Brighten up your garden

Okay, so when it comes to the time when it's chilly outside it does not mean your garden can´t look cheery. Spend a few hours potting up winter flowers and you cna enjoy them from the warmth of indoors all through the winter months.

It's a good idea to place containers in a sheltered spot away from the wind. Stack them and they will also be safe from ground frost.

Universal Pansies are the number one choice for winter, and pot them, forking in plenty of nutrients into a quality potting compost and add a slow release fertiliser.

If the weather is frosty, move pots into the garage or shed to protect them. Terracotta and ceramic pots can crack if the compost inside them freezes, so protect them with a layer of bubble wrap.

Choice plants for winter pots in sheltered areas are the dense purple Aster x frikartii `Monch`, but once the frost sets in take the post indoors. The one plant that can survive, frost, rain and snow though are Cyclamen coum - they thrive in the coldest weather conditions.

And if you want a good climber when every other plant in your garden has gone to sleep, your best best is Clematis cirrhosa ´Freckles´, which is pale yellow with brown specks - perfect for that dull fence.

Gardening Explained: Learn the Lingo

Take control of your garden by getting to know the basics. Find out the way to support climbers and how to keep lawns weed-free.

Learn the lingo:
Many plants are able to scale the heights without support, but others will be crying out for help. There are two types of plants that need a helping hand: climbers and varieties with weak stems.

Trellis is one of the most attractive supports for climbers such as clematis and honeysuckle. Fix these lattice-work wood frames on to walls and fences or erect free standing panels.

To make more of a feature of your climbing plants, you could choose a permanent structure such as a pergola, arch, gazebo or pillar. The plants will probably need tying in to the structure at intervals, but they will have free range to spread at will.

Use bamboo canes for individual plants. Delphiniums will appreciate this sort of support. Tie in the stems with soft garden twine at intervals.

Removing lawn weeds:
Dig out persistent weeds before they make themselves at home in your lawn. No one minds the odd daisy, but it's best to root out the less attractive visitors once you spot them.

1) Use a hand trowel to dig out perennial weeds. Remove every bit of the root, especially the long tap root of dandelions.
2) You will have a hole in your lawn where the weed had settled. Level this by adding a little potting compost, which will also enrich the soil. Mix it in well.
3) Spinkle grass seed over the bare patch. Mix it into the soil surface to ensure it is evenly spaced and just covered with soil. Water with a fine hose.
4) To speed up germination and keep the birds off, spread a sheet of clear polythene over the patch and peg in place. Remove this once the seedlings start to emerge.

Join our gardening forum and meet new friends and share your garden with glee!

Hot Summer Planting

Put the life back into your garden this summer by adding colour, are you bored with your borders? Add splashes of vivid colours to spice things up a little

Colour Matching
Avoid placing colours right next to each other that clash. You could be co-ordinated and stick to shades of one or two colours, like mauves, pinks and purples; or go trendy and plant red, yellow and orange. But don´t mix these two colour ranges or the result will be like an explosion in a paint shop!

It's a good idea to look at a colour wheel, as you will immediately be able to see which colours go together. As they say, opposites attract, and this works for some colours that are opposite to each other on the wheel - like green and red.

A good strategy is to match three colours that are spaced at equal distances around the wheel - purple, green and orange work well together.

Clematis: Make a superb display and are vigorous once planted. A good choice is Clematis viticella ´Purpurea Plena Elegans´ which flowers from late summer to autumn.

Roses: For a pale and pretty display, choose the white "iceberg" variety.

Small Gardens: Transformation Tips

The small garden problem:
How to turn a nightmare of a tiny overgrown garden, dominated by a shed over run with climbing plants and filled with junk, into a lush haven for you and your family?

Small garden solution: Determine exactly what you have to work with, design your layout, choose your plants and most importantly get the area cleared before!

Small is beautiful!
The best thing about small gardens is that they are often secluded or private, or can be made to be with climbing plants (my personal favourite). They probably won't have grass to cut or flower beds to weed. Most of the planting can be in pots which can be shifted around as you like.

Buried treasure:
Turning out your shed can produce a heap of 'junk' and assorted hoarded wood, ripe for imaginative recycling. An old wooden palette can be set down alongside the shed to make an instant deck area. Poles at each corner with cross bars fixed to them at the top, to create a pergola! If you have a scrambling bush or vine, untangle and tie to a frame for support, to eventually create a green canopy. If you really want to get sensual and relaxed you could introduce a mattress, bells and wind chimes for a calming effect - the perfect place to practice Yoga!

