Innholdsfortegnelse for 19-mar-16 i Amateur Gardening

IT’S odd how sometimes I just don’t see things when I’m looking around the garden (my eyesight isn’t that bad). I pass two dwarf apple trees growing side by side in the front garden everyday. I remember noting that they both looked fine back in gloomy in January, and weren’t in need of pruning. Then this morning, as I left for work with sun shining and buds bulging, I spotted that the tie holding one apple’s trunk to its stake had snapped. The other was brutally strangling its helpless victim. Out with the penknife I always carry in my bag (and always sharp) I sliced the constricting tie. Sadly, damage was done. A big patch of canker has developed on one side – probably because the tight tie cracked the…

• Agapanthus: Sun-loving perennials with showy white, blue or pink flowers. • Euphorbia polychroma: Long-lasting, easy to grow, and likes the sun. • Hardy fuchsia: Stunning colours, and they only need hard pruning once a year • Hellebores: Plant these for their striking flowers that happily brighten up shadier areas of the garden. • Allium: Ornamental onions have striking, globular flowerheads and will spread in sunny, well-drained soils.…

AFTER their winter dormancy, trees and shrubs need some care and attention now to help them reach their full flowering and fruiting potential. Sprinkle a balanced fertiliser such as Grow more or blood, fish and bone, over the root area, and hoe it into the soil (avoid bulbs!). This is especially important if your plants are young, weak or damaged or were heavily pruned over the winter. Leave the pruning of spring-flowering shrubs until after they have flowered, or you will remove this year’s flowering shoots. Tender evergreen shrubs, such as Choisya, should be pruned later when the weather is warmer. April is ideal. Also leave alone deciduous members of the Prunus family, such as cherries, ornamental plums and almonds, as they can get silver leaf disease if cut before…

• Young growth is vulnerable to attack by slugs and snails, as well as larger foes including pigeons, rodents, rabbits and deer. Cloches and netting can be used against bigger pests, while slug pellets, nematodes and other deterrents work against molluscs. • Sudden cold snaps are not uncommon for several weeks yet. Fleece and mulch will help protect shoots, but don’t worry if you are caught unawares. Most hardy plants will survive a late frost, so don’t abandon a plant that has been frost damaged. Many are surprisingly resilient, and may well regrow from dormant buds at or below soil level.…

• Slugs and snails love warm, damp weather, so spring is one of their busiest times. • Their round, yellow-white eggs are buried in soil, and under stones and logs. Dig them out, to be eaten by birds. •There are many ways to combat slugs and snails. Slug pellets and iron phosphate are widely available. Nemasys sells a soil-living nematode against slugs, which also works on snails to a lesser extent. • Other deterrents include beer traps, crushed egg shells and coffee grounds.…

BECAUSE the soil in our garden is extremely alkaline – almost pure chalk – I grow acid-loving blueberries in containers. They are easy to care for, and survived the winter wrapped in fleece, with their pots stood on feet, as well as a layer of protective mulch over their root area. With the arrival of spring, they are starting to bud and come back into growth. The fatter buds will produce flowers and fruit, while the smaller, flatter ones will go on to produce shoots and leaves. For a good crop later this year, you need to give your blueberry plants the best start. In the panel (right) you can see what I’ve done!…

THE sun has some real warmth to it now, which is heavenly for us gardeners working outdoors. We’ve patiently kept our heads down all winter, awaiting its warming rays to bring us back to life. This is pretty much what the plants have been doing, too! My herbs have been sitting in an old ceramic sink by my back door – last summer they helped me enliven all manner of delicious recipes, so I think it’s about time I repaid the favour. The time has come to repot them, giving them fresh compost and more room for roots to grow. Nobody likes to be cramped up with little room to move, and my herb plants are no exception. Top Tip  Woody perennial herbs like thyme and sage need last year’s…

SCALE insects are pests you seldom notice until their infestation is huge and doing real damage to your plant. The problem is, they are almost invisible and their build-up may simmer over several years before erupting. So how do you know you have them? Some resemble the scales sheathing a reptile leg; others look like soldiers’ helmets or mimic buds. All are packed full of minute powdery eggs that can be spread on the wind and by contact, hatching into pests so small you hardly notice them. But their vast numbers mean that they coat leaves, stems and buds, sucking them dry. Thus you may notice dieback without initially twigging (sorry) that scale insects are to blame for it. Another clue is the honeydew the scales excrete, which drops on…

