Gardeners’ queries

Press, 28 July 1989, Page 10

Gardeners’ queries

My Hoheria tree has been playing up badly all this season having been very vigorous in the 11 years that I have had it. I cut it down three years ago to about seven feet. The leaves and growth tips curled up, as you can see, so I gave it water for five days on end thinking it was all caused by the drought, but it has made no difference. “Worried” (Chch). The partial curling of the leaf margins of this hoheria could be associated with any specific problem. Although established specimens will tolerate cutting back it has been observed that comparatively more care is necessary in carrying out this task to avoid bark damage — die-back of regrowth is • not uncommon. Regrettably, I cannot offer any advice about how to improve the present condition of this tree.

Can • you please offer advice on how to cope with the onslaught of some predation on all my polyanthus flowers. All the flowers are chewed often completely plucked from.., calyx and as a resul 4 . I have no floral

display. There is no evidence of slug or snail and the foliage is left entirely alone. Derris dust failed to stop the problem. N.F. (Chch).

I cannot offer a positive explanation for the damagee to these polyanthus flowers, although inspection may shed light on the problem. If it were caused by slugs and/or snails there would be some damage to the foliage as well. Birds have been known to be troublesome at different times. You could try covering the plants with netting, or running a number of strands of cotton over them.

Last spring I planted a passion fruit in my glasshouse. Over the year it grew very well and still has a mass of vine and leaves. But it had not one flower or fruit, in spite of having been bought from a reputable plant nursery. I have been told that since it is in a glasshouse the bees cannot get to it and this is why it hasn’t fruited, but this doesn’t seem right to me. Can you tell my why it has not fruited? Tomatoes and lettuce

same place were excellent. “Beverley” (Chch). The performance of the vegetables would in no way be related to the fruiting of the passion vine. The latter does not require cross pollination in order to produce fruit, and is largely insect especially bee, pollinated. However, without first producing flowers there can be no fruit set. Although passion vines flower on current season’s growth, young plants take a year or two to establish themselves before coming into production. In the mean time the vines should be trained individually on to supports such as wires to avoid a tangle of entwined growths. Passion vines are evergreens and do not die down in the winter. Gardeners’ Queries should be sent directly to Mr Mike Lusty, 56 Wayside Avenue, Christchurch 5. Samples should be separately wrapped in a plastic bag with air holes. Provide representative, good-sized samples, and your name and address. A nom-de-plume can be used for publication.