To distract attention from an ugly concrete floor, line the space with big pot plants, this will create a nice feeling in the space and take the eyes away from the floor, also a good talking point.

Do not barricade small areas by choosing upright plants vs spreading plants. You can always trim back your plants if they get a bit big for their roots ;)
Well worn garden tools and even an old barrow from the shed can be lined up in a proud row to create a gallery of garden antiques, put summer bedding plants in pots beneath the climbers and foliage plants.

Plant up containers with plae flowers such as Verbena and Cosmos which has a fluffy fern like foliage which can lighten dark areas.

If you want to create a harmonious contemporary look with your windows then introduce hanging baskets consisting of white and yellow flowers. For a full, soft focus, use Tolmiea, which is often called 'The Mother of Thousands', plant, and Plectranthus, both of which have attractive trailing variegated foliage. If you want some drama then add Ophiopogon negrescens.

Tip: Add water retaining crystals to the compost, they turn to a jelly which keeps the compost moist. Add pellets of plant food at the same time. They release their nutrients slowly into the compost over the growing period.

Weed Control: In a small garden you may be lucky and only have a few patches that need constant weed control but if you really do not want to deal with any weeds then to create a pathway, for example. Cover with special weed supressing membrane. It stops weeds from getting the light and water they need to thrive. A layer of gravel can then sit on top, if you want edging then add this higher than the gravel and stones will not be kicked into your planting areas.

The Edible Garden:

1. Strawberries: Put stones in the bottom of pots to improve drainage, add compost up to the first holes, wrap each strawberry plant in paper to protect it, thread them through the lower holes from the inside.
2. To ensure even watering, drill holes in a short length of plastic pipe, stand it in the pot and continue planting
3. Fill the pipe with gravel, set two or three more plants in the top of the pot. Cover the surface with gravel. Put in a sunny position and water thoroughly, via the gravel pipe
4. Water regularly, then enjoy the fruits of your labours - with cream!

Growing from Seed

Hi all, its Gill,

Many many years ago I remember walking past a garden and being gob smacked by a plant that I saw. I hadn't a clue what it was and have never seen one since until I opened my Thompson and Morgan catalogue last year and saw the seeds for sale. It was a melianthus, a honey bush.

Has anyone out there got one? It grows to about 6foot I think, and has huge fronds of brown and gold. I eagerly planted all the seeds in one pot and covered them in vermiculite and placed them in my greenhouse earlier this year. Eventually one plant emerged, then two and now I have four. They are about 8 inches tall so I guess no more will come through. They were all planted in the same pot, in the same conditions etc so I am a little disappointed that only 4 have come through.I must admit that I have bought loads of seeds from Thompson and Morgan and I think I have yet to get a full packet of seeds to grow!!!

I nevertheless go back to them because of their enormous variety of seeds that I dont see anywhere else. Last year I bought two packets of banana seeds and unfortunately not one seed grew. I have grown bananas in the past with no effort, such a shame I was looking forward to seeing them.

A couple of years or three ago I bought loads of lilies from T&Morgan, and I can highly recommend you to do so too. I open my back door and there is a heady aroma coming from my lilies, a spectacle to behold, they are stunning plants and the flowers are all much larger than my hand. I have taken some piccies and when I work out how to get them on here I will show you. Dont forget that if you buy lily bulbs to always plant them on their side on sand, then cover over in soil.

I have to tell you a story about my grandson James who was 4 at the time, but is now 7. We had just put down an indian sand stone path up the back garden. The slabs had fossils of ferns and trees etc on them. James walked up the path and on seeing a fossil for the first time, said "Look you have tattoos on your path". Isnt that wonderful!

I quite like gardens that are regimental but that's not for me, my garden just happens!!! I have tall flowers at the front of a border whilst the little ones at the back are struggling to survive. If a plant self seeds, then that is where it stays. My path that I mentioned earlier is smothered in thousands of foxgloves, poppies etc etc, I can hardly walk up it haha. Next year we wont be able to at all and will have to walk on the grass, defeting the object of having a path really! I have nowhere to replant these seedlings and I wont pull them up. My neighbour has had as many as he can take too. Nevertheless I can guarantee that a few packet of seeds will take my eye next spring, I will plant them and if they grow I will have the same dilemma I have every year - where to put them haha!!!

