these to help fill any gaps in the lawn

I never seem to be able to keep cyclamen, both indoor and outdoor. Any advice please?

Indoor and outdoor Cyclamen both have a finite growth and flowering period before they need to rest in a dormant state. Indoor plants do best in a cool room, many houses today with central heating can stress the plants out being too hot. Both indoor and outdoor plants do best if they are kept well picked over with old leaves and flower stalks removed with a gentle upward movement, holding the stem / stalk as low to the base as possible. Also when watering try and avoid getting water on the crown of the plant, as if sitting wet or with the old foliage and flowers being present at the base of the plant there will be a very high chance of Botrytis or Grey Mould setting in which quickly kills the plant .

The leaves of my Calathea houseplant are turning brown. I have been watering them with an appropriate liquid feed during the summer months. Could you let me know what is wrong with the leaves....not enough light??

Calathea don't tend to like dry air or direct sunlight, Another cause of the damage to the leaves, particularly in dry air is Red Spider Mite. This is a tiny sap sucking insect which cause significant problems. You may notice a mottled appearance to the foliage as well as some slight stickiness to the underside of the leaves. If this is present, I would suggest using Blue Diamond, Ready to Use House Plant Defender spray to help in their control. Misting the plant and the undersides of the leaves will help, as well as standing the pot in Hydroleca and keeping this moist will also increase the humidity around the plant. It is also worth considering using either distilled or collected room temperature rainwater as there is some thought that they can be temperamental to some of the chemicals added to tapwater

Why does my Epipremnum have brown spots on the leaves?

The spots on your Epiprenum leaves could be caused by various factors. Too much sun can cause scorch marks on the foliage as can water sitting on the leaves. They do like some humidity but this is best achieved through lightly misting the foliage. It is also worth considering the watering on the plant, if the compost is very dry you can get spotting, it the compost is very wet or sitting in water this will cause spotting as well. I hope this helps with your issue. However, it may be worth taking a photo of your plant and ask at your local Blue Diamond Centre the next time you visit.

I was recently gifted this plant which had lovely orange spikey flowers which have since died. I cut them off. Was that the right thing? Also, should I water the plant only at the stem and make sure that I don’t spray the leaves? Unfortunately there were no instructions or name with it!

You have been given what looks like Calathea crocata Tassmania, trimming the spent flowers off was the correct thing to do. They generally like humid air around them so it will help to mist the foliage with tepid water, in addition watering the main plant by soaking it in water then allowing it to drain before returning it to its pot cover. They tend to dislike direct sunlight preferring bright or diffused light with a temperature above 15°C

How do I rid houseplants of very tiny flies that appear to come out of the compost

The flies that you are describing sound very much like sciarid flies (sometimes known as fungus gnats). They can be more of a problem if you are keeping the plant a little moister than it needs. They can also be more of a problem if you have used general compost rather than houseplant compost for potting. It may help to ease up on the watering of the plant alternatively alternatively you can use Fungus gnat control (a biological control) or No-Gnats a top dressing that you apply across the top of the compost. Both of which are available at our Garden Centres

Good morning! Please see my Calathea which has started regrowing after having been dormant. It lives in our conservatory which is attached to our kitchen. I water it either with cooled boiled water, or rain water and mist it. It is starting to look a bit crunchy and wondered if you could suggest any way I can remedy this? I have fed it with foliar feed. It is several years old now and has a clay pot.

Calathea don't like dry air or direct sunlight, which would predominantly be the conditions in many conservatories. If you have moved the Calathea to this position recently it may be worth altering where they are placed to take account of these conditions. A secondary condition that can arise particularly in dry air which is Red Spider Mite. This is a tiny sap sucking insect which cause significant problems. You may notice a mottled appearance to the foliage as well as some slight stickiness to the underside of the leaves. Misting the plant and the undersides of the leaves will help, as well as standing the pot in Hydroleca and keeping this moist will also increase the humidity around the plant. I would suggest using Blue Diamond, Ready to Use House Plant Defender spray to help in their control

Will my green pumpkins turn orange before Halloween?

The main reason for Pumpkins staying green is because they haven't been getting enough sunlight. At this late stage you could be cutting it fine and a lot will depend on the weather. If you can get as much light to it as possible and gently turn it as it ripens you will hopefully get more colour to the fruit

We have a very healthy dwarf Plum tree,but after 4yrs or so it hasn't fruited.

There could be a few reasons why you plum hasn't fruited. Lack of blossom will obviously lead to no fruit developing. Lack of pollination, if you are getting flowers, there is a possibility due to low insect activity or occasionally it being a variety not being self fertile which needs a second variety for pollination. The varieties we normally stock are self fertile, although having a second variety normally increases fruit set. Late frosts, these can kill off the early developing fruit. Fruit trees can sometimes take 4-5 yrs to start fruiting properly and giving a fertilizer that is too high in Nitrogen can make the matter worse as you get growth rather than flower. Try applying some Vitax Q4 fertilizer around the base in the spring and use a Tomato fertilizer such as Tomorite around the tree from midsummer onwards to help promote the formation of flower buds

Morning. Should I prune the small (5-7feet) fruit trees I bought last year from Coton garden Centre..if so when and how? Also My Sarracenia plant looks dead..is there a chance it will recover or should I just throw it away? Thanks Sajjana

Fruit trees can be pruned in late summer to help form a fruiting framework, generally reducing the tip growth by 3-4 inches would be sufficient. As always removing dead, damaged or diseased wood is a priority. I would then look at the trees to remove any crossing branches keeping the branch that lends itself to the shape of the tree (ideally the stronger of the branches). I would recommend if you are unsure, to take a picture of your trees into Coton Garden Centre and they should be able to suggest where to prune. If you need to do any major pruning it is best to do that over Autumn / Winter for Apples and Pears but March /April onwards for Cherries and Plums to prevent disease getting into the tree. In regards to you Sarracenia, I think sadly it will not recover I would suggest it has dried out at some point , they are best kept in a dish or saucer ideally filled with rain water

I have a cat what plants are dangerous

Lilies and Lily of the Valley are probably the best well known for being toxic to cats as well as some other bulbs. It is worth looking at a very useful sheet produced by U.K. Cats Protection (link below) which has a good all round list of plants to be cautious with as well a list of safe plants as well. https://www.cats.org.uk/media/9596/cats-and-dangerous-outdoor-plants.pdf

I live next to a bourne which due to earlier flooding left plants underwater for prolonged period resulting in death of all fence line plants ceonothis, pittosporum, laburnum tree, weigela. Can you suggest any plants to go in front of north facing fence, mixed colours of shrubs which don’t get enormous & fairly easy to maintain. Currently have viburnum, eleagnus, physocarpus diablo, pyracantha. To fill x2 fence panels wide & x4 panels wide east facing.

