[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[The Grockle]

Ornamental grasses have loved the recent rain!

 

[1066familyman]

Nice visitor indoors this evening.
Sorry folks, but they're little stunners and I don't like killing anything, so I've dutifully released him to do his thing

 

[Stat Brother]

2 things to report:-

A - the insect free zone that is La Jardin du Stat appears to have a Red Admiral butterfly finally move in - which is nice.

&

2 - clearly upset about the love Pinky was getting Yellowy (the naming policy needs some attention) has popped out for some glory.

 

[Jack Straw]

Is there any way of getting rid of invasive brambles / wild roses? I have them growing through rhododendrons, laurels other shrubs and even hanging out of the tops of fir trees. I can't get to the roots or even the base of the buggers without getting shredded.

Can you post a few photos? Even if it means cutting back some of your shrubs to get to the roots, digging out is the thing to do. Once out, they've gone. A sharp spade and thick gloves are all you need! Cut back the brambles and roses but leave enough to grab hold off to pull as you lever out with the spade. Time consuming, but worth it in the end.

 

[Jack Straw]

We are getting somewhat worried about a number of our oak trees. They are showing similar symptoms to those showing on our ash trees.

This is the one causing immediate concern

View attachment 163373

There is very little, if any, new growth. There are numerous dead branches and the amount of leaf cover over the last couple of years is far less than normal.

Other oak trees look perfectly healthy.

We have accepted that we’ll lose the majority of our ash trees over the next few years but it will be very sad if the oaks go as well. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated. We did send pictures to the RHS last year but only received an acknowledgment.

This is what’s happening to most of our ash tree.

View attachment 163374

The easy bit is to identify Ash Die-back. As for the Oak, no idea I'm afraid.

 

[Weststander]

Ornamental grasses have loved the recent rain!

View attachment 163388

Love the Salvia.

 

[Weststander]

Nice visitor indoors this evening.
Sorry folks, but they're little stunners and I don't like killing anything, so I've dutifully released him to do his thing

View attachment 163411

I can’t bring myself to kill them, even though they ruined my two cubed topiaries. They migrated from @WATFORD zero ’s nearby estate .

I’m going to replace the plants instead, probably with Yew.

 

[jevs]

Nice visitor indoors this evening.
Sorry folks, but they're little stunners and I don't like killing anything, so I've dutifully released him to do his thing

That's a Box Tree Moth, not one of the most welcome garden visitors

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Can you post a few photos? Even if it means cutting back some of your shrubs to get to the roots, digging out is the thing to do. Once out, they've gone. A sharp spade and thick gloves are all you need! Cut back the brambles and roses but leave enough to grab hold off to pull as you lever out with the spade. Time consuming, but worth it in the end.

Thanks for the reply. Since posting I’ve had a gardener round who said exactly the same thing and will make a start in a week or so. He charges £540 a day for a two person team, which doesn’t sound too bad to me, bearing in mind what a horrible job it is. What do you think?

 

[vegster]

Thanks for the reply. Since posting I’ve had a gardener round who said exactly the same thing and will make a start in a week or so. He charges £540 a day for a two person team, which doesn’t sound too bad to me, bearing in mind what a horrible job it is. What do you think?

Christ ! I'm in the wrong job !

 

[zefarelly]

Ornamental grasses have loved the recent rain!

View attachment 163388

Yes, yes they have

 

[Weststander]

Christ ! I'm in the wrong job !

Two blokes my family use for such matters, already really pricey, upped their prices by 30%. Citing the groceries/energy cost of living hikes as the cause.

A week’s income from the trade, lucrative.

 

[zefarelly]

Two blokes my family use for such matters, already really pricey, upped their prices by 30%. Citing the groceries/energy cost of living hikes as the cause.

A week’s income from the trade, lucrative.

Interesting how some people get away with asking for it, and some don't.

most of us keep our heads down, grin and bear it.

clearly we're not Gallic enough.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Christ ! I'm in the wrong job !

That’s why I was asking. If it’s a 9 hour day that equates to £30/hr and the owners OH&P will be in that, no VAT. Cleaners round here charge £20/ hr.

 

[razer]

Good looking visitor to the poly tunnel yesterday. Never seen one in real life before.

 

[Weststander]

Interesting how some people get away with asking for it, and some don't.

most of us keep our heads down, grin and bear it.

clearly we're not Gallic enough.

It’s not just (some) big business using inflation for greedflation. We saw this on thr continent too. One man band taxis hiking prices by 50%, citing the cost of vehicle fuel. Yeah right.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I can’t bring myself to kill them, even though they ruined my two cubed topiaries. They migrated from @WATFORD zero ’s nearby estate .

I’m going to replace the plants instead, probably with Yew.

I'm away at the moment but if I remember when I get back I'll show photos of the box moth traps.

I reckon there'll be farsaands

 

[Winker]

Saw this on my allotment the other day, my Readers Digest book tells me it is a Scarlet Tiger Moth:

 

[Stat Brother]

Saw this on my allotment the other day, my Readers Digest book tells me it is a Scarlet Tiger Moth:

View attachment 163593

Looks like a dock leaf to me.

Thank me later.

 

[vegster]

Good looking visitor to the poly tunnel yesterday. Never seen one in real life before.

View attachment 163590

Can't quite see but, is that a Cinnabar Moth ? If so, its harmless unless you grow Ragwort or Groundsel .