- Jul 10, 2003
- 27,718
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[Help] Gardeners Question Time.
- Thread starter Stat Brother
- Start date
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
It's cordyline australis(not indivisa), a very fine specimen too. Yes, they constantly shed leaves. An extremely soft, fibrous trunk so the branches are easy to cut through with a coarse toothed hand saw. It will resprout along the length of the remaining trunk, but that will make it easier to keep manicured. Digging these ******** out is not recommended as as Lamie said, a vast fibrous root system developes around a central tap root, meaning you lose most of the surrounding area like a crater from the moon!
That's a big old b****** - it will weigh a ton. It's very easy (and dangerous!) to underestimate the weight of the chunk you're cutting down. Seriously, wait until things return to normal and get professionals in to do the job.
jevs
Well-known member
Wish i had that in the Rockery....although there is a smaller one there. Cut it down to the base and i'll put new shoots up which you can keep in check every couple of years.
- Thread starter
- #25
Oh so it won't just 'Beaker' grow from the top.
That's encouraging news, I'm now a little keener to (get jnr) cut it right back to what will be a giant looking phallus.
The 'problem' with my big old b****** is the one about 200 yards off in the distance, which is easily twice as high and completely out of reach.
From my experience I suggest you give it a couple of weeks.
Thanks of the suggestions everybody, I think I'm done.
Will check for nests.
Send the boy up a ladder with saw in hand.
Remove all the branches.
See what happens.
If it's a shiteshow, drill into it and fill it up with Fosters - sorry I mean weed killer.
I feel that concludes my business, hopefully others who actually want to grow stuff, will carry this forward.
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Lawnmower just bust 
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
Lawnmower just bust
I feel for you
Funny how they never break when you don't use them
- Thread starter
- #28
***TREE NEWS***
Clearly not the last post.
My neighbour saw me staring up at the beast, planning the first cut.
As he's clearly not a sociopath he looked positively heart broken when I asked if he minded me hacking off all the branches.
He proceeded to spend the next 5 minutes moaning about the mess it made, ending with 'well we'd miss it greatly, if you cut it back'.
So it's going to stay, this morning's distraction was completely meaningless (the best kind).
You treehuggers have Pat and Ted to thank.
Clearly not the last post.
My neighbour saw me staring up at the beast, planning the first cut.
As he's clearly not a sociopath he looked positively heart broken when I asked if he minded me hacking off all the branches.
He proceeded to spend the next 5 minutes moaning about the mess it made, ending with 'well we'd miss it greatly, if you cut it back'.
So it's going to stay, this morning's distraction was completely meaningless (the best kind).
You treehuggers have Pat and Ted to thank.
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
I'd hate to see such a nice one go as well. As a lot of the antipodean shrubs like cordyline and phormium have a 'stringy' make up to their leaves, take up basket weaving during this enforced absence from.... well, everything! It'll keep you busy as well as stop you from cursing
Yep, an Australis, I am corrected. Same removal procedure mind.
AmexRuislip
Retired Spy 🕵️♂️
Lawnmower just bust
You need to call [MENTION=11350]LamieRobertson[/MENTION], he a has 24hr lawnmower break down service.
Just call 08000 Lamie
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
Lol...i have to hope my stuff keeps on working as the place i use has been told to close.
- Thread starter
- #33
Ok question 2 (and probably more in keeping with you gardening types)
The thing in the bottom left corner of the original picture (google suggests it might be a Photinia) as you can see, is very close to palm tree.
There is nothing underneath the visible foliage, just bare, thick branches.
I'm assuming it's being 'strangled' by the palm, as the bigger the tree has got the more minging the shrub has become.
Now that neighbour Ted has saved the palm tree:-
Can I dig out the 10 year old (possibly) Potinia and replant it across the garden 6 feet away from a Ceanothus?
If so what will the new home hole need to stimulate growth.
Ta muchly.
The thing in the bottom left corner of the original picture (google suggests it might be a Photinia) as you can see, is very close to palm tree.
There is nothing underneath the visible foliage, just bare, thick branches.
I'm assuming it's being 'strangled' by the palm, as the bigger the tree has got the more minging the shrub has become.
Now that neighbour Ted has saved the palm tree:-
Can I dig out the 10 year old (possibly) Potinia and replant it across the garden 6 feet away from a Ceanothus?
If so what will the new home hole need to stimulate growth.
Ta muchly.
Jack Straw
I look nothing like him!
It is indeed a Photinia. They do go a bit bare bottomed if they're not regularly trimmed to promote bushy growth. You could either give it a good trim and hope for the best, or dig it out and buy a new one. I would definitely cut it down to about 1m, and see what it does. As us horticulturalists say, "It's got two chances!"
You could transplant it, keeping as much soil on the roots as possible, incorporating some organic matter in to the planting hole, and water it morning noon and night as it's the wrong end of the transplanting season, but personally I wouldn't bother.
Let us know what you do.
- Thread starter
- #35
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,191
My lawnmower worked fine yesterday but won’t start today. It is full of the right (unleaded) petrol.
1. What is the most likely cause?
2. Will a repairman come and collect it / fix it at the moment?
1. What is the most likely cause?
2. Will a repairman come and collect it / fix it at the moment?
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
Ride on, self propelled or push?
Is it firing when you try to start it?
Is it turned on?(may sound obvious, but switch sometimes doesn't engage)
Answer these, then we might be able to diagnose further
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,191
Self-propelled/pedestrian - old Hayter.
It was working yesterday and I cut most of my grass.
It stopped and I thought it was very low on petrol.
I refilled the petrol tank with unleaded purchased this week.
It then wouldn't restart.
Yesterday when not starting it was firing up with a really healthy sound but not kicking in to continue.
Today it is just dead and not even doing that.
Coldeanseagull
Opinionated
When I've encountered what you've described, it's been a plug issue or the plug lead. However, I've had an issue in the past with low oil level. Of course I'm speculating and it might be a stuck jet or float needle so I'm not being very helpful, am I
Moshe Gariani
Well-known member
- Mar 10, 2005
- 12,191
When I've encountered what you've described, it's been a plug issue or the plug lead. However, I've had an issue in the past with low oil level. Of course I'm speculating and it might be a stuck jet or float needle so I'm not being very helpful, am I
TBF short of actually coming round and fixing it not much will help.