Q and A with Gardener Phil McCann

[RachelMumsnet]

He's back by popular demand! Following the highly popular Q&A he took part in this summer, Phil McCann from The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has returned to answer your autumnal gardening questions.

The RHS is the UK's leading gardening charity. It helps to bring gardening into people's lives and support gardeners of all levels and abilities. Phil McCann, PR Manager for RHS Gardens, with support from gardeners at the four RHS Gardens, will be answering questions from Mumsnetters throughout this week. And he's here on the Food talk boards to celebrate the harvest, following what can only be described as a 'bumper year for courgettes'! Whatever your query - from container growing spuds to protecting your peaches over winter - Phil and the RHS team are on hand to give you advice and information.

The final day for questions is Friday 22 October and to celebrate his return to the talk boards, the RHS is offering Mumsnetters an exclusive RHS membership offer. When you sign up for RHS Joint Membership by Direct Debit, you will receive a free Crabtree & Evelyn Gift Set for gardeners. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/mumsnet or email [email protected] with 'Mumsnet' in the subject line.

Phil, who was previously Assistant Producer on BBC's Gardeners' World, is a trained horticulturist and garden writer. He will be checking this thread each day and answering your questions as and when they come in.

[MoonFaceMama]

Hi Phil

I have a brown turkey fig in a large pot in our shelteed south facing back yard(in t'north). It started looking realy sad in late summer but perked up after some random stinking homemade nettle plant food. What can I do now to ensure it comes back in the spring?

[PhilMcCann]

Dear Flyingintheclouds,
Blue is a gorgeous colour in the garden and forget me nots are such an easy plant to grow ( but hard to get rid of as they seed all over the place)
Hydrangeas like an acidic soil but I cannot resist suggesting mecanopsis. Wow, these are blue flowers plus! Unbeatable, tricky but well worth it. RHS Garden Harlow Carr is trialling some varieties to see which grow best in the north and best to see them next May time.
A simple packet of cornflower should grow well and provide you with simple blue blooms.
Go for mecanopsis - you won't be disappointed.

[tvaerialmagpiebin]

Hiya Phil
I have a tree stump in my front garden that I would like to get rid of. It was once a conifer of some sort. What is the bes way to get it out? I was hoping to was going to rot down and be easy to dig out but it is so far resisting.

Thanks

[PhilMcCann]

Dear Jonicomelately,
Lancashire - my home county ( it's a few years since I lived there but always my home county)
I've checked ( as you would hopefully expect!) and there's a few gardens in downtown Cheshire, a couple up in Cumbria so probably above and below you in the country -surely Tatton is worth a day out? Look up www.rhs.org.uk and look up recommended gardens for full details.
The Garden is a great magazine and tries to cater for everyone - I like the problem solving pages and gardens visited. GW magazine and AG are both great reads.
Go on, get across those Pennines and get to Harlow Carr - think of the diamond you might win and if not, the cakes at Betty's have to be worth it.

[PhilMcCann]

No problem and thanks for posting.

[PhilMcCann]

Dear Moonfacemama,
I like this crossing out of words - you are teaching me so many new tricks (aagghh, it won't do it!)
Fig - should be fine. They are quite tough but don't be overbearing generous with the soil they grow in ( now it will - hurrah!) In fact, restrict root growth, not repotting too often. Too much root room = loads of leaf growth and no figs. Lets hope it doesn't get too cold this winter ( but we still have autumn to enjoy first and the colours at all four RHS Gardens are the best for years)
And you are right about nettle juice - I haven't smelled anything like it since... I won't go on!

[PhilMcCann]

Dear lankyalto,
It is a case of spades and pickaxes. You need to get right under the roots, severing the large roots, watching out for cables and pipes ( !) and generally acting like my dentist did getting a wisdom tooth out ( sorry John, don't get me back if you are reading this - but I did yell!)
It will be worth the effort as it's not a good idea to leave stumps in the ground - they will rot (if they don't regrow) and can attract nasty fungal infections that can spread around the garden.

Right - signing off for tonight and going to try and understand Spooks ( not a chance)

Back tomorrow! Speak to you then.

