Thorny problems

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Thorny problems: cat deterrent plants (Filed: 23/02/2002)

Helen Yemm answers your questions on roses, slug tape and making your own seed compost

Ramblers and climbers

The first thing we did in our new garden last winter was try to regain control of two neglected roses on a pergola. One subsequently flowered quite well and produced two new shoots. The other, which hardly flowered at all, is almost out of control again. What do we do next? Nicky Womersley, Wilmslow, Cheshire

IT sounds as if only one of these is a climbing rose, while the other may be a rambler. They behave very differently and, of the two, the climber is more manageable, as you have discovered.

Climbers make a few strong shoots that can be trained to form a woody framework from which short flowering shoots are produced each year. New shoots have been produced from near the base of your climber in the wake of your efforts last winter, so an older framework branch can now be removed. It is always important not to cut off these new shoots, so that the rose's framework can gradually renew itself over time. Try to bend shoots gently into position as they grow. You should also now cut back all the short shoots that flowered to within a few inches of the framework branches.

Your rambler is going to give you a gorgeous display of flowers this summer on the new branches it produced in abundance last summer. Tie these shoots down on to the pergola - remove some of them if there are too many. This rose will make new growth from the base each year that will flower the following year, so there will always be some cutting out and training to do if you are to keep control of it on a pergola.

If you regard its annual management as a chore you could do without, you could cut it down and move it to somewhere where it can ramble and just get on with it.

Slug tape

I used to buy slug tape and little mats that were impregnated with slug killer (I will not use slug pellets) for putting under pots. The people I used to buy them from have gone out of business. Do you know of another supplier? Miss J E Randles, Sevenoaks, Kent

These products are still available and, furthermore, they are both delightfully "green" and do not involve chemicals. Slug tape is adhesive copper tape for sticking around the rim of flower pots (or the door frames of greenhouses, perhaps?), and the little pads or mats, called snail mats, are made of a fabric with copper woven into it. Slugs and snails hate contact with copper and will not slither across it.

Both tape and mats are available from Green Gardener, a company that sells a lot of natural pest-control products. The mats come in two sizes and are proving so popular that larger sizes to go under tubs and big planters are being considered.

To obtain a catalogue or advice from Green Gardener (seven days a week), call 01603 715096.

Cat deterrent plant

Mr G W Seater from Harrow in Middlesex and emailer David Ruskin are two of many readers who would like to know more about the plant that, it is claimed, deters cats, (charmingly called "Pee off"). They want information as to where they can get hold of plants or seeds of it.

It originates from Germany and is a foliage plant (therefore produces no seeds). A cross between a coleus and a plectranthus, the breeders are calling it Coleus canina. In the UK it can be obtained from Easy Plants, PO Box 766, Swavesey, CB4 5WG (0870 013 0013).

Before everyone gets terribly excited about it, it is worth pointing out that nobody knows much about this plant and, not being hardy, it will have to be brought indoors for the winter. Easy Plants is selling four rooted cuttings for £5.75 and it says supplies will be plentiful later in the spring.

I have asked for some plants to test - and what better place to put them than in the middle of what I grandly call my "cat mint walk". I will report on what happens and look forward, as always, to readers' feedback in a few months' time.

Steamy solution

Could you tell me where I can buy a soil steriliser, as I would like to make my own seed compost? Julia Caldecott, via email

First the good news: a company called Two Wests & Elliot (01246 451077; www.twowests.co.uk), which sells all manner of greenhouse and gardening gadgets and equipment, has the soil steriliser you need.

The bad news is that it costs £325, so you would have to be seriously addicted to plant propagation to shell out. It is capable of sterilising four buckets of soil in 90 minutes, or there is a larger "commercial" version.

Ordinary garden soil must be sterilised (have all the harmful pests and bugs and weed seeds eliminated, without all the useful bacteria being destroyed) at 180F - a similar temperature to that used for pasteurising.

I asked Guy Barter at the RHS how small quantities of soil could be sterilised without expensive machinery. Apparently an oven is not an option. The soil dries out too much from the outside and the goodies get cooked along with the baddies (sorry, I'm not a scientist).

Steaming it in a colander over a saucepan of water for 10 minutes, then sticking a thermometer in the middle to check the temperature, does a better job.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

Answers

Thorny problems...

And I thought it may be a way to get rid of thorny vines. I have zillions of them growing way up into the trees (along with wild grapes) which are killing my trees. I spent the better part of the weekend (2 weekends ago) digging, cutting, and pulling them out of the trees. I did manage to find a couple of hours this past weekend to continue with my futile efforts to wipe them off of my property. I have only scratched the surface I fear. :( Oh I managed to scratch my legs up good too. :(

Winter has returned here in a bad way. Saturday was around 75, yesterday in the 60's. Got up this morning to 33 and it is still around there. The wind chill makes it feel around 0. Guess I won't be working outside to much this afternoon. But since hubby returned home, I feel that I have more important things to attend to. ;)

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002


have fun apoc.

What are you doing on line? LOL

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002


Well, I had to come into work today. :(

Actually, the weekend was wonderful. Son even had a sleepover at a friends house on Saturday night leaving the two of us alone. Gee... what to do, what to do. :)

It was almost nice to come into work today to get some rest. ;) Actually, hubby had to study for a test, plus he is going over the taxes some. LOL

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002


Still very spring-like here. However, saw a piece on pending drought all down the east coast today. Not very encouraging. Something to do with El Nino or the female version of same. We did have a good bit of rain not long ago, filled up the reservoirs, but in our summers that won't last long. Must keep water requirements in mind when buying plants. If I buy any more, getting past it, I'm afraid.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Winter has returned! :(

Yesterday, it didn't get out of the low 20's and the wind chills were anywhere from -10 to 0 all day long. This morning I awoke to a frigid 11 degrees. Wind is lighter today. Friday they are calling for rain turning to snow with a few inches possible before coming to an end sometime Saturday.

Next week, I'll be in Vegas for work. Darn! Maybe it'll be warm there. This cold is killin me.

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002



Have fun in Vegas! I miss going there. Used to go twice a year; on business of course!

-- Anonymous, February 27, 2002

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