Innholdsfortegnelse for July 19, 2014 i Amateur Gardening

I’LL RESERVE judgement until I’ve had a chance to cook with them, but the elephant garlic plants I enjoyed the ‘scapes’ (flower buds and stems) of a few weeks ago, have provided a fair harvest. The bulbs are absurdly large – nearly six inches (15cm) in diameter. Several had rotted in the ground, which is a common problem with onions nowadays, but I haven’t had it happen with ordinary garlic. To be fair, elephant garlic or Allium ampeloprasm, is different from ordinary garlic (Allium sativum). Apparently it’s garlic flavour is milder and the plant is more closely related to the leek. The scapes were mild but made great eating. Wikipedia suggests that the cloves can be roasted and used as a spread (or, I would imagine, a dip when cooled).…

EXTEND YOUR garden’s seasonal colour by planting up late summer containers that will continue to flower into autumn. At this point in the season, nurseries and garden centres sometimes reduce the price of some plants, and there are also new varieties becoming available for late summer planting. As with summer containers, fill your pots carefully and be prepared to feed, water and check regularly for pests.…

SECATEURS These are used for trimming large-leaved hedges. Smaller blades are ideal, as larger ones can slash and bruise leaves. SHEARS Useful for trimming small-leaved hedges such as leylandii. Their larger blades leave a broad, smoothly-cropped area. TRIMMERS Ideal for trimming large areas. Keep the blade parallel to the hedge and use a wide, sweeping action. Wear protective goggles. TOPIARY SHEARS Perfect for neatening and trimming box to the desired shape. You can either shape by eye or use a template.…

AS I write, we’ve had several days of scorching weather. Water butts are running low and the soil is looking parched. So I’m thinking that I’m going to have to be clever with my watering, particularly as I’m not keen to use too much metered mains water! Many flowering and fruiting plants can succumb to stress or a check to growth if they are left dry for too long. I’ve come up with a few watering ‘cheats’ – simple and easy to set up and efficient ways to release water directly to the roots. The benefits are less wastage and reduced watering time! DRIP IRRIGATION BAG DRIP watering kits for the greenhouse are available from specialists (such as Two Wests & Elliott 01246 451077). They come with fixings for hanging…

• Choose ‘early’ varieties, or ones recommended to harvest as baby crops • Sow as soon as possible – plant growth will start to slow down as evenings draw in • Sow into pots or modules for transplanting if you are waiting for ground to be free • Add garden compost or old potting compost to the planting bed before sowing or planting if the soil is poor • Don’t overcrowd plants – they will grow quicker without competition and stay healthier…

THE STANDARD variety for apricots was Prunus armenica ‘Moorpark’ (RHS Award of Garden Merit), a strong growing tree which needs the protection of a south-facing wall in southern UK gardens. I do not know the variety in Aynho, the Apricot Village in Oxfordshire, where some summers you see trees against walls laden with fruit. The late Arthur Billitt grew some marvellous top and soft fruits for BBC Gardeners’ World back in the 1960s and ‘70s including ‘Moorpark’ trained against a fence. Summer pruning and tying-in to hold the growth back on Arthur’s rich Worcestershire soil was very nearly a full time job. It never fruited to the best of my knowledge; it certainly did not during my four year stint on the show and reluctantly was rooted out. Under glass…

Q “Whenever I’ve tried making my own compost from garden and kitchen waste, it has always turned into a sloppy mess rather than ‘dark and crumbly’ like the books say. What am I doing wrong?” Teresa White, Diss, Norfolk AI suspect that you are using too much green material, such as grass clippings, and not enough of what we call brown material, such as cardboard and ground-up shrub prunings. The secret to success with a compost bin, in my opinion, is to mix the material and not to place it in layers. I have a bucket by my back door and I put all kitchen waste into this first. Then, I mix it with grass cuttings before placing on the heap. Periodically I mix the entire contents of the heap,…

AFTER THE wettest winter on record, and having 10 times more rain than is normal in early spring, the slug and snail population is the most prolific it has been for years. And continuing to control them over summer is crucial, says RHS Head of Advice, Guy Barter. In a bleak warning for gardeners he said: “Slugs revel in wet, cool conditions, and if there is a wet summer, slug and snail numbers will reach plague proportions.” He added that, apart from the rain, last winter was also mild, with a lack of hard ground frosts, so numbers of molluscs weren’t killed off as they are in normal winters. And in the continuing war against them, we should all hope for a heatwave over the reminder of summer, as dry…

