Gardeners’ queries

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 11

Gardeners’ queries

Our problem in the garden is that it is full of slugs. They have completely eaten through all the potato crops and have made their way through the carrots and even the beans.—D.E. (Rotherham). One of the most important aspects of slug (and snail) control, particularly in areas where they are very numerous, is to keep the garden as free of suitable hiding places for them as possible. By this is meant the clearance of all rubbish and weeds particularly along fences and such like. There are a number of suitable proprietary baits which are reasonably effective or one could be made up at home. A recipe incorporating a mixture of 1 ounce of metaldehyde to 31b of bran is a widely used bait. I have enclosed a section of a stalk from a hydrangea with a type of mould or fungus on it I sprayed before the leaves appeared but did not appear to get much results. Once the leaves come on it is difficult to get a good coverage with the antifungus spray. Is there anything that can be done to get rid of the trouble?— J.C. (Christchurch).

The problem here is not a disease but the presence of scale insects so-called cottony cushion scales because of their deceptive fluffy white appearance. This is a very common pest of hydrangeas and best control is achieved by spraying the plants with red oil in winter. Summer oil can be used in summer but, as you say, effective application becomes very difficult. Could you please tell me what is causing the malformation on the enclosed strawberries? The first crop was all right, but the second is affected. Is there any remedy?—A.S. (Christchurch).

Misshapen and smallish fruits such as these are the result of physiological disorders partly due to prevailing weather conditions which upset the process of pollination. This can occur with any fruits but seems to be more prevalent in the second crops of such fruits as strawberries and raspberries. Please find enclosed a sample of a weed which keeps coming up amongst my border plants and could you give me the best way of getting rid of it?—JJ. (Christchurch).

The weed is oxalis and unless you remove all the plants from the border there

is not a safe chemical method of control at present, and even then repeat applications may be necessary. As you say the area in which it is growing at present is only a small one you could carefully dig up the individual plants, put them in a container and later burn them. Every small bulbit left in the ground will produce another plant. Please advise me of the most suitable month to move some small fruit trees from Sumner to Tekapo. Should they be moved before the frost sets in or should I wait till early spring?—“Transplanted” (Twizel).

Transplanting in very early spring, just as the sap is about to rise, would be the ideal time, in view of the locality to which you propose to shift. It would pay to wrench the trees now.

Could you tell me why my Daphne burkwoodii now has so few flowers on its stems? They used to be absolutely covered with flowers previously. The bush could be ten years old. Is it too old to keep?—“lnterested Reader” (Hanmer Springs). It often happens that plants which flower profusely year after year eventually extend themselves either to the point of exhaustion or for a short period until they recover.

Variable pruning back, depending on kind and variety of plant, is often worthwhile, as for instance with acacia and could well be done with daphnes which are not so very long lived generally unless well looked after. One point to watch under the present very dry conditions: make sure that the roots of daphne bushes remain at least damp.