大象传媒

Eric Robson hosts the horticultural panel programme from North Wales. Toby Buckland, Bob Flowerdew and Anne Swithinbank take questions from the audience.

Produced by Howard Shannon
Assistant Producer: Claire Crofton
A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4

This week's questions and answers:

Q Can you tell me what it the secret of success with Florence Fennel? Ours looked spectacular but the stem has not swollen.

A. Florence Fennel is difficult to grow - requiring warmth and rich soil that never dries out. Taking off the older leaves can encourage swelling at the base, keep the plant warm, well watered and well fed. However, you can still use the stems for flavouring. Sow the plant after the longest day of the year so that it produces the bulb at the base. Use a mulch of newspaper sheets to keep it warm.

Q. Can you cut back Phormiums? What is the best way to do this? How should I feed the plants?

A. Toby suggests using secateurs. Anne suggests digging up the clump and separating it out to reduce the size. If you would like a less vigorous species, try the 'Alison Blackman' variety. Don't feed the plants as growth is vigorous enough. They require a lot of watering though.

Q. Why do my Courgette plants produce loads of male flowers, very few female flowers and thus very few courgettes?

A. The plants tend to produce lots of male flowers at the beginning of the season and then later on female flowers and fruits - so if the plants are somewhere cool, you're less likely to get fruit. Likewise, if the plants are too hot or too dry, you'll only get male flowers. Mulching could help to keep the moisture in. It's important to sacrifice the first fruits for a bigger crop.

Q. I'm having trouble growing plants in my rockery. I've heard that ferns can poison other plants - could this be the problem?

A. Bob isn't sure it's true that ferns can poison other plants but ferns tend to thrive in places that other plants don't. The problem might be more to do with the lack of soil in your rockery. You might be better trying to grow alpines in the little niches in the rocks. Alternatively, you could dismantle the rockery, kill off the ferns, improve the soil and reassemble the rocks so that plants have enough room to put their roots down below ground level.

Q. This year my lettuce sowings went straight to seed despite regular thinning.

A. They flower when they are stressed - drought and heat can cause stress. Iceberg Lettuce is a good variety to grow in hot summers where heat and drought are likely. In future, plant thinner and thin out in the early stages of growth and water regularly to prevent this from happening.

Q. None of my Camellias grown from seed have flowered - what can I do to encourage flowering?

A. The plants flower well in the warmth. Some plants take a long time to flower.

Q. I've fallen in love with many different plant families, what plant families have the panel fallen for and are they still together?

A. Anne loves Irises, particularly bearded Irises - one called 'Celebration Song' is particularly lovely. She also loves Asclepiads, the Hoyas, Stephanotis and the Stapeliads. Toby loves the Labias and the Indian Bean Tree for its Latin name - Bignoniodes. Bob loves the Rosaceae family.

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