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Q – Why does my Decaisnea Fargesii (Blue bean shrub) not fruit?

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Christine – Try tickling it a bit – keep it damper when it is in flower and feed it with some pot ash.

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Q – I have had Gall wasp in my mature oak tree over the last 3 years, should I try and stimulate the tree to try and fight off this pest?

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Matthew – It can look disturbing –however over the lifetime of an Oaktree it is not a problem for it. it will disrupt the acorns but, in a few years, you might have a clean year or several clean years. It won’t affect the health of your oak tree.

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Q – Should I be concerned by the appearance of earth star fungi (Astraeus hygrometricus) in my rose bed?

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Matthew – As far as I am aware, I don’t think they are a problem.

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Christine – Most of them will disappear quite quickly and cause no harm.

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Q – Could the panel recommend a variety of Mahonia with a good scent that will grow well in a shady corner of my garden?

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Matthew – You need to maintain them well and prune them often.

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Christine – I would suggest Mahonia aquifolium. Make sure you don’t keep it too dry and add enough organic matter into the soil when growing them. Some of the newer varieties are sensational.

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James – I would go Mahonia Japonica which is much taller and more structural. Or the Mahonia Eurybracteata (‘Soft Caress’) which has much thinner more divided ferny-looking foliage and doesn’t have prickles.

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Q – We are developing an arboretum and over the next 3 years plan to plant 160 trees – considering our dry climate and clay soils can the panel recommend a suitable tree that they would love to see growing?

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James – I have an obsession with Eucalyptus (Gum Trees) – they have structure throughout the year.

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Christine – Pseudolarix amabilis (Golden Larch Conifer)

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Matthew – I would go with the Sweet Maple Tree (Acer Saccharum)

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Q – I have been growing potatoes for the last few years and been disappointed as none of them have tasted have good as they did when I was a child – what variety would the panel recommend?

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Christine – The only two I now grow are Charlotte and Pink Fur Apple – which are both salad potatoes which seem to retain the flavour.

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James – I would definitely go for the salad ones as they are most expensive in the supermarkets and have a better flavour in general. I would go with Anya.

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Q – I would like the panels opinion on whether I should use charcoal in my Terrariums?

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James – I have never used charcoal in my Terrariums. It holds water but doesn’t rot so it could be a good growing medium. I would say that is growing med is important as is hydration. I like to use a heavy mixture of thing that drain well like a vermiculite and perlite mixed with regular house plant compost at a 50/50 ratio.

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Christine – Charcoal is meant to keep the water and compost sweet, as it absorbs smell.

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Q – What ways could the panel suggest for generating copious amounts of compost matter?

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Christine – A good quality chipper will produce an awful lot of stuff, but it requires an awful lot of stuff. Shredders are useful in a certain type of setting.

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Peter – Little robot mower

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Plants mentioned in the feature: Callicarpa (Beautyberry), Panicum Virgatum (‘N´Ç°ù³Ù³ó·É¾±²Ô»å’), Cyclamen hederifolium (Ivy-leaved cyclamen), Cyclamen coum (Eastern sowbread), Hellebore, Sarcococca, Galanthus reginae-olgae, Crocus, Puschkinia, Camellia sinensis (Tea plant), Camellia japonica (Japanese camellia)

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