[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

Jack Straw · Apr 20, 2020

Seagull over Canaryland said:
Some advice is required from NSC's finest horticultural experts:

I have a large patio pot containing an attractive Heuchera which survived the winter ok, however it is now wilting. On closer inspection the roots appear to be under attack from little white crescent-shaped grubs, approx. 1cm long.

I fear these may be Vine Weevils, so I've manually removed as many as possible and then applied a drench of 'Provado'. However the little blighters keep coming back. The Heuchera is putting up a plucky defence but doesn't look that great. I'm reluctant to retire it completely and so would like to pot it on.

I plan to re-use the original pot for some Sweet Peas. Is it safe to do so?

I reckon you're spot-on with your ID. Here's all the info you need. It mentions Heucheras as a favourite for Vine Weevil larvae.
https://gardening.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/214012605-Vine-weevil
If it was me, I would get rid of the Heuchera and put in its place a Phormium (New Zealand Flax) https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=P...WHYMAKHd8lB90Q_AUoAXoECBgQAw&biw=1024&bih=488 of your choice. There's no better bullet-proof, virtually maintenance free evergreen for a pot than this. There's some lovely colours to choose from. They're not overly expensive and will almost live for ever, never get out of hand and always look nice. A pot a quarter of the height of the ultimate height of the plant works well with single specimen plants.
If it must be Sweet Peas, get rid of the soil, thoroughly wash out and disinfect the pot, buy some new potting-compost and see what happens. They of course will need support. That's canes or obelisk, not us lot singing encouragement at them, although Prince Charles reckons he's had success with that option!

Seagull over Canaryland · Apr 20, 2020

Many thanks Jack

I've 'retired' the plucky Heuchera (it had 'parked the bus', put up a steady defence, only to concede in injury time...). I will get rid of the residual soil etc.

I already have an obelisk ready for the Sweet Peas. However, I also have another vacant pot that would suit a Phormium and provide some contrasting structure / colour. Great suggestion, many thanks again!

Coldeanseagull · Apr 20, 2020

One thing on the phormium. Make sure it's a cookianum variety and not a tenax. Tenax get hoooge! Cookianum hybrids are smaller, with a better range
I've spent many a happy hour, sifting through pots picking out the little white grubs with brown heads....that's how I discovered provado gets rid of lily beetle as well as vine weevil

Seagull over Canaryland · Apr 20, 2020

Coldeanseagull said:
One thing on the phormium. Make sure it's a cookianum variety and not a tenax. Tenax get hoooge! Cookianum hybrids are smaller, with a better range
I've spent many a happy hour, sifting through pots picking out the little white grubs with brown heads....that's how I discovered provado gets rid of lily beetle as well as vine weevil

Cheers. I have a compact Phormium in mind.

Jack Straw · Apr 20, 2020

Coldeanseagull said:
One thing on the phormium. Make sure it's a cookianum variety and not a tenax. Tenax get hoooge! Cookianum hybrids are smaller, with a better range

Absolutely. As a rule of thumb, cookianum have droopy leaves whilst tenax have stiffer more upright leaves and do grow taller. I prefer the cookianum varieties for tubs. They look much better with the leaves hanging down hiding the top of the pot. My friend has got a Pink Panther and a Jester each in its own largish ornamental clay pot. They look superb. The Pink Panther has been in the same pot, undisturbed for twenty years or more. Just a bit of water now and then and the occasional removal of a dead leaf.

Petunia · Apr 23, 2020

[MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION]

I believe this is some kind of cordyline but I’m not sure which variety. Can you or anyone else help please :smile:

Jack Straw · Apr 23, 2020

Petunia said:
[MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION]

I believe this is some kind of cordyline but I’m not sure which variety. Can you or anyone else help please

View attachment 122656 View attachment 122657

You say your location is "Down under". Would that mean you're not in the UK or your current mental state due to the lockdown?!
If it's the former, it could be any number of species. The main one here is "australis" the common total green one and varieties thereof. There are pink, purple and yellow ones. The species "indivisa" can be seen growing in some Cornish gardens and with climate change, we'll be able to grow them further east along the south coast too.
The photos of the one you've shown has unusual darker new leaves which leads me to believe you're not local. I'm going to look a 'nana when you say you live in Brighton! It does look like a Cordyline though, that's been regularly cut in to a ball every now and then?
I look forwards to hearing if I've got anything right!

Petunia · Apr 23, 2020

Hi Jack. Yes, I am physically Downunder and been here 3 years now :smile:

I had the regular australis variety in the UK but I’m not too sure what this one is. Once we are allowed out and about a bit more it will have to be a trip around some of the garden centres. I’m sure I’ll find it, I’ll let you know :thumbsup:

Jack Straw · Apr 23, 2020

Petunia said:
Hi Jack. Yes, I am physically Downunder and been here 3 years now

I had the regular australis variety in the UK but I’m not too sure what this one is. Once we are allowed out and about a bit more it will have to be a trip around some of the garden centres. I’m sure I’ll find it, I’ll let you know

Yes, it didn't look familiar to me at all, then I saw your location and put two and two together. I'm well up on plants in the UK, but the other side of the world is a completely different ball-game. The Australian plants we can get away with only grow to half the size as they do where you are, plus all the things we've never heard of or seen here which makes IDs of plants from abroad much trickier. I look forwards to you letting us know what you think it might be when you're up and running over there again.