Gardening, Spain and England

Hello fellow gardeners its Gill again,

I was in Spain last week staying with my son and daughter in law. Phew it was hot!!! They have my favourite tree in their garden, a jacaranda, wish I could grow them here. The highlight of my week was going to a garden centre out there and seeing all the exotic things you can buy that you definitely dont see here in Hampshire. They bought a mango tree that had 6 fruits on before we forced it into the car along with several other plants, and had one fruit by the time it got home! Also they bought a paw paw tree for €5.75 what an absolute bargain, thats what the mango cost too, and guess what else, something I thought I would never see, my favourite nut, a macadamia tree also that price. By the next day they werent looking too happy being planted out in all that heat but I have my fingers crossed for their survival. It was a wonderful experience going there.

What a shock to come home to half of that temperature at Gatwick and rain. When I drew up into the drive though, my hydrangea had bloomed whilst I was away. I have a piccy for you, but dont know how to get it onto here, something else I have to learn hehehe! All this technology is fairly new to me, I take a long time to learn.

As soon as I dumped my luggage my first port of call was my girls (chickens), then the greenhouse. Woohoo I have some baby tomatoes, thank goodness for my neighbours watering and looking after for me.

Yesterday I went to Frensham garden centre. I like that place, they make the most delicious shortbreads for only £1 for a huge one. Their plants are healthy and the prices are similar to most centres. There is so much to see there its well worth a visit. They have a good range of acers my second favourite trees (I think I have about 8 in my garden).

I go to a garden centre every Wednesday with two friends of mine, and we always eat out there too, there must be about 18 that we go to regularly. If any have any bargains I will let you know of them although I know that most of you are in Spain. Hopefully we have some English readers too. Guess what, yes its raining again, thank goodness its summer else it would be worse!!!

Okay peeps Im going to love you and leave you, enjoy your gardens, catch you again soon, take care, Gill.

Gardening in Spain: The Fruit and Vegetables

Well it has been a while since we managed to blog, sorry about that but life has been hectic with the web business and then we started another business selling portable power products including portable solar panels, our feet haven't touched the ground yet!

I decided I needed to take some time out of my busy schedule and tell you about the gardens of the campo girls just recently, I know I can speak on behalf of Gina also as she has been really busy planting and eating!


The last couple of weeks we have had a right good going over the garden, we have been organically weeding the vegetable area that we have allocated for growing fruits and vegetables, we have also learnt from our mistakes last year and have now organised it slightly better, a few things are still growing a little haphazardly but we are getting there.

Our vegetable patch now consists of:
Lettuce
Cabbage
Carrots
Broccoli
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Peppers
Leeks
Raspberries (red and yellow)
Blackberries
Melons
Kiwis
Onions
Nectarines
Garlic
Mint
Pears
Pomegranates

Organically weeding the vegetable patch is keeping the soil really nice, fortunately the area of garden we chose to grow the vegetables and fruit housed 2 horses for many years so the soil is basically all passed through horses - great for growing!

Due to the weeding by hand all the soil is being turned over regularly and also we have different plants that pop up and continue to grow, some we have never seen before so we always leave them to see what is going to happen.


We planted small mint plants near where the septic tank lives (next to the shed), the plan was to get this to cover a whole area so when you come up the drive you don't see the tank or smell the tank you see and smell mint instead, this plan has gone really well and the mint is having a great time, the plants have already grown really big and they are very healthy! Bring on the Mojitos this summer ;)


We also have lovely hanging baskets on the terrace by the front door, I love the whole feeling in Spain at this time of year, the smells from the garden are gorgeous and all the blooms are wonderful to look at, in my opinion, very calming!

Growing Fruit in Spain

Come and join us on our gardening forum and chat with other members, share tips and ask for advice, we look forward to enjoying your garden with you.

Spains climate lends itself perfectly to cultivating and harvesting a wide range of fruit, with March and April representing the key times of the year for cultivating and managing fruit trees.

