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38 New Stour & Avon, March 10, 2023
Home & Garden
Plumbing work fit for a King!
Hannah’s horticulture Welcome to the monthly Q&A session!
We are overrun with ivy. How can I get rid of it? Ivy has a bad reputation, sometimes for good reason, as it’s a very ‘successful’ plant! It has long been claimed that ivy kills trees, but in fact that statement is much disputed. In a healthy tree, the canopy blocks out the light enough to limit the growth of the ivy, and both coexist without issue. It is also one of the best plants and habitats for wildlife because of its evergreen cover and nesting facilities, the number of critters that live in it providing food and a whole healthy ecosystem of its own. The berries are great food for birds, and the nectar is a rich early source of food for bees and pollinators. However the problem comes when there is wind! As you can imagine, the ivy acts as a sail, and weak trees, plants and structures will cope poorly with the extra weight and force exerted. Ivy can be controlled by regular pruning, and in places where it’s out of control cut the stems just above the base. Cut a portion of the stems out, about an inch, to leave a gap. If you don’t do this the ivy can heal the cut and keep its nutrients and water supply to the tops. Dig out the roots as and when you can. What is the best variety of potato to grow for jacket spuds? There are a few potatoes EX-DISPLAY SHEDS, Stables/field shelters, summerhouses, offices, workshops, agricultural 01935 891195
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Hannah Hobbs-Chell is a horticulturist and garden designer/consultant. If you have a question for her, email:hannah.hobbschell@ outlook.com including a picture if relevant
n Ivy can be a valuable evergreen screen and is great for wildlife, but it sometimes causes issues!
suitable for jackets, and many will also be fine if dug up a little earlier for roasting/boiling/ mashing, etc, too. The best jackets have a creamy texture and an easy to crisp skin. You also have to consider the growing conditions. Potato blight is very widespread now, and can really damage a crop if it gets hold. Thankfully, there are blightresistant varieties that are brilliant in vigour, flavour and texture. Any variety beginning with the name ‘Sarpo’ have been bred to be blight resistant, and consistently come out best in tests of blight resistant varieties, but if you want to chance it, in my opinion the best for texture, flavour, and tuber production is ‘vivaldi’.
What is the best way to get grass to grow? To establish a new lawn, start with the soil: Ensure it is well raked and fine with most stones removed, level, and moist but not wet. Then choose your seed depending on your situation,
shady lawns, general purpose, etc. Grass seed is usually made up of four or more varieties, and these different varieties have different advantages and are more suited to different situations, the combination and percentage makes the seed mix for different situations. Sow grass seed liberally at the rate suggested, never less, for a thick sward, put a board/plank over the seed and tread down lightly. Keep well watered until it’s established – this is the main cause of failure. Also consider netting areas to keep birds from eating the seed! Hold off mowing until the grass is at least two inches high, and mow on a high setting for the first cut, and then treat as normal lawn. As always, please do email me with your questions and queries for inclusion in the next Q&A, include a photo if relevant. You can ask me about things such as design, pests and diseases, plant choice, plant and garden maintenance, trees etc.
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