Q.    OENOTHERA. I was at a local nursery and picked up a "tag"...Sundrops 'Youngil', Oenothera Tetragona...can't find it in any of my books...what do you think? Also, I have a Mandevilla from last summer. It is a vine that grows very quickly but I've been told it needs full all day sun. I cut it back of the winter, brought it inside and it is starting to grow again. I want to put it outside where it will have sun from about 8-9 AM till around 1-2 PM.do you think this will be sufficient? Thanks, Margaret

A.    Margaret The Oenothera you mention is unknown to me, the trouble is all the major seed houses have developed their own versions of popular plants in order to licence them to growers and then pick up a licence fee on all plants sold.

The Mandevilla, availability of direct morning sunlight is more valuable to a plant than afternoon sunlight, there is more reflected light in the afternoon. Your quoted sunlight time would indicate an SE outlook so you should be more concerned about protecting the plant from chill winds. Valecroft Nurseries

Q.     TULIPS, I have a question about my tulips. I planted them for the first time last fall. I used a bulb planter, so I feel they are the correct depth. They are a variety called "triumph red." These tulips are blooming right out of the ground. I thought they usually had a stem 6 inches or so long and then bloomed. Mine are probably an inch from the ground. I am wondering if a cold spell stunted their growth, did I not get them deep enough, any help you can offer will be much appreciated. If I need to move them, I can do so for next year. Thanks in advance.

A.    The trouble with new tulip bulbs is that they dry out in the warm conditions of retail outlets; a tulip bulb in good condition should feel firm and slightly greasy. If the bulb is very dry, the plant is struggling for moisture until the roots get going therefore the flower suffers. My advice is leave them until next year, if the trouble persists try growing some French marigolds where the tulips are planted this summer, marigolds seem to drive away certain soil born diseases which affect tulips. Valecroft Nurseries

Q.    BLACKBERRY BUSHES. I've just recently moved into a home that has some blackberry bushes that haven't been trimmed for quite a long time. I have no idea how to trim them. If you could give me some advice on how to trim them or when to trim them it would be greatly appreciated.

A.    If the blackberry bushes are the wild variety you can chop them down to ground level at the moment and they will shoot anew. If they are the cultivated varieties, thin them out leaving some young shoots. The cultivated types have much thicker stems and more luxuriant leaves. If you live in England or Europe remember that many of the smaller birds nest in blackberry thickets and will be doing so at the moment. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q.    CLEMATIS. My friend has a clematis plant that she no longer wants and we would like to transplant it. Is this possible and are there any special things we should do?
Thank You Christina

A.    If your clematis is early flowering, the Montana types, it is best left until autumn. If it is a late flowering variety by all means transplant it now. The plant roots will have time to establish before flowering puts big demands on them for water. Dig a large hole for planting and half fill with cattle or horse manure if available, cover this with soil then plant as normal, clematis are gross feeders. Trim the plant down to about 1 meter in height and tie to a stake. After planting cover the roots with a few flat stones, this stops the sun drying out the roots and allows the plant to establish itself. Valecroft

Q.    TRUMPET VINES. I have 2 trumpet vines in my yard that are well established. Should they be pruned back and how much? It appears as if they flower only on new growth. Cathy

A.    I would suggest pruning only if the plants look to be in distress. For example the wood dying back or a solid amount of foliage choking off parts of the plants. Pruning is really best left to autumn time after flowering, and then I suggest thinning the plants out rather than cutting back. Valecroft

Q.    PRIVET HEDGE. I have an 8-foot high privet hedge running the length of the southwest side of my garden. Due to the presence of the privet and the fact it eliminates direct sunlight for much of the day I cannot get anything to grow next to it. I would like to put some sort of flower border there. Any suggestions as to what plants might grow there? Thanks - Richard

A.    Trollius; aquilegia; peony; lily of the vally; corydalis; forget me nots; Spanish bluebell; vinca; viola; campanula isophelia; hardy cyclamen; asparagus fern; hardy fuchsia. Shrubs: Hypericum Rose of Sharon; Spirea Anthony Waterer: Cotoneaster; Dwarf Rhododendron. Privet is a notoriously greedy plant and if you wish to grow plants near a privet hedge you need to feed and water accordingly. You can sink containers into the ground and plant your chosen plants in the containers so isolating them from the privet roots. Valecroft Nurseries

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Q.    FIG TREE. Hi, I was trying to submit a query. I have a fig tree with large leaves and every year or twice a year fruit was plentiful. However this year there was not much rain, the leaves turned yellow and dropped off so I watered the tree every day and the remaining leaves stayed green and fruit developed, however the fruit never ripened they just stayed on the tree hard and green and have remained there since. What could the problem be? I am in Australia and this all happened over summer and now we are moving into autumn but it is still warm. Regards Debbie