[HeadFairy]

Hi Phil,

I have inherited a really terrible lawn in our new house, nothing I do seems to make any difference. The grass is really sparse to the point that at one end it's just mud. I tried re-seeding in the Spring and the grass did regrow, but it died as soon as we trod on it. We have quite a lot of mature trees edging our garden so I've been spiking the lawn and adding sand to aid the drainage and going over it with a lawn rake but that hasn't helped.

I think drainage must be at the core of the problem as we have lots of what I think are puffball mushrooms growing on the lawn too. I'm going to have all our trees pruned as much as possible, but is there anything else I can do to improve the condition of the grass and fill in all the gaps.

Sorry, it's so long and rambling, but I'd love to have a beautiful lush lawn!

[jonicomelately]

I'm a member of the National Trust so I visit Tatton regularly. The garden is indeed lovely.

[DoraBelvedon]

Hello.

I have 2 questions if I could be so greedy.

1. How and when should I prune a Magnolia Grandiflora? I have one not up the east wing of my stately home but growing as a tree. It produces the most heavenly flowers but it is getting quite big.
   

1. I want an apple tree or 2 for my rather small garden - thinking about espalliering them against the fence. What is the nicest small dwarf indestructable type eater and or cooker?
   

Thank you!

[FlyingInTheCLouds]

thanks! just googled them and they look amazing.

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

Thanks Phil!

Can I sneek in another (feel free to ignore!)...do you have any tips for overwintering chilli plants? Have heard it is possible and we like red chillis!

[AmpleBosom]

Hi Phil,

We have got a massive cordyline in our very small garden which has just grown and grown. It is now about 7ft tall and very palm tree like. I'm not very green fingered and to be honest had no idea it would grow this large!

Can you give me any advice regarding how to dig it out in one piece without damaging it?
Could somebody re-plant it in their garden? It would be such a shame to kill it.

Thanks

[AnnMumsnet]

Hello. Roses - when should I prune them and how much? I have 2 in my front garden, proper roses - and they have done v well this year but are getting tall (ie 1.5m tall( but I'd rather they were shorter with same amount of flowers). Any tips - feel such a fool as feel I should know but I just don't - always play it by ear but would like to know properly what to do! Thanks. Ann

[Bucharest]

Hello from the south of Italy (which is not as nice as it sounds...)

We don't have a garden, just a balcony, but after spending 2 mths every summer with my Mum in the UK (who has huge garden, veg, and is a member of all these gardening organisations) dd really wants to "grow things we can eat". We've done tubs of carrots (which were very very small, but did actually grow and get eaten!) herbs, and tomatoes, which bizarrely, were a total disaster.

Any suggestions? (esp for a tomato which would be balcony-friendly- we are on the south east coast, so it's either hot or windy, but always humid)

Thankyou!

PS In real life am from Nth Nottinghamshire so can vouch for Harlow Carr being fab!

[SoloBlackWidowSpidersWebSite]

Hi Phil,

Would you like a challenge? come and make me a garden please...! It's a jungle. ^^

[PhilMcCann]

@HeadFairy

Hi Phil,

I have inherited a really terrible lawn in our new house, nothing I do seems to make any difference. The grass is really sparse to the point that at one end it's just mud. I tried re-seeding in the Spring and the grass did regrow, but it died as soon as we trod on it. We have quite a lot of mature trees edging our garden so I've been spiking the lawn and adding sand to aid the drainage and going over it with a lawn rake but that hasn't helped.

I think drainage must be at the core of the problem as we have lots of what I think are puffball mushrooms growing on the lawn too. I'm going to have all our trees pruned as much as possible, but is there anything else I can do to improve the condition of the grass and fill in all the gaps.

Sorry, it's so long and rambling, but I'd love to have a beautiful lush lawn!

Dear headfairy,

New style answers from now on - directly below your questions - how clever are the tech people at mumsnet - hurrah!
Now, your lawn.....
I do love a good lawn and if you ever need to get inspiration ( or make yourself a little bit envious) go to Hyde Hall in Essex - the lawns there are the best I've ever seen.
The trick is do something now - keep that rake going, keep spiking, feed with a low nitrogen autumn lawn feed to build up roots and keep mowing if the grass keeps growing. Getting more light and air to the surface will help out and no doubt pruning any overhanging trees can only help the situation. Keep doing what you are doing and don't neglect the autumn lawn care.

