[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

WATFORD zero said:

You wouldn't be suggesting to Jack that size is everything ?

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Jack Straw said:

I would look no further than a Mountain Ash (Rowan) - Sorbus aucuparia. Doesn't grow too big, has nice shaped leaves, white flowers in spring, red berries in late summer and autumn and lovely autumn colour. There are loads of Sorbus, so make sure you get an "aucuparia" and not a named variety. It's a British native, so that's another plus. It is a "small" tree, but can grow to fifteen metres. I've never seen one anywhere near that size. If it gets too big, it can be gently pruned, but you probably won't need to.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/rowan/

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Weststander said:

Hi.

Funnily enough, just 5 metres away is a Rowan. BHCC must’ve planted them on our verge 25 years back. The trunk is vertical, unaffected by the south-westerlies without staking.

My reservation was that according to the RHS they grow too tall for our site.

Any thoughts on that, please?

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Weststander said:

Hi.

Funnily enough, just 5 metres away is a Rowan. BHCC must’ve planted them on our verge 25 years back. The trunk is vertical, unaffected by the south-westerlies without staking.

My reservation was that according to the RHS they grow too tall for our site.

Any thoughts on that, please?

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jevs said:

Have you thought about a weeping tree? Pear, Flowering cherry, Judas tree, https://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/weeping-trees-for-small-gardens-c194

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Moshe Gariani said:

All the leaves off my sprouts have been eaten during the past couple of weeks?

Will they die now?

If not, how can I stop it happening again?

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Jack Straw said:

I'm in the middle of an event. My Albizia is flowering!

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Green Cross Code Man said:

Only just seen that picture. Stunning! I love Albizia but seem rather too good at killing them. They have such an elegant habit and resemble acacia which in my book is a big positive.

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Jack Straw said:

As you've not had an answer yet and I'm not good on veg, I'll ask a gardening friend and see if he knows and get back. Any photos?

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Jack Straw said:

It was much better than the photo two days ago. It was like a huge candy-floss. Now, after the storm, there's not a flower on it! Oh the joys of gardening!!

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Moshe Gariani said:

Thanks Jack. I got a bit of an answer from my Mum who is an experienced gardener...

White butterflies apparently and she also spotted their eggs on the underside of some remaining leaves.

Do these pests go away now? There is some new green leafy growth at the centre of the plant so hopefully that is a good sign.

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Green Cross Code Man said:

Tell me about it. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with Musas!

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Jack Straw said:

I bet their leaves are like cats of nine-tails after the wind?

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Green Cross Code Man said:

Sadly. This year has been the worst I've known for completely broken leaves as well, broken at the leaf base. At least with the cat o nine tails look, they appear Jamaican or something.

Lower Musas are protected somewhat, whilst the taller parts are wrecked, that's up to about 15 feet.

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Jack Straw said:

Those top leaves really have been hammered. I notice in the first photo a fruit of the Tennisballitum fluffianus aurea?

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Jack Straw said:

To back your Mum up, here is my friend's reply;

"They have been eaten by the caterpillars of Large White, (yellow and white) or Small White Butterflies, (green). They will recover, although it will help if you remove the caterpillars. The plant will be weakened, but will give you some sprouts."

That would have been my guess too, but I thought I'd ask someone who grows sprouts in case there could have been another culprit.

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