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Q – Why do I have lichen on every shrub in my garden?Ìý It’s unsightly

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Matthew – Lichen is associated with clean air and gardens that are mature and less disturbed.Ìý

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Matt – It won’t damage healthy plants

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Matthew – I think it looks gorgeous!

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Q – I’m opening my gardens in May this year.Ìý How can I make it look good?Ìý I have planted both my Tulips and Alliums late… will they flower and what else can I do for colour?

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Christine – They won’t flower.Ìý Buy some potted bulbs instead.Ìý

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Matthew – Get some annuals like Orlaya grandiflora.Ìý Euphorbias like ‘Redwing’.Ìý Perennial wallflowers like Erysimum ‘Constant Cheer’ and ‘Bowles Mauve’ – get loads of those.

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Q – I have an ongoing problem with pests in my vegetable patch, mainly Carrot Fly, Allium Leaf Miner and small black slugs.Ìý Last year I controlled with nematodes, but the slugs are now back, what can I do?

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Christine – Sometimes you just have to live with the slugs!Ìý Good garden hygiene is a good place to start.Ìý There are something like 400 different theories on getting rid of slugs but none are completely reliable.Ìý

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Q – Can you prune Japanese Acers?

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Matt – Acers don’t like pruning.Ìý Keep it to a minimum and do it either when the tree is dormant or in full leaf.

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Feature:

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Tibetan Cherry

Salix viminalis

Creeping Spearwort

Danish Scurvygrass

Horse chestnut

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Q - What can gardeners do to help prevent diseases in our trees and what can we do if we suspect our trees to have one of these diseases?

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Matthew - I would love to be able to buyÌýFraxinus raywoodÌý(Claret Ash) again.Ìý

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Matt - Most garden trees such as Acers, Malus, Crataegus and Prunus are not the ones that get affected by major diseases. Phytophthora can be a concern but is often to do with drainage issues. The landscape species are more at risk.Ìý

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Christine - Plants are often prone to diseases when they are the wrong plant for the wrong place. Make sure you get problems correctly identifiedÌýbecauseÌýsome symptomsÌýof diseases could actually be nutrient problems.Ìý

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Q - I have a large, 100-year-old beech tree in the garden. What should I do with all the leaves?Ìý

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Matthew - If you want to make really good leaf mould, you need to bag it. I use crane bags with a handle in each corner. I leave it in there for a couple of years and then it is a very good soil conditioner or a base for compost.

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Q - Why do some seeds collected from my garden come true and others don't?Ìý

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Matthew - Plants likeÌýAquilegiaÌý(Columbine) are very rarely true to type from seed. The stability of the colour comes through vegetative propagation.Ìý

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Matt - It also depends on what populations are close by. The pollination will create a genetic mix from the seeds.Ìý

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Q - I have an ornamental cherry tree which is suffering, the bark is splitting and exposing dry, bare wood beneath. Is there anything I can do to save the tree?

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Matthew - Cherry trees are not long-lived trees but 10 years seems short.Ìý

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Matt - Get a sharp knife and take off the flap of bark that is there. Leave it and let the bark heal.Ìý