Ask Gerry

we have 3 very very large trees bordering one corner of our garden (2 sycamore, and one maple style tree). our problem is we have planted a red robin around it but it keeps dying. we watered it regular etc. we need a hedge there because we need some screening from road. hedge will essentially be planted beside roots of trees, we have red robin surrounding front andd one side of large garden (1/2 acre approx) just need something for that corner. can you advise please

We bought a living Christmas Tree in November 2009. It's been outdoor since and in it's original pot. It's now losing it's green colour and also it's pines. How best can we care for the tree?? Or is it just now going to die off completely??

I hope you can help me. I have recently planted 120m Holly hedge (IIex aquifolium).The plants came in half litre pots from Coillte Nurseries, Ardattin, Co Carlow and are approx 30-45cm tall.I've noticed a substance like a spiders web along the edges of the leaves on my strawberry leaves. I did get some strawberries but only a couple, and that was a while ago. No more have appeared. I'm growing the plants in my conseratory along with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Is this something that could be spread to them?77I live in Screen, Curracloe, Co Wexfordc,I have sandy soil and on an exposed site. As you are aware there has been little or no rainfall in the last month. I have used chicken manure and the normal farmyard manure as fertilisermaking sure fertiliser is not touching the ball root.I have watered the hedge every second or third day depending on the rainfall.I have now noticed what looks like a black spot with a white spot in the middle on the leaves. There is alsoa browning or blackening along the edge.In some cases holes are appearing on theleaves. This is also appearing on any new growth. The leaves are also drying out.I have spoken to Coillte and the advisor tells me he has never heard about such a problem with holly.He says it will not kill the holly but it might slow the growth. He advised me to try a fungicidebut could not tell me which one. Trial and error !! Does watering contribute to this problem?I would greatly appreciate any advise and information on how to eradicate this problem and how best to look aftermy holly hedge.

Is it advisable to water plants this time of year during the dry cold period? I have mostly heathers growing.

My 7ft by 5ft rhodendron only has 1 to 2 flowers and then, only every 2 to3 years. A similar one next to it does flower. I have tried miracid, sulfur, special azalea food, spading around it to trim roots everything. It has no diseases that I can see and looks very healthy. Also, the soil in my garden is somewhat acidic due to lots of oak trees. (it is very sandy though) What am I doing wrong?

The leaves on my bay tree are going yellow and are dropping off. What can I do to fix this problem ? I would appreciate any advice you can give me.

I have an azalea in tub flowers very well did so this year but now is all brown and looks dead. Can i do something to save it or throw it out?

My hydrangea which has bloomed every summer and all summer was late flowering this year, but now a few weeks after blooming they have all died, leaves withered and brown and leaves look burned and mottled. What has happened?

I have a six year old potted bay leaf shrub and I have just noticed that most of the leaves (say 90%) are turning brown with a burnt look. Would most appreciate if you could advise me on how to save the plant. I have read that I should cut down to 6 inches from soil but feel this is too drastic. Please advise?

I planted a bottlebrush plant 4 weeks ago and the flowers are just out and are fantastic, but I've noticed that the upper leaves have brown tips/spots, this is probably because I didn't water enough the first few days, should I pick this leaves off? Will that leave a gap on the stem? Will the plant survive, am watering every day now.

Several hydrangeas, growing in pots, have very pale, almost whitish, leaves, not the healthy green they might be. Some deficiency? Many Thanks Ronnie

My question, i planted about 40 horse chestnut trees (10 years old) in October 2007, they thrived last year and had beautiful flowers early this year but since the hot spell the leaves are browning and appear to be dying. I'm now watering them but there does not seem to be any revival? will I fertilize the water? was it the sudden heat that caused this? will this set back my trees or worse? also my lime trees leaves are suffering but the ash and willow's are grand. My site is over 6 acres so they've loads of room and there are plenty of other trees around/in area.

I bought a wisteria plant from a good garden centre. At purchase the leaves were very dry & havn't improved since. My plan is to start it off in a large pot until I can move it to surround the front door next year. It's still green, but should it be so dry & can you offer advice as to what to feed it with?

I have about 11 silver birch trees planted down my driveway and have noticed that some are losing their leaves already and some leaves are turning brown, is this normal. I planted them earlier in the year and have been watering them regularly during the warm weather.

my standard japanese azalea was a mass of flowers this year but after the blooms went it seems to have died the leaves are brown. Its about 4 year old growing in a container. will it come back or why did it go like that?