Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Q – What fruit can the garden recommend for a north-facing, windswept, often snow-covered garden, 900ft (274m) above sea level?

Matt – You would need to provide a lot more protection for the plant and the pollenating insects.Ìý I’d go for gooseberries – they are tough.Ìý

Eric – You could apple tree try cordons

Christine – It’ll be a lot of effort!

Matt – if the soil is acidic you could try cranberries or Highbush blueberries

Ìý

Q – I have a postage stamp-sized back garden in which I grow veg organically and slugs are a problem.Ìý I’ve used nematodes this year but they are quite pricey.Ìý Is there a way of farming them, using them more than once or, if not, when should I use my two applications to best effect?

Pippa – Don’t put them on every six weeks as often suggested.Ìý They do tick over in the soil to an extent.Ìý Most important is to get them on when you’ve got seeds germinating, seedlings, or young plants – and that is usually a tight six-week window.ÌýÌý For potatoes use the nematodes six weeks before you predict harvesting.Ìý Farming them at home would be too difficult to do.

Ìý

Q – How would you improve our sandy soil garden, which is millstone grit, at nearly 1000ft (305m)?Ìý Is it best to have new topsoil or just keep adding things? If so, which things should I add?

Christine – I would stick with what you’ve got.Ìý Keep adding organic matter.Ìý Ideally bulky organic matter, but the more the merrier.Ìý Manure, stale manure, farm manure, composted straw, finely composted bark or old grow bags.Ìý

Pippa – I’d go for something sticky like pig manure.

Matt – However, don’t put the organic matter too close to the bases of shrubs and trees – they won’t like it.Ìý

Christine – Green manures make a big difference too. It may take some time though.

Ìý

Q – We’ve moved into a house with a mature lawn but nothing else.Ìý How can we get the bones of the garden right before we move onto the pretty bits?Ìý It’s 40m x 20m (131ft x 66ft)

Matt – Make a list of the things you want for example patio, shed, place to hang washing, rose border, herbaceous border etc. Then start looking at the shape and where the light falls.Ìý Sketch out your ideas and then lay things out with canes and string and hosepipes.Ìý And really make sure you’re happy with the shape before you start planting.

Pippa – Think about what you want to hide – such as next door’s washing line.Ìý

Christine – take photos throughout the year so you can spot frost pockets, shadows etc.

Ìý

Q – I’ve got an Acer and a Silver Birch – smallish ornamental varieties – that are about 12 years old and 2.5m-3m high (8ft-10ft).Ìý I’d like to move them – is this possible and, if so, what kind of root ball would I need?

Christine – For the birch you’d need to do it over a couple of years.Ìý This year I’d take a out a trench about 2-3ft (0.6-0.9m) away from the stem, about 18 inches (45cm) deep, all the way round the stem.ÌýÌý Fill that with good quality soil to encourage the roots to grow into it. So next year you can lift that root ball – you’ll need to use a block and tackle as it is sizable.Ìý Once it’s replanted you need to really water it – 20-30 gallons (90-135 litres) at a time.Ìý Acer is a bit more of a risk but still doable.

Ìý

Q – Please could you suggest an easy, effective, organic method for powdery mildew?Ìý It has affected my Delphiniums and has spread to my ‘Alan Titchmarsh’ rose.Ìý I have tried the milk remedy but it hasn’t been effective.

Pippa – Try and reduce it happening by ensure good, dry air circulation at the top and keep the base nice and moist.Ìý That will help.

Ìý

Q – Fifteen years ago I bought a small orange tree which thrives in my conservatory.Ìý Two years ago I was given a lemon tree which is also doing well in the conservatory.Ìý Last summer I discovered three full-sized lemons growing in my orange tree.Ìý How has this happened?

Christine – This looks like grafting to me.Ìý Fruit trees are often top worked so the actual stem is taken up with one variety and then other things worked onto that.Ìý

Matt – It looks like Ponciris trifoliata – known as ‘Crown of Thorns’ – and that’s the root stock.ÌýÌý