IT’S not often that you come across the best of both worlds, but in choosing a Kent & Stowe garden tool that’s exactly what you get. From the range of 24 stainless steel digging, cultivating and tidying tools to the new lighter weight Garden Life collection, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of a hand-crafted traditional design that’s been built using state-of-the-art techniques. This winning combination means all Kent & Stowe stainless steel tool heads are of the highest strength and quality, offering excellent resistance to rust and clinging soil. Added to this the tapered ash wood handles offer a level of comfort and good-looks that you’ll love using time and time again. Designed in the UK the stainless steel range includes tools like the digging spade (£29.99rrp), which boasts an…

WITH our new collection of shade-loving hepaticas in the alpine house my attention has turned to greenhouse shading as I’m keen to avoid overheating plants and scorch on foliage. Paint-on shading applied to the outside of the glazing is an option. A good quality paint shading reacts to sunlight – when it rains the shading remains clear and lets in light, but it turns white in full sun. Very clever. We decided to opt for shade netting. When buying netting you will find a choice of shade value – nets offer anything from 40-60% shade cover. As the greenhouse will be almost entirely designated to shade lovers 60% was the choose grade. Now installed inside the alpine house the netting is held in place with laundry pegs.…

How do I create an evergreen hedge? Q I want to plant an evergreen hedge to screen my garden from the road. I’d like variety, colour and berries for wildlife. How do I plant and establish a hedge? Gerald Dawson, St Neots, Cambs A number of plants are suitable, but if you mix them together, their different growth rates, heights and spread will make for difficult maintenance. For berries, you need an informal hedge, as clipping into a shape would remove the flowering shoots that normally go on to produce berries. The following are all suitable as evergreens: Berberis x stenophylla (deep-yellow flowers and blue-black fruit), Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ (fragrant white flowers in late-summer) and Viburnum tinus (white flowers in late-spring). Elaeagnus pungens bears clusters of fragrant white flowers in autumn.…

Microgreens Vegetable seedlings like beetroot, rocket and even radish offer chefs an attractive, tasty garnish for their dishes. They are fast-growing, taking as little as 21 days from sowing to harvesting. Edible flowers Borage, calendula, tagetes and violas are among the edible flowers grown at Le Manoir, where they are harvested just half an hour before serving. Add to salads and use to decorate cakes.…

ALLOTMENT holders in a Pennine village have been creating a splash since they received a £500 grant to repair a trough and well at their site. Last summer saw gardeners lugging gallons of water about for the allotments in Holme, near Huddersfield, when their supply dried up. Now, thanks to the local authority funding, there’s water, water everywhere: their well is overflowing. The supply was intermittent before,” said plotholder Stephen Newiss. “If you didn’t bring water, your plants had to suffer.” Shirley Amesbury, village association chairman, said they applied for the funding because the pipe to the trough had broken. “The well and trough are a unique village feature and could easily be lost. Allotment holders are delighted,” she said.…

DO you spend most of your time walking up and down the garden fetching what you need and losing things all the time? Some people use a trug to carry their loads, others a bucket. Tool belts are popular, but it’s easy to carry too much and if you’re weighted down, things have a habit of falling out on the move. So, there’s really no substitute for a proper tool carrier. These come in lots of different shapes, sizes and materials, many of which look good enough to use as day to day general-purpose bags. With a good range of styles now on the market to suit all tastes and budgets, we’ve tested a selection, using the tools most gardeners would carry - trowel, fork, secateurs, gloves, grubber and twine.…

Bulbs Cushion spurge is the perfect foil for lots of spring bulbs, especially tulips. Take your borders to colour heaven by planting E. epithymoides alongside burgundy cultivars such as ‘Havran’ (April flowering), ‘Queen of Night’ (April-May) or ‘Paul Scherer’ (May) – this combo of claret and golden lime is breathtaking. Orange, red, pink and white tulips are also striking, or try other bulbs including Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Woodstock’ (wine purple) and ‘Carnegie’ (white), Allium atropurpureum (claret black) and Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus (white with orange). DESIGN TIP: Don’t be afraid to pile on the yellow! Garden designer Beth Chatto plants her cushion spurge in between the lime gold Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii and the yellow Tulipa tarda. Perennials and biennials Add other spring-flowering perennials to your borders, making sure you choose…

