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101 questions!
MaxiiLS
Posts: 19
Hey,
I have quite a few questions so I thought Id put them all in one thread - feel free to drop advice in on any of the items-I need as much help as I can get!
Gladiolus murielae - peacock Orchid - Do I lift these? If so what do I do with them etc....I have lifted some and put them into a pot of earth - they has started to produce baby bulbs.Hydrangea arborescens - incrediball - I bought these and one has put on a lot of growth - do I/should I cut it back to form a tighter plant or let it grow as is? Rollover image for an enlarged view Buddleja Buzz - Again should I be thinking of pruning these back I have year 1 and year 2 plants. I have 2 very over grown forcythia and red robin bushes which are starting to break away at the middle - How best do I prune these back and when do I do it ? I have an apple tree that died back early in the season - it has recovered most of its leaves (2nd year its done this) but some branches are still bare - do I just cut off the affected branches ? Tree didnt fruit this year and apart from one small patch of white mould on the tree it does not seem to be infected with a desease? I think I have a willow style bush - it grows catkins in spring but has a very round medium leaf - I had to but it right down
as it grew in from of green house - but it has grown back a huge amount of 7 foot shoots (even after being trimed back again earlier this year) - I need it to stop growing but I have pets and wildlife so need a non-poison solution please. My mum's red leafed ceriece pink late cherry style blossom tree put on a lot of long shoots last year - shot up about4 foot. This year is hardly had a leaf on it - should I be cutting it back? How best to go about this please? Fig bush - each year it fruits then does a second flush of half rip fruit that never fully grow in time before winter sets in - they rot early in the year and a few new buds are reset which produce the main crop - problem is that the 'second/rot' crop is always larger than the main crop - do I remove the budding fruit now to promote an ealier fuller crop next year? Hopefully that will be enough to get me through til spring! Thanx in advance for posting replys - look forward to hearing from you 
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Posts
Lots of questions, doubt if I can answer all of them.
Forsythia, cut some old stems to ground level after flowering. But if they're breaking anyway you might as well take them off before the winter gales..
Apples, branches that are still bare are dead, cut them back to something live without leaving any long stumps that will die back.
Buddlejas respond well to cutting back in spring.
If you cut back the willow, drill and fill with Rootout (or similar) and cover with a black plastic bag, tied on, it should work and won't poison anything else.
I cut hydrangea arborescens back hard to a well placed bud in spring, (or I did before it died of drought last year).
I hope someone else can help you with the rest.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Forsythia cut out one third of the mature stems down to the ground. Leave ayear, then cut out another third. (Rejuvenating pruning) Remove any that are damaged (breaking) Don't just cut tops as forsythia flower on growth from previous year.
Cut bacl buddleiea to a growing point about 45cm from ground in spring.
Get rid of the willow.
what i do to my glads is just cut off the top growth when it goes brown.the hydrangea i leave becaus i like them as they they are,but it wont hurt if you want to tidy the plant up a bit
Cheers All !
Great advise - I feel more confident with the forsythia now! Like the remove a 1/3 idea as the plant defo looking tired although still flowers beautifully.
The buddleja's are only small - they are dwalf veriety - Im pretty sure they should be like the normal bush plants and withstand a haircut. But I will wait until spring, same with the hydranger - as its lost all its leaves so I wouldnt know where to cut.
Are the peacocks same as glads then? Cos I lost all my glads. I have put them in a smaller pot and intend to winter house them in compost but in the green house until spring and hope they are ok. I wasnt sure if the bulbs needed to be completely removed from the ground?
Thanx so much for all the advise so far - any more welcome!.
they are of the same family although they are more of an orchid but i just leave them in they multiply very quickly so you should get a great show,i actually bought mine from the 99p shop for 50 bulbs a great bargain happy gardening.