Innholdsfortegnelse for 20-feb-16 i Amateur Gardening

A COUPLE of weeks ago I told you about the black mondo grass growing in our main front garden bed. There’s lots of it, but it looks good and is slow growing so I’m happy to accommodate it. However there are other botanical residents – apart from weeds – that love the conditions and aren’t so welcome because they’re a little too vigorous. Off the top of my head, muscari or grape hyacinths are as bad as bluebells and forever banned from my free draining soil where they rassle like tinyTriffids; and aquilegeas that self-seed prolifically, blanketing the beds if they’re not weeded out fastidiously. I now have another contender, planted in the deep shade beneath our substantial camellia where (surprisingly) it’s been growing strongly for a couple of years.…

ANNUALS and herbaceous perennials are fabulous for brightening the garden, but for simple, space-filling brilliance, you’re onto a winner with bulbs. Plant summer and autumn-flowering varieties now, as the soil is starting to warm up, and they will reward you with structure and colour throughout your borders and in patio pots. From velvety Anemone de Caen, which flowers in profusion in June and July (earlier if planted last autumn), through the summer’s profusion of agapanthus, lilies, bearded iris and gladioli, to the autumn brightness of lily-pink nerines, there truly is a bulb to bring colour from early summer to late autumn. They are widely available in garden centres and online now, and should be planted as soon as possible after purchase to avoid drying out. They may flower poorly after…

For the best display, plant bulbs in clumps of at least six plants. Dig a hole that is wide and deep enough to take all your bulbs. Work out their planting depth by measuring their length, and plant them at two or three times it. If the soil is poor or heavy, add lots of multi-purpose or well-rotted garden compost. Plant bulbs at twice their own width apart. Water well, clearly mark their position and label so you don’t accidentally dig them up.…

“Flowers through winter and spring” THE plant breeder’s pollinating brushes have done remarkable things to the wild primrose, nowwe have them flowering from September to summer in every colour of the rainbow. Even so the pale yellow of ourwild species en masse and among bluebells in woodland take some beating. The breeders haven’t overlooked this charm and one recent hardy introduction is ‘Everlast’ from Belgium with pale yellow flowers. ‘Everlast’ is the right name for this novelty – it mirrors winter flowering pansies and viola with a mass of flowers from September right through winter and spring. In my own garden compact primrose plants appear to be self-cleaning with more new flowers opening above the older fading blooms. The rich green leaves spread out like a ruff increasing in size…

WHILE cordon and espalier trees are pruned in summer to limit re-growth, free-standing apple and pear trees benefit from cutting back now. Before the leaves grow, you can clearly see their outline. Keep as many fruit buds as possible – these are round and plump whereas leaf buds are flat and arch-shaped. It’s then simply a case of shaping the tree. While all pear trees and most apples are spur bearing – that’s what I’m pruning here – there are tip-bearing varieties. For tip bearers, follow steps one to three, but omit step four. Your local fruit nursery may be able to help you identifyif your tree is tip or spur bearing.…

MARCH is when the vegetable-sowing season starts in earnest. But you can even sow the seeds of some types now, in late February (see panel, right). Germination rates will be better if, in early January, you sit a few cloches over the soil, to pre-warm it. If you didn’t, don’t worry – you can still pre-warm the soil from now onwards, as it will get your first vegetable seeds off to a better start. Cover already dug and fertilised soil with clear plastic sheeting, or cloches. Fleece is less good, as it gets wet and the insulation can be compromised. Black polythene is also effective, but it should be stretched taut, in close contact with the soil. If your soil is clay, it is better to used cloches, which allow…

“Sieve compost as seeds need air to germinate” RIGHT nowwe are starting off many of our most important crops and flowers of the year in pots and trays of compost. The type of compost you use and its qualitywill not only determine the size and health of the harvest or flower performance, but equally could destroy it entirely! Don’t use potting or multipurpose compost for sowing seeds – it has too much fertiliser in it. The fertiliser in this type of compost may start to break down and poison the delicate new roots of seedlings, rather than feed them. I find I have more success when I use a proper sowing compost (which is designed to be low in nutrients). Once germination has occurred, I prick out the seedlings into…