WITH spring busting out all over, we get fired up with so much gardening enthusiasm that it’s easy to get rather carried away. We can’t help but throw ourselves into a frenzy of horticultural zeal. So we make borders ‘just a little’ wider, add ‘just one more’ container to the patio, sow ‘just a few more’ seeds, and decide that one or two more plants ‘won’t hurt’. But hold fire, because ‘just one more’ of several things can leave you with too much to do, not enough time to do it in, and not enough space to do it properly. This is when disillusionment is in danger of setting in. If you need to cut back on gardening due to time and health constraints, here are a few ideas to…

A PERFECTLY manicured lawn is part and parcel of an immaculate garden, but it takes a lot of time and effort to keep it that way. An easier option is to re-seed with a hard-wearing mix of grasses, and install permanent edging to remove the need for fiddly trimming and tidying. Replacing grass with an artificial alternative is seen as heresy by many, but there is an increasing range of realistic synthetic grasses on offer. And stop worrying about patches of moss or weeds – they stay green for longer in dry conditions, and will attract a wider range of wildlife. For the past two years we have let an area of our lawn grow wild in summer, and simply mow a strip of pathway through it. It is being…

• Don’t be fooled by occasional warm and sunny days. Sudden frosts can strike until the end of May, and will wreak havoc on tender plants. • Continue to sow annuals and crops, such as tomatoes, but keep them under glass and on windowsills. • Don’t be tempted to plant summer bedding plug plants outside, as frosts will kill them off. Grow them on in pots in your greenhouse, and harden them off before planting outside.…

THERE are hanging baskets for every season, and spring is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the abundance of bright, fresh colours. Hanging baskets are relatively simple to make, and have basic requirements. Always line a wire frame before adding the compost. Sphagnum moss is traditionally used, but you can also use cardboard or lawn moss. I used the recyclable Supamoss, which is attractive and easy to use. Compost for baskets should be lightweight and moisture-retentive, but it should also drain well. Specific basket composts also contain a granular feed and a moisture-retaining agent for ease of care. Top Tip  For the greatest impact, choose plants with complementary colours. For a long-lasting display, deadhead them regularly, and feed weekly with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser.…

“Traditional, wire mesh baskets remain my choice” OUR house fronts, streets and commercial premises would be a great deal more lifeless without the colour that hanging baskets and window boxes bring to them. When it comes to hanging baskets the greater the volume of compost they contain the easier they are to care for and the better the plant growth. I recommend a basket with a 14in (35cm) diameter and a bracket that can project out far enough to get light, and be strong enough to carry the weight. Traditional, wire mesh baskets remain my choice, lined with moss (if you are raking it out of the lawn, save some for this purpose) and a deep saucer placed in the bottom to act as a reservoir. There are plenty of…

MY one-year-old rhubarb plants are coming back strongly after winter. They weren’t forced, as they need to reserve their energy for healthy development. To encourage further growth, the plants were given a fresh mulch of manure over their root areas, and will be weeded regularly through spring and summer, and watered well in dry spells. Early spring is also the time to feed soft fruits – currants and berries – with blood, fish and bone. Well-rotted compost or manure is a good alternative, and remember to water well during dry spells to boost fruiting.…

I grow two main types of artichoke – globe and Jerusalem. I cut back the large, thistle-like leaves of the globe artichokes in the autumn. They re now re-growing lush, grey-green shoots. I’m slicing off wayward offsets (with roots) with my spade, and potting them up for our summer plant sale. The plants also get a nutrient-rich mulch. The knobbly tubers of Jerusalem artichokes just need sticking in the soil 6in (15cm) deep and you’ll never be without them again. I’m giving mine their own bed because they’ll grow 7ft (2m) tall, and can cast a lot of shade – so watch where you plant them!…

IT’S the last chance to buy and plant bare root fruit trees and bushes. They tend to be sold at specialist fruit nurseries rather than garden centres. Now it’s the end of the season they’re often available at knock-down prices. Okay, you may not get the exact variety you’re after, but if cost is a factor (as it is for most of us) then it’s worth a look. I’ve been trying to source a specific yellow gooseberry and dessert apple, and have been incredibly lucky on both counts – half price! Just be wary when you’re buying. Look for shrivelled, dried out roots, which indicate the plant has been neglected on the nursery. Also, avoid misshapen plants unless you’re happy to prune back hard and hope new growth is more…

