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?

Something is eating my Peace Lily flowers.I have it over and can’t find anything it could be

Are you able to send us a photo please? 

Hello , I am unsure how to overwinter a small pomegranate tree which I have in a container, should I bring it indoors now ? Thank you .

Pomegranites are not hardy so you will need to keep it frost free over winter. The weather is still mild but it could turn cold any time so bring it indoors now.

Hi Garden Doctor, I have three yucca plants growing on the stump of a previously healthy plant but which has since died. I cut it down, left the stump in and now have three very healthy-looking plants. Should I try and detach two of them into pots or the ground, or leave the three on the stump to grow together? They are about 40 cm tall. I've also got the same problem with a cordyline stump left in large pot, now growing three beautiful new offspring! Thank you for your advice.

The side shoots of both plants should replant without much difficulty, especially if you are able to detach them with some root attached. Cut them away from the main stem and repot in some potting compost until they have established a good root system. You could do this now or wait until spring.

Looking at dogwood for its winter colour the site has matting and stones on top.i would cut a space for this plant and move stones away from base.we live near Newquay Cornwall by the coast.i have read it can be invasive.it can get a bit windy here would this plant be ok

It is certainly a very attractive winter plant with its colourful bark. Prune it down very hard, right to the ground, every March after about 3 years as the best colour is always on young growth. It can be quite vigorous but I would certainly not call it invasive especially if its in a windy location. Yes you can scrape the gravel back, cut a hole in the matting and plant the Cornus then push the gravel back around it.

Clearing summer plants for replanting - 1 of 4 window boxes infested with pupa/larva cases, look like small cigars. What bug created these? How do I prevent them reoccurring ?

Unfortunately I'm no expert on these as they could be from many thousands of insects but I think this is most likely to be from a moth and will not be any worry to your plants. 

Can you advise me on what to do with my Conference Pear tree. As you can see from the photo attached it has rust on the leaves. Should I cut the infected leaves off now (there are a lot) or just leave it.

I would spray it now with Fungus Fighter, a systemic fungicide. Collect up the leaves as they fall and burn them. Treat the soil under the tree with Jeyes fluid to kill off overwintering spores under the tree. 

Hi I’m afraid I don’t know the name of this plant I purchased from the East Bridgford centre but after doing very well it’s suddenly looking very poorly. I’m aware it’s prone to attack by slugs and snails so I’ve been putting pellets around the soil to keep them at bay. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks Rob

This is a Hosta and as its a herbaceous plant it will die down now in the autumn and loose all its leaves. Then in spring up it will come again. So nothing to worry about here its just doing its natural thing. Clear the dead leaves away, you could spread some bark or grit over it to protect the crown from frost overwinter then start feeding with Miracle gro fron March, weekly, to get it growing again.

Hi My garden is over run with what I think are digger wasps, how can I get rid of them

These are usually solitary wasps but can form quite large colonies where breeding goes on unchecked. I am not aware of any propriety pesticide to control these so you may be best contacting a professional pest control company such as Rentokil. 

Hi I have two lovely box plants which are on prize display at the front of my property both planted in large terracotta pots. I have arrived home from holiday to find them both very brown could you please help with advice as what I can do to help revive them back to health? I have fed and watered both but no improvement. Thank you awaiting your reply Belinda Walters

You should already have an email answering your query, please ring if you need any more help. I am Caroline at Sanders Garden Centre, tel 01278 282005, thanks.

Nearly all my fuchsia plants have not flowered properly and have gone brown and are curling at the ends of the stems. Please is there anything I can do to help them flower next year? Some have survived the winter in the past.

Your plants have been infested with Fuchsia Gall Mite, a microscopic creature which sucks sap from the plant and causes this distorted growth. Unfortunately there is no effective chemical control. Cut back affected growth and bag it, sweep up fallen debris. In a cold winter, the mites will mostly die off on hardy fuchsias, but may well reappear when it warms up. Dispose of badly infected plants. It only affects fuchsias.

Hi, I have been given a lot of potted perennial some of which are a bit over and some still flowering (penstemon, rudbeckia, salvia, dahlia, coreopsis I think from googling). Please could you tell me if I should leave them to die down and then cut back or should I do it as soon as I plant them? Thanks C

Most of these plants will retain some growth above ground over winter, though some such as dahlias will die back completely. Cut off any spent flowers and damaged or diseased shoots, but let the rest die down naturally. After the first frosts, you can remove any brown or soft shoots. 

Hello I live very near to the Blue Diamond Garden Centre and have bought all my plants etc from you over the years Now, I would really appreciate your help with severe die-back on 2 topiary box plants ( bought from BD a few years ago) and also on part of the hedge ( photos attached) which is situated just a few metres away. This started in early Spring and I thought at first it may be caused by the box caterpillar but there was no sign of caterpillars - just die- back. Spraying with a fungus control has had no effect. What do you think is the cause and do you think that there is any chance they will recover? The topiary plants can be replaced and i wonder what the alternatives are? . The pots are placed either side the front door in a north-facing situation. Do you stock the disease resistant box topiary or an alternative suggestion would be really appreciated? I have also taken photos of the hedge but seem to be able to up load 1 photo Kindest regards Lynn

It is probable that your plants have Box Blight, which is caused by a fungus but is resistant to fungicides. Alternatives to box include Ilex crenata, Euonymus or Taxus (yew), your local Blue Diamond centre should have topiary specimens of all of these in stock. You could try cutting out the affected part of the hedge if it hasn't spread too far, sweep up and remove any fallen leaves. 

