YOUASK...
The Japanese aralia is an elegant evergreen shrub with eye catching foliage. Its lush palmate leaves lend it a subtropical appearance, so it is very useful if you like exotic looking planting schemes.
Good in sun or partial shade in most types of soil that are well drained. At this time of year there is the added bonus of its unusual panicles of creamy flowers that form globes at the end of the stems.
These will remain on the plant for most of November before developing into black berries. Hi Diarmuid Can you help me with a lawn problem? I have quite a few patches of couch grass.
I’ve tried most brands of feed and weed, I’ve tried cutting it four different ways, I’ve even tried cutting it, then going around and cutting it again with a small hand-held bush cutter (the one for box edging).
Scarifying doesn’t have an effect on it either. I would appreciate your advice on it. Kind regards
Malcolm Rushton, via email Couch grass (Elymus repens) is a bit of a nightmare weed to get rid of.
It’s similar to bindweed, with its fleshy white underground stems known as rhizomes spreading rapidly.
The challenge is to dig out these rhizomes as even a small piece left in the soil can rapidly regenerate into a new colony.
It’s bad enough in a border where it quickly gets entangled with other plants.
In the case of a lawn, you can try digging up the weed in situ or completely lift the turf and dig out the whole area, making sure the soil is completely clean before returfing it.
Diarmuid