A.    Hi Debbie, with regards your query; re fig tree. After a certain time fig trees suffer from mineral deficiency on certain sandy soils. Your description of the leaves could indicate this condition. In the USA, garden fig growing is very popular and I suggest that you access the web sites of the Agriculture departments of the leading US universities. Theses sites are a mine of really useful information. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q.    MOCK ORANGE bush, thank you in advance for helping me with my question. 5 Years ago, my husband planted a Double Mock Orange bush. We live in Toronto, Ontario. It is strong and healthy but has NEVER bloomed for us. Any ideas as to why it does not bloom? Nancy

A.    Double mock orange Plil; Virginal. Mock orange loves the sunshine the double one even more so, also mock orange love poor soil conditions. Too much feed encourages leaf growth not flowers. If your plant is in a dark corner it will be very reluctant to flower. Cut out the old growth and dead canes to let in the light. Here at the nursery we have a forty-year-old specimen, exposed to the sun all day, which is always loaded with flowers. Valecroft

Many thanks for your answer. Nancy.

Q.    BRIARS. What are some effective ways of eradicating briars? Thank you, Leslie

A.    Cut the briars down to ground level. Then when new growth has appeared spray the plant with a systemic brushwood killer. Systemic sprays are absorbed into the plant and kill by distorting the plant cells. You will need several applications over the summer. Valecroft

Q.    RUNNER BEANS. I've planted runner beans from seed into trays, they have grown very quickly within 10 days they are now approx 4" tall. I know that I cannot put them out until end of May but I am worried that I will not be able to leave them in the trays until then. Can you tell me the best thing to do? I put them out into the garden each day so that they do not become leggy; I bring them in each night. I live in the southeast many thanks Cathy

A.    Pot on the plants into big pots, pinch out the tip of the centre shoot and let them devote their energy to growing a good root system. Valecroft.

Q.     CASTANEA sativa variegata The above tree is newly planted in ordinary garden soil, with good light & drainage conditions. Last year it had a healthy array of buds, which opened very late in the season, and the leaves produced were very small and curly. Extra watering did not improve things, and there was very little growth. This year again there are quite a few buds, which have yet to open. Is this a diseased tree, or are the growing conditions poor? Rob

A.    This sounds like aphids or thrips over wintering inside the buds, and then taking the moisture out of the buds as they come out of hibernation. Find a recommended aphid spray. Valecroft.

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Q.    LAYING SLABS. I am planning to lay slabs in my front garden (quite shady and damp) with gravel between the slabs and spreading out into planting areas where I plan to plat ferns and other wet/shade liking plants. I also plan to have small low growing plant among the slabs. Can you please advise me of more plants that would be suitable for this area? And also do I need to put a sheet of tarpaulin under the gravel, or can I use something else? Glen .

A.    Suitable plants Trollius; aquilegia; peony; lily of the valley; corydalis; forget me nots; Spanish bluebell; vinca; viola; campanula isophelia; hardy cyclamen; asparagus fern; hardy fuchsia. Shrubs: Hypericum Rose of Sharon; Spirea Anthony Waterer: Cotoneaster; Dwarf Rhododendron It is a good idea to lay plastic sheeting under gravel, it stops deep rooted perennial weeds and you can easily remove any weeds that do seed into the gravel. But make sure that the sheeting is on a slight slope in order to drain the water away. Valecroft

Q.    HYDRANGEA. I have bought a Hydrangea and I know nothing about them. I am not sure what kind it is but it has big balls of purple flowers. Do they grow big? Do they need a lot of sun or shade? And how do I prune it and when? Thank You Christina

A.    Hydrangea some hydrangeas grow into big trees, there are many modern varieties that have been developed to stay more compact. Hydrangeas like acid soil, spreading peat around the roots helps. To keep that lovely purple they need iron in the soil, there are products on the market to meet this need. Valecroft

Q.    MULBERRY. We have a 15-year-old mulberry tree in our backyard. Last summer it did not get enough water and many of the small branches died. We cut it way back in an effort to save it. It is budding now but still doesn't look healthy and has developed moss on its bark. We have a lot of oaks nearby. Can you suggest anything to get rid of the moss and bring our tree back to health? Thanks! Leslie

A.     From your description it sounds like the virus that causes die back on flowering cherries, if so the only answer is keep removing the dead wood to limit further infection. Keep brushing off the moss with a stiff brush taking care not to wound the tree. Feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser. Valecroft

Q.    IVY. Please advise how to kill off creeping ivy. It has started to make inroads into my lawn, and I want to kill it without affecting the lawn. Thanks and regards Peter

A.    Most horticultural chemical companies market a product usually termed, brushwood killer. This is a systemic compound, that is sprayed on to the plant and then it is absorbed into the leaves of the ivy and it then kills the plant by cell distortion. Sold under various trade names.

