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This month`s gardening problems -
May 2004
Q: Linda
asks:-
I have just found your web site. We are in the process of having a new
drive laid and have decided to put chippings over the rest of the garden.
How much coverage does a 5 kg bag cover.
A: As
there are so many different types of chippings and decorative sufaces, I
looked for a website for you to search out the type you will be using
and calculate how much you will need...
http://www.pavingexpert.com/home.htm If you are
still unsure, ask at your nearest builders` merchant or DIY store.You will
need to measure the area that requires chipping..
Q: From Joan:-
My front
garden is mostly paved and faces NE. It gets early morning sun but is cold
and exposed. I'm looking for a hardy plant to place in a tub by the front
door, something striking but tough! Any ideas please.
A:
Why don`t you have a pair of nicely shaped box plants either side of your
front door in stone pots? They are tough, easy to care for and always look
smart!
Q: Gayle
asks:- Would it be OK to break a leafy section off the top stem of my yukka
to re-grow in a pot? If so does it need to go into the soil straight away
or left to dry out for a day or two?
A:
Yes you can certainly use the top section of a Yukka for a cutting.
Take the cutting by making a clean, straight cut with a sharp knife or
saw,
then leave the cutting somewhere fairly cool and dry so the cutting will
dry
out for a few days before potting it up..
You can buy pieces of Yukka stem from some garden centres that will, when
potted up, start growing.
Q: Melissa from
Kent asks:-I
purchased a cordyline last summer and it thrived in a pot in my front
garden. Unfortunately it was battered by some rather vicious North
Easterly winds in the autumn and started to look a little the worse for
wear. I removed it to the comparative shelter of my rear garden and it
seems to be okay but it still looks really tatty. Can you trim cordylines,
and, if so, how do I go about it?
A:
You
will find the lower leaves go brown and die as the plant gets taller. Pull
these dead leaves off, or allow them to drop off naturally (I pull them
off each spring) and the plant will gradually smarten up as it gets new
growth from the top..
Q: From
Donna in Brighton:- We have just started work on our garden and have quite a
few shady areas. I would like to know what plants grow best in shade. I
would like some colour and some climbers and maybe some big shrubs. I have
looked in plenty of gardening books, but every plant seems to need sunshine!
A:
I tend to disregard gardening books to an extent and go for
the plants I like. There are some of course that need plenty of
sun to look their best, but at the same time they will grow quite
reasonably in shade. I would be more concerned about the soil being very
dry if you are going to plant shrubs underneath large trees or hedges that
will take all the moisture.
Have a look at my gardening
column for October 2002, the Spotlight section, where I have listed many
of my favourite plants and shrubs.. Then test your soil to see what will
grow in it and whether it needs bulking up with some decent compost.
Have a walk around your favourite garden centre and
see which plants you like the look of, writing down their names to look
up later. Finally ask the assistants what they would recommend for your
soil type and aspect..
Container grown shrubs can be
planted any time of year.
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
Edition 11
Edition 12
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..
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