My youngest daughter planted an apple seed some 9 years ago, it grew and the tree stands about 6ft high, but it never gets any blossom, is there anything I can do to help polunate the tree ?
I think you may have to graft a branch of your tree on to a good dwarf Malling stock to get the blossom you require,andy1949. It is quite fun to do. When you have found out how and when to do it do six or so. You can always give away the extra trees. I do hope it was a particularly delicious apple.
Pippa, I too thought that the harsh winter would wipe out all aphid life as we know it, but like you, I have been thwarted by the green lurgy. They seem to have a completely eclectic taste and will go for anything from roses to runner beans - I've already lost half a plant and am avidly washing aphids away with a mixture of washing up liquid and water to ruin their banquet. However, washing every plant in the garden is turning into a somewhat time consuming activity! I've heard that garlic has the same affect on aphids as it does on vampires, and spraying a mixture of garlic and water onto leaves keeps them away - is there any truth in this?
I also had a Wisteria which just died, when I took it out I found an insect had nibbled all the bark off the plant at ground level, this also happened to a standard Pink Willow and a Rhodendron
I'm new to gardening and last year had an amazing success of veg and flower growing:)) this year the whole lot has been attacked and left looking like a tea-strainer...lots and lots of holes with brown rings...any ideas what I'm dealing with? I've Googled it and have come up with Capsid bugs but never seen anything on the plants...the runner beans are the most damaged. (the amount eaten there must be some HUGE bugs around somewhere:/) Helllllp..:)
I have 4 wisteria plants which are dotted around the garden...I know these plants often take forever to flower. Last year only the plant (3yrs old) on the SE side wall of the walled garden flowered (profusely). This year it looked to be covered in young flower buds (hundreds between 1 and 2-3 inches) and we waited in anticipation. It now looks dry, lifeless and bare and none of the buds has set flower at all...there is no leaf growth whatsoeve....rmeantime (ironically but thankfully) the nearest other wisteria (on a SW wall) has flowered beautifully (albeit not so profusely as the SE wisteria last yr) and it is lush and green with new leaf growth. I am puzzled and have researched as much as poss to discover the cause...I am aware that late frost may have played a part, but the other plants are doing fine....any ideas??
Save your old cigarette buts and ash. Mix it with a solution of water and leave to sit for a day, then strain off the liquid (throw away the butts) and mix the liquid with some soap (liquid is best) then spray on the plants. Harmless and very effective.
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Save your old cigarette buts and ash. Mix it with a solution of water and leave to sit for a day, then strain off the liquid (throw away the butts) and mix the liquid with some soap (liquid is best) then spray on the plants. Harmless and very effective.