Innholdsfortegnelse for 22 August 2015 i Amateur Gardening

I HATE getting things wrong. In the last issue (p4-5) I told readers to store sweetcorn by cutting the kernels off the cob raw, then freezing them. This is not what I do – indeed, even readers who have never tried would realise from what I’d written in the preceding paragraph that there was something amiss: “…the kernels when popped with a fingernail release a milky liquid.” If you cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife, it’s reasonable to assume all that nice sweet juice will run away! If the cob is cooked first (boiled for 5-10 minutes), the kernels will cut away from the cob easily with little loss. This is how I prepare then freeze corn. You can store whole cobs, but they take up…

IF YOUR lawn has taken a pounding this summer, help it return to its full glory with Aftercut Lawn Thickener Even Flo Spreader. The nutritious mix conditions your existing lawn, and also helps thicken it with added grass seeds. It comes in an easy-to-use ‘Even Flo’ dispenser, and we have five to give away. To enter the draw, send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Aftercut Lawn Thickener, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG. Or email your details to ag_giveaway@timeinc.com , heading the email Aftercut Lawn Thickener. The closing date is: 26 August, 2015.…

ATTACKS BY the caterpillars of winter moth ( right ) are usually first noticed in spring when new leaves are eaten. By mid-summer, when the leaves are fully expanded, the small holes made during the spring have enlarged as the leaves have matured, although the caterpillars will have left the tree. Blossom and developing fruitlets can also be attacked. Early damage to young apples is seen as a very deep cleft in the side of the fruits, which grows as they develop.…

SCHIZANTHUS MAY be also known as ‘poor man’s orchids’, but there is nothing paltry about the exotic splash of colour they bring to the summer garden. These gorgeous half-hardy plants are extremely versatile, and are happy in beds and borders, as well as containers and hanging baskets. They also make very good cut flowers, and are happy grown inside a conservatory from early spring onwards. Although they are usually sown under cover in spring, they will also grow happily if sown now and kept indoors over winter. This allows them to star as indoor plants in the spring. Alternatively, you can transplant them outside to produce an early show of colour once the weather starts to warm up next summer. top tip Watch for damping-off, a fungal disease that kills…

• 23 August: Plant Fair; Hoghten Tower, Nr Preston, Lancs PR5 0SH 07855 625572; meadowviewplants.co.uk • 23 August: Plant Fair; Abbeywood Gardens, Delamere, Cheshire CW8 2HS 01270 811442; planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 29 August: Epping Annual Horticultural Show; St John’s Church, St John’s Road, Epping, Essex CM16 5JU 01992 890591 • 29-30 August: Durham Flower Festival; East Durham College’s Houghall Campus, Durham DH1 3SG 0191 375 4700; eastdurham.ac.uk • 30 August: Borde Hill Golden Anniversary Picnic (noon-4pm); Borde Hill Garden, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1HP 01444 884121; bordehill.co.uk • 30-31 August: Plant Fair; Dorothy Clive Garden, Nr Newcastle, Staffs TF9 4EU 01270 811443; planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 5 September: Plant fair; Bodenham Arboretum, Nr Kidderminster, Worcs DY11 5SY 01270 811443; planthuntersfairs.co.uk • Until 6 Sept: Full of Spice Exhibition; RBG…

LUCK PLAYS a part in the traditional methods used for breeding new plants and the latest list of new gaillardias, commonly called “Blanket Flower”, is a good example. Eight or more years ago a lady brought in a plant of gaillardia, which had quilled petals, and gave it to Richard Read in the garden centre he was managing. Richard hadn’t seen anything quite like it and on retirement teamed up with Keith Lintott, a very experienced breeder of chrysanthemums also retired, to see what could be done with this change in flower shape. In the end the two of them took on a nursery in West Sussex and set about improving not only gaillardia, but also leucanthemum (more on them another day). Since then they have gone on to dramatically…

UP UNTIL now I’ve been hesitant about growing blueberries. They like well-drained acid soil and sunny but wet summers, and my fruit patch seems a poor substitute. However, a local friend (and gardening rival) has just given me a punnet of delicious home grown berries. These, unlike some bland supermarket fruits, were bursting with flavour. They came from bushes planted in her garden, where conditions are less than ideal – and if she can grow them, so can I! The first step was to check my soil. It’s a silty loam, with a pH (acidity) of 6, which is just about acid enough . A pH of 4.5-5.5 would be ideal. (On heavy clay or alkaline soils, you can grow blueberries in big containers of ericaceous compost – but that’s…

