ONLINE CHAT

Leah asked for help identifying this plant, that she’d been told was a ‘moonflower’ but our Facebook followers were divided about it.

Our Plant Doctor Andrew Maloy diagnosed it as probably the quite similar looking Datura innoxia. A plant with a lovely scent at night, hence the moonflower name, but like most daturas it is toxic with hallucinogenic properties if consumed. Monica Bruger-ranson warned it might be on local ban lists. We recommend staying safe by instead planting another moonflower Ipomoea alba, a species of night-blooming morning glory.

We asked our Facebook friends ‘Who’s tried gold raspberries?’ after Gillian Vine rated them one of the best fast fruits last issue:

They’re amazing!! We’ve got a gold raspberry (unsure of exact variety) and it starts fruiting well before my red raspberries and keeps fruiting well after. They’re so sweet! Jewel Mathieson

I grew them this year. They are delicious straight from the plant, even our doodle likes to steal them when he thinks we aren’t watching. They are prolific fruiting and the birds havent touched them. They make delicious jam too. Liz Mather

And found many of you plant marigolds among your veges to attract bees:

When they finish flowering, don’t pull them out and let the seeds scatter. That way you have free marigold plants in next year’s garden. I had heaps of selfseeded plants this year. I dug some out and planted them in other parts of the garden too. Judith Smith-van Tuel

Not only do they add great summer colour to my vegetable beds but they help keep bugs away. Jill Ellison

Always plant them round the glasshouse door to bring the bees in. Kylie Thompson