Quick Qu estions
What are the leafy growths on the stems of my orchids? Pat Fox, by email
Sometimes small plantlets known as keiki appear from the nodes on the flower stems of orchids. Detach them when they’ve developed several good roots and pot them up in standard orchid compost. Water sparingly at first, but spray the leaves with a fine mist until the roots become established and the plants have had a chance to become accustomed to their new environment.
Will Armillatox fix my honey fungus problem? Mrs E M Richards, Bognor Regis, West Sussex
Armillatox now only has approval as a cleaning agent. Any product applied as a pesticide (insecticide, fungicide or herbicide) has to have gone through a program of testing and approval to ensure it’s safe and appropriate for purpose. Lots of substances could control honey fungus, but they would also destroy beneficial fungi essential to good soil health.
Can I move hydrangeas at this time of year? Val Crawford, Aberystwyth
Now is ideal, particularly for young shrubs. You can prune them back a bit first, removing some of the oldest and low-growing branches, but don’t hard prune. Moving well-established, older shrubs presents more of a risk, and hard pruning stresses the shrubs even more. Some older stems can be removed next spring.
What’s a family fruit tree? Joy Peacock, by email
These have three different cultivars or varieties grafted on to a single trunk. It enables good cross pollination from apple varieties which flower at the same time without taking up any more space in the garden than a single tree. However, one or two of the more vigorous varieties usually take over.