Sorry to hear of your plant losses due to flooding, there are quite a few plants available in our centres that should prove suitable for the area. For structure (shrubs) Hydrangea macrophylla Ribes odoratum / sanguineum Salix alba species such as Vitellina or Salix Flamingo Cornus alba / sanguinea (available in various stem colours and leaf colour) Sambucus nigra cultivars Amelanchier Hawthorn Sorbaria Leycesteria Kerria To add colour and or texture (Herbaceous / Ferns / Grasses Camassia Astilbe Iris ensata or sibirica cultivars Lobelia cardinalis cultivars Zantedeschia aethiopica Carex i.e. Everest, Everlime, Evergold Acorus Ogon Osmunda regalis Matteuccia (shuttlecock fern The plants listed above should be a good starting point for you. However, I would suggest visiting your local Blue Diamond Garden Centre where one of the Plant team members should be able to advise you further.

The leaves on my mini hebe are going black

There are a couple of possible problems that could be affecting your Hebes, Most of the issues that cause either spotting on the leaves or the leaves to go black are exaggerated with damp weather which has been a problem throughout this year. Removal and disposal of any fallen leaves will help prevent further spread along with the removal of the worst affected leaves. Occasionally thinning out the stems to encourage more air movement around the plant will also help to reduce the problem. If you are watering the plant try to avoid watering the leaves, instead water the soil at the base of the plant. Spraying with Scotts / Evergreen Fungus Clear Ultra 2 or Provanto Fungus Fighter Plus should also help give some control over the problem. One last possibility is also that an animal or domestic pet may be marking its territory on the plant in which case trying some of the available animal deterrents may help.

what kind of plants thrive in the shade?

There are a number of plants that will do well in the shade, if you visit our Plant Finder Page using this link: https://www.bluediamond.gg/plant-finder-tool Scroll down to Outdoor Plants and one of the first option will be shade loving plants which also subdivides into different plant groups as well as slightly different conditions covering dry shade and moist shade

We have a very large slopped front border that we would like to cover with something that will keep weeds to a minimum

There are various plants that will provide you with groundcover for your border. I have listed several below (any evergreen plants I have put 'Ev' after their name). Hopefully this with give you a good starting point although I would suggest heading along to your local Blue Diamond Garden Centre and consult with their plant team for individual requirements and if you are planting on a sloped border I would emphasize the importance of keeping the plants well watered whilst they establish. Hardy Geraniums in a range of pink white blue and purple Erigeron Pink Jewel a long lasting low clump forming perennial Lamium maculatum (ornamental dead nettle) Ev Euphorbia robbiae (woodland spurge) Ev Sedum Rose Carpet Rubus tricolour Ev Erica (Winter heather) Ev Vinca minor (Perrywinkle) Ev Euonymus Emerald n Gold / Emerald Gaiety Ev Rose Flower Carpet Ev Hypericum calycinum (Rose of Sharon) Ev Stachys lanata ( Lambs Ears) Creeping Thyme Ev

Please could you identify this weed in my lawn

Unfortunately I cannot clearly see the leaf on your attached photo so I cannot be sure as to an identification for you. From what I am able to make out it could be seedlings of primroses or cowslips, alternatively if they are spiky they could be a member of the thistle family. If you are trying to eradicate them i would suggest using either Resolva Lawn Weedkiller or Weedol Lawn Weedkiller that you can obtain either as a concentrate or a ready to use hand sprayer. However, be prepared to apply more than 1 treatment if necessary.

Can you tell me why my grass has gone brown in some patches, pic attached.

Looking at your photograph it looks as though your grass may be suffering from Anthracnose a fungal disease that affects lawns. This form I believe is due to the wet weather we have been experiencing. There are several things that may help to improve it's health. 1. Increase the lawnmower cutting height as if cut too short the grass can become stressed and more prone to disease 2.Treatment with fungicide such as Provanto Fungus fighter 3. Removal of Thatch (a good rake with a spring tine lawn rake will help reduce thatch) 4. Aeration of the lawn in the winter followed by an autumn lawn feed to help strength the grass for the winter. 5. Lawn feed in the spring to help boost the grass for the season ahead

Has my two year old pear tree got fire blight?

It is a little hard to definitively tell exactly what your pear tree is suffering from. I would suspect after the spring that we have had, that it is more likely to be suffering from Pear leaf blight which occurs when the weather has been warm and the foliage has remained wet. There are 2 options that I can suggest for you. One is to take off the worst affect leaves and give the tree a good spray of Growing Success Fungus Stop. Alternatively trim back the branches approximately 1/2 way to remove all the foliage and give the tree a water around the base with a high potash feed such as tomato fertilizer and then mulch it. I appreciate it seems drastic but there should be enough time for the tree to send out fresh foliage during the summer.

Can I use jacks magic multi purpose compost to pot my blue spruce

Jack's Magic is a good multipurpose compost however, for long term planting of a hardy plant in a container I would recommend John Innes No.3 compost or at the very least a 50:50 mix between the 2 and keep an eye on the watering of it during dry weather over the summe rin particular.

I'm not sure what's wrong with my passiflora the flowers are shrivelling up before bloom and the leaves are yellowing

It is possible that you may be overwatering your passionflower or if it is in a container there aren't sufficient drainage holes in it, which is causing it stress. They do like to be in a nice sunny position that gets at least 8hrs of sunlight a day. As a result it may be worth looking at it's position within the garden. If you give some more information about how old the plant is, the compost that it's planted in as well as whether it is in a container or in the ground as well, we may be able to advise further.

What is the best method to eradicate ant nests from my lawns?

Ants in the lawn, can be beneficial as they help to aerate the lawn and can remove fruits and other objects falling on the grass as they feed. They can however, become a nuisance in which case there are a couple of things that you can do to alleviate the problem. Find the main nest (usually it will have loose soil around the entrance), using a spade insert a spade into the soil about 20-25 cm deep and rock the spade back and forth to make a crevice, Into this crevice sprinkle some ant powder, then carefully firm the soil to close the crevice. It is best to try not to get the ant powder on the grass as this may affect the grass. If you are trying to avoid chemical control as much as possibly you could try using vinegar in the ratio of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water and watering the area of the nest and the surrounding area around the entrance.

I’ve got a CALATHEA ZEBRINA which I got from you in February which is not doing very well, it also gives off a strange smell. I called up to ask someone what to do and they suggested changing the soil, they gave me the soil which I purchased. I repotted it but it’s still not happy, it’s got worse.

Examining your attached photo. I see that the Calathea is in a pot cover. I am wondering if the smell that it is giving off, may be from standing water in the pot cover which is going stagnant. If so I would take the plant out of the pot cover and allow any excess water to drain from the pot. Then empty and rinse out the pot cover. When watering I would always water the plant out of the pot cover and allow the plant to drain any excess water before placing back in the pot cover. If this isn't the cause of the problem I would suggest taking the plant into your local Blue Diamond Garden centre so that their Houseplant expert can directly deal with the problem of the plant first hand.

Hello I have bought a Calathea plan a couple of weeks ago and recently its leaves turn to yellow and back of the leaves are covered by very tiny white insect Could you please help me to rescue my plant? I have attached photos to show the problem better.

