This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Neglected Garden Questions
karenkte
Posts: 47
Hello,
I've taken on a garden at a house which has been empty for many years. I spent last year just logging each plant and observing. This year I am going to start putting things right but I'm a novice. I have four questions.
1. Pic one below is a phlox. It looked beautiful this summer but now its been cut back and died down it's covered in moss. Is this moss harming the plant? To me I feel I should get rid of it but I don't know if I should pick it all out by hand or dig up the plant and try to shake it all out that way. I don't feel that the plant is too big but I'm no expert.
2. Pic two is the same issue with a hosta. Again what should I do about this or do I just leave it. My instinct is that is shouldn't be like this as surely the moss is strangling the plant.
3. Photo three is a rose which climbs. I cut it back last year and it's grown a lot in one year. Do I cut this right back low or just prune at the height it is now and try to train?
4. Last question. I have holly and hawthorn hedges. Not mixed. Say 10 feet of holly then 10 feet of hawthorn. As it's been neglected there is ivy all over. It's not too bad in the holly but in the hawthorn its climbing all over it. Some of the hawthorn looks really old. It's like the ivy is strangling it. I've tried to pull the ivy off and especially at the roots of the hawthorn but there is so much of it that's its impossible to find where the roots come out of the ground. What can I do? Should I just pull out as much as I can around the roots of the hawthorn. It looks to me like the hawthorn is being strangled. Also I'd like to replace the hawthorn with holly but don't want big holes in the hedge due to privacy. Can I plant holly in between the hawthorn and hope that over the years it takes over.
Sorry so many questions.
K
I've taken on a garden at a house which has been empty for many years. I spent last year just logging each plant and observing. This year I am going to start putting things right but I'm a novice. I have four questions.
1. Pic one below is a phlox. It looked beautiful this summer but now its been cut back and died down it's covered in moss. Is this moss harming the plant? To me I feel I should get rid of it but I don't know if I should pick it all out by hand or dig up the plant and try to shake it all out that way. I don't feel that the plant is too big but I'm no expert.
2. Pic two is the same issue with a hosta. Again what should I do about this or do I just leave it. My instinct is that is shouldn't be like this as surely the moss is strangling the plant.
3. Photo three is a rose which climbs. I cut it back last year and it's grown a lot in one year. Do I cut this right back low or just prune at the height it is now and try to train?
4. Last question. I have holly and hawthorn hedges. Not mixed. Say 10 feet of holly then 10 feet of hawthorn. As it's been neglected there is ivy all over. It's not too bad in the holly but in the hawthorn its climbing all over it. Some of the hawthorn looks really old. It's like the ivy is strangling it. I've tried to pull the ivy off and especially at the roots of the hawthorn but there is so much of it that's its impossible to find where the roots come out of the ground. What can I do? Should I just pull out as much as I can around the roots of the hawthorn. It looks to me like the hawthorn is being strangled. Also I'd like to replace the hawthorn with holly but don't want big holes in the hedge due to privacy. Can I plant holly in between the hawthorn and hope that over the years it takes over.
Sorry so many questions.
K
0
Posts