Ask Alys: will my amaryllis flower again?
Alys Fowler has the answer My amaryllis was in bloom when I brought it in from the garden, where it had spent the summer. The four beautiful flowers have since died. How do I manage the bulb now, and...
View ArticleAsk Alys: my ponytail palm is lopsided
Alys Fowler suggests how to revive this houseplantI rescued a ponytail palm that had several growing points at the top of the trunk, but only one had leaves. This is flourishing, but the others remain...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: why didn’t my kniphofias flower?
Our gardening expert has the answerI planted three yellow kniphofia this year; none flowered. One grew quite big, with lots of leaves but no sign of buds. My soil is clay but I added compost and grit...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: will my magnolia ever flower?
Our gardening expert has the answer My Magnolia grandiflora has not flowered since it was planted 14 years ago, in clay soil near a well-behaved septic tank (ie, it’s not waterlogged). It is sheltered...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: why hasn’t my potted myrtle flowered?
Our gardening expert has the answerI was given a common myrtle bush in a pot about a year ago. It seems to be flourishing, but has not flowered. I put bubble wrap around its base last winter and kept...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: I want to get rid of concrete slabs and create a garden
Our gardening expert has some excellent adviceMy garden is paved with concrete slabs. I want to create a lawn and plant colourful bedding plants. I’d also like to add privacy to both side boundaries...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: should I make space for my strawberry tree?
Our gardening expert has the answerWe planted a strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) in our small garden seven years ago. It is now just over 2m x 2m, and is touching a birch tree on the north side, and a...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: can I train my cider gum from a pot plant into a tree?
Our gardening expert has the answerI transplanted a cider gum, Eucalyptus gunnii, from a large pot into the garden. It’s about 3m tall, uneven and spindly. Should I cut it down to the base? Will I be...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: why are there holes in the rhizomes of my bearded iris?
Our gardening expert has the answerThe rhizomes of my bearded iris are pitted with small holes, and last summer I got only three blooms from the whole bed. Should I throw them away – and can I plant...
View ArticleAsk Alys: which container plants are best for a windy terrace? | Alys Fowler
Our gardening expert has the answerI have a north-facing riverside terrace. In winter, it is cold, damp and prone to wind; in summer, the sun is strong and relentless for most of the day. I’d love some...
View ArticleAsk Alys: what are the white larvae on my cherry tree? | Alys Fowler
Our gardening expert has the answerLast summer, the fruit from my cherry tree had pinpricks and I found tiny white larvae in some of the cherries, even though I had treated the tree with a spray. What...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: what can I grow on the cheap to act as a screen from a busy...
Our gardening columnist has the answer I’ve recently taken possession of an allotment that’s right next to a road and overlooked through an ugly chain-link fence. What can I grow as a protective...
View ArticleAsk Alys: why did my pyracantha fail to produce berries?
Our gardening expert Alys Fowler has the answerFor the first time in 40 years, my two pyracantha bushes have produced no berries. Is there a reason for this? Can it be corrected?Did you prune them? A...
View ArticleAsk Alys: should I replace my old pear tree?
Our gardening expert has the answerIn our garden is a pear tree that’s at least 30 years old. It is a prolific fruiter but it has rust, and the pears are often damaged or scabby. They drop early,...
View ArticleAsk Alys Fowler: can you grow vegetables that taste good in shade?
Our gardening columnist has the answer Is it possible to grow vegetables in complete shade that will taste nice? I have a garden that gets virtually no sun.Vegetables mostly evolved in open spaces such...
View ArticleAsk Alys: is there a dog-resistant alternative to grass?
Our gardening expert has the answer to all your garden-related questions The onslaught of my two labradors means I have paved over most of my lawn, but the remaining grass turns nasty even with...
View ArticleAsk Alys: what edibles can I plant by a west-facing wall?
Alys Fowler suggests just the thingWhat can I plant at the base of a west-facing, ivy-covered wall? I’d like something edible. Ivy tends to be a giant slug and snail hotel, with all that lovely dense...
View ArticleAsk Alys: which fragrant plants best suit a narrow garden?
Looking for scent in the city? Our gardening expert offers some solutions What could we plant in the clay soil of our narrow London garden that will grow fairly quickly, provide year-round privacy and...
View ArticleAsk Alys: can I grow blueberries without peat?
Our gardening expert has the answerI grow fruit and vegetables organically in my front garden in boarded raised beds. I would love to grow blueberries, but I know they need an acidic soil. How can I...
View ArticleAlys Fowler: how to breed the perfect pumpkin
If you can grow pumpkins, you can breed them, says the Austrian who is creating the heirloom varieties of the futureKlaus Brugger loves pumpkins. In particular, he loves a certain flesh quality and the...
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