Please note, on the grass itself you would have to use a selective herbicide that will not kill grass. These are available but are very expensive. Valecroft

Q.    PETUNIAS. I have a question about container gardening. I want to keep my Petunias that are in clay pots from getting to big and the stems too long. They are going crazy and I may need to thin them out a little. I am no sure if you are supposed to prune them back to keep them from looking long and scraggly. Help! Patty in Scottsdale AZ

A.    Pinch out the growing centre of each stem, this will stop the rampant growth and encourage the plant to shoot out from nearer the base of the plant so making the plant bushier. Valecroft

Hi! I appreciate your commitment to helping gardeners. Patty

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Q.    Hi, I'm hoping you can help me. I'm an Englishman who has recently moved to the South of France. The earth in the garden here is dry, stony and exposed to the elements. So I'm looking for advice for plants that will grow here. The main problem is my work takes me away from home for occasionally weeks at a time so if there is such a thing I need something that is resilient to almost drought conditions. I've been advised to try Rock Roses but am interested in knowing if there are other such plants that will make my garden attractive. Many Thanks
Marc

A.    As a general rule the silver leaf plants are the most tolerant of heat and drought, the silver colour reflects the heat of the sunlight, so keeping the plants cool. Many rock plants are silver leafed. Here are a few recommendations to get you started. Alliums; erysimum; soleirolia; artemisia; echinops rito; nepeta; anthemis; santolina; festuca; phormiums; cordylines; low growing forms of ceanothus; house leaks; Valecroft.

Q.    Hello, It happens that I am being kicked out of my house within the next three month. I would like to dig up a lot of my plants and take them with me. It's April now, and lot of my bulb plants are dying off which is great because I can start getting them out of the ground now. What I am wondering is, is their a "healthy" way to speed up the death of my bulbed plants so I can dig them up as soon as possible. (Transplanting them to the refrigerator, maybe?) Thanks.

A.    Take a deep wooden box and place a layer of soil in the bottom. Then carefully dig up your bulbs trying to retain the roots and foliage. Pack the bulbs into the box roots down, then pack more soil around the bulbs up to their necks, water well and then allow to dry out. This will allow the bulbs to go dormant naturally and you can move them with you in the box. Valecroft.

Q.    WINDOW BOXES. I have window boxes that face the East and nothing will grow! I have tried everything from changing the soil, to cleaning out the window boxes so that there is no bacteria, buying the Ph kit to test the soil, planting Pansies, Impatiens, Marigolds and various other annuals that never live. It seems that the roots never grow into the soil. Please help me with some ideas. I want colour in these boxes. They are on the front porch and get a few hours of morning sun and then mostly shade. HELP! Thanks, Janet P.

A.    Buy some farmyard manure or horse manure, readily available at garden outlets mix into the soil along with some peat. This should encourage root growth. Try, any fuchsia; fibrous begonias; impatiens; osteospermum; nicotiana; trailing lobelia; begonia elatior; We have great success with Surfinia in east facing positions. Valecroft

Q.    HOLLY BUSH. I have a holly bush that gets lots of flowers and green berries every spring but the berries fall off before they turn red (which is when you really want them). What can I do to keep this from happening? Thank you. Ray

A.     Most likely the berries are not fertile, try planting a male holly tree near to the your problem tree. Valecroft.

Q.     Grapes, GRAPE VINES. When should you spray grape vines and what should you spray on them? Denise

A.    The cultivated grape has many problems so what to spray for and when is difficult to assess. The main problem for most growers is mildew, mould on the fruit. There are many branded sprays on the market for this purpose. Bordeaux mixture is the traditional remedy. Don't spray at flowering time. You may kill benificial pollinating insects.
Plant hygiene is the main requisite for successful grape growing. Destroy all dead leaves at the end of the season these carry infection over the winter, keep the area around the base of the vine clear of vegetation, put a grease band (a widely available horticultural product for fruit trees) around the base of the trunk of the vine to trap and prevent various creepy crawlies from reaching the leaves and fruit. Valcroft.

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© 2001 - 2011 Copyright VALECROFT NURSERIES. Gardening Questions Answered.
Online gardening guide over the four seasons with tips and hints.
Gardening and yard care for beginners and the slightly more experienced.
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Page last updated 19th May 2011

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