P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:12/57 1/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME How and when to split variegated phormiums: Split in middle of March. They have a very woody root system with a lot of roots coming out from bottom. Some of the smaller ones can bj pulled apart manually. $hj big phormium tenax, which grow to about 7', are much hardier and can be divided at this time of year &k with a axe. &5 Fred recommends John Innjs No 2 with some other peat-based compost added. Use a well-drained open &k compost, maybe add a bit of grit. Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:15/04 2/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Features and plants to interest small children: Bob would suggest a bramble called Uapanjsj Winjbjrry - not very &5 thorny, it has bristly, russet- coloured stems and a lime-coloured leaf. The berries are like miniature blackberries - very sweet Claytonia - "Miner's luttuce" which &5 grows through the winter. Flowers conj in the middle of the leaf. &5 Daphne think herbs are a good way of introducing children to plants. she would also encourage them to start a compost heap or womjry. &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEJFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:17/21 3/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME &5 Failure of Denothjra Spjciosa after transplantation: Evening Primrose "Pink Petticoats" is a mauvjy-pink with a pale centre and flowers longer than its yellow counterparts. Doer not like light soil, but thrives in heavy soil. Late colour for the garden: Daphne: Ceanothus 'Glorii de &5 Versbilles' - flowers until the &5 frost; caryopteris - attracts butterflies; pjrovskia 'Blue Spire' - a blue shrub; michaelmas daisies. &5 Fred: hardy geraniums; rudbeckia &k echinacea. Bob: fuchsias. &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:10/08 4/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME &5 Vegetables and flowers for a dry &5 climate: Bob advises concentrating on fruit and perennials - grapes, peaches (spray with copper sulphate and lime in Feb). Make sure there is plenty of humus in the soil. Daphne says grow most things providing you adapt your growing &5 conditions. She would mulch very &5 heavily twice a year to 2" and &5 would not grow anything that needs vast quantities of water - eg artificial bog garden. Fred would &k grow climbing French beans, &k shallots, garlic, root vegetables. Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:18/17 5/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Organic removal of weeds from lawns Raise the height on your mower - grass likes to have long blades because then it has deeper roots. &5 Also, grass nearly always builds up an acid layer, so farmers lime grassland every four years. Liming should remove most of the weeds. If there is a problem with clover, &5 Bob would suggest sowing clover &k everywhere - the grass is greener &k and much lusher! &k Radio Links 640 TV Links 680 Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:94/12 6/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Topical Tips: Fred would buy a punnet of winter-flowering pansies, pot them up into 5" pots and they will flower right through winter if you put them in a cool room. Daphne is going to firm in her brassicas and stake her Brussels sprouts individually. Bob will bj doing his last hoeing, and suggests sharpening &5 your tools for improved performance &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Rbdio Links 640 TV Links 680 Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5P644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 7 Oct 21:12/24 7/7 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME If you would like further copies of Gardjnjrs' Question Time fact sheets, send a RAE to: GQT, BBC, P Box 29, Manchester, M12 6AD. A braille edition of the fact sheet is available from the same address. Gardjnjrs' Question Time will bj taking part in the Radio on Show festival in Norwich. &; A programmj will be recorded at the Maddjrmarkjt Theatre on Thursday 14 October. Complimentary tickets are available from: Festival Box Office &5 $hj Guildhall, Gaol Hill, Norwich. Radio Index 640 Radio 5 635 Tickets Radio 3 Radio 4 Radio 5