BIRDS are busy finding nesting sites now, and they’re gathering together all the building materials needed. There is a degree of urgency to this because eggs need to be laid. The first hatchings of the year will soon follow; exactly when depends on where you live (it’s a little later in the north and east than in the south and west). Gardens are the preferred nesting sites for many different bird species, from starlings and song thrushes, to sparrows, swifts and house martins. If they can gain access, the last three will build in the eaves of a roof. And if you leave your shed door open there’s a good chance it will become temporary accommodation for a young family of robins. Blackbirds are the most often seen birds visiting…

BEDDING verbenas have a lot going for them. The rounded heads of white-eyed flowers cover a range of jewel-like colours; there is a light, sweet scent and pollinating insects will be attracted to them. As a group, verbenas originate mainly from the warmer parts of the American continent where most grow as annuals or perennials on sunny, open prairie land, roadsides or light scrubby woodland. In the garden At only 8in (20cm) tall but spreading to 10in (25cm), these vibrant verbenas make ideal ground cover. Use them in drifts to carpet the front of a border or create a sea of purple, maroon, ruby, pink and white between box edging or clipped balls. Mats of silvery perennial Tanacetum argenteum, white lavender and rosemary would make good foliage partners. In containers,…

IN late winter/early spring it’s not unusual to see farmers laying hedges in rural Herefordshire. Mature hedges are laid approximately every 15 years. This is done in order to keep them vigorous and to fill in gaps that form at the base when plants get tall. Last week I passed a skilled craftsman at work as I did the school run and it reminded me that I need to coppice the hazel. As with laying hedges, hazel is coppiced when plants are dormant between November and March. Avoid coppicing in April as this can result in the plant being unable to recover. We have four hazels, all of which are coppiced about every five years on rotation. The hazel in The Paddock Garden now has the perfect thickness of stems…

THE Dingle Garden is home to a stream and large pond. In order to have moving water we have pumps and pipes buried under the ground. This month some repair work has been done on a water pipe causing us to dig a trench, lift turf and then replace it. Now that the turf has been replaced it is slightly raised. This is on purpose however as, over time, turf will sink as the soil beneath settles. In order to settle the replaced turf and level the ground we have been hard at work with an old-fashioned roller. This is tricky on a bank, I can tell you! It either runs away or you really have to put your back into it to get up those hills. Who needs a…

Boost herbs in the ground with fertiliser after flowering has finished, and cut back in mid August to encourage new growth. Replace plants every three or four years. Thyme is very good with fish and chicken, and we grow ‘Silver Posie’ at Le Manoir. not only are the delicate leaves flavourful, it is pretty enough to work as an ornamental. For something unusual, give the oyster plant, Mertensia maritima, a go. Chefs use its leaves and flowers – which taste of oysters – in fish dishes. Grow undercover for really tender leaves.…

INVASIVE Japanese knotweed is springing up far earlier than normal this season. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), described by the Royal Horticultural Society as a “real thug” due to its ability to spread rapidly, does not usually appear until April. This year, sightings were reported as early as February. The Property Care Association (PCA) said the weed’s red stems emerging from the ground had been spotted in several areas of the UK. Japanese knotweed is very difficult to remove by hand or with chemicals, and is a nightmare for home-movers. Banks and building societies can refuse to issue a mortgage on a property where a survey finds Japanese knotweed. It can devalue land and even lead to property transactions falling through. Eradication The PCA said wet weather may have created ideal…

GroundMaster £29.95 rrp £4.95 delivery 0114 233 8262 burgonandball.com Breaking new ground in eight different ways, this long handled tool harnesses the power of gravity to help you tackle eight different jobs around the garden. With a Sheffield forged high carbon steel head and FSC wooden handle use it for digging, chopping, raking, spreading, making furrows, tamping down, cultivating and, of course, breaking up stony soil. Goatskin gloves £14.99 rrp 0121 2405419 townandco.com Add a luxury feel to all your gardening and light pruning jobs. These comfy gloves combine soft goatskin on the palms and fingers and hardwearing cotton on the backs. Elasticated wrists help keep out dirt. GeoPod propagator and lights £130 £4.95 delivery 0845602 3774 greenhousesensation.co.uk Designed to give seeds and cuttings the best possible…

