Gardening

ASK MONTY

Q

Some years the fruits of our Victoria plum tree contain a small pinkish/beige maggot. I’ve treated the tree with insecticide but the maggots keep returning. Have you any advice, please?

A

You’re describing the newly hatched caterpillars of the plum moth, which tunnel into the fruits in midsummer and feed until fully grown in late summer, when they emerge. Hang pheromone traps on the tree in early May to catch male moths, reducing the chances of mating, or in early autumn use a spray containing nemetodes, which will eat the caterpillars.

Q

My pineapple lilies, which are in a large tub, have not flowered for two years. What should I do?

A

Pineapple lilies like to be kept bone dry and cool but frostfree in winter and quite wet and warm in summer. It sounds like yours have been too wet in winter and not wet enough in summer. Lift them from the tub, pot them up and put them in a cool place indoors in October. Start to water again in April and plant out in May, giving them a good soak and a feed every week.

Q

The garden of my new house is covered with lesser celandine. If I dig it up and then spray with weedkiller will it damage the other plants?

A

Yes! Instead, either carefully dig out all the lesser celandine, or cover it with black polythene for a year to kill it off.