GARDEN GURU

Q I have a beautiful cordyline that completely flopped after a cold spell. Is there a way of reviving it?

Nicola Fletcher

A In early spring, cut off all the floppy foliage to leave behind a clear stem. If the stem is squishy, work your way down the trunk until it feels hard. At this point, cut straight across with loppers or a pruning saw. All being well, new shoots should start to sprout from the stem over the next few months.

Q My lawn has been growing over winter and looks like it

could do with a trim. Is it too early to get the mower out?

Michael Fuller

A No, but avoid pushing the machine across frozen or soggy turf as you’re likely to damage the grass and leave ruts. Set the blades of the mower on their highest setting and give the lawn a light trim during a period of dry, mild weather.

Q Every year in early spring I remove old fronds from my tree fern before new ones unfurl from the trunk. But a friend tells me he leaves fronds until they completely die. Who’s right? Matt Newman

A I don’t think there’s a right or wrong, but I prefer to leave the old fronds on the plant until they turn brown and are on the verge of collapse.

Doing this gives tree ferns a fuller canopy of fronds – removing them while still green can have an impact on the plant’s vigour, because the fronds will continue to make food by photosynthesis until they are done.