I have inherited a beautiful clematis which I think is "The President" but in a very poor situation (I think a small paving tile was removed probably when it was planted) and I would like to move it. When is the best time and what would it like ideally? I have only a small garden at 400ft and open to the 4 winds! Any advice very welcome! Thank you Ruth Allcock

Yes you can definitely move it and now is a good time. I would cut the top down to about 12 inches (30 cms) and dig it out with as much root as possible. They prefer good, rich soil that doesnt dry out and ideally half a days sunshine and not too exposed! So dig a good hole, fill with a multi purpose compost and plant the Clematis, burying the rootball about 4 inches (10 cms) below soil level. Water in well and keep well watered during any dry spells next year. They are greedy feeders so I would suggest feeding with Miracle Gro weekly from March to September.

Why does my wisteria not flower

Grafted Wisteria will usually flower in their first year or so but those raised from seedlings can take up to 15 years. I think this is the most likely reason. You could try feeding weekly with a high potash feed such as Tomato food from March to September as this promotes flowering.

Hi I have arrived home from holiday only to find my box plants looking very sad. Could you please advise if there is anything I can do to revive their health or should I give up?

This is likely to be Box Blight which is resistant to available fungicides. It doesn't appear to have spread extensively so it is worth trying feeding the plant to give it more vigour and improve the colour of the leaves, and cutting out the worst affected areas. Make sure you sterilise your secateurs to avoid spreading the disease. The very hot, dry conditions this summer won't have helped the plant either, it has been difficult to keep container plants sufficiently moist. 

Please can the garden centre supply garden. compost in smaller size packs for us ladies to lift and work with.

Yes we do stock smaller bags so please do ask when you are next in.

My standard oleander flowered for a while. It still has dark brown stems midst the foliage, which I thought would further blossom. Some stems flowered for a while, others are still looking a bit withered.

As this like very hot and very sunny conditions I think by this time in our season it will have done its flowering and is very unlikely to develop any more Im afraid. Give a light trim to remove any old faded flowers, then give a further trim in March.

Hope you can help I don’t know what has happened to this plant It has sprouted a long thin growth? Does is need repotting? Thanks for any advice

This might be caused by it being in relatively poor light and it is reaching up for it? Or sporadic watering can cause this sort of anomaly. Ideally give the plant a good drink then leave for a month to dry out. You could cut it off, let the cut dry for 48 hours and then root it in some sandy compost.

Our black bamboo screen has become thin and sparse in the middle. Please could you advise what has caused the problem and how to revive and maintain it? Thank you.

I think this is most likely to have been caused by the very hot, dry conditions in mid summer. At this stage of the season I wouldnt do anything to it but in March next year give a good feed with Vitax Q4, and every month give a liquid feed with Miracle Gro and ensure it is well watered during any dry spells. If any canes die out during the winter cut them off at ground level in spring.

Our box trees in containers have turned pale at the leaf tips. Please could you advise what has caused the problem and how to revive and maintain them? Thank you.

I think this is most likely to have been caused by the plants getting a bit too dry during the very hot summer. Have a very rigid watering regime during any dry spells to ensure that they dont get too dry. Being such a tough evergreen they dont visibly wilt to let you know they are a bit dry.

My acer tree has started to go black on the branches I’ve noticed this before and have cut the stem down below the black and saved the tree but have had two that I didn’t save the blackness seems to travel down the main stem ! Can you tell me what causes this and how to prevent it? Regards Jan

I think this will be caused by a fungal disease at the roots. To try to control this, drench all around the roots of the Acer with several gallons of Fungus Fighter, a systemic fungide. I would do this now, again in March and again in mid summer next year. In the meantime cut out anything that looks diseased just below where the healthy wood appears.

Hello, I have 10 Viburnum shrubs that are forming part of a hedge. They are interspersed with other hedging shrubs as well. The viburnum leaves, on 5 shrubs, are turning brown and have a sticky substance on them. They eventually drop off. New growth does form but the same thing happens. There is a foul smell from them much like cats pee or dog poo. The other plants are not affected. I think it may be Thrips. I have attached some pictures for information. I would like to know how to deal with them, if it is Thrips. So far I have sprayed soapy water a couple of times but the problem still persists. Hopefully I can save the Viburnum and not have to remove them. Many thanks.

The sticky substance will be honeydew which is excreted by many sap-sucking insects such as aphids or scale insects. Can you see anything on the underside of the leaves? Scale insect looks like small brown scales which can be scraped off with a fingernail. You will need to use a systemic insectide such as Provado, which travels through the plant and will be sucked out by the insects. 

