I have a small decked garden surrounded by plane and oak trees. At the moment the deck is covered with autumn leaves. Would it be beneficial to keep the leaves on the few beds that I have or is it better to get rid of them?

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Please can you tell me how do I repot a Bird of Paradise Plant and what compost do I use? and how often do I repot as it has now become rootbound and the roots are peeping out of the pot bottom.

From Andy, UK
hi , ive have grown birds of paradise plants for 5 years, and have 6 in my greenhouse, i have them in 10 inch pots, the roots are singular and curl around the pot, do not repot to often as they like to be potbound to flower, which takes about 5 years,when you repot use a pot thats going to last it several years, because the roots dont take long to grow, as the pot goes out of shape, which is quite natural, the soil i use is part john ins no 3, and part loam, they are about 3 feet hight, also use quite a deep pot aswell, to repot, sit the roots in the pot and fill with the compost, firming down making sure there are no air pockets, i hope you have no problems, my address is lc0061284@blueyonder.co.uk, if you have any more problems just contact me at this address

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I have a bottle brush plant in a large pot on my patio (my 'garden'). Do I need to prune it or just leave it to do its own thing?

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Where can I buy the variety "Tinsley Camellia"?
Jack Tinsley , former President of Southeastern Louisiana College, Hammond, for whom it was named was my Dad's brother.

From Clare, Gardeners Club Secretary
In the US, you can buy the Tinsley Camellia online at: www.mannsnursery.com/camellia.htm

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How can I leave my Cannas bulbs in the ground during winter snow. I live in northern Indiana.

From Steve, St Louis
I live in St. Louis and we leave ours in the ground without even adding any mulch for the winter. They come back every year (bigger and better than the prior year). We get plenty of snow as well.

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We are fortunate to have a small property in the South of France with a small garden. The previous owners planted a couple of lemon trees and a couple of mandarin orange trees. They are in full sun. How should I prune these trees and what other care should I provide for them? Any help would be gratefully received.

From David, UK
Unlike most fruit trees, citrus require very little pruning, except for removal of water sprouts or suckers. The best time to prune is late summer. Citrus trees bloom and fruit on new growth. The bottom branches (called skirt branches) produce the most fruit, so keep your pruning to a minimum. Use props to keep fruit from touching the ground.

Lemon trees can be pruned at almost any time of the year. Avoid very hot weather, but apart from that I don't think it matters. They take well to pruning. Pruning will keep them compact and bushy. Prune the long straggly laterals which bore fruit in previous years and also the central uprights to prevent the tree getting too tall. Old straggly trees can be rejuvenated by pruning back very hard indeed.

Most mandarins are alternate bearing, meaning that alternate years will have more sparse crops. Fruit thinning in a heavy crop year will reduce this tendency. You may want to plan your pruning to coincide with a low yield year.


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I think I have a problem with my conifer cuttings. I made several hundreds of leylandi cuttings in a hope that I will be able to reproduce some plants.Unfortunately this has been my number 8th week and and still no sign of any roots - what did I do wrong. I followed all the necessary information in relation to soil mixture and the size of the cuttings, the hormone powder etc.
Could someoneplease tell me: is it too early to expect the roots or have I missed the train. Gone with the wind!!!!!!!!
Thanking every one in advance it is very urgent that someone tells me something

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I live in Anchorage, Alaska. It is the first of November, and I just received 300 daffodill bulbs. I think it is too cold to plant them now (there has been no snow, but night time temperatures have been in the low 30 degrees Farenhite). What can I do with these bulbs so they aren't wasted?

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Hi my name is lisa. I live in the eastern part of the u.s. and its starting to get vary cold. I have been preparing all of my plants, but one has stumped me it is a sambucus nigra 'marginata' and Im not sure if and how far to cut it back can anyone help me?

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How far to plan eucalyptus tree from the house

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I have heard from a friend that in Herefordshire one can participate and learn about gardening whilst working with established gardeners. Is there a similar scheme or an associaition i can approach that does something similar in Surrey?

