Ask Gerry

I planted 5 alliums last year and the were lovely when the came up but this year only 1 came up would you have any idea why ?

Can you buy crocus sativus bulbs in Ireland?

I need your help please. My garden is under siege by some savage caterpillars. They are large and bright green and have done untold damage to 10 lilies and reduced them to stumps!! I squashed 5 of these rotten bugs and haven't seen any since but I am sure more will be back. I have attached a photo of a very ugly looking bug which I think might grow up to be one of these bright green caterpillars. It was an inch in length and one of 28 I found between my front and back garden, under every pot and every where I dug. Nobody can tell me what it is and I need to get rid of them as they were dangerously close to my vegetable garden.

I'm a complete beginner and I have lovely maple trees in the driveway, the only thing is I can't keep the grass clear underneath. I have bulbs planted underneath so I try to pull the grass by hand but it still looks terrible. can any one let me know how to keep this clear and neat like i'd see in every other garden around? regards fortfield

My tulips only bloom for 2 years after which they produce only a big green leaf. Is there anything I can do to help maintain them?

I have some daffodil bulbs purchased last November but I never got to plant them. They are storing well and I don't want to have to throw them out. When would be the best time to plant them? Wait until October or plant them when my existing daffodil plants have died back?

I planted a lot of tulips the year before last and they gave me a spectacular show last spring. I let the foliage to die down naturally and left them in the ground, but forgot to feed them. Now I'm noticing some of them already has flower buds emerging, but much smaller in size. I know you've previously said that bulbs can take time to get used to their conditions, but I was wondering would feeding them now make any difference to this year's flowers? Which fertiliser is best: all-purpose, or high potash?

I live in the west of ireland and my daughter's getting married in september this year. I want the garden looking it's best can you tell me what types of flower bulbs i should plant now to get lots of blooms? The soil is fairly dry and rocky

I have ordered some Ranunculus asiaticus by post; I grow a lot of flowers for cutting and thought this would be good. However I don't know where to plant them; I have heard that well drained soil is essential, so I thought of planting them in slightly raised pots or crates, what do you think? I know I need to lift them for the winter. Also, can you tell me when they will flower? The supplier says late summer, my RHS says spring. And when should they be planted?

I had a great show of Churchill daffodils last year (their first year).. there is no sign of them at all this year?

Are arum and St Joseph lilies the same? When is the best time to start planting lilies? Should I start them off in pots indoors/in tunnel or can they go directly into the gournd?

I have an indoor lilly bought last year its a divideable clump lilly with yellow flowers just about to bloom. There are five stems ready to flower, at the base of each actual flower thers is a little drop which looks like water but its sticky. what is this and will it hinder the blooming of this plant as it seems to be trying for ages to come onto flower. There doesnt seem to be any other problem with the plant. I use rain water on it all winter and in summer as much as possible until my barrel runs dry.

I have had crocus in my front garden for many years. In the last two or three years I have found them popping up in the field which is the far side of the stream which runs next to our house. Our field is not treated with fertilizes or chemicals. They have also appeared behind our two beehives which are behind our house. (There may have been some crocus planted behind the house at some stage but not there.) Every year there are more bright orange crocus in the field. I have heard of a similar situation with Iris Reticulata. Could you please tell me how these crocus are spreading?