Spain’s climate is determined by its curious world location, on the south western edge of Eurasia and just thirteen kilometres from Africa at its narrowest point. Spain’s infrastructure includes an ocean on its western front and a sea to the east. It's continental land mass and high mountainous terrain means that Spain can produce a myriad of various climates and micro-climates which are one of the most varied in Europe.

Due to this climactic variety, Spain has a history of producing a wide range of fruit that may be harvested throughout the year.

It is possible to cultivate fresh Spanish fruit all year round, including Lemons, Oranges, Raspberries, Strawberries, Apricots, Figs, Apples, Almonds, Grapes, Pomegranates, Bananas and Avocados.

When embarking upon the cultivation of Spanish fruit it is worth considering that it is not essential to have a great deal of space or land at your disposal, with the majority of fruits able to be cultivated in containers on a terrace, on a house patio garden as well as in the garden or orchard.

As with any cultivation of fruit it is important to follow a few simple guidelines to maximise the chances of a succesful crop.

1. Cultivate the types of fruit that you are familiar with and that you enjoy eating an a regular basis.

2. Make sure that the fruit that you intend to cultivate is right for the type of climate of your garden or patio, remembering that each area has its own 'micro-climate'.

3. Ensure that all the frosts of the seaon have finished before planting new fruit trees.

4. Where possible buy trees that have been hardened.

5. Ensure that your soil is well cultivated with manure and compost prior to any planting.

6. It is essential to properly support new trees with stakes to prevent damage, especially to the roots.

7. Do not prune trees before their roots have had the opportunity to develop into the soil successfully.

8. Ensure that trees are planted where there is adequate run-off so that the roots do not rot from excessive water damage.

9. Maintain your trees correctly annaully by pruning back at least twenty percent.

10. Stimulate healthy growth by pruning out bad or affected growth.

The following list illustrates the harvesting season for Spanish fruit trees:

January - February | Olives, oranges and lemons

March - April | Oranges and lemons

April - May | Loquats oranges and lemons

May - June | Cherries

July - August | Peaches, plums and pears

August - September | Apples, grapes, figs

September - October | Grapes, figs, almonds, pomegranate

November - December | Persimmons, quinces, oranges, lemons

No Spanish garden is complete without its very own fruit trees. There is a huge variety available to every Spanish gardener from the complete novice to the experienced, whether owning a house, villa, town house, finca, penthouse or apartment.

Gardening Definitions (R-T)

Radical
Usually used to describe the basal leaves of biennials or perennials. The leaves arise at the base of the plant or near to soil level.

Ray Floret
Small flower with long strap-shaped petals. Typical of the daisy family where a ring of ray florets surrounds the central boss of disc florets to form the flowerhead.

Remontant
Flowering at intervals throughout the growing season, as in repeat flowering roses.

Resting Period
The period when a plant is either dormant or making little or no extension growth.

Rhizome
A horizontal,creeping underground stem, which acts as a storage organ.

Rootstock
A propagation term for a plant upon which another is grafted. The term also applies to the crown and root system of herbaceous perennials and suckering shrubs.

Rosette
Ring of leaves that all arise at more or less the same point on the stem, often basal.

Runner
Prostate stems, such as those produced by strawberry plants, which root at the nodes to form new plantlets.

Scion
A shoot, part of a shoot, or bud of one plant that is joined to a rootstock of another as a propogation technique. Scions and rootstocks are the means of propagating fruit trees by grafting, and roses by budding.

Scree
A heap or a slope of rocky detritus eroded from mountainsides or cliffs. Since some types of plants require these conditions in a garden, a scree bed can be created by mixing coarse gravel or stone chippings with soil.

Selection
A particular variation of an existing variety or species that is selected for its desirable characteristics. It is always raised from seed. Also incorrectly referred to as a "strain".

Self Coloured
A flower having a single uniform colour.

Self Fertile
A plant, particularly a fruit tree, that does not need pollen from another plant to set seed and produce fruit.

Series
A selection or colour mixture of a plant variety (usually an annual, bedding plant or vegetable variety) raised from seed. A particular named series or mixture raised by two or more seedsman may vary slightly.

Serrated
The sharply cut indentations in the margin of a leaf - like the teeth of a saw.

Sessile
Stalkess - a leaf or flower that arises straight from the stem.

Shrub
A branched perennial plant with persistent woody stems.

