Quick QUESTIONS
What is the monster I’ve found in my garden?
Karen Mason, by email You say your creature was over 8cm long, 1cm in diameter, with two piercing black eyes, lines and dots on its back, no legs and was the colour of a frog. Perhaps you didn’t look closely enough because I think it would have legs tucked away somewhere, as you’re describing the magnificent caterpillar of the elephant hawk moth.
Will fallen acorns take root in my garden and lawn?
Paul Shaw, by email
I imagine that a few will germinate and I’m sure the local squirrels will bury some, but don’t worry, they won’t turn your garden into a forest. Your lawnmower will take care of those in the lawn and any odd ones in beds and borders can be pulled up fairly easily.
How can we clear an area of weeds ready for sowing a new lawn?
Nigel Lister, via Facebook Unfortunately, there is no longer a weedkiller that can be used among growing grass seedlings, but provided
you’ve dug out all perennial weeds beforehand, I wouldn’t worry too much about the annuals. Sow your new lawn in early April. If you sow fairly thickly, the grass should be able to compete with the weeds, and then, once you start to mow, annual weeds will die out completely.
After a long search, we found a hop plant to cover a drainpipe but will it re-grow next year?
Gillian Hanson, by email Yes, the ornamental hop is one of the relatively few vigorous and attractive herbaceous climbers. Cut it back to soil level now and it’ll grow again next season.