Euphorbia cyparissias ‘Fens Ruby’ For well-drained soil in sun, this spurge has maroon needle leaves and yellow-lime bracts from April to June. Deadhead if you don’t want it to spread. Height: 18in/45cm. Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii This cheery, generous perennial produces big heads of golden lime above glaucous foliage, from March to May. Plant in well-drained soil in sun. Height: 60in/1.5m. Euphorbia myrsinites A little cloud of blue-grey evergreen leaves that is adorned with gold green bracts in April and May. Needs well-drained soil in sun; and looks great on top of a wall. Height: 4in/10cm. Euphorbia palustris From April to June the sun-loving marsh spurge is a joyous show of lime. It needs moist, water-retentive, well-drained soil, so dig in compost on planting.…

“A space should make you smile – use colours that you enjoy” RHS Wisley is a riot of colour whatever time of year you visit, but when International Colour Consultant Joa Studholme is in the garden the palette is even more generous. In early October I joined a group of gardeners and decorators to listen to Joa explain how to become more confident with colour. After 20 years working with paint company Farrow & Ball, Joa is responsible for setting colour trends both inside and out. As I take my seat I ask fellow gardener Rita Dixon from Devizes what she hopes to learn. “I want to be more confident and adventurous and not hold back with colour,” she replies enthusiastically. Although not herself a gardener, Joa is often inspired…

1 Sand down the item to remove any old varnish or paint. The wood should feel smooth once complete. Then wipe off any dust with a damp cloth and leave the furniture to dry. 2 Before painting, cover the ground where you work with a plastic sheet. Spray the furniture with a paint primer to encourage paint to adhere – it helps prevent premature flaking, too. When the primer is dry, apply a thin layer of paint. 3 Allow to dry before adding a further two coats of paint. Use thin layers as you will avoid drips and paint will be less likely to flake. Expect to sand down and repaint every other year.…

“If it flowers before June there’s no need to prune” NINE times out of 10, taking the secateurs to a plant does far more good than harm, promoting fresh, healthy growth and more flowers. But pruning does need to be tackled at the right time of year and it’s not always easy to remember when or how, unless you have a handy little aide-memoire in your gauntlet. Gardening idioms are good reminder. The ‘Chelsea Chop’ for example is a call to cut the top third off any herbaceous perennials that tend to flop over. This trim, during the third week of May when the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is in full swing, transforms lofty and thin flowers into sturdy ‘sprays’ that are both shorter and bear more blooms. Then there’s…

1 I planted a Vinca minor (Periwinkle) on a hard-to-access, chalky slope. It should thrive in this sunny spot. 2 Before planting, stand the plant in water to soak the roots. It should be planted as deep as its rootball. 3 Tease out the roots. Infill around the rootball with soil, lightly compressing it to squash air pockets. 4 Water the plant well. During the first year, make sure the plant doesn’t dry out, to help it establish.…

• Containers look lovely, and are great for small gardens and patios, but they do increase your workload. We are talking daily watering in summer, feeding, plus winter care to prevent freezing compost and cracked pots. • Some climbers, such as wisteria, need a particular pruning regime to keep them looking their best. Honeysuckle and clematis are more forgiving, and less time-consuming.…

DAFFODIL blindness is a common problem, usually only noticed when the plants fail to flower. It is a frustrating complaint; a lush clump of leaves grows in their allotted place, you look forward to a sunburst of yellow flowers, and then… nothing. A number of things cause blindness, and most of them can be acted upon to hopefully remedy the problem the next year. Dry soil and drought conditions can cause plants to die down prematurely. When post-flowering growth stops early, food reserves are not replenished via the leaves to be stored in the bulb. It’s at this point that next year’s flower bud is forming, and it may be affected. Combat the problem by watering in dry weat her until the leaves die back. The early removal of leaves…

1 Stand your basket on a bucket or pot for ease of access, and line it using moss, cardboard or a product such as Supamoss. Start to add compost. 2 Begin by planting the trailing plants. Wrap their roots in clingfilm, and ease them through gaps you have cut in the lining. Unwrap the roots afterwards. 3 Tuck in any excess lining and fill the basket with compost. Plant the central feature plant – I’m using a rosemary for its scent, shape and attractive flowers. 4 Carefully plant the remaining plants – I wanted bright, spring colours and chose Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’, ranunculus and a selection of primulas or pansies.…