WITH their origins in Mexico, French marigolds are half-hardy annuals, meaning they are frost-tender and complete their germination, growth and seed-setting in one growing season. ‘Naughty Marietta’ is an old favourite, reaching 10in (25cm) high, with masses of single flowers to brighten up greenhouses, borders and pots. Large seeds are almost impatient to germinate and plants grow fast, so you might wonder why they are a February free gift. The answer lies in their distinctive smell which acts as a deterrent to whitefly, a troublesome sap sucking pest, especially under glass. The strong aroma overwhelms and disguises that of tomatoes and other plants, so the flies fail to home in on them. Sow your marigolds now, let them grow alongside tomatoes and they will quietly protect them. When introduced after…

• Sow under glass now. Select a pack of modules with cells 1.5-2in (4-5cm) square, fill with multipurpose compost and sow three seeds to each cell. Leave on staging to germinate in natural temperatures, grow on, harden off and plant a trowel length apart. •To cheer up your greenhouse, pot three cells of plants into a 6in (15cm) pan (shallow pot) of 50:50 John Innes No 2 and a soilless compost. Display on the staging. • You can also sow direct to the soil. In March, or when weed seeds begin to germinate (indicating that soil has warmed-up and dried out), rake good soil in a mainly sunny position to a fine surface ‘tilth’. Scatter seed thinly and evenly and then rake in lightly. But if the ground is dry,…

AS it’s been so mild, many of our 50 clematis have started to produce new shoots. It’s vital then that any stems found sprawling across the ground are lifted and supported, otherwise the shoots will be nibbled by the voles we seem to attract here. Nocturnal voles are active feeders all year, also feasting on pea seedlings and strawberries. If I spot them eating my favourite clematis, Clematis tangutica ‘Bill Mackenzie’ and C. jackmanii there’ll be trouble.…

Battling a vine weevil infestation Q My patio garden is infested with vine weevils, and nothing seems to be working against them. I’ve tried everything - so what else can I do? Jo Nunn, Salisbury, Wilts A Use a combination of methods to get the situation under control. Start by scrubbing out containers to get rid of vine weevil eggs, and use fresh compost. Adult weevils usually feed in the evenings during spring and summer, and can usually be spotted by torchlight. They tend to drop to the ground if disturbed so might require a bit of hunting out! Ornamental plants in containers can be treated with acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil Killer) or thiacloprid (e.g. Bayer Provado Vine Weevil Killer 2) as a liquid drench applied to…

PERFECT for shady borders as well in pots, wood anemones (Anemone blanda) effortlessly signal the start of spring with their breathtaking carpets of daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, blue and white. You can claim your50 Free Anemone blanda bulbs when you place an order for any of native spring bulbs listed below (daffodils, bluebells, winter aconites and snowdrops). All bulbs are supplied in the green, which offers guaranteed success. This bulb selection comes exclusively forAmateur Gardening readers (whilst stocks last). Please note that postage costs £5.99 and plants will be with you in 14 days. Narcissus pseudonarcissus (Lent Lily) Famous poet Wordsworth once described them as flowers that flutter and dance in the breeze. This native daffodil has clear-white petals with creamyyellow trumpets in March. If left…

HE’s been described as “the master” by no less than the president of the National Vegetable society Medwyn Williams MBE, and was the man to whom Joe swift turned when he wanted advice on exhibiting crops at a top RHs show. When it comes to growing tomatoes, it’s hard to imagine anybody doing it better than Charles Maisey. Now 83, Charles has scaled down his exhibiting activities but still fills two large glasshouses with tomato plants every year. “I’ve been growing tomatoes for more than 60 years and pretty much won every competition,” laughs Charles, who began his life in horticulture as a 17-year-old apprentice at a nursery. “Over the years I’ve had a lovely time gardening and met some fantastic people. “Unfortunately I’ve seen my best days and would…