Spadix
A fleshy flower spike with small flowers embedded in shallow pits. It is primarily found in members of the Araceae, or arpoid family, such as anthurium and zantedeschia, where it is surrounded and protected by a white or coloured bract called a spathe. In some cases, the spadix terminates in a naked club or spindle-shaped organ which may heat up, giving off a fetid smell that attracts pollinating insects.

Spathe
A modified leaf or large bract, sometimes coloured, which surrounds the flower spike (spadix) in members of the Araceae, or aroid family.

Species
A unit of classification applied to an individual, or a group of closely allied plants, within a genus. Species have unique characters, which consistently breed true to type from seed. The type species refers to the original plant collected and described.

Specimen Plant
Ant plant, but usually a tree or shrub, which is grown where it can be viewed from all angles, as when planted in a lawn.

Sphagnum (moss)
The generic name for bog mosses. They have unique water holding, aerating and cleansing properties, and are frequently used as a growing medium for orchids.

Spit
The depth to which soild is dug with a spade or a fork - about 25-30cm.

Spore
A minute dust like body composed of a single cell, by which lower plants - such as ferns, fungi and mosses - reproduce. A spore gives rise to an intermediate generation upon which the sex organs appear and which eventually produce plantlets.

Spur
1) A short lateral branchlet of a tree - particularly on apple and pear trees - which bears flowers buds
2) A tubular outgrowth of a sepal or petal that produces nectar

Staminode
A non fucntional, rudimentary male reproductive organ, sometimes similar to a narrow petal, as in pulsatillas.

Sterile
Plants that rarely or never set seed. Many double flowered varieties are sterile, as the reproductive organs have become petals.

Stipule
One of the pair of leaf like outgrowths at the base of a leaf stalk, for example, as in rose and potenilla.

Stolon
A stem which, on contact with moist soil, roots at the tip and forms a new plant - for example, the cane of a blackberry. The term is sometimes incorrectly used to mean RUNNER.

Stool
Often describing a tree or shrub which is maintained as a clump of young stems by annhual pruning clsoe to ground level. Stooling is carried out to provide young growth for propagation purposes, or to maintain a foliage effect, such as thr juvenile state of some eucalyptus. Also called 'coppicing'. The stem also applies to crowns and rootstocks of some herbaceous plants - dendrathema (crysanthemum) for example.

Stopping
Removing or pinching out the growing point of a stem, either to promote a branching habit or to induce flower buds.

Stratification
A method of breaking the dormancy of seeds born in fleshy fruits of many hardy plants. The seeds are exposed to a period of low temperature prior to sowing.

Sub Alpine
A plant native to mountain regions just below the alpine zone.

Sub Shrub
A low growing shrub, or one with soft stems and a woody base, such as argyranthemums and many pelargoniums.

Succulent
Plants with thick fleshy leaves or stems adapted to life under arid conditions. Cacti, with leafless stems swollen with water storage tissue, are examples.

Sucker
A shoot which arises from below ground, usually from the roots of a plant.

Synonym
An alternative name for a plant. Sometimes a plant has been named by more than one botanist or has been reclassified in the light of further knowledge. In such cases, the oldest or most taxonomically accurate name takes priority.

Tap Root
The main anchoring root of a plant, particularly applied to trees.

Tender
A term to describe any plant vulnerbale to frost damage.

Tendril
A modified stem or leaf that twines around supports, enabling certain plants such as sweet peas, grapes, hops and passionflowers to climb.

Tepal
A term used to describe petals and sepals where they are indistinguishable, as in lillies and tulips.

Ternate
In groups of three. Trillium has leaves and floral organs in groups of three, and laburnum leaves have three leaflets.

Terrestrial
Used in reference to plants, such as bromeliads and orchids which are primarily epiphytic, that have become adapted to living in the soil.

Tessellated
A term that describes petals which have a distinct chequered pattern of a contrasting shade or colour -, as for example, Fritillaria meleagris.

Toothed
Teeth like indentation, usually along the margins of leaves, also described as dentate.

Truss
A popular term used to describe a cluster of flower or fruits.

Tuber
A thickened fleshy root as on a dahlia, or an underground stem, such as a potato, which serves as a storage organ, and as a means of surviving periods of cold or drought.

Tufa
Soft limestone which, because of its ability to absorb and retain moisture, is often used in rock gardens or troughs, where small alpine plants are able to grow on it.

