Gardening questions

[smokingboot]

Advice gratefully received!

Four weeks ago, out of despair I was going to buy another pear tree to
pollinate Quincey, as this is the first year s/he's flowered. Transpires there was no need; Quincey's blossoms have been succeeded by a teeny batch of pearlets. There aren't many and if anyone knows how to encourage more I would love to hear.

Also, there is the problem of Quncey's lower branches. I didn't do the whole proper pear thing, ie, planting against a south facing wall, and Quincey's branches now dangle among the daisies, being eaten to bits. I'm worried that insects might use the branches as a highway to fruity heaven. Is that likely? Should I just chop those branches? I hate to do it while the little tree is fruiting, in case I traumatise it, but I want those pears...

And finally; my dear larians and his mate Bruce Sans LJ are quite right in gauging the garden's need for a flame thrower. Ragwort is taking over; each year I pull these things up by hand, each year they return. larians and Bruce are talking about nuking the whole thing with weedkiller and starting from scratch; I am worried that even leaving Quincey untouched, the weedkiller might affect the soil and therefore the pears, and of course, I'm worried about damaging the froggy paradise this place becomes later in the year. Anyone know a really good weedkiller that won't do hideous ecological damage?

Comments

[load-of-flannel.livejournal.com]

There aint nothing that will deal with Ragwort or Bindweed without fecking over the soil for a while.

Also the problem may stem from a neighbouring property so unless thats treated to wont get rid of the infestation.

[larians.livejournal.com]

Fortunately (or unfortunately for our neighbours) we are the problem and it has been getting steadily worse....

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

No, it's definitely us...our garden shows us up to be the neighbourhood pikeys, though we don't even have the class to keep dagggs. We've got a fine variety of garden insects to feed the local frogs and bats, but this bloody ragwort is taking over.

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

Pikeys, huh? I'll give yer Pikeys m'dear ;-)

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

LOL! Ah, poor Mary! I am not going to be at the next Maelstrom, but I hope the pikeys are back in force:-D

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

I think we have different charchters lined up this time, but should be as much fun.

Though mamapusscat and I could probably be persuaded to revive Queenie and Rosey just for a laugh sometime.

[cat-that-walks.livejournal.com]

"Anyone know a really good weedkiller that won't do hideous ecological damage?"

Agent Orange?

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Somehow I feel you';re getting into Maelstrom mood just that little too early...

[cat-that-walks.livejournal.com]

What? Me?
Nope, that comes later, once I`ve bothered packing, travelled, arrived, and necked the first pint in the bar.

From the horses mouth

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

I asked the orchad manager here and her advises that Quince's are self -pollinating unlike pears, which will need two trees, best if they are of different varieties however.

Quince's also take slightly longer to come into fruit than pears.

On weedkillers he advises find a knowledgable person at a local garden centre and then make whatever thy advise up to double strength because garden centres are supposed to advise half-strength.(whatever that means)

Re: From the horses mouth

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

The chappy just come back, and suggest you 'paint' (using a paint brush) neat 'Roundup' on to the ragowrt leaves.

It's not ecofriendly stuff you wanted but by appling it with a paint brush you have more control where it goes.

Oh and wear rubber gloves when doing it - as it not nice stuff.

Re: From the horses mouth

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Right, shall try this out I think, if I can't find anything organic. Once again, thanks for the info!

Re: From the horses mouth

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Thanks for all this! See, this wee tree is a quince root ball grafted on to something else, or I don't know, something very complicated. It's a 'Doyenne du Comice' pear and is supposed to bear flavoursome fruit, but it needs a 'Conference' or some such to pollinate it. I wish I had chosen a self pollinating variety. But somehow, it has lost its arboreal virginity and is ready to grace us with young, so I suppose I should be grateful!

[velvet-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Can't check whether they have anything suitable (as I'm at work), but "Growing for Success" certainly do some organic bug killers and could well do weed killers of an organic variety too.

Googling them generally brings up their website which lists all their products.

I've been impressed with the slug/snail killers - I have corpses whilst being organic!

Other than that I know nothing about growing pears/quinces.

marktoy is probably the most informed I can think of to ask...

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Thank you for all this info (this is Mark who used to play a Sicilian, I think?) I'm trying to have lots of slugs for frogs etc, and yet to grow the occasional flower too. It feels like I'm attempting the impossible!

[velvet-the-cat.livejournal.com]

"this is Mark who used to play a Sicilian, I think?"

You think correctly! He gardens for a livin'.

Having looked more at the Growing Success website now, they may not have subtle weedkillers after all. Sorry.

They're worth knowing about though, just in case you have another blight that needs dealing with!

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

Oooh, are the slug killers cat friendly and do they have anything ecological that deals with Ants?

[velvet-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Re Slugs - with the Advanced Slug Killer it claims to be everything bar slug and snail friendly, so pets are fine. We're using it and our cat seems unbothered.

http://www.growingsuccess.org.uk/range.asp?cat=Slug_Control

The slimey things eat the pellets and then kinda shrivel and dry up.

Re Ants, apparently yes they have stuff made from 'natural ingredients' and several options: see under the 'Ant and Bug Killer' section from the menu on the left.

[littlemiscowboy.livejournal.com]

Of course a good start is a kettle. Once you've cut the above ground growth all back, boil the kettle and pour boiling hot water on the roots. Several times. Yes it's a lot of water, but it does kill the roots by essentially cooking them.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

...and not poisoning the soil. I like this idea...bit worried that the water won't reach the deepest roots, as we seem to have a weed network more intricate, cheaper and faster than the London Underground.