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Oxford Botanic Garden: Postbag Edition

Peter Gibbs and the team are at the Oxford Botanic Garden.

Peter Gibbs and the team are at the Oxford Botanic Garden answering questions from the GQT postbag. Matt Biggs, Pippa Greenwood, Dr Chris Thorogood and Head Gardener Mark Brent answer your questions on growing apricots, ruined potash, and why bees love the colour purple.

Producer - Dan Cocker
Assistant Producer - Millie Chu

A Somethin' Else production for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4

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42 minutes

Plant List

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

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Q – I have a beautiful, if rather large, Ceanothus ‘Trewithen Blue’. I want to cut it right back – is it likely to survive a hard prune in winter?

(3 minute, 28 seconds)

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Q – I wonder if you could give me some advice about caring for my Fatsia japonica. The leaves do not look healthy at all and they have a yellowish tinge.

(6 minutes, 36 seconds)

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Q – For several years, I’ve found what look like cockchafer grubs in my home-made compost – do I feed them to the birds, or do I put them back into the compost bin?

(9 minutes, 14 seconds)

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Q – My 35-year-old rhubarb has developed a strange addition.

(14 minutes 35 seconds)

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Matt –

Rheum palmatum

Rheum ribes

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Q – I am attempting to grow an apricot tree on my roof terrace. After considerable growth last summer, tens of small apricots are appearing on the inner branches. Should I take some of these off?

(17 minutes 5 seconds)

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Q – Last autumn, we trimmed some tree branches and burnt the brash. I collected this, put it in a plastic bath and covered it over. However, the rain got in. Can I sieve the water off and use it as a liquid fertilizer? Will the very wet wood ash have any viability, or have I just got a mess to sort out?

(20 minutes, 41 seconds)

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Chris –

Rhododendrons

Azaleas

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Rock Garden

(23 minutes, 35 seconds)

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Mark –

Tulips

Chamaerops

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Q – I have a Dwarf Cavendish plant – I’ve now noticed that the edges of the leaves have started to turn brown. Is this from overwatering or is it being too cold or the direct sunlight?

(31 minutes, 56 seconds)

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Q – I have discovered a strange seedling growing in my propagator. Could the panel identify this for me?

(33 minutes, 38 seconds)

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Pippa –

Rudbeckia

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Q – I’d like a recommendation for a plant that would cover the bare bricks on the back of the house – shady North-facing wall. I want something that’s not too rampant or invasive, but evergreen would be lovely. Flowers would be a bonus but not essential.

(34 minutes, 55 seconds)

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Chris –

Judas tree

Osmanthus delavayi

Celastrus orbiculatus

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Pippa –

Lonicera japonica ‘H²¹±ô±ô¾±²¹²Ô²¹â€™

Climbing Hydrangea

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Matt –

Fern

Chaenomeles japonica

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Q – Why do bees love purple?

(38 minutes, 57 seconds)

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Matt –

Bee Orchid

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