Quick Questions
Are there any lilies resistant to red lily beetle?
Mrs M Picke , Leeds The adults and larvae of the red lily beetle can do extensive damage to the foliage of lilies and fritillaries. The lily ‘Defender Pink’ is advertised as lily beetle tolerant. It’s an Oriental-type lily so needs neutral to acid soil but it can be grown in containers. The flowers are large, softly pink in colour and fragrant. It’s offered by a number of suppliers including Thompson & Morgan (tel: 0844 573 1818).
What is this fungus in my garden?
Mrs D Harrison, Coventry It appears to be Peziza
vesiculosa, which goes under a number of common names, including dung cup. As with most fungi we see it’s a saprophyte breaking down organic ma er to release the nutrients within for green plants to use. It’s common on manured ground or flower beds where lots of organic ma er has been dug in. In hot, dry weather it will simply wither away, but if unsightly, can be scraped off the soil surface with a spade.
How long will it take a wisteria to flower?
Mrs E Morgan, Norwich Wisterias may take between five and seven years to start flowering. Ensure they’re positioned on a sunny wall or fence. As with any young woody plant, most early effort goes in to establishing a good root system and strong shoot growth. The flowers are borne from a strong framework of main stems. It’s important to tie in young shoots to establish this framework. Prune back all the long side growth to about three or four buds in mid August.