Quick Qu estions
What do I do with suckers around the base of my tree fern?
Linda Brandon, by email It’s not unusual for tree ferns to produce suckers round the base. These can either be left or separated from the parent plant, once they’ve a reasonable amount of root, and transplanted. Small ferns can also grow on the trunks of tree ferns where spores have landed. It’s usually impractical to remove these.
Are my red rose shoots normal?
Sandra Short, Barnsley New shoots are a bright red on many roses. This is quite normal. As they mature and are exposed to more light, chlorophyll will form, masking red pigments and turning the shoots green.
How do I deal with selfseeded aquilegia?
Pam Brown, Beeston, No ingham Self-seeded aquilegias in the garden are easy enough to pull out by hand. With your gravel-covered weed membrane, however, this is very difficult if they root into the fabric. Spot treatment with a weedkiller is your best option. Use either contact weedkillers, which scorch off the weed foliage or a systemic weedkiller based on glyphosate.
Can I rectify my photinia’s bare branches?
Angela Selway, Taunton, Somerset Photinias often drop a lot of lower leaves over winter, especially if they’re si ing in wet soils or exposed to cold winds. New growth will generally be just at the branch tips, leaving sections of bare branches. To rectify this you need to prune now, cu ing back to a framework of branches. Response is usually good, but flowering will be lost for a couple of years or so.