大象传媒

Eric Robson chairs the panel programme from Anglesey. Toby Buckland, Bob Flowerdew and Anne Swithinbank take questions from a local audience.

Produced by Howard Shannon
Assistant Producer: Darby Dorras

A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

This week's questions and answers:

Q. What is the best way to keep a Venus Fly Trap alive in the absence of winter flies?

A. Keep it in a cool, well-ventilated, frost-free place - perhaps a windowsill. Only water it a little bit and don't feed it. Nip of the buds off in the winter and wait until spring to let it flower.

Q. After fruiting well, my strawberries are in full flower again. Should I cut these flowers off?

A. They will fruit and ripen with the help of a bit of warmth (perhaps move them into the greenhouse), but the plant will be using up the energy it would have reserved for next year's crop.

Q. I'm from Yorkshire, and yet I can't grow Rhubarb. What can I do?

A. Buy virus free clones, plant them in partial sun, partial shade. Don't plant it in waterlogged areas or over rock. Plant them somewhere they can put down deep roots and prepare the soil with manure. You could also try growing Rhubarb from seed - the 'Glaskin's Perpetual' variety works well from seed.

Q. Am I going to live to regret not removing the stubs of trees along a bank where I'm planting shrubs and perennials?

A. Leave the stubs in but pull out the suckers. The roots of the trees will help hold the bank together but put in plants with roots that will also help keep the bank together: Cotoniasters - Dameri or Periwinkle varieties.

Q. My mature Olive tree bears no fruit. What can I do?

A. There are specific varieties for northern climates but sticking to your existing tree, all you can do is encourage it with high-potash feed and prune it.

Q. My cabbages are splitting. How can I stop this?

A. Cabbages like good firm soil. Keep them well watered through dry spells.

Q. I live in a wet and windy village high above sea level. What perennials can I plant in my southwest facing clay-soil garden for some colour?

A. Cranesbills are great for colour. The 'Roseanne' variety flowers from May through to October. 'Azure Rush' also flowers for a really long season. 'Johnsons' Bloom', 'Magnificum' and 'Dusky Crug' are also great varieties. The 'Broadway Lights' variety of Shaster Daisy Leucanthemum would grow well, as would Phsostegia (Obedient Plant). Cloudberries and Salmonberries, the Strawberry- Potentilla cross 'Pink Panda', Wild Strawberries, Myrica Gale (Bog Mertyl) and Bilberries are other plants to try.

Q. What is wrong with my Plum tree? The leaves are brown and shrivelled, as are the fruits.

A. If the fruits are touching in a cluster, the fruits in the middle will rot and the rot will spread amongst the fruit. Thin the fruit clusters to avoid this happening and remove all the rotten plums now to reduce the chances of the infection spreading to next years' crop.

Q. What is the ideal gift for a gardener?

A. A good new pair of secateurs or jam from the garden's fruits and Chillies.

Show less