Hi. Last year I bought several perennials from Melbicks including a couple of Penstemons, a Salvia Greggii and a Lobelia Siphilitica. They have all done well but I'm not sure how to treat them when they have finished flowering. Should I just trim them or cut them right back? John

Cut flowering stems right back to the base for the lobelia and back to a healthy pair of leaves on the penstemon and Salvia. The foliage on the lobelia will die off in the frost but the plant will shoot again next year. The Penstemon and Salvia can be cut back by half to reduce wind rock and then trimmed in the spring to remove any die back. 

I have been harvesting my potatoes and have found this years tubers are already sprouting. My varieties are Kestera and Cara. Any comments please?

This is unusual but its probably caused by the warm soil and recent rains prompting them into growth. It shouldnt affect the quality of the potatoes. Ensure you store in a cool, dark place.

My border suffered in this years heat and drought this year I have to re plant the whole border suggest heat and drought tolerant groups of evergreen plants. I would like a tall banana and love the tropical look but need it to be evergreen thanks

Im sure we will all be planting more plants that come from the hot dry parts of the world soon. You could try the following, Lavender and most grey leaved plants are very drought resistant, Rosemary, Sedums, Agapanthus, Salvias (not evergreen) Knifofia, Verbena bonariensis, Cistus, Helianthemums, Ceanothus, Osteospermums and Eleagnus. 

I planted three willow wands earlier this year in a container. The leaves are now turning yellow. Is this normal?

They are looking splendid! Yes, they turn yellow in the autumn before dropping their leaves, the extreme heat this year has meant a lot of container plants getting their autumn colour a bit earlier than normal. They willbe absoluely fine, make sure you keep them watered though.

Can peonies have black spot on their leaves? LYBA3213384

At this time of the year this is probably a fungal disease but as the leaves will soon be falling I wouldnt worry about this. You could spray with Fungus Fighter, a fungicide,  next spring to give some extra protection.

Hi, this Shrub/Tree is growing down the side of my Conservatory. What is it and will it grow very tall, it is already about 8 feet.

It looks like it could be a type of Cherry but I cant see it very clearly. It certainly looks tree like so my suggestion is it could get pretty big. I would remove it as soon as you can.

Dear Sirs, I require 2 replacement Ilex Meserveae "Heckestar" about 3' tall. Do you ever stock these or can you get them for me please? If so, what would be the price? Thanks, Brian Langridge.

Which is your nearest Blue Diamond Garden Centre and I will ask them to deal with your enquiry, or by all means contact them directly, I really only deal with pests, diseases, advice etc.

Hi, I have a cordyline Torbay dazzler planted in the ground, planted in July 2021. I have noticed it doesn’t appear to be very firm in the soil , if you hold the trunk it moves easily. Would this suggest root damage or is this normal and the roots will take hold eventually. New leaves do grow. Thank you Tony

Your plant generally looks healthy, but if it is rocking then it will cause root damage. I recommend that you stake it to give the roots a chance to re-establish

Hello would it be possible to identify this tree for me? Thanks

Has it flowered at all? It looks like it could be a variety of weeping Robinia 

My Camellia bought last year went brown and I think it may have died. Will I be able to revive it. I kept it in its pot.

Camellias are evergreen so if all the leaves went brown, it sounds like you have lost it. 

My husband has grown a hollyhock from seed. It is neatly 18 foot tall. Do you have any suggestions for securing it, as it still appears to be growing. Many thanks

Wow, that's a wopper! The flowering stem will be dying off soon, so that can then be pruned off. If it is not already next to a tall structure, such as the house or garage wall, you could transplant it over winter so then you will be able to secure it against the wall. 

My cherry tree gets covered in a black sticky mess which I think is black aphid how can I treat this?

The only way is to spray the tree either before you see any sign of an infestation or as soon as you do see some pest on the tree which will always start near the new young growth and on the undersides of the leaves. I would use Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer as this is a systemic action so it goes into the tree and spreads to all leaves meaning all sap sucking insects are controlles. If its a big tree this would be very difficult to try and control.

Should I apply lawn feed and moss kill a week before scarifying. We have just moved and the lawn has been very neglected here and the dry weather hasn’t helped the condition either.

I would scarify your lawn , then re mow at the highest blade setting. Then apply your autumn lawn feed and moss killer. 

I have two established box bushes that have contacted box blight they are completely covered, should I just leave them and see if they will recover over the winter or cut them down and dig them up and get rid of them. I know I should not put them in with my green waste. Look forward to your answer please.

Unfortunately there is no cure for box blight so you will need to dig them up and dispose of them. There are similar alternatives to box available, such as Ilex crenata or Euonymus. 

Sadly I have to remove a large Oleander and roots as my landlord is replacing and extending the patio. We have cut it down but what should we use to stop it growing until we can dig up roots which have gone under the 022existing patio.

If you drill holes in the stump, try pouring SBK into the holes.