Horticultural Sciences Department
The Horticultural Sciences Department brings together the disciplines of plant pathology, entomology, soil science and plant physiology. This is an active research group whose specialist scientific expertise supports general horticultural information available from other advisory staff.
This group is involved in research on environmental issues including mulches, alternatives to peat and soil acidification for lime-intolerant plants and heavy metals in soils.
Research staff are also involved in work on the cultivation of plants, such as optimising the establishment and management of prairie grasses for UK gardens and amenity landscapes. A large field experiment has been started to access the growth of lime-tolerant rhododendrons which have recently become available to gardeners.
A Soil Analysis Service is also offered to members and non-members for a fee. Garden soil samples are analysed for soil texture, pH, organic matter, available phosphorus, potassium and magnesium.
For information on soils at Wisley click here
Plant establishment is anecdotally a problem for amateur gardeners. It could be due to a wide range of factors: transplanting stress, plant/soil incompatibility, inadequate planting depth or time, poor nutrition and inadequate water availability post transplanting etc. Current research aims to increase our understanding of the mechanisms regulating new root growth after transplanting and develop practical ways of encouraging new root growth in ornamental shrubs and young trees.
The entomology team provides RHS members with advice on pests, but also deals with a wide range of other enquiries concerning the animal kingdom from nematodes to mammals.
The entomologists give presentations at Wisley on a range of subjects such as encouraging wildlife in gardens, pest recognition and control, and ‘creepy crawly’ lectures to school children during the summer holidays.
In addition to providing advice, the entomology section contributes to long running research projects such as the Rothamsted Research Insect Survey, which monitors the distribution, flight periods and abundance of moths. Research is carried out on some pests that are of importance to amateur gardeners. Particular interests are some pests that are not native to Britain, such as the long established lily beetle to more recent arrivals such as the rosemary beetle, berberis sawfly and hemerocallis gall midge. The entomologists also have an interest in conservation and monitor and record the invertebrate life of the River Wey conservation area at Wisley Garden.
The pathology team handle enquiries from members and work on a research programme into significant garden disease problems. At present these include the taxonomy and ecology of honey fungus (Armillaria spp.), Cylindrocladium blight of box and diagnosis of Phytophthora root diseases. The research laboratory at Wisley is equipped for some DNA fingerprinting work, employed at present in the identification of honey fungus and Phytophthora. Pathology staff have also initiated a mapping project to monitor the spread of some plant diseases within Wisley garden, in co-operation with the Curatorial Department.