NATURE IS hurtling “helter-skelter” through the seasons, and we are racing towards autumn, ahead of schedule, according to conservationists. Naturalist Matthew Oates of the National Trust said: “Signs of autumn are already in the hedgerows and woods.” He added: “This year has raged its way through winter, then we went into a very early spring, and then it rushed helter-skelter through summer without stopping for breath.” He said that there are “really strong signs of autumn already here, like the beech nuts. It’s an amazing beech mast year and the nuts are incredibly well developed.” Sycamore and hawthorn seeds are well developed, and even holly berries are already red in places. By midsummer many of the UK’s blackbirds had stopped singing, said Matthew. He also pointed to the early arrivals…

RHS PLANT committee coordinator Lesley Whayman (pictured below) is organising an event on 6 November at the Hillside Event Centre at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey, to help British breeders “to fulfil their promise”. Lesley says: “There is a lot of excellent amateur breeding in the UK, but it frequently doesn’t get anywhere.” She says the RHS can help bring breeders together with micropropagation and marketing companies, to get their new plants to market. The event will look at the breeding of garden plants and for cut flowers. Roger Parsons (sweet pea nurseryman and breeder) and Simon Crawford (renowned as a plant breeder around the world) will speak. Also, Cecilia Buffery from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew will speak on plant breeders’ rights, micropropagation and intellectual property. The RHS will also…

FIELD CHAIR (PAIR)£325(P&P £45) Weltevree 01395 275300 bigfire.co.uk Quirky and individual looking the field chair makes a statement whether on the patio or amongst wildflowers in a meadow area. Throw your own cover over it for added warmth and comfort on cooler evenings around a firepit or bbq. Made of tanalised wood it folds easily after use and has a handy carry grip to help with the process. Measures 34in (86cm) high and 29in (74cm) wide. Comes ready built. PERU VIP RELAXERS (PAIR)£99(P&P £3.95)  ebay ebay.eu/UPOXeF A new take on the traditional deckchair, based around a slatted design. With stong cross-frame arm rests and sturdy broad base, it’s made entirely of FSC eucalyptus wood. Both relaxers in the set come with a polyester covered strap-on head rest cushion.…

All solanums need limey, free-draining soil and full sun, so give them your warmest, brightest, most sheltered spot Keep tying climbing stems onto supports to guide them and anchor them in place Stop the hardier climbers from becoming a tangled mess by pruning in spring, removing a proportion of the old growth each year and cutting back the flowering growth to two or three buds from the main stems Ensure prolific flowering by feeding regularly from spring onwards with a high potash liquid tomato feed If trying outside in milder regions of the country protect S. rantonettii , S. wendlandii and S. laciniatum against frost by mulching generously around the roots with homemade garden compost. Allow tender solanums…

THE SUN has passed the yardarm of the year and that means spring-growth on shrubs and tender-perennials is hardened up and perfect for semi-ripe cuttings. But should you use rooting powder? This is always a source of contention between gardeners, as some believe it’s about as efficacious as snake oil! Rooting powders (and gels) contain plant hormones that encourage the exposed tissue at the base of the cutting to root, plus (often but not always) a fungicide to prevent rots. Most gardeners have a pot of the stuff gathering dust in the shed but this is the worst place as not only do the hormones held inside have a shelf life of just one year, but they’re volatile and evaporate unless the pot is kept in the fridge. Rooting powders…

IT’S OFFICIAL. We are a nation of chilli addicts. The Brits have long had a hankering for spicy food; the first UK curry recipe was as far back as 1747. In recent years our love for fiery flavourings has intensified. The good news is that chillies are not difficult to grow! Garden and greenhouse types will be flowering and fruiting now. Here’s how to get to the best from your plants. Summer care of chillies SUPPORTING WHEN PLANTS are 8in (20cm) tall, or before if they start to lean, stake with a pea stick. PINCHING OUT PINCH OUT the tops of peppers when they are about 12in (30cm) tall to encourage a bushy habit and fruiting branches. OUTDOORS IN LATE May chillies can either be planted directly into the ground,…