Q I love dahlias but have never grown them before. Where should I start? Gail Lloyd, Whitehaven, Cumbria A There are all sorts of flower shapes, colours, and types now available. Dahlias can be grown in window boxes, as bedding, in borders, and may even be grown for exhibiting. They need well-drained soil that contains some organic matter, and a sunny, frost-free site out of strong winds. Generally, the bedding types are the easiest to grow, but if you want a challenge try growing some of the varieties suitable for the purpose of exhibiting. They may be raised from seed or dormant tubers, or you can buy the plants, already growing, from a garden centre or nursery. AGon facebook.  Go to facebook.com, create a free account if needs be, search…

HAVING THE HandiMoova in my armoury of gardening gear has been a revelation. The camba wheel technology means the trolley can literally walk up and down steps – one wheel at a time. Cleverly, the puncture proof wheels also adapt to suit different surfaces – so there’s less contact on hard surfaces and more with soft surfaces like sand. The load limit varies, depending on the surface. Where grass and gravel come in the scheme of things I’m not sure, safe to say that the HandiMoova behaved itself for me perfectly on both, living up to its “all-terrain” label. There are two easy to alter telescopic settings for the handle, so you can choose according to your height, and with the load plate flipped to the upright position the trolley…

Fundraisers' haven OVER THE last 10 years my wife, now 82 years of age and still gardening, has raised just over £10,000 for charities by opening our garden to the public. I think this may be the last year she’ll feel up to the task though. So without her knowing, I’m writing to show you some pictures of Criss and her lovely garden. We used to open under the NGS but, following ill-health, we felt unable to continue with the scheme and now open on our own. The garden has truly been a labour of love as I’m sure is true for many of AG’s dedicated gardeners. Reggie Porter, Blandford Forum, Dorset Jenny says... That’s an extraordinary effort – you must be very proud of her.…

HOT ON the heels of the family holiday (Turkey since you ask, I’ve been there before, flew to Dalaman, lovely people, scorching!) I’m growing a reminder of our trip. Although I’d like the Lycian mainstays of candyflosscoloured oleanders and acid pink bougainvillea, they’re too challenging without a conservatory. So instead I’ve plumped for a plant that can look after itself in our frost-free porch. Aloe vera looks like a cuddly cactus with plump, grey, spiky foliage that’s also soft-to-the-touch. It’s a plant that has been spread all over the Mediterranean for its good looks, pest resistance and its usefulness as a medicine. For the most part, turning to our gardens for medication has become a thing of the past and small wonder, as what you can buy at the chemist…

A PRETTY, white-flowered rambling rose grows very happily just outside my front door, sharing space with a thriving winter jasmine and several recycling bins. Every June it throws out a cascade of beautiful blooms that last a few weeks and then - nothing. This is the main difference between climbing roses and ramblers; climbers generally flower more than once, whereas ramblers produce just one flurry of flowers per season. On page 8, I show you how to prune and care for your rambler post-flowering, to help it produce another burst of colour next year. Happy gardening!…

RAMBLING ROSES are a quintessentially English cottage garden plant. For a brief time each summer they are smothered with beautiful, scented flowers. Their cousins the climbing roses can flower continually through summer and autumn if they’re deadheaded regularly. But ramblers throw out a mass of blooms all at once – usually in June and early July – leaving a tangle of empty stems once they are done. This can look like an untidy mess, so it is worth taking time after flowering to prune back spent stems, remove unsightly branches and cut away any sign of pests and diseases. It can be a daunting task, when confronted with an apparently impenetrable wall of tangled and thorny stems, but it will improve the plant’s appearance and set it up for bountiful…

1 Fill a seed tray with good quality seed & cuttings compost, such as John Innes or Gro-Sure. If re-using equipment, clean it thoroughly before use. 2 Sprinkle seeds evenly over the compost. If they are sown too thickly, you can thin seedlings out later on. 3 Lightly cover the seeds with 1/4in (5mm) of compost. Don’t compress it, or the young seedlings will find it hard to push through. 4 Water well – I used a hand mister spray, and made sure the compost was well wetted, but not soaked through with water. 5 Pop a propagator lid on top and place the tray on a warm windowsill. Keep compost moist. Pot up seedlings once big enough to handle.…

