Q & A for summer; June.

JUNE GARDENING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Advice Tips Hints Help Info. Problems solved.

Question. Hello, I'm hoping you can help us determine what has gotten into our cherry tree. We are seeing a glob of pitch approximately 6 inches to a foot from the new growth, creating dead leaves. The cherries are seemingly fine. This tree is approximately 6 years old and about 12 feet tall. What can be the cause and what is the cure?

Answer. This is almost certainly cherry canker. It is very difficult to eradicate. The best course of action is to feed with high nitrogen fertiliser and irrigate during dry spells, the tree will often outgrow the disease. If you can obtain it, soot from a domestic chimney is high in nitrogen and excellent for counteracting canker.

Q. Can you tell me if there is anything that I can do to prevent any moles coming up in my garden, they are getting me down and I don't know what to do for the best? Melissa

A. A heavy roller to solidify the ground and keeping the grass on the dry side so as not to encourage worms will make conditions difficult for the moles and they may go away. If they don't go away, there are many types of mole trap available at garden outlets, plus many branded products, which are scented to discourage moles.

Q. Help: I cannot seem to stop grass from growing in my juniper beds. I pull and pull but the grass continues to return. Is there some substance that will eradicate the grass but not harm the junipers? (The bed is full and therefore not possible to mulch.) Also, could you provide some tips on trimming and shaping my Japanese Maple (i.e., best season to trim, how much and the generally acceptable shape)?? Thank You

A. Using Glyphosate can kill the grass in your juniper bed, but you must shield the junipers when applying the compound. Japanese maples, you are best just trimming any branches that are obviously growing away from the general shape of the bush, just before winter to avoid wind damage, otherwise they are best left alone.

Q. Could you please advise me as to what you think would be best? We have a 40ft. wall (approx 3ft high), which is used continually by the public as a seating area whilst waiting for a bus. We would like to plant hedging, preferably evergreen and flowering, that will deter these people, but we don't know which plants have thorns (great deterrent). Also something that will grow quickly. Thank you,

A. The perfect plant for you is Berberis Stenophylla. Evergreen, lovely yellow flowers in summer, nasty little thorns all the year round and fast growing. For further information on hedging see my hedging page.

Q. Dear garden helper.I was given a Monkey Puzzle Tree in February it is about 6 feet high and the man told me it was in the garden when he moved there 8 years ago. He said it hadn't grown any since he has been there I thought that it cannot be a happy tree if it has been there all that time and not grown, I put it straight in my clay type soil with lots of grit and course sand, a little chemical to help the root and crossed my fingers. It had looked ok until the last month or so when the bottom branches are going brown. Please can I save it

A. With monkey puzzle trees you are talking about a life span of 150 years or more, so growth is rather slow. Monkey-puzzle trees are a forest tree from southern Chile and are used to a damp climate. Your conditions are too dry. I would suggest applying a heavy mulch of garden compost, or tree bark, or grass cuttings, etc. too keep the roots moist and encourage new root growth. Recovery may be a long job.

Q. I planted two lupins this spring - one did not do well, the stems bent over to the ground - some died off, some didn't Some new shoots withered and died. No flowers at all. The other one did flower (one flower) but now the stems and leaves are looking droopy and the new shoots underneath seem to be too shaded by the larger leaves and are withering on the vine - no new buds appear to be growing either. I am in Connecticut and it has been awfully rainy. Thanks A. This could be grey aphids, aphids suck out the sap from the plant and the plant withers. They leave a grey dust around the plant. Lupins are particularly susceptible to aphids. Try spraying with an aphid spray, widely available at garden outlets. You can also wash them off with a weak mixture of washing up liquid and water, insecticidal soap is also effective.

Q. What is the best procedure to divide peonies? When and How Thanks! Charlene R

A. September, October, is the best time to divide peonies, but they are best left alone and not divided unless absolutely necessary. To divide dig up as large a root ball as possible to avoid cutting too many roots. Wash out the dirt from around the roots, and then when you can see what you are doing, carefully pull the roots apart into separate plants with top growth. Put some organic matter in the bottom of the planting hole e.g. farmyard manure, garden compost, etc., but keep the roots separate from the organic matter with a shallow layer of soil. Do not plant any deeper than the existing depth. Feed with a low nitrogen fertiliser.

