Trees

Water anyway I reckon (well, unless its like 2012 again!). Sufficient water will keep the new growth extending right through the season (on young plants, at least) so you will get more "stem extension". Nitrogen helps with that process too. Nettle Tea perhaps (if you have an abundant supply of...

Not appropriate for Conifers, like Thuja, IMHO. They need a single, strong, leader.Let them grow up to about a foot taller than final height, then cut them to 6" below final height (so the tops then bush up a bit), and then cut at final height once they have regrown a bit.Start clipping the...

A "batter" might help ... but I reckon you could have to chop it down low, and get it to bush up as it regrew - which would be a huge exercise, plus a longish wait for it to regrow.I think key is:Plant a double, rather than single, row Make sure that it is pinched out as it grows to...

Thanks mate

I thought they always did that, I used to call them the Polycell tree when I was a Ziglet

Not trying to complicate matters, but some varieties of apple tree are tip-bearers. That means that the tree produces fruit mostly on the ends of the twigs. So if you do a 'pudding-basin' haircut on the tree you'll be cutting off the productive bits! Have a good look at the twigs...are there...

View through my kitchen window.

Absolutely agree!!!!!

I cancelled the Shindeshojo and bought a Fireglow instead. Just need to work out where I'm going to put them all

Acers will be fine in multi purpose compost. I pot mine in a mix of multi purpose and ericaceous 50/50. I would suggest giving it some ericaceous fertiliser in spring. They don't like to be overfed, so I'd suggest adding some ericaceous slow release fertiliser which will last the season. I...

Figs are tougher than I realised - when we went to the Rare Plant Fair in the grounds of Kingston Bagpuize House there was a very exposed Fig tree with fruits on. As this was in mid May they had to be from last year.

Quite an industry down here,

Schefflera is part of the Araliaceae family , same as the fatsia and the ivy .......... overall I`ve tasted the shefflera variegata and died at -4c , not even as hardy as the green version

We have many plantations all over the island and can only hope it doesn't reach them all, sadly it's not looking good though.

It could just be natural aging of the tree, I know Scot's Pines in particular shed a lot of older needles around this time of year

A work in progress Sian! Now it's turned into a project I've started a thread in the Projects section -

Fingers crossed

I've only just seen this thread, sorry! I've had weeping figs for thirty years plus, (Ficus Benjamina). My present six footer is standing to the left of a north west facing window and doesn't get sun at all, they don't need sun to survive but they do need as much light as possible. The only...

Ello Music Sounds more like the tree was under stress, unless you'd pruned it to below the graft, which it doesn't sound like you have.

Another project I have in mind. I have some enormous, mature Yews with the usual bare patch underneath them. I have read that Hostas, Lamium and Dicentra will grow under them. Am I right in thinking that most drought happy plants would grow there? Anybody got any other ideas?