Amateur Gardening – 20 July 2019

36 AMATEUR GARDENING 20 JULY 2019

Ask John Negus

John has been answering

reader queries for 49 years

Q

I am clearing out a bed and moving

an old buddleja. When should I

take cuttings in case it doesn’t survive?

Sheila Mills, via email

A

The best way to propagate your

buddleja is to take 9in (23cm)

hardwood cuttings in October or

November. Select the middle of a well-

ripened current-year shoot and cut just

below a leaf joint at the bottom and just

above a joint at the top. Insert cuttings to

half their length and 9in (23cm) apart in a

How can I save my lovely old buddleja?

Tomato tragedy

Q

My tomatoes are slow growing,

hard-skinned and bitter. Why?

Ann Raven, via email

A

I am sorry your tomatoes have

tough skins and taste bitter. The

usual reason is inadequate and irregular

watering. Lack of sufficient water can

also have a detrimental effect upon

their flavour.

I suggest that you overcome this

problem by watering more frequently

and liquid-feeding your plants twice

weekly with a high-potash tomato

fertiliser, such as Tomorite.

Watering and

feeding gives

better

tomatoes

slit trench made with a spade and

cover the base of the trench with 1in

(2½cm) of sharp sand. If your soil is sandy

and drains freely you won’t need to line

the trench with sand. Your buddleja

cuttings should root well.

Push cuttings into the sand and

firm soil around them.

If frost loosens cuttings, re-firm them

when the soil is crumbly once again.

Roots will form in spring. Transplant

youngsters the following autumn when

strong new growth is 12in (30cm) long.

All photography TI Media, unless otherwise credited

Q

What is this weed and how can

we get rid of it?

Tracey Spencer, via email

A

The weed is Oxalis articulata.

A pernicious invader not easy to

control, it’s best dug out in spring when

embryo tubers are firmly attached to

the top of its fleshy root.

If that is difficult, treat it with Weedol

Rootkill Plus, a systemic herbicide based

on glyphosate. Keep it away from garden

plants and apply it on a calm day to

prevent spray drift from contaminating

your cultivated plants.

Oxalis annoyance

Can I improve my pinks’ fl owering?

Q

We have several dianthus plants

in pots and borders. While they

have lots of buds, only a few open.

How can I remedy this?

Rebecca Anderson, Bristol

A

The usual reason for pinks

producing flower buds that fail to

open is that they are dry at the roots.

The best way to overcome this is to

water copiously, then mulch with slate

chippings or pea shingle.

This mulch will also stop soil from

splashing on to the blooms.

I also urge you to feed your plants

with 2-4oz (56-112g) per m^2 of garden

lime in spring and then again in

the summer.

Additionally, to boost robust

growth, apply a balanced granular

fertiliser at monthly intervals from

April to September.

Dianthus need generous amounts

of water to fl ower well

Oxalis articulata can be invasive

Taking hardwood cuttings in autumn is a good

way of propagating trees and shrubs