From your description and examining the photo, it would appear that your Calathea is suffering from Red Spider Mite a small insect that usually lives on the underside of the leaves feeding on sap from the plant, There are a couple of things that you can do to reduce the problem. Mist the plant frequently and possibly use hydroleca on the base of the pot cover or saucer and wit water to increase the humidity around the plant. It will also help to spray the plant with either Growing Success Bug control or Bug Clear Ultra.

Why is blue diamond tomato feed clear

The appearance of the different gardening products that we sell will vary from product to product, depending on the ingredients used in their formulation as well as in some cases the addition of emulsifying agents to help with their application and effectiveness. I hope this helps

Could you please tell me what plant the image is? I thought it was a Hypericum Tricolour puts its flowers are white and not yellow

The plant in the photo is Convulvulus cneorum. A small evergreen shrub, very useful in sunny well drained positions. It flowers in late spring to early summer. To keep it compact give it a light trim after flowering

Hi, we used to have a rose growing up to the roof of our summer house but it died after two years. This corner gets no sun, south facing garden but this corner always in shade. What would you suggest to plant here, something that will grow up and onto the summer house roof.

Sorry to hear that your rose has failed, climbers that should be able to cope with the low light levels would include, Hydrangea petiolaris (climbing Hydrangea) Trachelospermum jasminoides star Jasmine) which is normally recommended for a sunny site but will tolerate shade however, it may produce slightly less flowers. Clematis Nelly Moser, and Clematis orientalis Bill McKenzie. If you head down to your local Blue Diamond Garden Centre, the team there will only be too happy to help you choose your perfect climber.

I have moved into a house with an established Yew tree in the garden. I really don't like it, it takes up far too much space and doesn't fit in with the rest of the planting, but I feel bad about cutting it down. Can I reduce it by pruning without killing it, or making it look even worse? It's cut in a column, more or less, about 4 feet diameter and maybe 15 feet tall. Thank yew. :)

Yew trees, are a useful conifer as they can be cut back (quite hard if necessary) and they can reshoot from even bare stems, something that most conifers will not do. It is probably best to reduce its size in stages using the necessary protective equipment with someone keeping the ladder firm if you are using one. Alternatively you could use a reputable local tree specialist to do the reduction in size for you

What would grow under my berch tree? Soil seems alkaline and clay. Not much sun!

Birch trees tend to have a layer of fairly shallow roots which can mean that subsequent planting can struggle to establish. As a result trying to improve the soil will help underplanting thrive Cornus Midwinter Fire, Euonymus fortunei Emerald n Gold, Carex, Ophiopogon ( Black Grass), Geraniums, Astilbes, Hostas as well as Vinca minor cultivars are all worth trying in the area under the trees, but to help them establish they will need watering in dry weather

I planted out marigolds last week and by the next morning something had eaten half of them, what is it likely to be? There was no sign of slugs or snails that I could find in the bed.

Unfortunately Marigolds are loved by Slugs and snails as a result I would say that they are the most likely culprit. If planting Marigolds which do have benefits in attracting beneficial insects around it would be worth sprinkling some Slug treatment around such as Slug Clear Ultra based on Ferric Phosphate ( ou will need to reapply periodically after rain).

What plants will survive /grow where a very large fir tree has been removed leaving a large area of soil visible.

If the Fir tree has been removed there is quite a lot of scope for things to grow. You do not say whether the roots have been removed, if so this will increase the options even more. It is worth removing as many of the old pine needles as they can make the soil quite acidic. Add some well rotted manure or soil conditioner and dig it into the area. Then you will be ready for planting. Many plants should survive in the area without the shade, Choisya, Cistus, Hydrangea (you may need additional watering for these), shrubby Potentilla, Pittosporum and Leycesteria to give some structure and then you can use some herbaceous perennials to give additional colour. Bergenias, Dicentra, Sweet Woodruff, Geraniums, Geum, ferns to name just a few. If you visit your local Blue Diamond store there should be experts on hand to give you assistance to plant up this area

This is my first time growing aubergines from the seeds.They are still in pots but I noticed the leaves have white patches.Is this normal or a problem?

On the very young leaves the white patches could possibly be a little scorch or the seed leaves dying off naturally. The white / straw coloured spotting on the leaves is likely to have been caused by thrips or possibly (but less likely) aphid. It is worth looking for any signs of insects under the leaves. If there are, it is worth spraying with Bug Clear Ultra 2 or Growing Success Safer Gardening Bug Stop

Hi, can you help with identifying this issue please (see pic), I think it is a pyracantha.

Your pyracantha is suffering from Pyracantha Scab, this normally occurs when there has been a number of days above a certain temperature and the foliage has remained wet. You can get some control through good garden hygiene, removing affected leaves and fruit. Also having a good tidy around it over the winter Giving the plant a Fungicidal spray will help such as Fungus Clear Ultra by Evergreen garden care, also giving it a high potash feed should help the plant fight the disease

Why is my peonie drooping? I bought it from orchard park 3 weeks ago

On close inspection of your photograph, it does not look like there is any disease or problem with your Paeony. I would say that it is most likely to the root system not keeping up with the amount of water required to keep such a large bud upright. I would carefully insert a cane and gently tie the stem to it for support.

My Camilla has been looking like this for 2/3 weeks now. What’s the problem with the new leaves please?

From the attached photo your Camellia looks extremely healthy, the new foliage often has a slightly reddish tinge to it and is nothing to worry about as it will darken with age.There is a tiny bit of physiological damage to a couple of the leaves but this can sometime occur from heavy sleet or the odd insect bruising the foliage.

I planted my cornus sang into a pot with potting soil a few weeks ago. Since then I’ve noticed that the leaves have started to develop some brown spots and some leaf edges are brown. the plant has been in a spot with morning sun and some afternoon sun. I’m not sure if this may be due to leaf scorch, watering issues or dogwood anthracnose.

Upon examination of your photo it is a little hard to make out the spotting on the foliage, however, it does not look consistent with Cornus anthracnose. It does looks more like a possible attack from fungal leaf spot, which is normally a sign that the plant is under a little stress. This year with the variable cold, windy weather and a couple of late frosts as plants were coming into leaf. It is more likely that this is to blame for the foliage damage. To help your Cornus through this, keep it well watered and give it a high potash feed which will help boost it's natural immune system. If you have any Rose Clear or Fungus Clear made by Scott's Garden Care it will certainly do no harm to the plant to give it a spray.

Please could I get some advice I brought a lovely Christmas tree for my grandson’s first Christmas 2 years ago which I had in plastic planter till last year when I brought some new plant pots it’s now completely dead, last dec I brought the same tree for my other Grandson I don’t want this to happen to this one I will send photos to if that helps with the advice you could give me please 🙏

The Christmas tree looks very much like a Picea Baby Blue. This will do better if you can plant it into the garden however, in a pot I would use John Innes No.3 compost and keep it well watered particularly over the summer. Picea do suffer from a tiny insect called Red Spider Mite which can cause the needles to go brown and fall off. As a result I would possibly use Resolva bug killer should you notice any discoloration of the foliage particularly during the dry periods of July and August.

