Ask Gerry

We have planted a new laurel hedge recently, I have been told to put fertilizer on it or 10.10.20 - what is your advise here?

I have some comfrey/nettle tea left which I made in May. I'm wondering if it's okay to still feed some of my tired looking shrubs with it at this time of year, and if it is possibly too old after 5 months brewing?

Can I feed bay trees with tomato feed or can you suggest a suitable food. They are sparse and a little sad looking at the moment.

I recently planted trees and used woodchips that had been used as cattle bedding and used clean woodchips to suppress the weeds above the surface. I am now told woodchips will rob the trees of nitrogen? If so how can a compensate for or rectify this?

what is the best feed or fertiziler to feed leilenda hedge is there a time limit before you see results months or year and do you mix into soil should i cut or leave it now

Planted a few years, ground not wet, 10% of leaves are yellowing and turning rusty. Remaining leaves are perfect. Can you please identify what may be causing this. Photo attached showing the discolouration.

I have one Laburnum tree for about 8yrs which flowers beautifully ever 2nd yr. It's stunning looking when in flower. But since we've had it I notice that alternate years it will only have 4 or 6 flowers. I don't do anything different to it any year to cause this, can you tell me why this might happen and what I can do to ensure it's beautiful every year.

I have 2 silver birch trees, probably between 20&30 years old. In the past 2 years they have not leafed very well and their branches have become very brittle. The leaves are green just not nearly as lush as they were. They are about 30 feet tall and planted very closely together in a small urban garden.

After cutting down hedge and turning it into woodchip I was just wondering is it a good idea to use this fresh wood chip, under a new Laurel hedge where the old hedge existed, for the purpose of weed control?

Is it safe to use bone meal in my composter (to activate) given its alledged connection to BSE/CJD?

My buxus are a yellowish green and not the deep rich green they once were. The feeds I have treated them with just give growth spurts requiring alot of work trimming but no not restore the deep lush green colour they used to have. A friend suggested iron treatments, Is this correct? What should I use?

Is it beneficial to mulch azaleas/ rhodos with fresh leylandii hedge clippings? our soil is medium loam.

I bought a pyracantha last summer which has done really well since then and remained shiny and healthy until a few weeks ago when the leaves became brittle and turned brown. I searched the root for disease but no sign of anything and the root seems healthy. I repotted to a very large pot in case the pot became too small but it still has not recovered. I had just started to feed again after winter and topped up the soil a little before it went downhill but otherwise I didn't change it's care in any way. It did not berry in winter but I didn't mind as it was such a healthy looking plant. I also scraped a little off the bottom bark which still seems green and healthy. Can I save my beloved Pyracantha?

Could you give me the name of a good feed for box edging?

Ihave planted Red Robin last year and my question is what fertiliser to use on it can i use 10-10-20 as have this already for my lawn which was also sown last year.