Homeowner Forum / Lawn and Garden / August 2008

Hi we try to use only natural pest control methods for our Tropica
Plants.
However we are having trouble in removing sawflys from our banan
plants and some of our other tropical fruits such as the kiwi's, an

This is my first post here and very glad to have found this forum.
I have grown this plant from a cutting but I have no idea what it is.
Here is a link to the picture as I am not able to upload for som
reason. http://www.leora.net/plant.jpg

Southport Flower Show
The UK’s largest independent flower show, bursts into bloom on
Thursday, August 21 until Sunday the 24th, providing a horticultural
hotbed for this beautiful seaside resort

I have some small fruit trees.   The apples look  very good but squirrels
are climbing up the trees to get them.   Any ideas on preventing this?  How
do the large orchards cope with this problem?

I have noticed that there are a number of beans that have not developed.
I do not usually have any problems, plenty of rain this year!
Compost in ground.
Is it lack of pollination - strong winds - faulty seeds?

We have 2 "standard" wisteria trees which are in their second flowering -
although neither 1st nor 2nd have been particularly spectacular.
I suspect they need a severe pruning - so any advice please on best time and
how

Have a large Cedar tree and it has a large root that has grown out
which is 6 feet from the tree and is creating another stump in the
yard.  Can one cut out this stump from the root without killing the
tree?

Has anyone had any success in growing banana's this year i have lots of
foliage but no fruit. Also when is the best time to cut and wrap the plant up
for winter?

Gillenia trifoliata is such a lovely plant i ma surprised not more
people grow it. It's light and airy, not a thug and has dark red stalks
and blackish seedheads after flowering in July so has a longish length
of interest.

Some kind person has dumped two lorry loads of fresh horse manure at the
side of our gates to our allotments, a large grab lorry was seen dropping it
over the fence.
Considering what's going on these days regarding herbicides I wonder if

There's a tc series today on uktvgardens. Features a new series I
think with James Martin endeaviuring to grow his own food. Has a
superb cold frame and greenhouse!!
(posting in case anyone else is interested. I caught it by chnace)

Hello maybe something of interest to you
My whole potato and tomato crops decimated by blight.
However some volunteer Sarpo Mia from last years crop have not been touched
at all.

This flew through my window today:
http://media.slated.org/albums/userpics/10002/00005.jpg
It's absolutely gorgeous, but I have no idea what species it is.
It certainly looks very unusual. Does anyone here know?

As you all know I like to buy seedlings and grow them to see what they'll
produce.  I think I got this from Stewart's booth at the AOS Members meeting
in Corpus Christi baout 5 yrs ago.  I believe it is a grrrrr senior
moment.... argh there's a lady in Texas who makes a lot of ...

These are the little devils that are coming into the house. Have been trying
the Terro liquid ant baits for a couple weeks now. They love it, but doesn't
seem to have much affect on them. Any suggestions, PLEASE. Hopefully some of
you have a favorite cure, or a "Killer" idea. We ...