Our potted hydrangea has suddenly developed a disease! What is going on please? Photo attached.

Thank you for your enquiry. On examination of your photograph, it appears that your hydrangea has been caught by some frost on one of the recent chilly nights that we have had recently. If you simply remove the damaged foliage it should look a lot better. The compost level in the pot would appear a little low so it would do no harm to top the pot up with some fresh compost and give it a good water.

Hi can you tell me if you sell Jamieson brothers vegetable planting compost?

Looking at our database it does not appear that we stock the Jamieson Brothers Vegetable planting compost. We do however, stock Miracle Gro Fruit & Veg compost as well as New Horizon Veg compost at our centres.

one of my plants seems to have 100s of small flies living in it. They fly around the house now and drive me bonkers, I stood the plant in the garden but as soon as I brought it back in, the flies returned. How should I treat it? The other pots seem fine...

Is my grass in my lawn dead, and the best way to reseed it-I have a puppy, so is there anything safe with dogs

If the lawn is showing patches like this and you have a new puppy, there is a good chance that the puppy's urine is scorching the grass. You could try dilutiing the areas that the puppy uses with water to reduce the affect. You can reseed the lawn with a general purpose lawn seed after applying some turf top dressing to the area first.

Hi. This is growing on a Venus fly trap I bought from Coton garden centre. Could you please tell me what it is? Also if I can reproduce from it- how would I go about it? Thanks Sajjana

Your Venus fly trap has formed a flower stem. However, it is normally best to remove it at the base as soon as possible as they take a tremendous amount of energy from the plant which is then likely to grow very slowly for about a year whilst it recovers. If you do pollinate the flowers to get seed, the main plant unfortunately is likely to die because of the energy used in the production of flowers and the seed.

What is the best soil for pots as I am losing so many pot grown plants including an established pittosporum shrub due to vine weevils it’s so upsetting to see plants destroyed even though I use a pesticide for the little grubs any help would be much appreciated, Kind regards

I would use John Innes No.3 compost with drainage in the bottom of the pot and possibly some sharp sand or horticultural grit mixed with the compost so tht it drains freely. The John Innes range because it is a Loam based compost tends to have more 'guts' to sustain long term planting, in what is a more stable planting media. Vine weevil is a devastating pest, the adults can be found at the top of the plant feeding on the leaves after dusk and can be removed and disposed of, alternatively I have herad that some control of the adults can be achieved through spraying with an insecticide after dark. Unfortunately they are all female, don't need to breed and the adults can lay between 400-1200 eggs making it aserious pest. Good hygeine around you plants will help as well as watering containers with Provado Vine Weevil killer or using the biological control for the vine weevils(during warmer weather)

Hello I have just purchased a shredder for my garden trimmings - and there are always a lot! Am I able to use the shredding material immediately as a mulch or do I need to compost it first? Thanks in anticipation of your help. Jill

Material from younger trees and shrubs can be used directly around other plants. However, shredded material from larger trees, particularly those with woody stems is best allowed to weather for 3-4 months before use as it can contain chemicals that more mature plants produce naturally to prevent competition from other plants growing around them.

Conferous material is always best left to age as they nurally contain more of the harmful compounds.

Also it is best not to mulch around young herbaceous plants or bulbs and leave an 8-10cm gap around the base to prevent possible issues from moist low oxygen conditions around the stems of plants.

My daffodils seem to have been eaten by some sort of creature. Who is the culprit? What can I battle them with? Your help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

The most likely culprits eating your daffodil flowers are slugs and snails, especially with all the wet weather that we have been having. You could try sprinkling a few slug pellets around the area or if you are trying to avoid the use of chemical, it could be worth trying with some coffee grounds to deter them

Hi. Can you advise on best course of action with my houseplants. I’m assuming taking into the garden centre would be stupid!

Examining you photo, it would appear that your palm has a rather severe infestation of wooly aphid. This can be a little tricky to treat as the wooly coating gives the plant some protection from treatment. To reduce the severity of the infestation, I would use a soft damp cloth to wipe off the worst of the infestation from the stems and foliage. I would then spray with one of the natural pyrethrum sprays such as Bug Clear Ultra 2, you may need to give another treatment in a couple of weeks time.

I was gifted a bonsai tree a couple of months ago and have kept on top of watering regularly when the soil starts to dry, however in the past two weeks the leaves have started turning yellow/black and dropping. I have also noticed today that the base of the trunk has a white mildewy powder and the underneath of the pot has mould. Could this be root rot and require repotting and new soil? Thanks

Examining the photograph that you have kindly attached I wouldn't be unduly worried about your bonsai. The powdery deposits on the stem and surface of the pot is most likely to be due to calcium deposits forming from your water. I would suggest using boiled (and cooled) water to reduce this problem. The yellowing of the leaves is also not something to be unduly worried about as even evergreen plants shed some of their older leaves from time to time. If you want to repot your bonsai, you can do but, normally you would trim some of the rootball (I would suggest looking st some of the online tutorials before starting) and repot in the same size pot or slightly larger. To do this you will need to get some Bonsai compost to replace the compost lost when potting on and root trimming.

I bought an orchid in February for Valentine’s Day. It’s looking very poorly- I wondered what might be wrong and if I should return it?

Looking closely at the photo, it looks as though your orchid is suffering signs of underwatering. The roots are looking relatively healthy and there does not appear to be any excess moisture to be seen through the side of the pot. The best way is to soak the plant by immersing it up to the rim for about 10 minutes in a bowl or container of tepid water, then allowing it to completely drain before putting it back into position. In normal conditions you would probably looking at doing this approximately every 8-10 days. If you are near any of our Garden Centres it may just be worth popping in with the photo and checking with the houseplant manager.

Hi guys thanks for the reply but the leaves are like this all year round not just on the winter

Thank you for the reply.

It is worth trimming the affected foliage off (probably best late March). Looking at the container it is in it is probably worth possibly thinking about either removing some of the compost and adding some fresh compost or potting it into a bigger container usimg some John Innes No3 compost with some sharp sand or grit added to it to help with drainage. Feed from April onwards to help give the palm a boost in growth and you should find it improves. Should the problem still occur, feel free to contact us again including a close up of the foliage.

A friend gave me two large (3ft x1ft), heavy rectangular wooden boxes which I am placing along my driveway to stop delivery vans driving onto my grass when turning round. I need to fill them with plants so that they look nice. Please can you suggest what to fill them with and would it be best if I left the plants in pots rather than filling full of soil just in case I need to move them? Thank you.