PLACE A bucket on a chair or stool – it should sit at least 12in (30cm) above the level of the pots. Fill with water. Stand pot plants around the base. TEAR AN old towel into strips (long enough to reach from the bottom of the bucket to half-way down the side of the pots). Soak the strips in the bucket. TO WATER, tuck one end of the fabric well into the compost; drape the other end into the bucket of water. Then water will start to soak in as it acts like a wick.…

SWEET WILLIAMS are one of our most enduring and favourite of cottage garden flowers. And the variety of seeds we’re giving away this week is ‘Cottage Perfume’ – a glorious mixture of mainly double blooms in an amazing bi- and tri-coloured range of pinks, magentas, maroons and white. The fragrance these flowers give off is intoxicating and, unusually, it gets stronger as the flowers mature. Plants reach up to 20in (50cm), so the blooms will be shown off to good effect, even if they’re at the bottom of the garden. Actually, they are perfect towards the middle of a large border, or at the back of a narrow one! Just make sure you provide the right growing conditions – a reasonably fertile, well-drained soil and a south-facing aspect. Sweet Williams…

Q “My ornamental willow ( Salix integra ‘Hakuro-nishiki’) has three stems about 2ft (60cm) long. It is growing in a large container. How and when do I prune it so that it has the shape of a small tree?” Mrs J. Goddard, Seaford, East Sussex A Your willow is one of the most attractive of any salix, with its delicate pink and cream leaves. It’s best to wait and prune it in the autumn, when the leaves fall. Simply trim it with hedging shears or secateurs to fashion a globular framework of branches. In the spring, strong new shoots will appear from the cuts, and your tree will delight you with its pleasing symmetry and foliage colour during the growing season. As your tree is in a…

AS TIME allows, we move around the garden tidying, sorting, planting and arranging things to look as good as they can. This week, the spotlight fell on our entrance way, where John and I sit on a bench enjoying the evening sun like a couple of old-timers. It all started when John stirred himself to tidy his equisetums. These are not the dreadful weedy horsetail (Equisetum arvense) but the better behaved rough horsetail (E. hyemale), known as Dutch or scouring rush. Less courageous gardeners would confine this in a container but it hasn’t spread from its clump in the drive. Just as young stems push up, the old ones look tatty, so they are thinned and trimmed back until clean and neat. To finish the job off, I moved a…

A ROSE that cannot be compared to any other! That is the claim from young plant firm Thompson & Morgan about their new rose ‘Sweet Spot Calypso’ (pictured). “It is not a hybrid tea, nor a floribunda, nor climber, nor any other type you may be familiar with,” says Michael Perry, T&M’s new product development manager. He says that it is so unique it is “set to change the way roses are used in UK gardens.” The rose will flower from late spring to early autumn if deadheaded regularly and fed through the growing season. Michael added: “Disease resistance was key in creating this rose. It will show better resistance to black spot and rust compared to many of the popular old varieties.” The rose is available from T&M at…

PLANT HERITAGE, the plant conservation charity, has conferred its most prestigious honour, The Brickell Award, on Chris Lane, the National Collection holder of witch hazels (hamamelis) since 1997. Chris runs his own nursery, Witch Hazel Nursery, in Sittingbourne, Kent. The award, given for ‘Excellence in Cultivated Plant Conservation’ is presented annually for outstanding work on a collection with scientific status. Conservation officer Mercy Morris from Plant Heritage said: “Chris has one of the most developed and researched collections, and is truly dedicated to spreading his enthusiasm and knowledge.” CONSERVATION Chris also maintains three other National Collections – wisteria, amelanchier and parrotia. Mercy said: “To hold four Collections and carry out so much development and research is a huge achievement.” Chris said: “I’m very honoured to receive this award, and to…

SOMETIMES YOU have to grit your teeth and just get on with the job – and ruthlessly. When the time arrives for summer pruning, suddenly we can come over sort of squeamish, afraid we may take off too much. Be not afraid. It’s actually quite difficult to prune off so much you really damage an established tree or shrub (and even more difficult if we are talking grapevines). You see, removing the ends of all the shoots does check the growth a bit, but the plant soon recovers. The leaves that have gone were shading those below, so the remaining leaves get more light, and carry on photosynthesising more than before. There’s more light reaching the fruit as well. And better airflow around the plant. Thus, summer pruning improves this…

