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Over the years, Gerry has answered more than 5,000 of your gardening questions. His knowledge is based in science and practical experience, and by working on radio and television.
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Hi Gerry, Forgot to ask you about daffodil bulbs. We received a bag of daffodil bulbs last week and were wondering is it too late to plant them now. Thanks again, Rachel. any help appreaciated, Thanks very much Siobhy
Gerry, could i still set alium bulbs or is the ground too cold after recent frost. If not could i set them in pots and leave in 'plastic' greenhouse until spring. many Thanks mary rowley
My wife recently purchased bulbs - mirabilis and hemerocallis were 2 among them. When researching what soil, shade, etc. they like I found that they may be problematic. One website advised washing your hands after coming in contact with mirabilis. Another advised that the seeds of hemerocallis were highly toxic. As we have young children I wonder could you shed any light on this issue?
I planted lilies in pots sept/oct and they are now growing upto 6 inch, will they be ok or will frost damage the young shoots.What should I do with them, I have moved some pots to unheated greenhouse to protect them,did I do right? Mal Harris.
Two yrs ago we cut away some of our lawn and made a large area for shrubs and flowers which we covered with bark.Now parts of it are waterlogged.I think the bark was a bad idea.What can I do as I would like to set some bulbs for spring. Regards, newdawn How deep are Alder roots and do they spread, as we have some pipework buried and I am not 100% sure of its location with regard to the proposed place for the Alders?
Hi Gerry, I'd appreciate your advice on the following matter.I would like to use decorative bark mulch in my border but Im concerned about my daffodil bulbs.Can daffodil bulbs grow through three inches of decorative bark mulch? Thank you.
Hello Gerry,A couple of friends of mine and myself would like to know the name of this plant. We have looked in lots of books and at pictures but we can't agree on anything. I've attached a picture of it. Thanks for the advice on the cherries earlier in the year,at least I know it is not some serious disease causing the fruit to drop. We had some fruit this year, lets hope the pollination goes better next year. Thanks Claire
Dear Gerry, I was given a few lilly bulbs a few years ago, I planted them near a stone wall, every year they produced good stems but the flower buds were all turned downward. This year I moved them thinking they might have been too close to the wall. They are now in a bed with plenty space but alas the same problem. Plenty buds on top of each stem but turned downwards, and open into small wimpish flowers, not the great show of flowers they should give. Help?
During the high winds last weekend a garden chair fell on to a pot of lilies breaking off three of the six healthy stems. Assuming that these will never flower as their nourishment has been removed should I, when growth has died back, try to remove the bulbs. Many thanks.
I had groups of blue, white and yellow irises mixed together, but now there seems to be only blue ones in those positions. The few yellows or whites I see are alone. Do the blues kill off the opposition ( I'm told the European bluebell does this to the native Irish one by secreting a toxin into the ground - is this true?), or are they just better at surviving/longer lived?
can i leave tulip bulbs in the ground once they have bloomed?
What bulbs do you suggest for colour in March?
Hi,
I am not sure if this is a problem - but here goes:
We planted a lot of tulips over the past two years in the garden and they are all fantastic specimens - even if we have to say so ourselves - especially after a trip to the Keukenoff Gardens in Amsterdam last year. These tulips are doing well.
BUT - several years ago we bought 100 each of red and yellow tulips in Lidl when they had them. Now - these specific tulips go in containers and are the only ones lifted every year. Last year a lot of them seemed to have crossed - i.e. red and yellow in some, and the other half was paranoid and burned some of them. Now the ones we have left are flowering - some of them are red, some are yellow, some are pink, yellow with a green back, and the colours do not seem to be as striking in others.
Is this clearly a case of tulip fire? Do we burn them all?
Or do tulips over time just fade anyway?
Hi Gerry,
I've been lazy and haven't lifted or split my crocosmia in about 6 years. They are the tall red ones, Lucifer. Before they get a chance to flower, they flop over.
The problem is that the clump is so large I fear that I will damage many of them. It's also hard to get enough spade under them to lift.
I did chip a few away from around the edge last year. I damaged some but the transplanted ones are doing well.
Now is the right time of year so, tips please!
PS love the new website
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