Gardening questions
Jun. 4th, 2007 10:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smokingbootAdvice 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 dearlarians 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?
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?![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 12:18 pm (UTC)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.
no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 10:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-06-04 10:24 pm (UTC)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!