Gardening queries hit an all-time high
30 January 2012
The RHS Advisory Department experienced its busiest year in 2011, receiving more than 60000 enquiries from its members- a record breaker.
The team of RHS experts solved myriad enquiries which ranged from problems associated with pests and diseases to plant identification. Many of the queries pertained to the unpredictable temperatures throughout the year.
Chief Horticultural Advisor, Guy Barter said, 'Last year was a record year for RHS Advisory. We had lots of enquiries from members about how the unusual weather would affect the growth and development of their plants.'
Top queries
The most popular queries included;
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Flowering plants
Cordylines (left) - their fate from the cold winter of 2010/2011 and resulting slime flux
Sweet peas - loss of flowers due to fluctuating temperatures and how to overcome this
Dahlias - when to lift and store tubers in a frost-free autumn
Fruit
Autumn-fruiting raspberries (left) - cutting canes down in a cold February
Gardening tools
How to get hold of long-handled apple pickers for harvesting apples