Flowers: Gardening Q&A

Jun 15 2008 Carolyn Spray

QMy rose has big strong branches growing out of the base of the plant.

Should I leave them or cut them off?

A If you leave rose suckers they would take over the whole plant. Dig down to where it comes out of the stem and tear them off. This makes it less likely to grow back.

QMy hellebores flowered well but are now past.

Should I cut them back or leave them?

A You could leave the old seed heads to naturally open and self-seed round the plant, then move the seedlings to a new home later. The other option is to cut the old heads off and collect and sow the seeds.

QI have containers I want to fill with summer bedding plants but they still have old hyacinths, tulips and pansies in them. What should I do with the bulbs?

A Take the bulbs out and lay in a shed in trays to die back and dry off. You can replant in the autumn in pots again or borders. Plant your tulips nine inches deep to keep them flowering reliably.

QMy daughter has a patch in the garden she wants to sow flowers in.

What is easy and sure to succeed with little effort?

A You can sow hardy and half-hardy annuals in June which will bloom later in the summer. Candy tuft, limnanthes and clarkia are all colourful and easy to grow.

QI planted my containers with bedding plants and used multi-purpose compost with added water-retaining granules and slow-release fertiliser.

Anything else I can do to keep them looking good longer?

A I have done many trials on baskets and containers with all sorts of bedding and basket plants.

What you have done so far is perfect but I would also use a liquid feed such as Phostrogen in the summer to keep the plants compact and flowering well. Trailing Petunias are particularly hungry.