There are various options available depending on you style of garden and conditions ranging from a small tree, roses, alpine display or even bedding. I would suggest visiting your nearest Blue Diamond Garden Centre, where the plant team will be able to work with you to achieve the look that you want, with plants that will thrive in your area. They can lay them out on the ground to show how they will work together. I would suggest taking a photo of the layout so that you know where to place them on your return home

Good morning I purchased a young sweet Gum liquidambar Worplesdon tree two years ago from a local nursery. This week l noitced the bark on the branches has grooves and the ends of the branches are fragile and breaking. Also the main trunk has raised circles from bottom to top. I never seen this before. I feel concerned my tree could have some type of disease. Attached is a photo Thank you for your help

The deeply grooved bark is a feature of Liquidamber trees and is nothing to worry about. During colder weather the young shoots can be a little brittle but should start shooting normally once the weather warms up

Why does these palm leafs keep going brown

Looking at the photograph it looks as though the foliage is possibly being caught by the wind which can be more evident if the plant is in a container. Once the weather warms up a little more, trim off the browned ends and give the palm a feed to encourage new growth. It may also help to put some fleece around the plant during the winter to offer some protection to the cold and wind.

Hi, I have an Orchid with very healthy air roots and lots of them but the main roots have completely rotted off. It was healthy in water beads growing new flowers. I pitted it into an Orchid pot with orchid bark and started giving it orchid food and killed it. To try and save it I took it out of the old bark got rid of the rotted roots and put it in fresh bark but although the aerial roots are still growing the leaves are going a little purple and no roots are growing from the bottom. Help! What do I do

I think part of the issue that your orchid is suffering from is that having potted it into bark after having been in water beads, the roots have had to try and adapt to a dryer environment. Hence the loss of some of the older main roots. You will need to be a little patient with it at the moment as the orchid will not be in such active growth over the winter with the lower light levels. Probably the best course of action is to be patient, keep it well misted and wait until it is in active growth before using the orchid feed again

Hello All, I have about 10 pallets in my garden. Can and how would I make raised beds with them please? Many thanks.

Good Morming,

The most usual way that I have seen raised beds made out of pallets is by removing wood from the top of the pallets and fixing it onto a frame made from the framework of the pallet to the height that you are trying to achieve. These can then be screwed together or attached to short posts driven into the ground. there are several YouTube videos online that show a couple of ways to do this that you may like to watch to get some ideas

Good morning. Bought a ‘lucky’ bamboo yesterday. Is it okay to take it out of the plastic tube it came in and put it in an empty wine bottle? Also rain or tap water please? Thanks a lot Sajjana

As long as the wine bottle that you are going to use is clean it should be perfectly ok to use a wine bottle for your Lucky bamboo. Howeve,r you will need to be careful to not overfill the bottle with water and replace the water on a regular basis so that the water doesn't go stagnant, tap water will be fine for it and a clear wine bottle would be best.

We have planted Dwarf (Iris Reticulata Blue) recently bought from your garden centre and wondered do we deadhead and lift the bulbs and store after flowering or leave in the pots for next year?

Iris reticulata can either be left in their pot or planted into the garden in a sunny well drained spot. Dead heading the old flowers will help in building the bulb up for the following year as the energy will go to the bulb rather than seed production.

Hi. I have planted a plum tree I bought at the Coton centre this week in a shady place ( because I have bought quite a few and running out of sunny spots)..do you think this is okay? Thanks for your help Sajjana

Plums will tend to fruit the best under sunnier conditions. However, some will tolerate partial shade or shade in the afternoon. It does depend somewhat depending on variety. However you should find that when the tree grows higher than the fence behind it that the shade will no longer be a problem anymore.

I scarified the grass recently should I leave it as it is, or what should I do next. Pic attached

If you have patches similar to your attached photo, it is probably worth aerating / spiking these areas to assist drainage and applying a some turf top dressing and brushing it into these areas. Now is a good time to apply an autumn lawn treatment to help build up the lawn ready for the winter.

Is there a kind way to get rid of voles in my garden?

The easiest way to try and deter voles in the garden is to plant ornamental alliums or even chives to help mask the scent of the plants that the voles target. Daffodils and muscari are also supposed to have some effect as well.

Alternatively you could try using non lethal traps. However, using this method you will need to check them twice a day and should you catch any voles the recomendation is to release them several miles away, ideally in an environment that has shelter and potential food sources available

I have an apple tree and all the apples have black spots on them (see photo) I believe this is a calcium deficiency. Can you advise a simple treatment. Thank you.

The disorder certtainly looks like your suggested cause of bitter pit, which can ironically still occur even in chalky soils. Avoiding very high nitrogen or high potash feeds can help reduce the prodlem. A good feed would be Vitax Q4 as this has balanced levels of the main 3 nutrients alongside trace elements required in smaller quantities. Keep the tree evenly watered throughout the season and apply a mulch to help retain moisture in the soil around the tree. Carrying out summer pruning will also be of benefit to the tree, this can help reduce the vigour of the tree and calcium will be redirected to the fruit as well as the foliage.

Calcuium nitrate this can be applied as a foliar spray to the tree by dissolving 10g per litre of water using a fine spray to the point that the the solution wets the leaves but does not run off. If this can be applied 4-5 times between mid June to mid September you should see a good reduction in damage. A few things to note are that the Calcium nitrate shouldn't be applied at the same time as other fertilizers and pesticides, the temperature should be below 21C also carrying out a test spray on a small branch first is advised as a small number of cultivars can be sensitive to Calcium nitrate, if no damage is seen after 5 days it should be ok to use.

Hi, I bought a Senecio Angel wings last week for a community space and have been asked to check that it isn’t toxic. There is nothing on the label or your plant finder that says it is, but online it says it is extremely toxic for dogs…. If so, is this the same for humans? Thanks in advance for your help.

Senecio Angel Wings being in the same family as plants such as ragwort and groundsel will contain alkaloids which can build up and in severe cases cause liver problems. However cases in humans is rare as the plant doesn't look edible. However, as with any garden plant one should take care especially with young children.

Hi just bought a small fruit tree from your garden centre ( reduced price) and it has black spot ( one of the roses we bought has it too). Is it okay just to plant them in the garden as they are? Thank you Sajjana

The problem in the photo of your pear tree looks like fungal leaf spot which has been a more widespread problem this year due to the rain throughout the summer. The rose will be suffering from Black spot again spread by the rainy weather. It isn't really worth treating the plants at the moment as the foliage is likely to drop soon. I would then collect up the foliage from both and dispose of it.

In the spring top dress both plants with a high Phosphate fertilizer such as Vitax Clematis Food or Vitax Q4. Once they come into leaf, the Pear can be treated with Ecofective Plant Disease Defence or Growing Success Fungus stop, which can be used on Fruit and edible crops, other fungicides are not cleared for use on edibles. The roses ideally need spraying regularly throughout the growing season with RoseClear to help keep the leaves clean and healthy

Hi. I bought a duo pear tree at the Coton garden centre Sunday but it has no labels- could you please advise what type/ category it/ they are likely to be? Thanks Sajjana

The two varieties of Pear on your Duo tree are Conference, which is a good all round pollinating variety this will give a slightly longer and firmer pear of the varieties with a russeting over the skin. The second variety is Louis Bonne this will be a softer pear with sweet white flesh inside the fruit. They have been chosen for good reliable cropping.