Write to: Jenny Bagshaw, Amateur Gardening Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Our Star Letterwins £40 in National Garden Gift Vouchers; tip of the week, £10; other letters £5 (£10 if we use a photo you’ve sent). Vouchers can be bought and redeemed at over 2,000 UK outlets offering more than 90,000 garden plants and products. Visit thevouchergarden.co.uk for details. Star letter Fuchsia devastation I DON’T know if other AG readers have suffered in the same way as me, but the fuschias in my garden in south London have been devastated by Fuschia Gall Mite. They’re one of my favourite plants as they bring such brilliant colours to the garden from mid summer right up to the first frosts. Every time I went to…

“It now leans like the Tower of Pisa” THERE’S an apple tree that I’ve inherited on my nursery, and following a storm, it now leans to one side like a fruit-tree version of the Tower of Pisa. Apples can live for over 200 years and as this one is barely 15, it begs the question why a tree in its first flush of youth should start to fall over. Could it be that a subterranean rot such as phytophthora is at work, causing the roots to give up their hold on mother earth? Or have the roots been killed by compaction – so often caused when cars are parked beneath the canopy? Both are possibilities although my guess is that the tree has never established strong roots because it was…

TOMATOES are so popular that even non-gardeners like to have a go at growing them! Just a couple of plants will reward you with plenty of delicious summer fruits for salads, sandwiches or as ingredients in cooking. There are all kinds of tomatoes to try, from the tiniest cherry types, through to full-flavoured, giant beefsteak varieties. They can come in all kinds of colours, too. Sowing can take place from February through to April. Late winter is the time for starting crops in an unheated glasshouse, while you can sow in spring for outdoor crops. Depending on the sowing date, the on-going temperatures and the variety, harvesting can be as early as June under glass, and as late as the first frosts outdoors. Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed…

The plants will grow on happily in their Gro-Sure compost pods, and can be planted in their final growing position when seedlings are 4-5in (10-15cm) tall. 1 This kit is so easy to use! Remove the clear plastic lid, turn it over and fill it with water. 2 Then carefully place the tray, including the compost plugs (still with their plastic toppings), into the water. 3 Once the plugs have absorbed the water, remove the plastic stickers that are protecting the seeds underneath. 4 Pour away any excess water, and put the lid back on. Place on a warm, bright windowsill, out of strong sunlight.…

1 Place crocks at the base of the pot. For one season, use multi-purpose compost and grit. For longer-term planting, use John Innes No 3 instead. 2 Plant the bulbs with their shoot-producing ‘nose’ upwards, at three times their own depth, and one bulb’s width apart. 3 Cover the bulbs with the remaining compost, leaving around an inch (2.5cm) at the top for watering. Lightly firm the compost. 4 Water well to help settle the bulbs, and place the pot on feet to boost drainage. Give the plants a liquid feed when the first shoots start to show.…

FEW gardeners, it seems, grow a range of flowering annual climbing plants – the plants that are sown now, grow and flower in summer, and then are thrown away in the autumn. The most commonly grown of these plants is, of course, sweet peas. But there are many others, too (see panel right). One of my favourites, and one that is very easy to grow, is the morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’), with its intense large sky blue trumpet flowers that are at their absolute best when the early morning sun falls on them during high summer. It is available from all of the main seed companies. However, there are also other colours: pale blue (‘Fragrant Sky’), purple (‘Star of Yelta’), pink (‘Candy Pink’) and white (Ipomoea alba). With…

