Gardening Q&A

Jul 6 2008 Carolyn Spray

Flowers

Q My herbaceous plants were badly damaged in the recent gales. What should I do?

A The height of many herbaceous varieties makes them prone to wind damage and they need to be supported from an early age. This is best done with plastic or metal hoops supported by a cane.

Q My lawn is full of daises and other weeds. When and how is the best time to kill them?

A You need to apply a hormone weed killer such as Verdone on a calm day. After a few days the weeds will start to die.

Q My courgettes have white markings on the leaves. Is this mildew and how do I control it?

A If the white marks are uniform on each leaf this is characteristic of some varieties. If they are random this is probably powdery mildew which will need to be sprayed with a fungicide.

Q My tomato plants look healthy but some fruits have gone brown underneath.

What is this and how do I get rid of it?

A This sounds like blossom end rot, caused by a lack of calcium in the plant which happens when they dry out regularly. The best cure is to install a watering system or water more regularly so they never flag.

Q I have never grown leeks before. Can you tell me the dos and don'ts of planting?

A Use a dibber to make holes 15cm deep and 15cm apart in rows 40cm apart. Drop a leek plant into each hole and water enough to wash a little soil on to the roots. This ensures the leeks are blanched.

Q My box hedge is covered with what looks like cotton wool and the tips are twisting. What could be causing this?

A I expect that this is the work of a woolly aphid - a kind of greenfly. The 'wool' you can see is a protective covering on the greenfly.

Spray the hedge with an insecticide and you should soon see an end to it.