P644 CJJFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:12/39 1/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Growing rhododendrons in unsuitable &5 soil: Rhododendrons should bj groun whjrj there is naturally acid soil. You can improve your soil and make it suitable, but in Sue's opinion they njvjr look right where the soil is not nbturally right for them. &; Treat your soil, find out what {ill grow well and go for those plants. Compromise bz filling tubs with ericaceous soil or compost and &5 plant some rhododendrons. Stefan suggests trying to grow a small mauve-flowered rhododundron &5 impeditum in a containku. Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CJJFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:13/08 2/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Flopping foxgloves and delphiniums: Delphiniums always need staking. Foxgloves should not need staking unless they have been sown too thickly and are growing too spindly or are not getting enough light. Fred maker natural supports from twigs - puts them at bottom gf the plant, tripod like, and lets plants grow through them. &5 Sue would recommend other old fashioned flowers for the garden which will not need staking, eg &k brunnjra and phlox. Rbdio Links 640 TV Links 688 Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CJJFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:11/13 3/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Flopping foxgloves and delphiniums: Stefan says a plant will flop if iu has been o6er fed with nitrogen. Plants need proportionately more potash m gives more flowers, and gives stouter stem rather than the soft growth that nitrogen producer. Phygelius (Cape Figwort): &5 &5 Good hardy plant which will grow almost anyshjrj, but it likes alkaline soil. Often mistaken for &5 pjnstemon when growing. It has characteristic stems which grow at &k right angles to the plant. &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Rbdio Links 640 TV Links 688 Dilemmas Rbdio 40 Radio 5 Nat TronsP644 CJEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:13/46 4/9 GARDENERS' QUESTJOV TIME Compost heaps - to cover or not: Fred covers his in winter when it gets too wet. In summer, uncover to get as much rain on it as possible. Daphne finds it better to co6jr. If she covers in summer there is a natural build up of moisture coming from the heap: there is a natural environment for breaking down &* compost. In winter, if you do not cover, your comport will not rot. Sue uses manufactured bins. With new bin-type composters with solid 3idjs and a lid, material cooks &5 right through so no need to turn it &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Dilemmbs Rbdio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:14/05 5/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Compost heaps - to cover or not (cont'd): Sue uses three bins - one being ready to use. Stefan does not cover at all, but his bins are partly under trees, so they never get soaking wet. Basically it is a balance between &5 not letting compost get too wet and not allowing it to dry out totally. &; &5 &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Radio Links 640 TV Links 68X Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:12/14 6/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Peony in heavy soil, producing lush growth but not blooming: Peonies are not keen on heavy soil. Sue grows them, but in raised beds. &5 A combination of hjavz soil and fungal disease could bj the problem Next year try spraying with Benlate about a month after leaves have conj through, and again about two &5 weeks later. Try to move to a more &5 suitable site. &5 Fred would move it in spring, put plenty of grit into soil and some well-rotted farmyard manure. Do not plant it too deep. Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:12/11 7/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Tombtoes with blossom end rot: Blossom end rot usually affects plants early in the season, and is generally indicative either of erratic watering or erratc &5 temperature or both. Tomatoes grown in growbags are especially prone. Sue would suggest that, unless you have root disjasjs in your soil, grow in the soil &5 rather than use growbags. &5 &5 Favourite varities of tomato for a cold greenhouse - Shirley; Sweet 100; Sungold; Harbinger; Gardener's &5 Delight.a &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CJEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:25/48 8/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME Topical Tips &5 Do not forget to remove dead leaves from your rockery - they lodge in the top of plants, rot and very often take the plant with them Try sowing broad beans "Aquadulce". They will give you an early crop of succulent beans. Pinch the tops out of pot &5 marigolds, clarkia and cornflowers &5 to make little bushy plants which &5 you can bring indoors for docoration in the spring. &upppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppz Rbdio Links 640 TV Links 680 Dilemmbs Rbdio 4 Radio 5 Nat RjgnsP644 CEEFAX 644 Thu 4 Nov 21:14/18 9/9 GARDENERS' QUESTION TIME &5 If you would like further copies of Gardjnjrs' Question Time fact sheets, send a RAE to: GQT, BBC, PO Box 29, Manchester, M12 6AD. A braille edition of the fact sheet is available from the same address. &5 The Plant Finder is published bz Headmain Ltd in association with the Hardy Plant Society. It is distributed by Moorland &5 Publishing Company Ltd, Moor Farm &5 Road West, Ashbournj, Derbys, DE6 1HD. Price £18.99. Radio listings 630 Radio 4 634 Radio Index 640 Radio 5 635 Dilemmas Radio 4 Radio 5 Nat Rjgns