大象传媒

Eric Robson hosts the horticultural panel programme from Sparsholt College in Hampshire. On this week's panel are Chris Beardshaw, Anne Swithinbank, Christine Walkden and Matthew Wilson.

Produced by Howard Shannon.
Assistant producer: Darby Dorras.

A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

Q. I will be on holiday for the next six months and would like some advice on preparing the garden to survive whilst I am away.
A. Anne: Make sure you do the normal winter tidy-up and trim the edges of the lawn. Cut back any heavy shrubs from the base of the plant, taking back any straggling shoots.
Christine: The main thing is to weed and mulch.
Chris: Now is the time for early planting of spring flowering bulbs.

Q. Is it true that a garlic-based solution will stop slugs from breeding?
A. Matthew: The national collection holder of Hosta has thousands of unmarked plants and his secret is to put down one slug pellet per square metre in early February. He places them in hiding places rather than next to the plants. He then uses the garlic spray every ten days, or more frequently if the weather is wet.

Q. I grow large amounts of Basil in the greenhouse. Many of the stems have gone brown and hard, and the leaves have started to drop off. What can I do to prevent this happening in the future?
A. Christine: This could be a case of wilt disease. I would favour soil-based compost because they have a better nutrient content and retain water more easily. An interrupted flow of water to the plant can cause dehydration. Try to regulate the watering.
Chris: Check the proximity of the plants and make sure you have plenty of air flow. If they are congested, you will be creating an environment which will allow disease to take hold. Water from below rather than above and reduce the amount of moisture falling onto the foliage. Add a fine sand mulch to the surface of the soil.

Q. How can I get the flowers at the top of a Yucca plant to open before the bottom blooms have died?
A. Chris: Unfortunately there is nothing you can do and it has been the perfect summer for the Yucca. They are programmed to flower in a deliberate sequence and it is hormonally triggered. It is an evolutionary process designed to extend the insect pollination period.

Q. Do beech tree leaves inhibit the growth of plants? If so, could the panel suggest some shrubs that would flourish under the canopy of large beech trees?
A. Christine: This is a process called allelopathy. However, the dry conditions beneath the tree are an even bigger issue. In the early spring you could look at bulbs such as Cyclamen. Improve the soil and make sure you water continually.
Anne: A lot of the Euonymus plants would cope well in dry, shady conditions, such as the Spindle with its lovely berries. Christmas Box would also do well on such as site.

Q. Will my forty-year-old monkey puzzle be effectively bonsaied after always being kept in a pot or will it grow now that it has been planted out?
A. Matthew: There is no reason why it shouldn't do well. You will need some proper soil preparation and there may be some root girdling.
Christine: You will have very few young and vigorous roots. You could try root pruning, by taking away about two thirds. Make sure it is well watered.

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