DAHLIAS have experienced a surge in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Flowering from late June and putting on their finest display in early autumn, dahlias will fill your garden with colour at a time when many other plants are running out of steam. You maywonderwhy I’m planting frost-tender dahlia tubers in chilly February. The answer is that I want to cheat the seasons. It seems cruel when autumn frosts cut a dahlia display short. So I want mine to flower as early in the summer as possible. While you wouldn’t normally plant dahlia tubers outdoors until after Easter, you can start them now in a frost-free greenhouse. I’m starting off with my favourite variety, the rich-red ‘Bishop of Llandaff’ – complemented by the pinky-white ‘Bishop of Dover’ and…

THERE’S a congested patch of rhubarb at East Donyland Hall where I work as head gardener – or rather, there was. I’ve just lifted the huge crowns and dug over the bed. To freshen it up two barrowloads of soil were removed and replaced with well rotted manure. I also added slow-release feed and some mycorrhizal fungi – rhubarb has a big appetite! I’ll leave the crowns on the surface for a few days to get properly chilled – this helps them spring into life. Larger sections will be replanted in the bed, then covered with a forcing pot to exclude light which produces more tender stems. Insulating the pots with straw and manure will bring warmth for an earlier harvests.…

SHELLING home-grown peas in the garden is utter decadence for veg growers – I wouldn’t be without a row or two to symbolise the arrival of spring. Smooth-seeded peas are said to be hardier than those with wrinkled seedcoats, so choose these for early sowings (try ‘Feltham First’ and ‘Meteor’). Peas are happy to grow in cool conditions because it allows them to develop a strong root system to fend off summer drought, giving you more flowers and pods. However, theywon’t germinate below 5°C so I start mine under cover. Some bright spark came up with the idea of sowing them in guttering. I now do this everyyear because when you transplant there’s little root disturbance. Sow a double staggered row of seeds ½in (1cm) deep into well-watered seed compost…

Firm in your fig, and top dress with more compost or well-rotted manure. Varieties you can choose from include ‘Brown Turkey’, ‘Brunswick’ and ‘White Marseilles’. 1 Figs thrive with restricted roots (which boosts fruiting) in anywell-drained soil, so dig a hole 2ft sq (60cm sq) at the base of a sunny south or south-west facing wall. 2 Line the sides with paving slabs set vertically, with top edges protruding 1in (2.5cm) above the surrounding soil, to prevent the roots from spreading. 3 To improve your fig’s drainage, start filling your pit by adding a layer of rubble or broken bricks and crocks 4-8in (10-20cm) deep, in the base. 4 Fill the pit with soil mixed with well-rotted organic matter. Plant your fig 8in (20cm) from the base of the wall,…

WE’RE entering a new breeding year for all those amphibious creatures in our garden ponds. First to begin their spawning rituals are frogs – probably one of the most welcome as they roam the garden, devouring slugs and other pests in their wake. Clumps of frogspawn will start appearing any time from now onwards. Even in what still seems like the depths of winter it always surprises me that the jellylike spawn can become frozen at the pond surface, yet it doesn’t seem to impact on the number of tadpoles you see swimming around a fewweeks later. The answer lies in the fact that being frozen almost certainly does kill spawn, but any under the ice should survive if it’s in deep enough water. Toads are probably still in hibernation…

1 Soak Jiffy-7 coir pellets in water until they have swollen fully (soak the same number of pellets as plants you intend to sow). Pick them out and prop them up together in a seed tray. 2 Using a dibber, widen the dimple at the centre of each swollen pellet and drop a seed in. If you want to be double sure, put two in and remove one seedling after germination. 3 Push compost back over the seed, water in lightly to settle and place them in a warm propagating case (15-18o C/ 60-65o F). Lift out as soon as they have germinated.…

THE gardens here at Stockton Bury are surrounded by a working farm and we are fortunate enough to have borrowed views of the countryside. This allows us to plant hedges in the surrounding fields to block out or emphasise what the eye can see. From the Dingle Garden the view looks out over the polytunnel, which I plan to disguise by planting a native hedge of beech (Fagus sylvatica). I’ve also invested in some Thuja plicata to screen the wheelie bins and some potted holly to fill in gaps around the boundaries. Hedging is reasonably priced if purchased bare root in the dormant season. In fact, I estimate you’ll pay around 50% less than the price of potted specimens. I buy trees locally at specialist nursery Frank P Matthews in…

