Gardening Q & A

Aug 3 2008 Carolyn Spray

Flowers

Q My neighbour has offered me cuttings of golden hop. How do I root it?

A Golden hop - Humulus Lupulus Aurea - roots easily from a softwood cutting. Place two-inch cuttings in a pot of seed compost, cover with a poly bag and keep shaded. They will root in four weeks

Q I fed my lawn in April but it has gone quite yellow. I thought it would last all summer.

A Many lawn fertilisers only last up to eight weeks as they are soluble and heavy rain will quickly leach them. Re-apply feed this month. There are also controlledrelease fertilisers which last all season but they cost more.

Q I have red thread disease on my lawn. How can I control it?

A Red thread disease attacks grass in poor condition. Feed regularly and don't mow too closely.

Q The cucumbers in my greenhouse are bulbous and full of seeds.

Any idea why?

A You probably planted open pollinated varieties such as Telegraph which set seeds unless you remove the male flowers regularly. Better to use F1 hybrids next year.

Q My courgettes have grown into big marrows. What have I done wrong?

A Courgettes have to be cut when they are young and about four inches long. Crop regularly for more produce.

Q My hollyhocks are covered in orange blisters. Is there any way to control them?

A Hollyhocks are prone to a rust fungus. Using a specific rust fungicide such as Systhane will help.

Q I have had a poor germination with carrots. Why is this and am I too late to re-sow?

A The cool ground temperatures in the spring adversely affected germination this year. Sow an early variety now and you should get a crop in the autumn.