Super Steve Earle · Apr 23, 2020

Looks like I finally have to give up on grass in my back garden. It's a small L- shape but the leather jackets have circumvented the nematodes and wreaked havoc. The side with the wall and shrubs has a 12" wide line of mud instead of grass. The rest is now a patchwork of sparse grass, mud, couch grass weeds, moss and beak holes from birds looking for leathers. Green Thumb and another company don't think it's retrievable. So three options: dig it up and return or reseed; dig it up and lay artificial grass; dig it up and lay decorative stones and create an ornamental garden. All very expensive - what to do, hmmm.

WATFORD zero · Apr 23, 2020

Super Steve Earle said:
Looks like I finally have to give up on grass in my back garden. It's a small L- shape but the leather jackets have circumvented the nematodes and wreaked havoc. The side with the wall and shrubs has a 12" wide line of mud instead of grass. The rest is now a patchwork of sparse grass, mud, couch grass weeds, moss and beak holes from birds looking for leathers. Green Thumb and another company don't think it's retrievable. So three options: dig it up and return or reseed; dig it up and lay artificial grass; dig it up and lay decorative stones and create an ornamental garden. All very expensive - what to do, hmmm.

Does the lawn get any sun at all ?

Because, if it does, I would think that digging it up, treating it and seeding it (with the right seed mix for the habitat) would be the way ahead. I suspect it would also be the cheapest of the three options.

I think there are people better qualified than me on here to advise, but I'm willing to bet that whatever the answer is, it includes 'watering it like buggery' :wink:

Jack Straw · Apr 23, 2020

WATFORD zero said:
Does the lawn get any sun at all ?

I think there are people better qualified than me on here to advise, but I'm willing to bet that whatever the answer is, it includes 'watering it like buggery'

Anybody who has planted anything this year should at this very moment be WATERING LIKE BUGGERY! It's getting like a desert out there. Otherwise, prepare for the worst.

Coldeanseagull · Apr 23, 2020

Petunia said:
[MENTION=259]Jack Straw[/MENTION]

I believe this is some kind of cordyline but I’m not sure which variety. Can you or anyone else help please

View attachment 122656 View attachment 122657

It doesn't look like an c. australis hybrid, maybe some sort of c. fruticosa or even might be a dracaena...more pictures required

Coldeanseagull · Apr 23, 2020

Jack Straw said:
Anybody who has planted anything this year should at this very moment be WATERING LIKE BUGGERY! It's getting like a desert out there. Otherwise, prepare for the worst.

My newly planted opuntia leaf is disagreeing with you!

Coldeanseagull · Apr 23, 2020

Super Steve Earle said:
Looks like I finally have to give up on grass in my back garden. It's a small L- shape but the leather jackets have circumvented the nematodes and wreaked havoc. The side with the wall and shrubs has a 12" wide line of mud instead of grass. The rest is now a patchwork of sparse grass, mud, couch grass weeds, moss and beak holes from birds looking for leathers. Green Thumb and another company don't think it's retrievable. So three options: dig it up and return or reseed; dig it up and lay artificial grass; dig it up and lay decorative stones and create an ornamental garden. All very expensive - what to do, hmmm.

Is it a damp area, or dry? This will determine how much work and money we can suggest you invest in it

vegster · Apr 23, 2020

Jack Straw said:
Anybody who has planted anything this year should at this very moment be WATERING LIKE BUGGERY! It's getting like a desert out there. Otherwise, prepare for the worst.

Been doing lots of work up my allotment plot in Worthing the last month and the ground is surprisingly damp underneath.

Weststander · Apr 23, 2020

vegster said:
Been doing lots of work up my allotment plot in Worthing the last month and the ground is surprisingly damp underneath.

Are you luckily not on chalk?

Despite 7 months of record breaking rain, our chalky soil completely dried out a month ago.

Stat Brother · Apr 23, 2020

My cactus collection really isn't happy about the advise I'm getting.

Dolph Ins · Apr 23, 2020

Super Steve Earle said:
Looks like I finally have to give up on grass in my back garden. It's a small L- shape but the leather jackets have circumvented the nematodes and wreaked havoc. The side with the wall and shrubs has a 12" wide line of mud instead of grass. The rest is now a patchwork of sparse grass, mud, couch grass weeds, moss and beak holes from birds looking for leathers. Green Thumb and another company don't think it's retrievable. So three options: dig it up and return or reseed; dig it up and lay artificial grass; dig it up and lay decorative stones and create an ornamental garden. All very expensive - what to do, hmmm.

OK so you have put down nematodes for the leather jackets (hope you did it when soil was warm enough) and you still have a problem. I would set your mower for one of it's higher settings, and let your lawn recover a bit. Cutting lawns to a very low setting is very stressful for them and needs continual (unnatural) help. Let your lawn recover, maybe give it some seaweed extract ( but certainly no pure nitrogen), maybe some water if you are on chalk and enjoy the birds looking for leatherjackets.

vegster · Apr 23, 2020

Weststander said:
Are you luckily not on chalk?

Despite 7 months of record breaking rain, our chalky soil completely dried out a month ago.

Well it's not that chalky, its an allotment site that has been there for quite a long time. It's reasonable loam and I have never been able to dig deep enough to hit bedrock !

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