Pruning bamboo How to reveal the true beauty of canes with some clever pruning. On the ledge Martyn brightens up his dull window ledges with containers full of vibrant seasonal bedding and foliage plants. Surface clean Free patios, decks, driveways and paths from the grime and algae that leaves them looking unsightly and slippery. Planting shallots in pots You don’t need an allotment to enjoy the tangy flavour of shallots. Martyn shows how to grow them in a container.…

Lily of the Valley Plant the roots (sometimes described as ‘pips’) of Convallaria majalis in moist soil in partial or full shade between now and late March to enjoy the sweet scent of this pretty flower in May. The rest of the year the foliage provides useful groundcover. Supplier: Unwins 0844 573 8400, unwins.co.uk Peonies Steal a march on container-grown peonies by planting bare rooted specimens, which often go on to produce flowers within a season or two of planting. Buying bare rooted often results in acquiring bigger plants than their potted equivalents too. Supplier: Claire Austin 01686 670 342, claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk Rose Bare rooted is the traditional way to plant roses, and they’re cheaper than potted specimens to boot. They will establish quickly and should flower in the…

BBC local radio listeners are being invited to compete for a chance to design a garden at the world’s largest annual flower show. England’s 39 BBC local radio stations have teamed up with the Royal Horticultural Society to run a challenge that will see successful listeners design ‘Feel Good Front Gardens’ at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show on 5-10 July. Health and wellbeing Amateur gardeners and aspiring designers can submit a front garden design (20x13ft/ 6x4m) that “celebrates their community and highlights the health and wellbeing of gardening”. Entrants should tie in a link to their local area, for example, local heritage, buildings, food, people, plants or an aspect of life in their region. Theywill not have to fund the “up to £5,000 cost” of creating the gardens.…

How can I avoid a tomato disaster? Q Last yearwas a disaster for tomatoes. They began well, but the leaves curled and discoloured. A lot of fruit split and rotted at the bottom. They caught blight. How can I prevent this happening again? Jay Davidson, Cheam A You do not mention if you were growing tomatoes in a greenhouse or outdoors, so I will offer general advice. Regarding leaf discoloration, it may have been a virus, contamination of the soil, a lack of feeding, a mineral deficiency or cold temperatures early in the season. As your plants went on to fruit, this suggests that it was a cultural problem rather than a soil contamination issue. Regular feeding with tomato fertiliserwill help to prevent mineral deficiencies. But magnesium deficiency can be…

A FLEECE should be light, durable and retain warmth if it’s to work as the ultimate insulating layer of clothing. We’ve tested six ladies fleeces of various weights, all with a full-length zip for slipping on and off easily, and in a range of colours. Mens sizes are available in each. We tested during a cold spell this January, looking for the obvious warmth factor and whether they moved fluidly and were comfortable to wear. Made from 100% polyester all garments were washed following manufacturers’ instructions for a warm and gentle cycle. On a 30°C ‘synthetic’ wash without conditioner two (‘Cathie II’ and the ‘Isle’) stayed the same. Three (‘Heritage Fleece’, ‘Nevis’, ‘Magnolia Soft Knit’) were 1-2cm shorter and the ‘Willowbrook’ from Regatta stretched to 3cm longer in the arm.…

Greenhouse Tomatoes and cucumbers are best grown separately: tomatoes like dry conditions while cucumbers need a more humid environment. Temperature Charles swears by his anthracite boilers for keeping his glasshouses free from winter chills. He fires them up from March. Pest control Charles swears by Coleus canina, a member of the mint family that is often marketed as Scaredy Cat Plant, for deterring pests like white fly. Watering Bring watering cans into the greenhouse so that the water inside them isn’t ice cold when it reaches the soil. Spray seeds with tepid water, too. Pinching out Pinch out the side shoots that appear just above the leaves on cordon tomato plants, so that all the goodness goes into the developing fruit.…

