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Q – I would like some hanging baskets but the spot gets a lot of sun.Ìý How can I increase water retention, stop them drying out, and can you recommend suitable plants for a drier/sunnier basket?

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Christine – Get washing up sponges, mince them and mix them in with the soil.Ìý You could also line the basket with washing up sponge squares.Ìý

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Bob – Put plastic sheeting on the lining

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Anne – Plant an old saucer in the base.Ìý Succulents like Portulacca, Pelargoniums would work

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Christine – Mesanreanthemums would work

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Bob – On hot days put ice cubes on top of the soil and they’ll slowly melt in

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Charlie (from Compton Acres) – We use a mixture of swell gels and John Innes-based compost.Ìý Grasses would work in a drier basket.

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Q – I[ve inherited several purple/white heathers but they’re getting too big so I’d like to divide them.Ìý How can I do it?

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Anne – You can’t really divide heathers because they’ve got such a woody base

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Bob – Cutting hard back will probably kill them

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Anne – You can easily take cuttings

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Q – Is it safe to apply moss killer where Crocuses are growing?

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Christine – It should have any effect.Ìý Always read the instructions.

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Anne – You don’t need to get rid of moss

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Bob – Feed the lawn better rather than trying to kill the moss

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Q – I have a problem with brown rot on my ninety-year-old apple tree.Ìý What can be done?

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Bob – Old apple trees are prone to running out of potash.Ìý Give it some wood ash.Ìý

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Christine – It could be bird damage

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Anne – Codling moth could be the culprit

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Q – I potted a Christmas Cactus cutting twenty years ago (15cm x 10cm) and it seems happy enough but do I need to repot it?

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Christine – I have one that’s about 4ft across!Ìý I would definitely repot into a slightly bigger pot (8 or 10 inches), fill that with John Innes No2 and keep it watered.

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Peter – Unlike a regular cactus you should keep a Christmas Cactus shaded and wetter.

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Q – I have a large courtyard which I’ve filled with pots of annuals and Hostas.Ìý I want to propagate the Hostas from seed but only three of the plants produced seed pods.Ìý How can I get more seeds?

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Bob – Hand pollination with a paintbrush is the answer

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Christine – Feed with potash too

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Bob – Remove the flowers that you haven’t pollinated and then the plant will put all its energy into that one

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Anne – Sow the seeds fresh in the autumn and leave them in the greenhouse until the next spring

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Q – I have a thyme lawn that I planted in 2013 and it has become quite patchy.Ìý What can I do?

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Bob – Thymes are short-lived plants.Ìý Decorative ones like Dune Valley go very quickly. I would start again.