Q. HELP!I am a new organic gardener (2nd year). I have heard about how beneficial and time saving mulching can be... so this year I decided to put straw down in my pathways to help control the weeds. Four (4) bales of straw later my garden looked beautiful...a few weeks later my garden paths had more growth in them than my raised garden beds! To my dismay, there were seeds in the baled straw I had purchased.Now, a very frustrated gardener; I am in the process of removing all the straw and weeding as I go. My once beautiful garden is now a mess with piles of straw all around the perimeter. OK, here are my questions: Is there anyway I can use the straw or am I going to need to get rid of it all? I know I am going to be weeding all summer long because as I was pulling up the straw I noticed just how many seeds there are.... and there are tons!Do you have any time saving advice? Can I do anything with the straw? Also, is straw an annual or am I in for a LONG haul with the battle of the straw seeds? If I leave the straw where it is at, will the winter kill the seeds in the pathways? I have removed half of the straw already and I am wondering if should remove the rest or if the winter will kill the seeds? Any suggestions would be very appreciated Thank you for your time, Lynn

A. Your straw can be piled into a heap and rotted down into compost. Your weeds could be sprayed with Glyphosate, but if you are organic I am afraid hard work is the only answer. What plant seeds are in your straw is anybody's guess; it all depends on the area the straw originated from and the weed control regime practised by the farmer. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q. Thanks for the site! I have a 5 x 5 lilac bush and need to move it. Is it too late to do this? What would happen if I had to move it anyway? Thanks for the advice! Wondering in Wilmette

A. October is the time to move your lilac bush, if you move now in the height of summer the damaged roots will be unable too provide enough water for the plant. The plant will shed its leaves in order to cope and then probably die.

Q. My sister and I love to garden but we would love to know how to propagate hibiscus. We live in West Texas and there is a hibiscus that is for our dry area but the garden centres get the plants so late in the year. We are always sharing plants and seeds and would like to share our different colored hibiscus and both not have to buy all the variety of colors. Can you give us some advice? Thank you, Diane

A. Hibiscus is now propagated by a system called tissue culture. Propagating hibiscus is a highly specialised craft and I personally have no knowledge of it, so I am afraid I cannot help you.

Q. Is it possible to get a rash on your arms after cutting down pampas grass? Thank you. Irene

A. I don't know about a rash but it is possible to scratch and severely cut yourself when handling pampas.

Q. I found your site while searching for advice on three topics: I haven't been successful so far, so I hope you can help: 1, I have been given a bay tree, which I've always wanted. It's in a small-ish pot. I've had it 3 months and it has grown about 6ins and put out new leaves on the branches. It is now about 3 4 ft tall. Ought I to pot up, and if so when is the best time. 2. Similarly, when is the best time to prune or cut back a photinia? And, how much should I cut off? Mine is three years old now and about 4ft tall and very bushy and is beginning to intrude on its neighbours. Also, I've heard that if you prune them it helps promote the red leaves. 3. Where have all my blackcurrants gone? Last year the bush was loaded, and I followed instructions found in various gardening books to cut back the branches, which had fruited: nearly all of them all. This year, although the bush is large and very green there is not a single current to be found! Hope you can help me - I'm a keen but very amateur gardener! Mary

A. Bay trees like a tight pot, do not re-pot until the pot is threatening to split. September October is the best time to trim photinia, do not trim to heavily; the new growth is a better red, especially the variety Red Robin. You have over pruned your black currants.