AFTER such a wet winter, which has seen so many homes flooded, conserving water may be the last thing on gardeners’ minds. Yet with the gardening season getting into swing, it’s prudent to make sure that flowers, fruit and veg have a good supply of water once the weather warms up. Like many AG readers, my veg plot is at the bottom of the garden – some distance from a tap. I know that many allotment-holders face long treks for water, too. With a lot of gardens having a shed next to the veg patch or allotment, it makes sense to catch every drop of rain from the roof, creating a free water supply right where it’s needed. The roof of an average shed (mine’s 6x8ft / 1.8x2.4m) can collect…

1 Get rid of weeds that have colonised the blueberry’s container, or the surrounding soil if planted out. Weeds compete for water and nutrients, so make sure you remove them all. 2 Prune blueberries in February or March. They rarely need pruning in the first two years, so just remove dead, diseased or damaged wood, and branches that are rubbing or crossing. 3 Refresh containers, and the soil around ground-planted blueberries, with fresh ericace ous compost. You can also use composted pine needles and fresh pine bark.…

1 First get your plants out of their pots so that you can assess their root health. If roots are very tight and congested, you may need to run an old knife around the edge of the container. 2 Mix a suitable potting compost. I use a 50:50 mix of John Innes No. 3 compost and grit for my culinary herbs (not mint!), as they love free-draining conditions, but do check the label. 3 Either choose one pot size larger or, if like me you’ve not got room, just fork off the top 2in (5cm) of compost and replace it. Split congested mint, oregano & tarragon in half, then repot.…

I’M talking specifically here about soil pH, which is the level of acidity and alkalinity in the soil. It might sound a bit ‘techy’ but don’t worry – all you do is buy a cheap kit from the garden centre, mix your soil with the kit’s powder or liquid and check the results against a colour chart. It’s wise to do this because different crops need different soil pH, and if they don’t get it their nutritional health goes up the spout. Most fruits like things mildly acidic, and blueberries need a strongly acidic soil. To make an alkaline soil acidic add sulphur chips or create planting pockets of ericaceous (acidic) compost. Be mindful to also use fertilisers suited to acid loving plants, such as sulphate of ammonia (rather than…

• 19 March: Orchids Open Day, McBeans Orchids, Cooksbridge, Lewis, East Sussex BN8 4PR; 01273 400228; mcbeansorchids.co.uk • 20 March: Plant Hunter’s Fair (10am-4pm), Dearnford Lake, Whitchurch, Shrops. SY13 3JQ; planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 20 March: Rare Plant Fair, Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD; 0845 468 1368; rareplantfair.co.uk • 23 March: Plant Propagation, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH; 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 24 March: RHS Watercolour Painting Day ‘Beautiful Flowers’, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH; 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 25-28 March: Easter at Barnsdale, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH; 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 26 March: Plant Hunter’s Fair (9.30am-4pm), Battlefield 1403, Shrewsbury, Shrops, SY4 3DB; planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 27-28 March: Plant Hunter’s Fair (10am-5pm): Dorothy Clive Garden,…

1 Mix 3 parts of seed compost with 1 part of sharp sand and potting grit. Verbena seeds like good drainage. Fill a seed tray or shallow pot, press gently, water lightly and allow to drain. 2 Sow seeds thinly and evenly over the surface of the compost and cover them sparingly by scattering compost over the top. Press lightly but don’t water again. 3 Label with name and date, before placing the seed tray into a heated propagating case at a temperature of 21°C (70°F), or a warm windowsill. Germination can take 2-3 weeks.…

I WAS thrilled to read last week that AG’s city gardener, Martyn, has at last planted some snowdrops. We’ve been planting them here at Stockton Bury for many years and now have about 15 different types. In a recent visit to a local specialist nursery, Ivycroft Plants in Ivington ( ivycroftgarden.co.uk), I added two more to our collection – ‘Magnet’ and ‘Galatea. After planting, I labelled them and made a note in my garden diary of where they are. Identifying a snowdrop isn’t easy so to help I turn to the book A Gardener’s Guide to Snowdrops by Freda Cox. Freda is a regular visitor here and her illustrated book is the perfect companion for those who want to ID their snowdrops. There are four parts of the snowdrop to…

