GQT at Home: Episode Twenty-Six

Q – How do I get my green tomatoes which are still in the greenhouse to go red? And should I still be watering the plants? (2 minutes 07)

Q – I have recently purchased a Japanese Purple Maple. It is around 50cm tall (1.6ft). I was hoping to bonsai it as I don’t have garden space for a tree. I don’t know how to shape it, when to water it, or the best time to transplant it out of its plastic pot into a ceramic one. Any advice please? (4 minutes 45)

Q – I have a large Hardy Bush Fuchsia which has had a very bad attack on what I believe to be fuchsia gall mite. Is there anything the panel could advise? (8 minutes 35)

Q – We have an old schoolhouse. One side of the building is a tarmacked playground. Is it OK to put raised beds directly onto tarmac and do you have any suggestions for planting to add year-round colour and interest? (11 minutes)

Matthew – Hydrangea paniculate ‘Limelight’

Feature – Box Hedge Caterpillar at RHS Wisley Peter Gibbs and Matthew Pottage (14 minutes 30)

Matthew – Ilex crenata (Japanese holly)

Berberis Red Leaf (Auricoma)

White Variegated Pittosporum

Yew – Austrotaxus spicata

Australian Leptospermum

Corokia

Lupinus polycarpus

Ligustrum sinese

Ligustrum ovalifolium ‘Lemon and Lime’

Berberis darwinii ‘Compacta’

Corokia x virgata ‘Silver Ghost’

Q – As a beekeeper I am keen to promote plants which provide good nectar and pollen either early or late in the season. What plants would you suggest? (19 minutes 30)

Chris – Hellebores

Galanthus

Crocus

Winter flowering honey suckles

Apples

Plum – almonds, sloe, or cherry

Erica

Heathers

Aster

Sedum – Autumn Joy

Common Ivy

Rudbeckias

Verbena

Anne – Pulmonaria (Lungwort)

Matthew – Hesperantha

Mahonia

Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. Ganpinesis ‘Soft Caress’

Q – My son has a collection of Cacti on his windowsill. Some of these have developed a white fluffy substance. Do you have any suggestions on what is causing this and are there are any remedies? (23 minutes 40)

Q – I have been growing sweetcorn for 5 years on a sheltered site. My plants always grow a lot of side-shoots with tiny useless cops. I have read you are not supposed to cut them off – is this the right thing to do? (27 minutes)

Feature – Chris Thorogood on the Darth Vadar plant

Chris – Aristolochia salvadorensis

Q – I grew a pumpkin in a pot on a trellis. It is now bigger than a football. The vines are slowly dying. When is the pumpkin right for harvesting? (34 minutes)

Q – I garden weekly with 2 friends, rotating which garden gets the work. Does the panel ever garden socially or is gardening your precious me time? (35 minutes 40)