Tuft
Bristly, sometimes mat like, habit of growth, found particularly in alpine plants.

Climbers - Versatile plants for versatile sites

A mantle of gentle flowers or luxuriant foliage brightens up dull walls and adds beauty to many other garden structures.

Practical and ornamental climbing plants bring a pleasurable extra dimension to gardens, clothing walls, arches, pergolas, screens and even trees and shrubs with their flowers and foliage. They can be used to conceal unattractive features, provide privacy and help to integrate house and garden.

Many climbers produce spectacular blooms, including Clematis and Rosa. Others are grown for their attractive foliage, such as Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper), or for their colourful fruits, such as Celastrus orbiculatus.

Some climbing plants will cling unaided to a support; Hedera (ivy) uses aerial roots and Parthenocissus has sucker pads. However, most ascend by tendrils, like Lathyrus, by curling leafstalks, like Clematis, by twinning stems, like Lonicera (honey-suckle), or by hooked thorns, like roses. All these plants will climb unaided through the branches of trees or shrubs but need training on wires or up a trellis if grown against a wall.

Although they are not true climbers, some shrubs, including Ceanothus (California lilac) and Jasminum nudiflorum (winter jasmine), can also be trained against a support.

The extensive range of climbers means there is a choice of plants for most garden situations. Pasiflora (passion flower) and Trachelospermum require a sunny and sheletered site but Jasminum officinale (summer jasmine) and Clematis montana thrive in shady or sunny areas. Ivy or Hydrangea anomala sp petiolaris (climing hydrangea) are tough enough to cope with an exposed, shady position.

I have 2 Bougainvilleas - one purple and one pink. 2 Jasmine plants, a Plumbago. One white and one purple Pasflora.

Gardening - The fruits of labour

One of the most divine rewards of gardening is picking and eating fresh, home grown fruit straight from the tree. Watching your own fruit mature, looking forward to eating a particular orange or gorging on strawberries are pleasures only available to the dedicated and patient gardener; growing fruit trees is a long lasting, initmate affair.

For the average sized garden there are many fruits and nut trees to suit. Although the fruit tree tends to be low, nut trees, on the other hand, can grow into beautiful shade trees - the walnut tree is a perfect example of this.

Many discussions about fruit trees going on at The Gardening Forum Spain come join in the fun and share your images!

Choosing your tree
There are two main factors when considering buying your trees, location and soil type. Try, if possible, to avoid planting in really exposed areas, as the wind will pull off the flowers and the tree will never fruit. Planting a mimi orchard creates a micro-climate, which generally greatly extends the variety of fruit a garden can accommodate.

Buying your tree
Choose a local supplier as they are likely to have suitable cultivars for your climate; you could try nispero (Achras zapota - the other CampoGirl has one of these growing), apple, pear, guayavo, fig, plums or almond on heavier land or citrus fruits, kaki, membrillo, mulberry, nispero, walnut, where the soil is sandier and lighter.

If you have limited space and an orchard is not quite possible, make espaliers from apples, plums and pears against a wall or fence. Wire the desired branches against the wall in the form you want and then prune the remaining branches each autumn. Continue to remove the vertical water shoots as they appear. In time, the tree will get stronger, and the chosen branches will thicken and bear fruit on the spurs, and the tree will no longer require support, you could also try growing this up a trellis - giving extra support.

Grafting is another way of maximising variety and yield from the garden. Keep like with like - oranges and lemons or limes; stoned fruits together, apples and pears etc. The only trouble you may find is one graft dominates the others and doesn't allow an even development.

For a conversation point you could put 3 trees in the same hole and let them grow together, this is prone to chaotic growth but promotes a long fruiting season.

So, enjoy the fruits of your gardening labour and lets get busy!

Red Weevil in Spanish Palm Trees

Gardening Forum - Discuss the red palm tree weevil

The Red Weevil has been making its way to the western world since the mid 80s. It was captured in Egypt in 1992 and then seen in Spain in 1994, it is thought that the Red Weevil made its way to Spain from Egypt by way of human intervention, by being transported on date palm trees.