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I have a pink and a white lavertera but the white(light pink) one is changing colour back to pink what can i do to keep it white and change it back?

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We have 7 very energetic dogs. We have recently moved to a new house
and garden and want an alternative to grass. Gravel goes everywhere we learned from experience and concrete is hard on their feet. Do you think Astroturf or similar is the answer?

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I have a fig tree in a very big pot,it is 7' tall,it has grown well this year,but no fruit?why!

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I'm looking for a supplier of Elephant garlic bulbs so that I may try it here on the Tiny Hebridean Isle of Erraid - Scotland. I'd be grateful for any pointers that may be given in its cultivation.

From Clare, Gardeners Club Secretary
Elephant garlic grows best in cool, damp conditions, in moderately-fertile soil. Before planting, loosen the soil with a rake or hoe. You may want to amend the soil with a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus. October - December is the ideal time ot plant.

Just before planting, break apart each bulb of garlic into its individual cloves, trying to keep as much skin on the cloves as possible. Next, simply poke your finger into the soil until about your third knuckle (2 inches), drop the clove in pointy side up, cover the hole, and pat firmly. Space the next garlic 10inches further down the row. Each row of garlic should be about 15-18 inches apart. After planting, water the buried cloves well. During the growing season, keep a mulch of grass clippings or similar material around the garlic to help conserve water and suppress weeds.

When the tops turn yellow in early summer, stop watering. Allow the bulbs to cure in the soil for 2 weeks and then harvest the garlic by pulling the whole plant out of the soil and tying the leaves together. Allow the bulbs to dry on a rack in a warm, dry spot.

Elephant garlic bulbs can be bought online at www.garlicgenius.co.uk

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What is the best time of year to move a kilmarnock willow tree

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I recently aquired 2 indoor orchid plants 1 Phalaenopsis and 1 Dendrobium Emma Type, they are still in flower and have been told that they will last a wee while longer, also that they will come again. My question is that they will need repotting and do you need a special type of compost, and at the moment they are in 4 inch pots how much larger do I go? Also do they need special care, and do I just leave what seems to be arial roots.

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Can you help? We are looking for planters for a wall - we saw some lead loojk-alike planters on one of the BBC programmes that would be ideal, but we do not know where to find them - any ideas - with thanks

From Clare, Gardeners Club Secretary
Try visiting www.thecedartree.co.uk or www.stephencmarkham.co.uk both of whom stock a superb range or www.capital-garden.co.uk who stopck an enormous range of planters and window boxes.

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I am building a poly tunnel on my allotment and need to source a cover at least 15ft square - limited budget. Any ideas?

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Hello, Can someone tell me why potato barrels are larger in the middle than on each end?

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I live in South Georgia and have been successful in growing rasberry bushes and they did produce some very tasty fruit. I would like to cut them back some, will that be ok?

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We are moving house in 2 weeks and would like to take cuttings from our beautiful wisteria that we are leaving behind.

How can we do this? Is it the wrong time of year, if so could you still give any advice as I hope it's worth a try anyway!

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I have a yukka trunk with just one - very healthy - sideshoot. It's getting a little too big for the space it's in and I wondered whether it's possible to simply cut out the middle leaves of the sideshoot to stop it growing - or will this kill it?

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Hi, I have just bought my first house and decided it needed some plants around the place, i went and bought a yucca plant which i placed at the top of the stairs,after a couple of weeks some of the leaves started to turn yellow and swivel up. I was told by a friend it may be because it isn't getting enough sunlight, so i moved it in to the lounge window a couple of weeks ago but to no avail, have i made the right move??. please could u let me know if there is anything i can do to revive it

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We recently inherited a yucca (stem with several shoots) about 5-6ft tall and 3-4ft across. It has been kept in the garden during the summer. Will it be OK there during the winter or do we need to move it, and if so where to?

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