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Leylandii too big - advice on what to do
Our house has big Leylandii hedges on two sides (planted years ago by previous owners). The hedges are in good condition and I really like the privacy they give us. I have been cutting the hedges for the last few years, but they are now getting out of hand, so wondered what options I have to make maintenance easier but…
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Starting a push bike and trailer gardening business?
Hi I am wondering if people think this can be somewhat successful. I am planning to start a gardening business, and to get my tools around I have built a 4ft x 2.8ft trailer (almost finished). Its big enough to carry main tools at once such as lawn mower, blower, hedgtrimmer, strimmer, petrol can, chainsaw etc. Do you…
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Protecting artificial grass from bird seed and mess
We’ve a small area of lawn that we’d like to lay as artificial grass (I know some people hate it), but we’d like to keep up our bird feeding station too. Our old lawn (it’s more a mud patch with a few blades of grass on it) has a few large lumps of hardened, dried sunflower seed mess where there smaller birds seem to drop…
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raised veg beds
Planning on building new raised beds late autumn and after opinions of the best materials to use. I am considering scaffold board, treated decking or breeze blocks. My original beds only lasted a couple of years they were a kit and despite being pressure treated are not doing very well! Bed size would be about meter square…
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Best place for quality bulbs.
Hi, I was about to order a selection of bulbs and plants from Sarah Raven in particular, tulips, allium, crocus & Asters. However I have just read the reviews. Allowing for covid they are still not good. Has anyone used them or has recommendations please for quality reasonably priced bulbs. Many thanks.
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Calathea Surprise in distress
Hello, Attached is a photo of my calathea surprise. It is being misted regularly. It gets the correct amount of indirect sunlight. It takes its own water from a reservoir so not over watered. My calathea medallion is thriving under the same conditions. Can someone tell me why the leaves on the Surprise look so unwell so…
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Sycamore
Sycamore seedlings abound in my garden. Not usually a problem as they are easy to remove, but I missed one in an area where I was more bothered about the alkanet. It is now about 18-24 inches tall and bushy, and very close to a yew tree. I need to decide whether to try and dig it out or resort to chemicals. Any ideas about…
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Pleached trees
I’m having to cut my fence down to regulations (1 metre high) and I need to put up some form of greenery to make up for the lost height. I have been googling for ideas and love the look of pleached trees but these are going to work out quite expensive. Are there any varieties that are cheaper or can this be done on a DIY…
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Dahlia Name
Hi, does anyone know the name of this Dahlia. It grows to about 5 feet tall, and has large purple or purple and white scraggy flowers. (I do like the flowers though) the flowers are about 6 to 10 inches across. Thought I would ask the clever gardeners on here
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cheapest screened topsoil bulk bags
HiPlan to fill our raised veg planters.May need at least 2-3 bulk bags to fill it To keep the costs down-who delivers cheapest screened topsoil ideally blended with compost
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Bay tree?
There is a small tree in my front garden. It looks like a bay but my ignorance is such that I wonder if there is anything else that looks like a bay but isn’t. In other words can I safely use the leaves In cooking? The garden was very overgrown when I bought the flat but sInce I cleared the weeds the presumed bay (and the…
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Lewisia plugs
Hi I have purchased 6 Lewisia plugs. Unhelpfully they arrived without any planting instructions. I’m planning to use multi purpose JI no.3 compost (because I already have some). Is that ok for an alpine? Can anyone tell me the minimum space I should leave between each plug when I plant them? Many thanks and best wishes.
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ZUCCHINI NOT FRUITING
HiOur Zucchni plants has lots of flowers but no fruits.I was told I may have to do pollination with the brush but I am confused as which is male and female flowersI have attached pictures of few flowers on the plant.Any ideas?
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Brown Jelly gunk in bird bath
I've had this concrete/crushed stone bird bath for 20yrs in another property. The last 2yrs it's produced a brown jelly gunk attached to the sides of the bowl under the water. Assumed it was something bought in by frogs or birds but no matter how I clean it it comes back. I also thought it might be my attempt at…
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Grow house for wintering plants
I'm starting to think about wintering plants differently this year. We don't have room for a full green house, and last year I wintered the majority of my potted plants in the conservatory. There were a couple of issues with that; 1) making sure the cats never snuck in behind us and 2) several plants seemed to bloom…
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Bottom filling planter
Hello everyone, I have dug up some of my lawn in order to lay a path. My question is: can I break up the redundant sections to bottom half fill a large deep trough planter; and then top half fill with compost? Or will my new plants die and I’m left with a planter of newly growing grass? Thanks and best wishes.
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Neighbour's ivy and conifer has destroyed our fence
Hi everyone. I'm not sure if this is in the right topic area (please advise me where else I can post if not). Our alcoholic neighbour's wife left him a few years ago. Since she's been gone, he has done very little to maintain his property and his lack of effort is plain to see. He hasn't been pruning anything in his garden…
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Keeping pesky wasps at bay
I think this is the best forum. I live in an an area where there are loads of flowers, and trees and plenty of places for wasps to make their nests. I don’t think, however, I have one in my own home but possibly near by. That said, go outside into the patio for afternoon tea with friends or family and the wasps make an…
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Will my privet cuttings make it?
Hi all, I've tried to propagate some privet cuttings as a little project to replace a bit of dead hedge. I used milk containers gave the cuttings about 6-8 weeks in a closed environment. I'm left with the following, I reckon there are maybe 5 thriving cuttings, 5 maybes and 3 no hopers. Ive been giving them limited…
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Tomatoes going wrong - again!
As per most years for the last few years - I've bought a few tomato plants locally that were sitting there outside a plant nursery or the like (in other words = good to go immediately, ie plant outside in the garden right that day and with no protection). I've got various different varieties each time. This year - I had…
