Ask Gerry

what is the best time to lift geraniums to store for winter

My bedding dahlias have formed tubers.Is it possible to sow these tubers next April?

I have some hanging. basket plants which I would like to save - Dichondra Silver Falls & Trailing Verbena Lanai Early Scarlet. I think they're perennial in warmer climates but is there anything I can do to safely overwinter them here ?

I have pots filled with marigolds and violas. Some insect is eating the buds of the violas, can you suggest a spray to prevent this happening. I keep slug pellets around the edge of the pot.

I planted several hanging baskets with Surfinas and Petunias. The plants were all growing well but in one basket plants suddenly started to die off one after the other. I replaced some of the dead plants but after a few weeks the replacements began to die off too. All other baskets seem to be doing OK. Could it be some sort of disease confined to one basket and if so in there anything I can use to treat the other baskets if the plants in these start to die?

I've just noticed that a healthy calibrachoa I have in a window box is quite limp and wilted. The culprit is probably the white fly I noticed at the base of the plant. I'm wondering what's the best way to get rid of these pests and will the poor plant come back to itself again. Regards

Hi Gerry - I have panseys, alyssum and dwarf sunflowers growing in pots and they are suffering with purple leaves and are generally unhealthy looking. Same thing with window boxes: instead of full healthy growth I have scraggly plants with purpling leaves. Erin Premium Compost with added John Innes used in all cases. Watering every 2-3 days. All in full sun. Any ideas?

I have 2 wonderful pots filled with purple and white petunias. They are growing rapidly and over taking the small shrub I planted in the middle, which I dont miond for now as they look amazing. Whilst I can prun back now - how do I prepare them at the end of the summer when flowering has ceased for the winter? Do i cut back to the base?

I have just done a Petunia Flower Ball and it turned out great. Now i am trying a Busy Lissie Flower Ball and it is just not taking off, have you got any suggestions as to what I can do.

I have some pansies in a tub but they have a something like black spot on them. I was told "Get rid of them, dump them".I only moved the tub to an empty corner because the plants looked ok (except for the spots) and they were flowering really well. Should I dump the tub, do you think? Or will the plants recover if I spray them? But with what?

I'll be planting up some window boxes and baskets shortly and will be adding some slow release granular feed to the compost. If I feed them later on in the summer with tomato plant food would they benefit any more from this or would it instead be too much feed for them? Best wishes and thanks.

I seem to have a good flowering red geranium at present. The leaves of this geranium have turned red. What is it lacking?

Im wondering is it safe to plant out summer bedding or is there still a risk of frost. When will I know it is safe. I live in mid cork

Is there any truth that moth balls repel cats from your plants?

Every year I look forward to planting up window boxes, using mostly petunia, calibrachoa and lobelia and marigold. I'd really appreciate any tips you might have to get a really nice healthy and long lasting display. I wonder what might be the best type of compost to use. I've seen the 'miracle grow' brand which is especially for containers and baskets but it's quite expensive and I have a lot of containers to fill. Spacing of plants is another query I have.I'm inclined to sometimes become over enthusiastic and put too many plants in the window box. I was also wondering about vermiculite and perlite. Would adding them to the compost help to give a better flower display, I wonder?