Bob Gordon did a terrific talk and slide show at the Swilly Gardening Club last week. Or so I was told. I was a bit busy that evening and turned up at the club five minutes before chucking out time. Everyone that I talked to said that it was a great evening and there were bunches of snowdrops for everyone to take home at the end. I’ll suggest that the club invests in a camcorder, and then if I am late again I can watch the meeting at home later!
I have a backlog of gardening questions that have been E-mailed into me so I think we will have a gardener’s question time this week.
QUESTION TIME
Q. Some of my tulips have got black specks and yellow blotches on the leaves on and the growth is spindly. What is the problem? S.A. Letterkenny
A. This sounds like some of the bulbs have a fungal disease called Tulip Fire and things are not going to improve I’m afraid. When it comes to flowering time the buds might not open and if they do the flowers are likely to be distorted and covered with mould. The fungal spores called Botrytis tulipae can rest in the soil for years and infect other bulbs. Wet and windy weather are ideal conditions for the disease to spread.
CONTROL
· When you buy bulbs, make sure that there are no black specks on the scales; this is usually an indication of the disease.
· If you notice distorted foliage on the plant burn the leaves or preferably the whole plant straight away as the disease can spread rapidly.
· Do not plant bulbs in the same spot as the spores in the soil could affect other bulbs.If you dig your bulbs up at the end of the season, dip them into a fungicide solution to protect them for next year.
Horticultural.
I have a backlog of gardening questions that have been E-mailed into me so I think we will have a gardener’s question time this week.
QUESTION TIME
Q. Some of my tulips have got black specks and yellow blotches on the leaves on and the growth is spindly. What is the problem? S.A. Letterkenny
A. This sounds like some of the bulbs have a fungal disease called Tulip Fire and things are not going to improve I’m afraid. When it comes to flowering time the buds might not open and if they do the flowers are likely to be distorted and covered with mould. The fungal spores called Botrytis tulipae can rest in the soil for years and infect other bulbs. Wet and windy weather are ideal conditions for the disease to spread.
CONTROL
· When you buy bulbs, make sure that there are no black specks on the scales; this is usually an indication of the disease.
· If you notice distorted foliage on the plant burn the leaves or preferably the whole plant straight away as the disease can spread rapidly.
· Do not plant bulbs in the same spot as the spores in the soil could affect other bulbs.If you dig your bulbs up at the end of the season, dip them into a fungicide solution to protect them for next year.
Horticultural.
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