Why grow it? Because it is one of the most heavenly scented shrubs you’ll ever plant. This little evergreen, whose glossy leaves are prettily outlined with a creamy silvery edging, has tiny deep pink flowers that pack a powerfully fragrant punch out of all proportion to their dainty size. You’ll notice the bud clusters forming in late January, ready to scent the cold air as winter gives way to early spring. This is one of the smaller daphnes and certainly the earliest to flower. It takes a long time to grow steadily to its maximum height of 3-4ft (1 to 1.3m). A few sprigs brought into the house are better than any scented candle or diffuser. How to grow it Don’t crowd your daphne out, but give it space in…

1 Fill your seed traywith a good, damp seed or multipurpose compost. Level and firm the compost, then water using a can fitted with a fine rose end. 2 Sow seeds on the compost surface, spacing them evenly, about a finger-width apart. Giving them space helps to prevent damping off disease. 3 Cover the seed with a thin layer of compost, vermiculite, or a mix of both. Label the tray then cover with a clear plastic lid or clear plastic bag. 4 Place the tray in a heated propagator at 21°C (70°F) or on a sunnywindowsill indoors. Seedlings will show through in 5-10 days.…

• Vine/cordon: One central stem is supported by a cane or string. Pinch out the sideshoots that appear between the leaf and main stem. Tomatoes that grow in this way are also known as ‘indeterminate’. • Bush: These tomatoes produce compact plants with many short sideshoots that end in a cluster of flowers; these are ‘determinate’ tomatoes. Tie the plants loosely to a 3ft (1m) cane. Don’t remove sideshoots as this will reduce cropping. • Beefsteak tomatoes: These produce vigorous side branches that often end in a flowering truss. Remove these only if the growth is unruly.…

1 Agapanthus: Also known as African lily, with heads of brilliant blue or white flowers, these perennials like full sun. 2 Nerine bowdenii: Unusually these are planted on the soil surface, for a brilliant splash of pink in the autumn. 3 Oriental lilies: The stars of the show, they flourish in containers, and can be transferred to a border after flowering. 4 Crocosmia: These scarlet or orange South African flowers grow fast, in clumps, and will thrive in full sun. 5 Gladioli: Plant deep, in rich soil, water well, and you will have long-lasting flowers for cutting, in many colours. 6 Bearded iris: Classic cottage garden beauties. Their size and elegance make them ideal for indoor arrangements. Lily danger:Lily pollen is toxic to cats, so ifyou have a mog ortwo,…

1 Christmas hyacinth bulbs will by now be sorry looking plants with dead flower stalks and leaves. Let them die down and then cut them off. First acclimatise the plants – stand the pot outdoors in the day, bring it in at night. 2 After a week of acclimatisation, plant the bulbs in the garden. Set them twice as deep as the height of the bulb, and a bulb’s width apart. Cover with soil, water then mulch. Mark their position – they’ll flower next spring.…

• Prune winter-flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) after flowering. • Jasmine blooms on the previous year’s growth, so cutting it back immediately after flowering gives it time to produce new stems to carry flower buds. • Cut back flowered stems to a strong sideshoot, lower down the branch. Then thin out crowded, crossing or misplaced branches, and remove weak stems. • Winter jasmine will tolerate hard pruning, and can be cut back to within 2ft (60cm) of the base, though this can delay flowering for a year or two.…

1 As with all pruning, first cut out any dead, diseased or damaged growth. These older trees are showing a few signs of fungal canker so that’s what I’m focusing on. 2 I’ll then cut out larger stems. In grass, any in the way of the mower are targeted and, to make life easier, so are those that are so high they’re not easy to pick from. 3 Now it’s a case of thinning out the growth that remains. Cut out totally any shoots in the middle of the tree, and those that are congested or crossing over each other. 4 This last step only applies if you have a spur-bearing variety (all pears and most apples are this). Cut back all long sideshoots to 3-5in (8-12cm). This encourages fruit…

