General Gardening Discussion

It's alive and thriving, but no longer a topiary ball!If original box top hadn't died due to the extreme December 2022 temps, box tree moth would have got it summer of 2023 anyway, they have been prolific and devastating in my area (North Bucks).

@Goldenlily26 your comment about a 'kick up the ....' reminded me of an incident quite a few years ago. My wife's sister and her kids came round and our nephew had shot up since last time we saw him. He was wandering around and said "Auntie Ros, have you seen the dust on the top of here?" ...

Not that I've noticed, but I'm awful vigilant @ViewAhead

This year, we actually had a very wet February, 76mm in total (more than double the long-term averages). However there were 15 days with no measurable rain, and 7 with only between 0.5 and 2.5mm. Most of the rain fell on 8th-9th-10th, 15th-16th and 21st-22nd, leaving plenty of grass-cutting...

interesting! i think thats the one that surrounds the air base. i wonder if they own the field nearby we walk in, theyve just started what seems to be a walnut orchard there this year and they used a lot of mulch.

I adopted some houseplants that had been left by the previous owner when we bought the house in 1988, and they looked as if they'd been pretty much neglected. The Sanseveria didn't mind of course and is still going strong. I am just about decided to chuck out the Schefflera because after being...

Your garden is miles ahead of what I have seen and meant to express @Plantminded I remember when we went to Tyntesfield, a must have seen I was told. What an awful house, that Gothic style left nightmares in me. The garden was strange too. They had 3 rows of bed-lawn-bed like below. There were I...

I have woodland with lots of ivy and thick bramble stems that I am trying to control. I have found that using a hedge trimmer to clear the tall wavy stems, and then a brush cutter low down works. A brush cutter normally has the metal blade - it's necessary for these robust and wiry stems. It's...

You'd need tons and tons of grit for it to be of any use. Organic matter is always better, but if it's to improve 'just grass' that isn't feasible. If you want a half decent spot for your son to play etc, it often isn't worth doing too much to the grass, but if it's for planting, it's always...

Update! My orbs have arrived. Impressive speed. Not absolutely convinced they brighten the area as much as my lampshade-mirror concoction, but I quite like them. Strangely, I would really baulk at paying £25 for a plant and yet for some shaped metal strips, it doesn't seem a problem. On...

That's some superb advice. I'll know for next time in future. Whoops! Guess I will do as @Angie Jones (nut) said and cut back some of the floppy growth a little - which was going to be my next question! Superb advice and help! Thank you

I’m convinced that they just send out a siren call and then wet the appetite of whichever pest it is before it moves on to the main course aka your prized plants. And how do you know how much to plant to ensure all your invited pests are catered for?

Hi Babe from the land of warmth, oranges and sunshine. J and I are trying to grow old gracefully in our jungle ... well, less as we've had a lot cut down recently My best jungle feature is my weeping Callistemons ...Your pup is adorable. We still have cats ... or they have us, Chere Khan...

We have "lost " a Ceanothus this year too. We think ours simply drowned though, it could be honey fungus as we have that in the area. The RHS advised me that HF can kill a plant one branch at a time so it can be hard to spot what's happening. Dig around the base of the tree / shrub look...

We went out and culled one night a few weeks back, so our damage is not quite as bad. Still we have lost the top off a couple of plants, one of which was over 1m in height. I'm just hoping for some dry weather and recovery we got last year on almost every plant!

Just proves that if you provide, wildlife (including rats) will make use of it.

Many thanks all! Good to know it is definitely time for it to go. I went and checked near the ground and it did confirm it doesn't have any green there. It is funny it went like this, as I did kind of expect it would just keep going, though pete mentioned it probably depends on the variety. Ah...

Everything seems to be on the "favoured dinner menu" this yr. I suspect there has been such a population explosion, they are turning to things they would not normally touch. Plus, plants battered by wind and endless rain may be less able to repel an invasion of munchers.

There's a good chance you'll get some more replies if you could provide some photos. One of the whole tree showing where it is in your garden and a close-up of the problematic leaves.This article may give some clues though- How to Grow Photinia | BBC Gardeners World Magazine.

Sounds good, hoping to put mine out this weekend. I noticed monty Don had some on gardeners world last night and they looked quite leggy to me too. Mine look a bit squat if anything!