‘Many visual signals which we pick up are invisible for them.’ ‘Insect eyes have a much lower resolution than our eyes’, says Van der Kooi. On the contrary, bumblebees and bees probably cannot see its shine. The shine that we find so pretty does not, however, make the flower more interesting for insects. The result is a deep, saturated yellow and an eye-catching shine. The light which passes through the top layer with the pigment subsequently disperses through the starch granules under the air layer and then goes through the pigment in the top layer a second time. This explains the shine.’įurthermore, the colour of the buttercup is hereby strengthened. Together, these create a kind of film layer, just like oil on water or a bubble. ‘The air layer causes the top layer to become an extremely strong reflector. ‘That is the where the pigment is, principally.’ Under the top layer, Van der Kooi found a very thin layer of air. ‘You can see that the flower has an extremely smooth top layer – the epidermis’, says Van der Kooi. The buttercup does something very unusual: the pretty colour of the flower turned out to be more than a matter of pigment in the petals that reflects the yellow of the sun and lets the rest of the light through. ReflectorĪ clever move, as he discovered upon closer investigation. There is no other flower in the whole plant kingdom with the same shiny structure, so it’s no wonder that Van der Kooi cut up the flower and put it under the microscope. His favorite flower? It remains the buttercup, Van der Kooi says, after briefly considering the question the common, bright yellow meadow flower with its characteristic sheen. for his research on the 27th of November. But how do they produce their colours and why? Nobody had thoroughly looked into the matter until Casper van der Kooi got involved. Flowers are all around us – from bright yellow buttercups, to deep red poppies or bright pink Herb Roberts. It is a list of products currently available to the home gardener.Buttercups create their colour in a special manner. Inclusion of a weedkiller product does not indicate a recommendation or endorsement by the RHS. Branches or shoots can be held back, using canes, or by covering or screening while spraying, but make sure that the weed foliage has dried before releasing branches or removing the covering.Ī weedkiller based on glyphosate (see above) will eliminate it very effectively, spraying in spring or summer. If treating weeds in the immediate vicinity of garden plants, apply carefully in cool, calm weather. However, as glyphosate is not selective in its action, it is essential to avoid spray or spray drift coming into contact with garden plants. Roundup Fast Action, SBM Job done General Purpose Weedkiller or Doff Advanced Weedkiller) are effective in controlling creeping buttercup. Apply in spring when growth is vigorous and repeat if necessary. Doff Lawn Weedkiller or Westland Resolva Lawn Weedkiller Extra) will control creeping buttercup. Alternatively, smother it with a sheet of black plastic mulch. Where very thick infestations occur there may be no option but to lift desirable plants, removing any parts of the weeds and hold the cleaned plants in weed-free ground while the infested border is cleaned up over the summer using the methods described for bare soil.ĭigging and hoeing will destroy this weed. Both processes will need to be repeated several times for full control. Repeated hoeing through the summer will also eliminate this weed. Aerate in autumn to improve drainage.ĭig out young plants and runners with a trowel in spring. In spring, before mowing use a wire-toothed rake to lift the developing runners so that they can be cut by the mower. If chemical controls are used, they should be used only in a minimal and highly targeted manner. The RHS believes that avoiding pests, diseases and weeds by good practice in cultivation methods, cultivar selection, garden hygiene and encouraging or introducing natural enemies, should be the first line of control. Where these methods are not feasible, chemical controls may need to be used. RHS Flower Show Tatton Park - 17-21 July 2024įirst, consider whether this can be done using non-chemical means such as digging out or suppressing with mulch.RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival - 2–7 July 2024.Malvern Autumn Show - 22-24 September 2023.
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