Homeowner Forum / Lawn and Garden / February 2009

The gales have started, you should hear it roaring, we moved our cars
in case of trees coming down.
Judith

Awhile back I read that Kudzu has properties that can help deal with
over consumption of alcohol.  Not seen any mention of this for a few
years.  Not recommending planting it as it is invasive to the Max. Pulls
down telephone polls in USA south !  I wonder if is a possible fodder ...

Found this the other day. Looks good Further info (I will ignore the other
"information" so I will stay reasonable sane)
http://www.nepanewsletter.com/square.html
a..

On looking at various sites selling snowdrops I came across this
"Offer";  Greenfingers.com offer 75 single snowdrops for ONLY £16.49 !
Pam in Bristol

Anyone know where this can be found in UK?  We've had an enquiry for one but
I hd to tell the customer that not only do we not have it, I cant' see
anyone in the Plant Finder who does.  He does want the tree, not seed.

The grey squirrel cull in the north of Scotland is a waste of
taxpayers' money at a time when the country is falling apart in
economic turmoil.  Has the Scottish Government nothing better to do
with its money?

I have two medium size dogs and they both have a thing about tearing
up the potted plants. They have even gone after the tomatoes which are
in 2 ft. heigh planters. What can I do to keep them out of my plants?

Last September,I started to collect some lettuce seed and separate the
seed from the chaff by using sieves.It did not work very well after
several separations,but then remembered that I had read that one
method is to put the seed into a glass of water-the good seed falls to

In case anyone missed it, and would like to join in I posted this in
response to a message on the "Re: Brrhhhhh!" thread this morning
Any more good snow pictures? if so just email them to  as an attachment them
to

I have recently acquired and installed a pear tree.  I've not had fruit
trees before so I'm seeking any advice that will enhance my chances of
getting pears.
It is about 5 or 6 foot high and of similar width and grown more as a fan,

I had a nice raised bed (3X6 feet) that I planted in carrots late last year.
They grew a little bit, and then winter came.  They were about an inch long
when the frosts started, and have stayed that size all winter.  Some of the
tops seem to have died; others still look green and ...

Can anyone offer information  or point me to a quality site offering information.  on
Encore Azaleas??
The Encore Azalea site reads like a late night info-mercial... all marketing hype with
little or no substance.

I'm thinking of planting a hedge row of Green Giant Arborvitae.  I
want to plant them tight (3 foot on center), because I don't like the
V-shaped gaps I've seen on other Green Giant hedge rows planted to the
"recommended" spacing.

Thanks for the info. on compost. Now that I have that sorted, I have another
question re. rose-hips.  I have lots of wild rose bushes around and about,
and of course the grouse finish off all the hips, which is good. But I have
an old, very large, rugosa smothered in hips and too ...

I think that, based on foliage only and hardiness in my zone USDA 8b I
have Heliconia X-Spathocircinata.  I think, anyway.  It has never
flowered.  I have it right up against my pool deck and it only gets
early morning sun for a few hours, so has never flowered.  I do get