We have been having problems for 2 or 3 years with a buxus hedge. Initially we lost all the foliage across a lower section (see photos) which has never grown back. The rest of the hedge seemed to remain healthy for a long time after, but is now dying off in places as the photos show. I have treated it for both box blight and the moth pest without any improvement. I have not seen any of the webbing characterising a moth attack, and no caterpillars, and had seen no moths until a few days ago, when I saw one or two of a type I hadn't seen before. They were 25-30mm wide with their wings spread and the wings were white with a brown/gold pattern on the leading edges. I spoke to someone at one of the garden centres and was advised to write in with photos. I have treated the hedge with insecticide but its condition has still worsened. Please can you advise? I realise the completely bare patch and the other damage over the rest of the hedge may be caused by different issues as the symptoms are so different. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Unfortunately the photo(s) didn't come through with your enquiry. It does sound very much like the Box moth caterpillar. A species which first appeared in Kent back in 2007, which since then has been moving north and westward since then. At the centre I am based we have gone from the odd isolated case over the last couple of years to major problems with 30-40 customers a week coming in with their box plants being severely affected. There are 2 life cycles a year with overwintering caterpillars, so it is best to keep a close eye on your buxus for signs of damage throughout the year. The best spray to use is Bug Clear Ultra 2 or Provanto Ultimate Bug Killer as soon as you see any damage at all (repeating at 7 day intervals). However, if you are getting severe damage it may be worth considering one of the alternatives such as Euonymus 'Green Spire' or Ilex crenata

Hi, I have an issue with my lawn. It would appear that something is making a hole in my garden at night time. What can I use to repair the lawn and de0ter visitors at night. Regards Brenda Wright

There are a couple of culprits that can be making holes in your lawn, badgers or one of the bird species such as Jackdaws, both are likely to be searching for Leatherjackets or Chafer grubs in the lawn. Your best course of action would be to water the lawn well in the affected area and put on a black plastic sheet overnight. In the morning remove the sheet and simply sweep away any grubs on the surface. There are also biological controls that can be applied to control Leatherjackets or Chafer grubs.

To repair the hole(s) in the lawn use Lawn and Turf top dresssing to fill the holes firm lightly and apply grass seed to the affected area. Water the area gently during dry weather and this should soon fill in the gaps once more

Mid September now and my young plum trees leaves have turned yellow and holey and are beginning to fall. What is the cause and how can I cure it? Thank you.

There shouldn't be anything too much to worry about with your plum, the yellowing leaves and leaf drop is simply the natural change in the plant with the arrival of autumn and the very variable weather. Being a young tree the effects can appear earlier in the season especially if it has dried out at all since planting , it should be fine once more in the spring.

My father recently passed away and we found his birthday roses that he had propagated. These are from a Peace (‘Madame A. Meilland’) tea rose. The bush has some brown leaves on them in-between some green growth. Is there a way we could ensure that these survive (or at least prepare them to survive winter)?

I am sorry to hear your sad news. It looks like you father has managed to get some reasonable growth on the cuttings. The brown leaves are possibly due to them drying out, to help revive them keep them well watered by watering the pot especially during warm weather, then in October you can gently tease the plants apart and plant them into the ground mixing in some compost with the soil to help enrich the planting site. Alternatively if several of you are wanting a cutting you could pot the cuttings individually into John Innes No3 compost and keep the well watered until you can plant them out. In spring to help keep the plants healthy use Rose Clear as a spray to help keep aphids and Rose diseases such as Black spot and rust

My Bougainvillea is thriving. It is on wheels and it gets moved around throughout the day to keep it in the sun. Will it survive winter if I put it in an unheated greenhouse or should I bring it into the house?

Bourganvillea need to be kept frost free so whilst you could try overwintering your plant in an unheated glasshouse particularly if you are in the South West however, for satety I would bring it into the house into a well lit area to be sure it will survive until next year

Hi. Two questions about the pear tree I bought from you in June. 1. Can you tell me what root stock it is on? 2. It has tiny green shoots appearing above the graft and below the graft. If it is a quince root stock will it grow quinces below the graft and pears above?

Examining the attached photo, it certainly looks from the sucker lthat it is on a Quince rootstock although with out knowing the variety of pear I can't be certain as to exactly which one. The growers vary them sometimes depending on the variety of tree to not only affect size but also reduce russeting and other issues that some varieties are affected by.

The rootstock although quince are not necessarily, going to be the best variety to grow for fruit and flavour, it has simply been chosen as a means of propagation and size control as a result I would remove the sucker from the side of the tree by ideally 'tearing' it off the root rather than cutting as this will reduce the chances of it regrowing. If you were to leave it on it is likely to outgrow the pear with the possibility of killing it eventaully

I'm going to put some bought compost and chicken pellets on top of my small veg plots for the winter, to replenish the soil. Does it matter if I put compost or pellets first.

It shouldn't really matter which you do first. Personally I would put the compost on first, followed by a sprinkling of the pellets then either water in or rake in lightly.

I bought a pear tree from you a couple of months ago. I noticed a short while after that it had black on the edges of some of the leaves. I have tried to keep it watered enough but not too much and I have fed it a couple of times with seaweed and tomorite. It hasn’t really improved. It had a healthy shoot at the base which I have now cut off so it didn’t take all the nutrients (I planted it next to the tree in the same pot just to see if it will grow). The shoot had soft green leaves. The main tree has dark dry leaves. Am I doing something wrong?

Looking at the photo the damage to the pear leaves appears to either be some frost damage to the newly emerging leaves or possible wind damage. It will be more cosmetic than harmful and when the foliage reappears in the spring, your pear should have healthy foliage on it once more

Hi my cactus/succulent is wobbly in the pot, there doesnt appear to be any pests and ive checked the soil and it isnt mushy or anything obviously wrong with it. Its about 1 metre from the window and gets good bouts of sunlight. Please help! I brought this in April I believe I think its come up as ‘cactus’ on my plant list but the plant is a Haworthiopsis fasciata. Many thanks.

I have consulted with a colleage and we are both in agreement that there could be several causes of the problem. The compost in the pot may have shrunk so it would be wort checking the compost levels and adding a little extra cacti compost and firming it to reduce rocking in the pot. Moving it slightly closer to the window and turning it occasionally so it doesnt't grow to the light on the one side should also help especially with lower light levels over winter. In the spring it's probably worth potting the Haworthia up into a pot about the size of the mug that it is in at present. It does seem to have grown well and that fact that it could be getting a little top heavy will also have an effect on the stability. This should improve once it is repotted.

Hi, Can you tell me what has happened to my clematis please and how best to treat? Many thanks, Carol

It is difficult to say exactly what has happened to your Clematis from the photo but I suspect it may be a result of Clematis wilt. This is problem that prevents the flow of water and nutrints up the plant, the best course of action would be to cut the plant back hard to encourage more shoots to emerge from lower down on the plant. Unfortunately they do not always come back, but this will hopefully give it the best chance of survival.