Q. I have a beautiful gardenia plant in a hanging basket. It looks very healthy with shiny green foliage and a lot of buds. But before the buds bloom, they turn brown and fall off. Can you tell me what's wrong? Thank you, Diane

A. Your compost is too alkaline, you can replace with acid compost as used for heathers.

Q. I am interested in planting a few crepe myrtles next to my driveway ‹ in a bed made with raised landscape timbers. The crepe myrtles would be about 3.5 feet from the retaining walls of the beds (the bed is about 7 feet wide) and the driveway itself (the bed is right next to the driveway). Are the roots from this tree going to pose a problem to the walls or the driveway? Can I prune/shape it every year in order to keep the overall height about 6-10 feet? Thanks for your help! Larry

A. CREPE MYRTLES can grow to over 35 ft in height and over 20 ft spread; the roots will have the same spread. There are many varieties available, many of them dwarf versions. The label will tell you which to buy, buy one marked Dwarf, 5 ft to 6 ft. Buying a larger variety and trying to trim, will do nothing for the beauty of the tree and will provide you with a constant problem in the future. Valecroft Nurseries.

Q. Black insects eating leaves on ornamental lilies Could you tell me what to use for this problem. (Type of insect spray) Thank you. Jean

A. You have flea beetles; suitable sprays are available at garden outlets.

Q. We have 2 lovely flowering maples, both of which are getting very "leggy"---How aggressive can we get in pruning back to make bushier plants and how would you go about it? Thank you in advance. Kathie

A. Only take off a small amount at a time, try to trim the trees to give a neat shape that will not be damaged by winter winds.

Q. I planted around 10 yellow squash plants. When the squash is about 2 inches long, they look good. By the time they get 5 inches long, they get all knobbly and weird looking. When I cut one open it is hollow. What is wrong with them? I live in Texas City-north of Galveston. Some say it could be a fungus. If it is, then what can I do to help solve the problem?

A. This sounds like very poor pollination and only a few seeds, instead of hundreds, have been produced in each fruit. Have you had a cold wet spell at flowering time, keeping the insects inactive? Try hand pollinating next year with a soft feather.

Q. Hi We will be beginning to landscape a new bungalow in the fall... my first question... how big should the beds be... I have a vague idea of what I want to plant but want the beds scale wise to be correct. Thanks. Laurie

A. The current fashion in landscaping is to divide the garden into rooms as in your house, each of a different size and decor and each self-contained.

Q. Hi I have in my garden pampas grass and red-hot pokers, the birds strip them as soon as they flower and yet the gardens around me never get touched. Is there something I can do to stop this or is there something I am doing wrong. Regards David

A. I am afraid I cannot help you much on this one. The birds could be short of water; sometimes providing a bowl of water will prevent bird damage of this kind.

Q. Hi. My beautiful fuchsia seems to have stopped blooming. I have it in a nice shaded area of my yard. It was doing so well and now it presently has two blooms on it. Can you tell me more about this plant? I bought it specifically to attract hummingbirds. I was hoping that it would bloom throughout the summer. Thanks for any help you can offer. Jayne

A. Your fuchsia has run out of food, feed with a high nitrogen fertiliser, fuchsia also need lots of water.

Q. Dear Sir/Madam I would like to plant some hedges in my front garden for privacy purposes. I wonder if I can cut some stem pieces with no roots from friend's hedges and plant them in my garden. Will it grow? I know we can grow rose plant by cutting small pieces of stems but I don't know whether this method will work for planting hedges. Please can you advise in this regard? Thank you in advance Farid

A. You can root cuttings of most common hedge plants. The best time is the end of September. Dig out a trench of suitable size in a shaded area, fill with sharp sand and plant the cuttings in the sand, firm down well. Nothing will happen until next spring, and then growth should appear.

Q. Golden honesuckle. We have 4 huge plants that just finished blooming and now the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. Don't remember this happening last year. Is this a deficiency? Thanks, kit

A. Feed with blood and bone fertiliser if you can obtain it, high in nitrogen, this will promote new leaf growth. Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) will help with trace elements, which may be missing, and the production of chlorophyll, the green in the leaves.

Q. My rhoddie has just finished blooming and I have just deadheaded the old blooms for the new growth to fully develop. I noticed that the old blooms were very sticky and had white flecks on them and the new growth. I suspect white flies or mites. There are spiders everywhere on the area of new growth where this is happening. Should I do anything or will the spiders take care of the white bugs? If I need to treat the Rhoddie, what should I use? Thanks again Shirley

A. This sounds like grey aphids. You can wash down the plants with a weak mixture of water and washing up detergent. This will wash off the aphids and the deposits and shouldn't kill the spiders.