[PhilMcCann]

@PhilMcCann

[quote HeadFairy]

Hi Phil,

I have inherited a really terrible lawn in our new house, nothing I do seems to make any difference. The grass is really sparse to the point that at one end it's just mud. I tried re-seeding in the Spring and the grass did regrow, but it died as soon as we trod on it. We have quite a lot of mature trees edging our garden so I've been spiking the lawn and adding sand to aid the drainage and going over it with a lawn rake but that hasn't helped.

I think drainage must be at the core of the problem as we have lots of what I think are puffball mushrooms growing on the lawn too. I'm going to have all our trees pruned as much as possible, but is there anything else I can do to improve the condition of the grass and fill in all the gaps.

Sorry, it's so long and rambling, but I'd love to have a beautiful lush lawn!

Dear headfairy,

New style answers from now on - directly below your questions - how clever are the tech people at mumsnet - hurrah!
Now, your lawn.....
I do love a good lawn and if you ever need to get inspiration ( or make yourself a little bit envious) go to Hyde Hall in Essex - the lawns there are the best I've ever seen.
The trick is do something now - keep that rake going, keep spiking, feed with a low nitrogen autumn lawn feed to build up roots and keep mowing if the grass keeps growing. Getting more light and air to the surface will help out and no doubt pruning any overhanging trees can only help the situation. Keep doing what you are doing and don't neglect the autumn lawn care. [/quote]

and answers are still in this green box - it just gets better.

[PhilMcCann]

@jonicomelately

I'm a member of the National Trust so I visit Tatton regularly. The garden is indeed lovely.

It is a lovely garden at any time of year and the RHS Show in summer is well worth a visit.

[HeadFairy]

I thought you were going to tell me there was something magical I could sprinkle on it :o Thanks for your answer Phil, I will keep at it. I will indeed go to Hyde Hall if we're ever round that way, it's a bit of a trek for us, but I'm sure it's worth the effort. We go to Wisley all the time and I love it, do most of my Christmas shopping there!

While I'm on here... is there anything I can do about the puffball mushrooms growing in the lawn? Everytime one grows I either dig it out (useless I know because they have underground whatsists) and it leaves a big horrible hole in the lawn which I then have to fill in. Is there anything I can do to stop them growing?

[aquamortis]

Hi Phil

I've just taken on an allotment. It is dreadfully overgrown with brambles, grasses...you name it. There are four of us to work on it altogether, so we're not short of labour. But realistically, are we likely to get anything going in it before next spring? Is our best bet just to try to clear the dreaded brambles and then cover it with plastic over the winter to try to kill all the nasties? (Will that even work?)

Thank you!

[PhilMcCann]

@DoraBelvedon

Hello.

I have 2 questions if I could be so greedy.

1. How and when should I prune a Magnolia Grandiflora? I have one not up the east wing of my stately home but growing as a tree. It produces the most heavenly flowers but it is getting quite big.
   

1. I want an apple tree or 2 for my rather small garden - thinking about espalliering them against the fence. What is the nicest small dwarf indestructable type eater and or cooker?
   

Thank you!

Dear DoraBelvedon,
A tree like Magnolia grandiflora - how marvellous. The thing with magnolias is that they don't like hard pruning. The best thing to do is prune back any branches that are crossing other branches, growing vertical and look a bit whippy or anything that is diseased - but do it late spring and midsummer. It gives the cut ends time to heal before winter. So don't hack it back to the ground but nip out the odd branch here and there to keep a good shape.

Apple trees - if you want apple information you've got to go to one of our gardens over the next few weeks. Taste of Autumn is a celebration of the tastes and sights of autumn and every one of our gardens has experts on hand for all your questions. You know where to find the info by now ( www.rhs.org.uk if you don't) But quickly - smaller varieties are grafted onto a dwarf rootstock. Look for or ask for a rootstock called M27. Once you have the rootstock you can have virtualy any variety of apple on top - I like something called a family apple tree where the growers have grafted a number ( usually three) apples onto one rootstock. It's a nifty and tried and tested technique and perfect for smaller gardens.

[PhilMcCann]

@FlyingInTheCLouds

thanks! just googled them and they look amazing.

One of the best plants for your soil - you've got to have a go.

[GertrudetheDog]

Hello Phil!

You are lovely . So much nicer than that Nick Clegg.