Will Lawn Magic and also Weedol lawn spray together cause a problem with the grass. I'm trying to kill Yarrow. The grass has gone brown in some areas, and what can I do about it

As far as I'm aware we do not stock the Lawn Magic product. However, I would excercise caution mixing this and Weedol Lawn Weedkiller together. You will probably get best results by applying the Lawn weedkiller first and then applying the Feed approximately 7-10 days later. You should find that after feeding the brown patches will improve. If it is down to the lawn drying out during the summer, they should green up wilth the cooler autumn weather anyway

Can you tell me what this is my grass and how to get rid of it

Your lawn has Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) growing in it, if only a small patch you could try simply digging it out however, it does have fairly deep tap roots. It is a lawn weed that generally prefers poorer less fertile soils, as a result applying spring and autumn lawn feeds are likelty to help with a stronger growing lawn making it more difficult for the Yarrow to thrive. There are weedkillers specific for use on lawns which will target weed species such as, Resolva Lawn Weedkiller and Weedol Lawn Weeedkiller (make sure that the product you apply specifies Lawn use). These products can applied to the lawn and will give some control of the weed although you may need more than 1 application. If you are using granular lawn feeds in the spring I would suggest either Miracle Gro Evergreen Complete 4 in 1 or Westland Aftercut All in One Feed Weed and Mosskiller.

Hello, please can you help me identify what is going on with my phlox? I’ve had them 2 years and this and last year - they ended up like this - I’m on the verge of digging them and getting something new. I’ve tried various bug sprays and surrounded the bottom with slug pellets but in addition to something eating them - the leaves have brown spots/yellowing. They seem to flower well - but the foliage looks awful. Any suggestions on what is going on and tips to revive the foliage? Thanks

Looking at your attached photo, there are several possibilities that could account for the yellowing of the foliage on your phlox. Powdery mildew can cause yellowing of the foliage with brown edges as a resultof the disease Trying to improve air circulation around the plant will help (possibly spaying with a fungicide Fungus Clear also).

Thinning out the ivy by the Phlox is like to improve matters as well as it will be competing for nutrients, and it could be providing a means for slugs and snails to get to the leaves, so I would continue with a light sprinkling of slug granules around it.

In addition to the above it is likely to help the overall heath and appearance of the plant if you give it a feed, one of the best all round feeds is Vitax Q4, in addition to the main 3 nutrients that plants need it has various micro-nutrients that plants need in smaller quantities which should help improve overall health.

Last year I had some form of bug attacking my bay tree. they initially appear as white/yellow blobs on the leaves but then seem to fill out with larva. I cut the 5 thick stems back to ground level and sprayed the plant and surrounding soil with Provanto ultimate bug killer spray. The new growth appeared to be fine initially and there are some older leaves that seem ok however, the latest new growth is become infected again, please see photo's attached. If you could please provide any information on what to do next. I don't really want to dig it up and start over, in a new area of the garden. Many thanks

Your bay tree has been affected by Bay Leaf Sucker, it can be a little persistent, but normally, either picking off or trimming the worst affected growth and spraying as you have with an insecticide such as Provanto Ultimate bug killer, should give good control. You may still get the occasional leaf suffering from damage. However, rather than spraying again it is normally sufficient to simply pick them off, rather than spraying the whole plant again.

Good morning, My hydrangea peniculata which I bought in late spring from you has lost it's leaves. It's in a tub potted in multipurpose compost & is on a saucer. South facing garden, partial shade from a Laurestina tree & a rose bush. I have been dead heading. Only have 2 flower heads currently. Is there anything I can do as it's looking very sad? Thank you Franca Lyddon

Sorry to hear that your hydrangea seems to be suffering. It sounds very much like it has dried out at some point even though you have it in a saucer. This is likely to have caused the plant to defoliate. I would be tempted to cut it back and give it a liquid feed with either a Tomato or general fertilizer rather than leave the flowers on as it will be taking energy away from the plant. If possible the hydrangea will do better if you can plant it into a border. In the meantime make sure that it is kept moist.

I am looking for a climber, not too dense as it goes up trellis and wooden fence, for a north east facing position. Tried clematis montana but died. Needs to be hardy and preferably evergreen or partly if poss. Don't want ivy. Many thanks Jani

Suitable plants for a North east fence would include Pyracantha, especially the variety Sapphyr Rouge which can be tied into the fence, this will give flowers in the spring and a profusion of berry in the autumn. Clematis armandii is another evergreen climber worth a try, flowering early in the spring. I have grown Clematis orientalis Bill Mckenzie in the aspect and been impressed by the profusion of yellow nodding flowers throughout the summer until the first frosts, this is a variety that will die back over the winter. Trimmed to within 1ft of the base it would allow for maintenance to be carried out on the fence. Climbing hydrangea is also worth trying in this aspect and with some encuragement to start with will be self clinging.

The Beetroot I'm growing this year has very discoloured leaves, is there a reason for this, and will it effect the Beetroot.

From the attached photograph, it appears as though your Beetroot have been attacked by Beet Leaf miner, a fly whose larvae tunnel through the foliage eating the leaf. There is not much that can be done to control the pest once it has attacked your beetroot. However, using barrier netting and rotating your veg crops will help reduce the problem and encouraging smaller bird such as blue tits into the garden to help keep garden pests down to a minimum. The beetroot themselves should still remain fine for eating.

I have a 6 year old Ribes sanguineum Koja in the west border of a south facing garden. It has never flowered! I have pruned in May/June, I have left it and not pruned. It puts on plenty of healthy growth, no obvious signs of disease or anything unhealthy. Soil is not heavy, drains well, possibly on the dry side, at the top of a small slope. Gets a general feed in spring. Any suggestions to get it flowering? I have lost patience but my wife keeps persuading me to give it another chance. Next spring may be its last!

Your Ribes, certainly looks healthy enough and the time that you are pruning is correct as well. The lack of flower could be due to higher nitrogen levels in the soil where it is growing. If applying a fertilzer that has a high nitrogen content both scenarios could be generating growth at the expense of flowers. Many spring flowering plants benefit from a boost of feed at this time of year so using a high potash food such as one of the Tomato feeds is likely to help altenatively the Rose or Clematis feeds are normally good to use to improve flowering. Hopefully this should help, if it still refuses to flower it may be worth trying one last time by lifting the plant with a good rootball and moving it to a different position in the garden as sometimes the 'shock' can help induce flower.

These Early potatoes have just been dug up. Can you tell me why them break up when cooked. I have tried cooking them for less time but they still turn to mash. Image attached.