FOR THE third year running AG will be present at this two-day festival at St Giles Park, Wimborne, Dorset, the stately home of the Earl of Shaftesbury. I won the chilli plant competition last year, so decided to take a back seat this year and give everyone else a chance! But I will be there with some of my plants…good and bad! Open to anyone who grows their own chillies for pleasure, this is a chance to show off their best plants to a panel of expert judges. The competition is on Saturday 2 August, and there are two classes: Class 1 will be open to ‘NuMex Twilight’ plants only, so everyone will have grown and entered the same variety. Class 2 is an open class,…

PRUNING IS a key weapon in the gardener’s arsenal. Cutting back shrubs, trees and hedges keeps gardens looking tidy and balanced and also benefits plants. Pruning removes old and damaged growth, dead leaves and spent blossom. It prompts stronger foliage and stems and can improve flowering and fruiting in later seasons. Now is a good time to get hedges and shrubs under control, but always check that there are no nesting birds. The nesting season is said to run from 1 March to 31 July and it is an offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built. However, not all shrubs can be trimmed at this time of year and on these…

THIS SUMMER looks like being a really good one for fruit growers, but gardeners are not the only ones looking forward to a taste of the crops. All fruits are vulnerable to a wide range of pests – and whole crops can be decimated before you have been able to sample the first berry. Thanks to the mild, wet winter, gardeners have been troubled by a plague of slugs and snails, but at least these are visible pests and can be either picked off or dealt with using pellets and other deterrents. Other, equally destructive pests attack both the plants and the fruits during the summer months. Here’s what you need to look for, and how to deal with any pests you find: FIVETO LOOK OUT FOR... Pigeon Birds are…

FACTFILE Dianthus barbatus ‘Cottage Perfume’ SOW: February-July HEIGHT:18-20in (45-50cm) FLOWERS:May-August BEST FOR:Borders and containers THREE OPTIONS FOR SOWING YOU CAN sow the seed indoors now, thinly, on to the surface of a good quality, moist seed sowing compost ( above left ). Cover the seed with a thin layer of compost or vermiculite ( above right ). Place the tray in a propagator or seal it inside a clear plastic bag to keep the humidity level high. These Sweet Williams need 18-20°C (64-68°F) for germination, which usually takes 7-14 days. When the seedlings are large enough to handle transplant them individually into 3in (7.5cm) pots. Plant out in Sept/Oct where they are to flower. Or you can sow outdoors now, where they are to flower. Otherwise,…

Q “I love roses, but every year mine seem particularly prone to disease. Black spot…mildew…rust…I get it all. I don’t like using chemicals, so I’m thinking I’ll have to get rid of all my rose plants. But then I thought about disease-resistant varieties. Could I still have a good-looking rose garden?” Doreen Pountney, Wokingham A Yes you can, as long as you grow the disease-resistant varieties in a way that they will not become stressed and vulnerable to disease pathogens – and this means growing them in good, fertile soil, with good pruning and feeding regimes, as well as watering when required. These varieties (pictured and listed below) show above-average resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, based on the reputation of the roses and our own experiences of…

AS USUAL, I’ve grown far too many tomatoes which, due to recurring blight problems outdoors, have to live in the greenhouse. First I had trouble finding containers for them all and now, training and curbing their growth is a full time job. Turn my back on them for five minutes and they swing away from their canes and strings, sending out unwanted side shoots in all directions. Tasting the first few delicious fruits, I know why I’ve bothered, because the flavour of home-grown toms is top notch. I can’t really have too many either, as surplus are made into tomato sauce or soup and frozen. Somehow, we’ve found room for a couple of cucumbers, passion flower, butternut squash, amaranthus, aubergines and peppers as well so by the end of summer…

BUNNY GUINNESS, Matthew Wilson and Bob Flowerdew answer questions sent in by post in this Potting Shed edition from Sparsholt College, Hants. BBC Radio 4, 3pm on Friday 18 July (repeat: 2pm on Sunday 20 July). A BLOOMIN’ GOOD WEEK Strawberries Supermarket strawberries are outselling staple foods like milk and bread. Sainsbury’s Simon Hinks said indications were that “for the next four or five months strawberries will be the top-selling line in our whole business.” A BLOOMIN’ BAD WEEK Potatoes Spuds are less popular now as more of us are eating pasta, rice and fajitas for our main meals, says the Potato Council. Sales of potatoes have fallen by more than eight per cent in the past year, and fewer of us are growing them because gardens are getting smaller.…

