|
This month`s gardening problems - February
2004
Q: Doris from Arizona writes: I
live in Az. We recently had a very cold night and although covered my 2 year-old Coral
Honeysuckle was damaged. Should I prune it back to the still green leaves or ignore it?
What is the schedule for pruning this plant?
A: In the UK we would prune either
Autumn or Spring. I favour the autumn pruning, so the shrubs don`t look straggly over
winter.
Honeysuckles are very amenable shrubs and will soon recover.
However, my advice would be to wait until all risk of frost is over, before pruning your
shrub. If you do want to cut out the frost damaged shoots now, you will
not harm your honeysuckle as it will grow away once more when conditions are favourable..
Q: from David: I work at a place
with an established garden which has a layer (not very deep) of bark. Could you tell
me the problems if any, I would have and what time of year would be best to do so, if I
was to rake back the bark that is there and put down a membrane, as there is not one at
the moment ,followed by more bark. I would like to do this as it is only a small company
and we seem to spend a fortune on weedkillers and really I would like to avoid using them
in the future.
A: This will certainly be a
worthwhile exercise as you will save time and money in the long term by putting a weed
suppressing membrane down underneath the layer of bark.. Without this membrane,
weeds will continue to grow through and you may have noticed that the bark seems to
`vanish` which indeed it does, as the earthworms pull it down through the soil!
It would make a great job for sunny January days, or any dry day
before the weeds start growing again.. There is no right or wrong time for this job as far
as I am aware.. This time of year you may find plenty of cheap bark on offer from
companies that have recycled Christmas trees, but don`t be tempted to use this as it will
be too green and the sap will poison any plants that it comes into contact with. Any newly
chipped bark should be composted for about six months.. So buy from an established
merchant and stipulate it must not be new bark.
Q: From Marian: I have a Yukka situated in my lounge which
until recently appeared to be thriving. The top leaves are now turning yellow and drying
up whilst there is new growth at the bottom of the plant, however some of these leaves are
also dying, can you offer me any advice.
A: Without knowing where you live and what
conditions your plant is growing in, it is difficult to make a diagnosis, so I have put
some general information here about yukkas, so you can see if you are giving your plant
the correct cultural conditions..
Yukka is a genus of about 40 species of rosette-forming or
woody-based perennials, evergreen shrubs, and erect, eventually spreading, evergreen trees
from hot, dry places, such as desert, sand dunes, and plains, in North and Central America
and the West Indies. A mature Yukka is a False Palm. It will need a deep, well-drained
container which can be moved outdoors in summer. In winter it will require an unheated and
well-lit spot.
Temperature: Average warmth in
summer - minimum 55F in winter. Brightly lit spot. Provide as much light as possible.
Water: Keep compost moist at all times but never
waterlogged. Reduce watering in winter. Use soft, tepid water. Misting is not
necessary.
Q: John asks: Please could you tell me the best compost for
an indoor yukka.
A: Yukkas need well drained soil, which you will find at your local
garden centre or DIY store.. They also need re-potting every two years.
Previous editions of your gardening queries:
Edition 1
Edition 2
Edition 3
Edition 4
Edition 5
Edition 6
Edition 7
Edition 8
Edition 9
Edition 10
Please e-mail me
with your garden problems, comments, or ideas for this section of laterlife.
Click here for previous editions of Gardener`s
Diary..
|
