大象传媒

Eric Robson hosts the show from Myerscough College, Preston. Taking questions from an audience of horticultural students are Chris Beardshaw, Pippa Greenwood and Christine Walkden.

In 2013 an RHS survey revealed that 70% of eighteen-year-olds considered gardening as something to do if you couldn't find anything else. A year on, the GQT Team have gone to meet young students and career changers who say that horticulture is thriving and a job to be proud of.

Produced by Howard Shannon.
Assistant Producer: Darby Dorras.
A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

This week's questions:

Q. How can I get rid of slugs from my potato crop?

A. Line the trench with grass or throw the slug pellets straight into the trench. There are lots of tricks such as using olbas oil, salt, tea bags or grit. Improve your drainage and make sure that the pH is right for the crop. Also try planting resistant varieties. Talk to your local growers and find out which crops prosper in your area.

Q. Is moss on the surface of the soil an indication of infertility as well as a sign of damp? How can I keep it at bay?

A. There are numerous species prospering in many different soil types. Therefore this isn't necessarily an indication of infertility. Wait a while to remove it because you don't want to be disturbing the soil surface at this point in the year. Roughing up the surface of the soil, combined with improved weather conditions, should get rid of it later in the year. Whilst it can be a problem, we must not forget that these sorts of plants actually create our soil by breaking down the rock, so make sure you don't completely eradicate it from your garden.

Q. Could the panel offer some tips for setting up a polytunnel?

A. Build raised beds in the polytunnel and line them with timber. This will provide you with room to build up a good soil. Do it early enough in the season to allow the soil to warm. Studies suggest that if you have a polythene tunnel closed at both ends you can increase your cropping by one month at either end of the season. Be warned that warm and moist conditions will attract pests. You need a good amount of ventilation once the season gets going and a good variation of small crop patches so that you are less likely to get a build up of any one pest.

Q. Has the panel ever left a sucker on a rose? I have left an attractive flowering sucker on a Falstaff Rose. Do you think that the plant will cope if I feed it well?

A. It is tempting to leave suckers on plants because they always appear promising. However, the rootstock should be the engine of the plant. The sucker will take over and the main plant will suffer. When pruning a sucker, do not use secateurs because you will leave the bud behind. This will in turn throw up two new suckers and so on. Instead, excavate all the soil away from the plant and grasp the sucker, pulling away from its direction of growth. You will remove the heel that includes the bud.

Q. My Hybrid Hellebore are stunted and have black veins. I have looked up the systems and it appears to be a Hellebore disease called The Black Death. Is there anything I can do to save the plants?

A. There is still a level of disagreement about what causes it. It is thought to be a viral problem, but there are also suggestions that it may involve a bacterial element. The best solution is to get rid of the infected plants and introduce fresh stock on a new site. Be very careful about where you source your new plants from so that you don't risk reinfecting the site. Perhaps try a Hellebore specialist. A lot of disease can be spread by greenfly and it is surprising how early on they appear and can last late into the season. It is important to check the leaves for aphids and remove them.

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