IT’S February, but think forward to May, where you’ve just plucked a punnet of bright scarlet strawberries from plants in your greenhouse, a full fourweeks before outdoor plants start cropping. With that tempting thought in mind, motivate yourself to brave the chill to bring a few plants under cover now. I potted up plants in autumn for this purpose, but there’s nothing to stop you lifting and potting up soil-grown plants now. You can even buy in cold-stored runners if your budget allows. Choose an earlyvariety that will crop sooner than others, such as ‘Christine’ and ‘Honeoye’. Ensure also that the plants have experienced some frosts, which speeds flowering under cover. A conservatory or enclosed porch would do just as well as a greenhouse. There, with a little water and…

While the soil is warming, make sure you’ve got the following seeds to sow outdoors from late February: • Root veg: carrots. • Greens: broccoli, summer cabbage, summer cauliflower, corn salad (lamb’s lettuce), and some types of lettuce. • Legumes: broad beans, mangetout. • Others: spring onions, leeks. From March onwards the above can still all be sown, along with: globe artichokes, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, parsley, kale, onions, parsnips, peas, radishes (above), endive, spinach and pak choi.…

• 20-21 Feb: Great Dixter Opening (Hellebores and winter plants), Great Dixter, Northiam, Rye TN31 6PH; 01797 252878; greatdixter.co.uk • 20-21 Feb: Large and Small Scarecrow Making, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon Common, Chelmsford CM3 8ET 0845 2658071 rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall • 20-21 Feb: See the Snowdrops, Colesbourne Gardens, Colesbourne Park, Nr Cheltenham, Glos GL53 9NP; 01242 870264/01242 870567; colesbournegardens.org.uk • 20 Feb-6 March: Snowdrops and Hellebores, Coton Manor, Coton, Northants NN6 8RQ; 01604 740219; cotonmanor.co.uk • 23 Feb: Willow for beginners, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH; 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 24 Feb: Vintage Wedding Flowers, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon Common, Chelmsford CM3 8ET; 0845 2658071; rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall • 24 Feb: Making the Most of your Kitchen Garden, Barnsdale Gardens, Rutland, LE15 8AH;…

HEREFORDSHIRE is renowned for its high rainfall. But, when possible I continue to garden. If you’re like me and aren’t put off by the wet you need to be cautious as you can do more harm than good. Here are my wet-weather gardening tips: - • To avoid compacting soil work off boards. Old scaffold boards are ideal, but a favourite of mine is an old door! • Avoid pushing heavy barrow loads across your prize lawn, unless you have created a path of boards to spread the load. • Remove saucers under pots and raise pots on pot feet or bricks to aid drainage • Unblock garden drains. You would be amazed how efficient a couple of leaves are at blocking them. • Move containers under the eaves of…

OUR Dingle Garden is home to some man-made streams. In winter the pumps are turned off and we clean out the leaves and pond weed – a cold job but rewarding. Weed, cobbles and leaves are removed from the stream and placed just beside it. It’s vital to leave the debris by the stream for 24 hours so any pond life can creep back in (if you have fish they should be placed in a holding tank of pond water). The water from very muddy, silty pools is scooped out, weeds removed and then the stream cobbles replaced. In such a narrow stream silt can take over, so this mucky task avoids the small pools turning from pond to bog garden. Larger ponds are best cleared out in autumn. Crack…

IT’S a regular task to keep gutters clear on our garden sheds and feature buildings here at Stockton Bury. In order to prevent the gutter from breaking under the strain we clear them about three times a year. The leaves and moss collected have usually started to break down and are a very useful addition to the compost heap. I prefer to place the gutter contents into a black plastic bag, add some deciduous leaves and then tie the top of the bag. I then punch a few small holes in it and leave it in an out of the way place. Every so often I turn the bag the otherway up. In about eight months the contents are miraculously turned into a leaf mould. So there is gold to…