Protect hollyhocks from rust disease Q I have some new ‘Chater’s Double’ hollyhock plants. Could you tell me how to keep them healthy, and avoid hollyhock rust, which my established plants often get. Geoff Gauntlet (via email) A Regrettably, there are no truly rust-resistant varieties of hollyhock. The best way to keep your ‘Chater’s Double’ from succumbing to this disease, which can cripple and kill leaves, is to spray with Fungus Fighter, a systemic control that protects for up to three weeks, or Scotts FungusClear Ultra, another ally that guards against attack for around three months. It is, however, vital to dose plants before the disease is evident – when the rusty red spots have appeared – and to continue throughout the season. In my experience, only basal leaves are…

‘Tromboncino’ squash This trombone-shaped summer squash is a fantastic multipurpose plant – a good ornamental climber, you can eat it small (as a courgette) or ripen and store once large (as a winter-storing squash). Tomato ‘Yellow Pear’ ‘Yellow Pear’ is a sweet and juicy heirloom cherry tomato that can be grown indoors or in a sheltered spot outdoors. A cordon (vine) type, the fruits are delicious raw. Climbing bean ‘Lazy housewife’ French heirloom variety traditionally used in cassoulet. Very prolific, with fleshy green beans that can be eaten as a ‘green bean’ or left to produce 5-7 grey to white, very tasty shelled beans from each pod. Chioggia beetroot Looks spectacular in salads –try grating it raw so you really see the stripe. Cooked, it turns a brilliant pink. The…

YOU know when March has arrived; it’s when the frost in the ground finally starts to thaw, and the frozen morning air begins to dissipate. It’s also when keen gardeners feel the urge to start working on their plots, eager to get prepared for the growing season and feel the soil beneath their fingernails. And the more astute among them will know that this month is their last chance to plant bare-rooted perennials, too. Why plant bare-roots? They may look dead and scary on arrival, but unlike young plants which are about 6-9 weeks old, bare-roots are at least a year old and offer excellent value for money. All the plants listed here are mature bare-roots of at least two years old. Fully hardy, between them they will produce nine…

LIFE wasn’t always grim in the workhouse. There could be ‘Nun’s Belly Button’ beans and ‘Dog’s Snout’ apples for tea. Now, these heritage varieties are being grown in a restored kitchen garden of the workhouse in Ripon, North Yorkshire, which is a museum. Surviving workhouse gardens are rare. Ripon’s was derelict until the makeover, based on an 1890s map. It employs Victorian practices, growing veg, fruit and herbs sourced from 19th century catalogues. A local restaurant is provided with produce. Call (01765) 690799 to visit.…

Write to: Jenny Bagshaw, Amateur Gardening Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Our Star Letter wins £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. Caring and sharing A LITTLE while ago I paid a long overdue visit to my friend Rennie, who will soon be 92. She has failing eye-sight and is unable to get about much now, so it makes her day if someone calls round for a chat and a cuppa. When I arrived home I found my 5 March issue of AG had been…

Add some warmth In a north-facing garden any colour you pick will appear cooler than it would in a south facing plot. So go for colours with a slight tinge of yellow or red to add warmth. Create contrast Grow colourful climbers up a trellis or fence that has been painted in a contrasting colour for a really punchy look. Here turquoise teams up beautifully with red pathenocissus. Highlight a feature Not brave enough to paint your entire shed a bold colour, or worried about maintenance? Simply paint the window frames and door instead. Brighten up edging Sink wooden posts of different heights into the ground at the front of a border to create attractive edging, then paint the posts with a colour of your choice to match the planting…

Why grow it? ITS little lampshade flowers light up shady spots beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. They’re brightly coloured and classy, held on slender stems above verdant, shiny leaves with mottled green or purple markings. The dinky little stunner E. dens-canis reaches just 6in (15cm) tall, yet it’s got the attention grabbing power of a much bigger plant. The small clusters of pale pink or white flowers shine in the late winter gloom. Clumps will bulk up to give a powerful display for a couple of weeks each spring. There are bigger species such as the American Trout Lily, Erythronium revolutum, with rich pink flowers and contrasting yellow stamens, while the acid green leaves carry eyecatching markings. Or try E. ‘Pagoda’ which is very vigorous, up to 14in (35cm) tall…