The Red Weevil is starting to cause havoc on Palm Trees across the Spanish region, unfortunately the Red Weevil's devastating effects are only noticeable when it is too late and the Palm Tree is dead. The late detection of the weevil constitutes a serious problem in the fight against the Red Weevil pest. Although, much research has been carried out, no safe techniques for early detection of the pest have been found.

Despite the attempts to kill these pests more than one thousand Phoenix Palm Trees have been killed and it has cost millions of euros in damage and is continuing to spread.

The Red Weevil originated in southern Asia and Melanesia, where it is a serious pest of coconuts. In 1985 the Red Weevil had reached the eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, spreading to the whole of the United Arab Emirates and into Oman. It was recorded in Iran in 1990 before being discovered in Egypt at the end of 1992, it is also found in Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority Territories.

The red palm weevil is a member of Coleoptera: Curculionidae. The male and female adults are large reddish brown beetles about 3 cm long and with a characteristic long curved rostrum; with strong wings, they are capable of undertaking long flights.

It is the larvae that produce the damage to the palm. Adult females lay about 200 eggs at the base of young leaves or in wounds to the leaves and trunks; the grubs feed on the soft fibers and terminal bud tissues. They reach a size of more than 5 cm before pupation. Just before they pupate, they move towards the interior of the palm making tunnels and large cavities. They can be found in any place within the palm, even in the very base of the trunk where the roots emerge.

Pupation occurs generally outside the trunk, at the base of the palms. The larva pupates in a cocoon made of brown dried palm fibres.

Have you found this red palm weevil in any of your palm trees - let me know your story, I would love to hear from you. We are running a discussion about Red Palm Tree Weevils on our gardening forum.

Gardening Definitions (G-I)

Genus
The category in botanical classification below family. A genus is a group closely related plants known as species. All the species of beech trees (for example), are grouped under the genus Fagus. Related genera are grouped in turn into a family, in this case Fagaceae. The common beech is identified by a genus and a species name, Fagus sylvatica. A natural variety is identified by a third name, such as Fagus sylvatica var. heterophylla, and a cultivated variety (or cultivar) by quotation marks, as Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck'. A cross (or hybrid) between two species is identified by a multiplication sign: for example, the hybrid willow Salix x rubens
Germination
The initial stage of a plant's development from a seed. Germination periods vary: given the right conditions of temperature, moisture, light and oxygen, it may occur within days or take weeks or months.
Glabrous
Smooth or bare - used to describe a part of a plant that is hairless.

Glaucous
Describing the grey-blue colour of some plants, or the grey or white waxy bloom on them. An example is the white bloom on the leaves of some brasicas, particularly cabbages, and succulents such as sedums.

Grafting
Propogation plants by joining a stem or bud of one plant to the root of another so they unite to form a new individual. It is widely used in cultivating fruit trees and roses.

Habit
The characteristic shape and growth form of a plant.

Half Hardy
Frost tender species of plants that can only be grown in the open reliably during summer - for example, canna and French and African marigolds.

Half Standard
A tree or shrub, usually with a single stem growing 75cm-1.2m high before the head branches.

Hardening Off
The gradual acclimatisation of tender and half hardy plants, grown under heated glass or other forms of protection, to outside conditions. Plants are usually placed in a coldframe in late spring, with air gradually admitted until the lights of the frame are left off entirely.

Hardy
Plants which survive frosts in the open, year by year.

Herbaceous
Any plant that does not form a persistent woody stem. Botanically, the terms applies to annuals, biennials and perennials - but by common usage is chiefly associated with perennials which die down in autumn and reappear the following spring.

Hose in Hose
An abnormal floral mutation in which flowers appear to grow in pairs, one arising from the centre of another. Primrose and polyanthus are examples.

Humus
The dark brown residue from the final breakdown of dead vegetable matter. The term is often used to describe partly decayed matter that is brown and crumbly, such as well made compost or leaf mould.

Hybrid
The result of crossing two distinct varities or, occasionally, genera. Hybrids may either show a blending of characteristics from each parent or favour one more than the other.

Incised
The margins of the leaf, stipule or bract that is deeply and sharply toothed or lobed.

Inflorescence
The arrangement of flowers on a stem, often referred to as a flowerhead.

Inorganic
A chemical compound or fertiliser that does not contain carbon. The term is applied to synthetically produced fertilisers, although some naturally occurring plant nutrients have inorganic origins, as, for example, the mineral fertiliser rock phosphate.