Quick QUESTIONS
Will my olive survive?
Angela Roberts, by email
You transplanted your olive to a container but the leaves have dried and fallen off, although the stems are still green inside. Olives are pretty durable, but in my experience don’t like being moved and their roots disturbed. I think yours will be all right but wait until the start of July. If nothing has happened by then, I think you may have to give up on it.
Is there any way to get rid of the wild onions that are taking over my garden? Ken Reynolds, by Facebook This is a very invasive relative of the garden onion and there is no simple remedy. I think your best chance of success will be to spray the plants with a weedkiller containing glyphosate. You must choose a warm, dry day and be prepared to repeat the treatment several times. Do spray carefully as these are total weedkillers and will kill other plants, too.
Should I pinch out perennial sweet peas?
Liz Crafford, by email
You’ve germinated the seed successfully and the plants are about 20cm (4in) tall and you wonder if you should pinch out the tops. Yes, I always do this with any sweet peas, annual or perennial, well before planting them out. Choose a good, sunny, but ideally not too dry position with good soil; and keep them well watered.
Will chopped cocoa shell used as a mulch prevent my bulbs from ge ing through?
Clare White, by email
I don’t think you should be concerned if you use a layer about 5cm (2in) deep. Certainly all kinds of large bulbs should be fine, although some of the really tiny ones such as small types of crocus might struggle. But I should warn you that your garden will smell like drinking chocolate after it rains!