Good Morning ,

The potatoes breaking up when cooked could be down to the variety you have chosen to grow, as some varieties have different ideal uses. However, if it is a variety normally good for boiling, the soil becoming dry during growth can resulting in the potatoes breaking down when boiled. This can be more of a problem in raised beds due to their free draining nature. Typically more waxy typle varieties such as Home Guard, Maris Bard, Pentland Javelin or Swift should be more resistant to this problem

Is this an Allium, please?

Looking at the attached photo, it looks very much like Allium neapolitanum although if you can supply some details as to height and its foliage (has it died off or is it still green?) I could probably give you a more accurate ID.

Each year my Echinops plants start off well but about now (early July) the leaves start to go yellow, then will eventually turn brown and look dead. Last year I wondered if the problem was rust and sprayed accordingly but that didn't help. I keep them watered but maybe not enough. Can you help please?

Echinops like moist but well drained areas whilst getting established, once established they can be very good drought tolerant plants coping with dryness much better, than overwatering. You could be giving them a little too much water resulting in yellowing of the plant's leaves. Try easing off the watering particularly at the moment with the wet weather that we have just had

I have a problem with my Sweetcorn, can you tell me why they aren't growing very tall.

Looking at your attached photo I can see why you are concerned about your sweetcorn. There are several issues that can cause poor growth and establishment. The late, cold start to the season resulting in cool soil temperatures will have slowed down establishment as will the hot dry weather that we faced in June as they like good moisture levels when in active growth. Compaction of soil can be a problem as well as low nutrient levels.

It is worth giving the sweetcorn plants a liquid feed with a high nitrogen feed to help promote growth, Miracle Gro would probably be a reasonable feed to give quick results I hope this helps but feel free to keep us updated.

We have just moved into a new build property and a few of these plants are coming up in the front garden. It is rooted very deep and I assume it is a weed. Can you please let me know what it is?

The plant in the photograph is commonly known as Dock leaf, you can try digging out the root or apply a solution of Round up to the surface of the leaf.

Take care not to get it on the foliage of plants that you want to keep in the garden.

It may take more than one application and if it does send up a tall flower stem remove it or it is likely to set seed which will make the problem worse with fresh seedling then germinating

Hi , I would like to re- pot my orchids , how do I go about it without damaging the roots please ?

The most popular orchid is Phalenopsis for which the following instructions would apply, potting in a bark based compost. If you have a different type please let me know.

Gently remove the pot from your orchid, and tease away the compost from the roots.

Having examined the roots for any damage, trim any brown / dead or rotting roots with sharp scissors.

Fill the new container about 1/3 full with fresh orchid compost.

Position the orchid in the centre of the pot and fill carefully with compost to about 1cm below the rim.

Water the orchid well and allow to drain you may need to reposition the plant slightly and may also need to top up with a little more compost due to the compst settling after watering.

Please can you advise what the best compost to plant my tree fern in. I have a large terracotta pot that I'm planning to put it in.

If you're intending to grow a Tree Fern in a Terracotta pot I would suggest using either John Innes No.3 compost as this will give the pot some weight at the base to help prevent the tree fern blowing over in windy conditions. Keep the crown of the plant and foliage well watered from spring onwards and out of the hot sun and wind

Can you tell me what this plant is in my lawn (photo attached) and how to get rid of it. Also when should I scarify my lawn to remove the brown grass.

This looks like a moss. Best got rid of with a granular moss killer such as that found in Evergreen 4 in 1 spring lawn treatment. This will feed, weed kill and moss kill. Apply when the grass has started to grow , usually April onward. Scarify after applying the treatment , when the moss is dead and black. Scarifying before the moss is dead will spread it in the lawn.

Hi, My string of pearls keeps dying, how sunlight and water does it need? 😊 Thanks

Keep your string of pearls on the dry side , water only when the top inch or so is completely dry. The best way is to water into a saucer and place the pot in the saucer . Leave to absorb . This avoids wetting the top growth . The plant stores water in its fleshy round leaves , so dryness is not a problem . Full sunlight is needed for good growth. All parts of the plant are mildly toxic , so keep away from children and pets.

Gardening novice here. I brought a Jasmine from BD Trentham a while back from the indoor section, after a while at home it didn't do too well inside and I was advised to move it outside. After moving it outside, it appeared to deteriorate further, however I was able to revive it with some Miracle Grow. Then, throughout last summer it was very slowing growing new leaves etc but no flowers. The problem is, I may have neglected it for the winter and as you'll see in the photo, it's all completely dead. If I cut it down right to ground level, will it grow back? If it won't grow back, do you have any suggestions for which type of Jasmine to buy which has the white flowers and is fairly easy to care for please?

You could certainly try cutting back hard , although an indoor jasmine would be unlikely to survive sub zero temperatures we have had this winter.
Have a look at the climbing plant section outside at Trentham , any jasmine there will be suitable , Jasmine Officionale is the classic white flowered scented variety that is easy to grow.

Would like help identifying this plant, please?

I think this is a tobacco plant , Nicotiana sylvestris.

Another photo relating to my earlier question - what are these bulbs, please?

These look like Calla lily ( Zantedeschia ) rhizomes , could be any one of the large range of flower colours.

My newest cat took a liking to some of my house plants but the second I checked about them I had to give them away as toxic to cats and was worried my little man would munch one. Can you recommend good house plants that are not toxic to cats and safe if he munched them.

You could consider the Boston Fern (Nephrolepsis ), Spider Plant ( Chlorophytum ) , Areca Palm ( Dypsis ) , Prayer Plant ( Maranta / Calathea ),

Orchids , African Violets ( Saintpaulia) , Polka Dot Plant ( Hypoestes ) , Mosaic Plant (Fittonia ). All are harmless to cats.

Unfortunately your question has not up loaded. Perhaps you could re send. Many thanks.

When is the best time to move Echiums to another part of the garden? Thank you.

I would wait until May to move your Echium , in their second year a tap root forms , so moving is not without risk. Wear gloves as the sap can irritate skin.

Why has the lawn gone brown in some areas, at this time of year.

Brown areas in lawns can be from a variety of causes , if it has only been noticeable recently then l would suggest there is probably a drainage issue , which is best remedied in the spring , around April time. Scarify and then aerate your lawn , applying fine sand to the aeration holes to increase drainage. Apply a good spring lawn feed , granular is best , ensuring that you water the feed in well within 72 hours of applying.

I was asking if you could tell me what was in your compost instead of peat ,because I found that my seeds this year didn't germinate as well as they did last year

Thank you for your reply. About 50% of the compost is peat but the rest is now a combination of composted organic matter which can be quite variable. With the gradual removal of peat this will become more of an issue because peat is very stable and doesnt change whereas the organic matter is still decomposing and comes from many different sources. I would sow seeds into a specific seed compost but they should grow away fine in any other multi purpose compost. If you get any issues it would be best to go back to the Garden Centre that you bought it from so they can replace.

I contacted you about what wasin your blue diamond compost , early this year and you said that you had contacted the supplier and they are slow about replying how long do they need regards Michael stone

I'm sorry for no one replying to your original question but could you please let me know what it was you wanted to know regarding the contents of the compost?