Mr Fothergill’s
Ask John Negus
John has been answering reader queries for 50 years
Dormant clematis look ‘dead’ (inset) but will rejuvenate in warmer weather
Feed strawberries in spring when things are warming up
Feeding strawbs
Q
Alamy
Do alpine strawberries need special care now? George Roberts, Meols, Wirral
Why are my clematis still looking dead?
Q
I have several clematis in the garden and overwintered in my greenhouse, including a ‘John Huxtable’, but they just look like dead stems. What should I do? Mrs A Crookes, via email
A
I wonder if it is simply a matter of time. A simple way of checking whether the stems are still alive is to scrape away a sliver of the bark using a thumbnail. Live stems have green flesh under the bark, dead stems are brown. Varieties like ‘John Huxtable’ flower later in the year on the current season’s growth, so are unlikely to be showing signs of bud burst yet. Second, all the advice given with new
clematis plants is not to expect too much in the first year or two as they will be establishing strong roots and may not do too much growing on top. In year three they will start to perform. I shouldn’t think incorrect planting is the problem here, but just in case, you can try the guide at: https:// taylorsclematis.co.uk/plant-care.html. Most clematis are fully hardy so they should not need any winter protection, though plants in pots are more vulnerable to cold than those in the ground. However, a frost-free greenhouse should be all that is necessary. I’m sorry I don’t have an exact answer to your question, but I hope that this information is reassuring.
A
Ideally, feed your strawberries in April when the soil is warming up, with Vitax Q4. Apply it monthly until August, sprinkling it over the root area, and watering it in if the soil is dry. Alternatively, use fish, blood and bone meal at 4oz (112g) per square metre, working it into the soil’s surface. Again, feed monthly until late summer.
Plant out foxglove seedlings in late spring
What are the marks on our healthy bay?
Alamy
A
The marks on the bay tree leaves on the leaf. The best way to deal with may be caused by scale it is through good hygiene insect, a sap-sucking pest and improved growing that can weaken a tree. conditions. Remove If this is the problem, affected leaves and spray the tree with a mild rake up fallen leaves. solution of washing-up Feed the plant a liquid or a proprietary balanced fertiliser early organic insecticide. in spring to encourage Bay scale is a sapSeveral applications will new growth. sucking pest that can be necessary to catch the Bay trees respond weaken plants juvenile stages of the insect. well to pruning. In late spring, Alternatively, the problem may be cut the main stems back, some to soil the fungal disease leaf spot, which level, and others by up to half to shows as necrotic grey or brown spots encourage new growth from the base. 36 AMATEUR GARDENING 8 FEBRUARY 2020
Seedlings care
Q
How should I care for my foxglove seedlings? Janet Savage, via email
A
When your seedlings are 3in (7cm) high, pot them separately into 3-4in (7-10cm) pots of multi-purpose compost. Keep them in your cold frame, protecting them if hard frosts are forecast, and transplant them outdoors in April or May 8in (20cm) apart each way. They will develop a rosette of leaves this year. Because they are biennials, they will flower, set seed and die the following season. Feed them monthly, from April to September, with fish, blood and bone meal.
All photographs TI Media unless otherwise credited
Q
The leaves of our bay tree are covered in strange marks. Would it help if I pruned it back? Nigel Clark, Letchworth Garden City, Herts