STONELEIGH PARK in Warwickshire was home recently to the National Plant Show, a trade event in its fifth year. It is where garden retailers go to see new plants, for ordering and stocking their shelves, catalogues and online warehouses so that we amateur gardeners can buy them next spring. Such new plants will be setting gardening trends for 2015 and beyond. Winning an award at the Show can mean plants sales in the hundreds of thousands, compared to just a relative few for an also-ran. There were 121 entries across five categories, and judges included such luminaries as Chris Young from the Royal Horticultural Society, and Jane Templar from Homebase. New plants tend to service the need for novelty in the garden, and customers visiting garden centres know that they…

BORN IN Grantham, Lincolnshire in 1923, Nicholas trained as a mechanical engineer but set his heart on becoming an act or after the war. “My parents said I was mad,” he has revealed, but after moving to London and getting an agent he secured his first part. Best known today as the longtime host of BBC Radio 4’s comedy panel game Just a Minute, he originally found TV fame in the 1960s, working as a straight man to comedians like Arthur Haynes and Benny Hill. He has also appear ed in many stage shows and was host of television’s Sale of the Century (above) from 1971 to 1983.…

THERE ARE lots of implements you can choose from to edge your lawns – shears, knives, irons, some people even use their kitchen scissors. Often the closer and lower you get to the grass the neater the final job, but who has the time when there are so many jobs to be done in the summer? Step-up the cordless trimmer. Giving you freedom to roam it’s not only an edger but can also be used to strim long grass and weedy areas in awkward places such as against walls and under trees. The four tested here were similar in terms of being lightweight and quiet. They each had telescopic handles too, allowing them to be adapted to the height of the user. So, when it came to finding a best…

SOLANUM CRISPUM ‘GLASNEVIN’ Flowers better than straight S. crispum with large clusters of sweetly scented, bright purple flowers followed by pale yellow fruit. A vigorous grower, it reaches 20ft (6m) in height and is slightly hardier than the species. SOLANUM RANTONETII ‘VARIEGATA’ A vigorous and handsome shrub with flat, bright purple flowers set against green and yellow variegated leaves. The perfect specimen plant for the summer garden. Reaches 8ft (2.5m) SOLANUM LAXUM ‘ALBUM’ Has delicate, glossy green leaves that are smaller than those of S. crispum , plus contrasting starry white flowers with a bright yellow centre. Black berries follow the jasmine-scented flowers. SOLANUM ATROPURPUREUM Also known as Purple Devil, this rarely grown, tender shrub is a real plantsman’s favourite and features vicious…

Show them the way I THOUGHT AG readers might like to see what Minety Pre-school young gardeners have been up to this year. Firstly the children built a show garden at the Malvern Spring Show. It was based on the Children’s Act 1870 and the Factory Act 1878 to show how gardening has changed from being primarily for food and livestock to now being mostly for pleasure. And they achieved a ‘Commended’ award, which was an amazing result for a first entry. They also set about making use of the local empty old red telephone box to sell flower and veg plants they’d grown themselves to people from the surrounding villages. Stuart Jackson, Minety Pre-School, Malmesbury, Wilts JENNY SAYS: A well-deserved award for a terrific effort.…

THE PRETTY medieval village of Warninglid, near Haywards Heath in Sussex, is the backdrop for a group of garden openings this Sunday (20 July). Set in a conservation area of outstanding natural beauty, nine gardens will play host to visitors between 2pm and 6pm. Although mainly cottage in style each reflects the different approaches of its owner. Several, like April Cottage (pictured) are situated on Spronketts Lane and The Street; part of the old coach and horses smuggling route along the south coast towards Shoreham, through Wineham, all of which adds to the historical feel of the area. Admission, giving entry to all nine gardens is just £5. Full details of these and other plots that open under the National Gardens Scheme, can be found in The Yellow Book 2014…

CUTTING IS KEY Terry keeps the lavender healthy by cutting it back in late September, allowing growth before winter to protect it during colder months. “It creates bobbles and cobbles throughout the beds and borders,” he says. “It’s almost topiarising the lavender, which looks lovely on a frosty morning in December or January.” A DIFFERENT APPROACH Encouraged by a local expert, the couple have planted intermediate lavenders like ‘Sussex’ along with classic L. angustifolia cultivars such as ‘Hidcote’. Explains Terry: “The great thing is the angustifolias are quite early flowering while the intermediates are longer and later flowering.”…