Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival: Anaerobic Digestion, Apple Maggots and  Pyramid Orchids

Questions and timecodes are below. Where applicable, plant names have been provided.

Q – Snowdrops…Do you mulch, feed, or leave them alone? (01’46”)

Q – Should I cover my compost heap to encourage anaerobic digestion, or should I leave it open to the air for aerobic digestion? (05’41”)

Q – I’ve inherited some very large and very old salvias, how hard should I cut them back? (10’08”)

Q – We have two mature Bramley apple trees which are infested with worms – is there a way to prevent the moths from settling? (14’19”)

Feature – Anne Swithinbank and Dominic Weston discuss Shepton Mallets upcoming Snowdrop Festival and provide some advice on how to establish them successfully. (20’07)

Dominic Weston –

Galanthus 'Magnet', snowdrop 'Magnet'

Galanthus × hybridus 'Merlin', snowdrop 'Merlin'

Galanthus 'S. Arnott', snowdrop 'S. Arnott'

Q – I’ve been carefully nurturing two lovely spindle trees in pots, Can I trim them and safely leave them in pots? (24’58”)

Matthew Wilson –

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', compact winged spindle

Q – How do I encourage pyramid orchids to flower in my garden? (29’18”)

Q – What planting would the panel suggest for the windy sides of my house? (33’31”)

Anne Swithinbank –

Ilex aquifolium, common holly

Ilex × altaclerensis, highclere holly

Pittosporum

Pittosporum tenuifolium, tawhiwhi

Matthew Wilson –

Acer campestre, field maple

Allium 'Gladiator', allium ‘gladiator’

Allium 'Ambassador', allium 'Ambassador'

Tulipa 'Jan Reus' (3), tulip ‘Jan Reus’

Tulipa 'Paul Scherer' (3), tulip ‘Paul Scherer’

Tulipa 'Queen of Night' (5), tulip 'Queen of Night'

Tulipa saxatilis (15), candia tulip

Veronicastrum 'Apollo', culver’s root apollo

Q –  I have a suspicion that if snowdrops bloomed later and were not the herald of the end of winter, they would not have a cult following. Does the panel agree? (37’58”)