A NEW website aims to encourage Brits to grow their own potatoes in gardens and on allotments. The site, called thepeoplespotatoes.com, has been set up by spud expert Alan Wilson, a technical manager at Waitrose who has been growing potatoes for 38 years. It features his 25 top varieties, video growing tips and a potato quiz. Alan said: “We have become disconnected with the land, and with it our love for the potato has been tarnished. “This website is about how we can act today and enjoy great potatoes and get eating them again.”…

• Plan crops carefully Blight breaks out in specific weather conditions – normally during damp growing seasons. It’s the same disease that causes blight on potatoes, so growing the two crops next to each other is not regarded as a good idea. • Grow toms under glass Outdoor tomatoes are much more susceptible to blight than varieties that are grown in glasshouses. Although it’s not uncommon to see blight under glass, a greenhouse offers a degree of extra protection from the airborne spores.…

Dog Rocks £12.49 01628 822 243 dogrocks.co.uk Burnt patches where you dog urinates on the lawn are always a bone of contention. Simply place a pack of Dog Rocks in yourpooch’s water bowl, sit back and wait to see an improvement (in about 5 weeks). Get Off Lawn Rescue £6in store or + £4.95 delivery 0800 328 4204 petsathome.com Simply spray to neutralize the acid damage caused by pet urine on lawns. Includes natural growth promoters and nutrients for faster re-growth. Westland Aftercut Patch Fix £6.99TSP 01480 443789 gardenhealth.com  for stockists Pet urine-resistant grass seed in a soil blend including lawn feed and a urine neutraliser, you’ll need this for patches where you pooch has already done their worst.…

‘Shirley’ Said to be one of the nicest flavoured and textured tomatoes and a heavy cropper to boot. An old favourite. Supplier: Marshalls 0844 557 6700 ‘Mountain Magic’ A rich flavour combined with modern disease resistance makes this variety especially good in areas plagued by blight. Supplier: Kings Seeds: 01376 570 000 ‘Artisan TigerStripe’ As beautiful as they are delicious, this is a mix of striped tomatoes that will add a special touch to a salad bowl. Supplier: Marshalls 0844 557 6700 ‘Akron’ A heavy weight tomato that was a top performer in trials at RHS Wisley. Kept cropping well into late autumn. Supplier: T&M: 0844 573 1818 ‘Capriccio’ A mini plum tomato with a flavour to rival traditional cherry varieties. More than average flowering trusses…

Open-fronted boxes Perfect for robins (also pied wagtails and spotted flycatchers). Robins like to nest in thick, overhanging vegetation, so an ideal site for a box might be attached to a fence, which has got climbing plants such as ivy growing up it. Small round entrances Boxes with small round holes 1in (25mm) across are suitable for blue, coal and marsh tits; tree sparrows and great tits like holes a touch bigger; and nuthatches, pied flycatchers and house sparrows like them 1 ½ in (32mm) across. Larger boxes and entrances Tawny and barn owls, kestrels, jackdaws and stock doves need larger boxes and very large holes. Boxes need to be sited at least 8ft (2.5m) above the ground; and there needs to be a clear flight path in and out…

1 Make a simple pond, in under an hour, by filling a watertight container (like a metal dustbin). Seal any holes with silicone. Fill with water and aquatic plants to attract insects and dragonflies. 2 Plant a range of nectar-rich plants (such as alyssum, sedum and ivy) to attract butterflies and bees. Bees are dramatically declining in numbers, so we need to do what we can to help them. 3 One of the things we can easily do is to make a ‘hotel’ for solitary bees, The equivalent of bird boxes, these are made by packing cut bamboo canes, straws and hollow plant stems into a wooden box. 4 In an out-of-the way corner, pile some old rocks or logs together, and leave them with lots of gaps and holes.…