Following on from my article about why some of my own photinia leaves started to turn yellow and drop off. In this guide, I look more carefully at why you get black spots on the leaves and how you can try to both prevent them in the first place and how to treat them. Any black spots on a photinia are generally bad news and I’ll be honest, somewhat difficult to get rid of. In general, I have found that…
Following on from my guide on peony pests and diseases and why some of my peonies were wilting. I thought it would be a good idea to do an article on what’s been eating my peonies. This has always been a problem for me, yet my mum’s peonies in her garden go untouched. Not sure what it is about my peonies but this is why I now always cut mine back later in the season to provide some winter peony…
Following on from my guide on what was eating my peony leaves, peony leaves wilting and the buds dying is usually the result of an infestation of pests but it can be caused by fungal disease or lack of water. The latter is easy to resolve with a better watering schedule. Peonies like moist but well drained soil so be sure to water more frequently during dry spells and consider adding a layer of mulch to try ad help maintain…
I nearly always recommend growing peonies in the ground or in large raised beds if you can. However, I have also successfully grown peonies in pots. After all, when I worked as a nurseryman, I grew hundreds of peonies in large deep containers to sell at garden centres. In some cases, you might only have the space to grow them in containers. With this in mind, in this guide, I’m going to give all the secrets and tips for growing…
I have several different peonies in my garden so in this guide, I’m going to tell you what you need to do to make sure your peonies make it through long cold winters. Winter care for peonies starts in the autumn and there’s some work to be done whether your peonies are growing in your garden or in pots on your patio. Personally, I have them growing in borders and large raised beds as shown in the image below. Cut…
Speed of leylandii growth Leylandii, also known as Leyland cypress trees, are the fastest growing conifers. In the early years of this plant, it’s not unknown for the tree to grow between 45cm and 90cm in height per year. Of course, this depends on the leylandii having the best growing conditions possible. Over its lifetime, this Leyland cypress can grow to about 18m to 21m high. This tree is dense, with a broad column at the bottom tapering to a…
Acer trees (also known as Japanese maples) are compact trees suitable for growing in pots. Although some varieties do grow high and wide, they’re so slow growing that you can enjoy even these acers in pots before they get too big. These hardy trees are easy to care for in containers. Choosing your acer tree You have a choice of many varieties of acer trees, some specifically for growing acers in pots. The Acer Japonicum varieties remain as small spreading…
Acer trees (Japanese maples) are slow growing trees, though some varieties will eventually grow high and wide. As such, they’re ideal for planting in containers. But as they grow, you do need to repot an acer tree occasionally to allow enough room for its roots to spread. If this is your first acer and your planting it on a pot for the first time, check out my guide on growing acers in pots here. If you are reporting into a…
Scorched leaves on a Japanese maple (acer) tree are usually the result of environmental stresses. Japanese maples are the maple trees most commonly affected by this problem. Here’s what causes maple leaf scorch and also how to avoid it. Symptoms Acer tree leaf scorch shows up as foliage turning brown, especially around the edges and at the tips. Often the leaves then curl up, shrivel and die. Sometimes branches also die back. Leaf scorch isn’t a problem that causes long-term…
It’s quite straightforward to plant an acer tree in the ground. I give you instructions for how to do this plus advice on when and where to plant these Japanese maple trees. When to plant an acer tree The best time to plant an acer tree (Japanese maple) is in the early autumn through the winter time. This translates generally from October to March, at least a month before the ground freezes. You can also plant these trees in spring…