SOMETIMES THE first thing I see when I wake up in the morning is a small child in a costume at my bedside. Recently I came round from my deep slumber at 6am, face to face with my 7-year-old son Robbie in diving gear. I didn’t understand the garbled explanation due to the snorkel in his mouth, but I’ve come to accept that my family have their own reasons for doing random things. My kids spend a lot of time in fancy dress, and the youngest, Joe, has a vivid imagination that thrives on role-play. I’ve tried to consider this when planning my garden, and this year we created a living wigwam large enough to run through and hide in – perfect for all sorts of garden games. This is…

Polka a giant among raspberries, it is special for the quality of its fruits, its disease resistance and its extended cropping period. The exceptionally large, succulent fruits have an intense aromatic flavour and masses of juice - the berries literally burst in the mouth. Polka is an autumn fruiting variety, commencing to ripen in the 3rd week of July, peaking in late August and continuing until the frosts. Its yield is unquestionably high. Like Autumn Bliss (one of its parents) It should not require supporting in a sheltered garden. Code: 1062 Price: £13.60 Raspberries are packed in units of 5 Raspberry ‘Ruby Beauty’® is the world’s first compact raspberry making it ideal for growing in pots and containers on the patio, as well as in the ground. Fruiting in early…

NOW 1 Check your soil; if the pH is above 6 or it is heavy clay, plant into pots of ericaceous compost OCT-NOV 2 Dig in leafmould, composted conifer bark or pine needles, to boost acidity and drainage OCT-NOV 3 Plant bushes 3-5ft (1-1.5m) apart depending on variety. Mulch in spring, water well in dry spells JULY-SEPT 4 Net against birds when berries are still green; harvest time will depend on variety NOV-MAR 5 Prune to shape and promote strong new growth. Top long stems to encourage side shoots…

Q I am growing a pitcher plant in a container, and I think it’s done very well so far. I am also growing a Venus flytrap. What should I do to help them survive the winter? Ian Mitchell (via email) A If you are growing Sarracenia purpurea, which I think you are, it is almost hardy and can be overwintered in an unheated porch or room. Remove browned off leaves and flower stalks. As for your Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula), it hails from North and South Carolina, and needs to be overwintered in a temperature of not less than 41°F (5°C). It is important to keep it perky, so sit its pot in a drip tray filled with 1/2in (1cm) of lime-free water. JOHN NEGUS Q Bullfinches have stripped…

JOHN’S BORDER was rather full, with the grass Stipa tenuissima billowing over the edge, Yucca filamentosa ‘Golden Sword’ opening ivory blooms and tree lilies looming. The slightly domed heads of Sedum ‘Matrona’ were hovering somewhere in the foreground and I tactfully suggested we wade in to create order. Shrubs like Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ added for winter impact and forsythia for the spring certainly make for year-round interest but rather than sitting comfortably with each other, John’s plants are fighting for space. By starting at one end and working through, we can dead-head, prune out and even remove some plants, so the rest can put on a mellow late summer and autumn display. I’m still campaigning to get rid of the monkshood (Aconitum x cammara bicolour). I know that if we…

GARDEN PRODUCTS giant Westland has bought William Sinclair – the firm behind J Arthur Bower’s, New Horizon, Growing Success and DeadFast gardening brands. Westland already owns big names including Gro-Sure, Resolva, Eraza, Unwins, Jack’s Magic, Peckish and Aftercut. The takeover will “immediately bring William Sinclair out of administration,” Westland said. The move will make Westland a dominant player in the garden market. Its main rival is Scotts Miracle-Gro, – the company famous for the Miracle-Gro, Levington, Tomorite, Roundup and EverGreen brands. It also competes for gardeners’ cash with Bayer Garden, which has Baby Bio, Phostrogen and Provado in its stable. GARDENING BRANDS Westland boss Edward Conroy described William Sinclair as “fundamentally a good business”. He said: “Westland is focused on delivering a strong future for Sinclair’s business, infrastructure and brands”.…

Raised beds These can be enjoyed without having to stoop and can be designed to incorporate seating. Consider a raised bed in an L-shape or triangle to divide up your plot and maximise sheltered areas for seating. Paths While other materials such as gravel may be cheaper, paving is much better for wheelchairs (and for other wheeled things such as bins, children’s toys and pushchairs). Think about adding wider areas for pots, seating and sculpture to add interesting places for rest. Lawn alternatives A luscious lawn is a beautiful thing, but maintaining it is time-consuming. Consider replacing it with quality paving – you could even include a mosaic or use some interesting edges. Sight, sound & touch I always try to design gardens to appeal to all the senses. Those…

ONE OF my favourite parts of the garden is a spot just outside the kitchen door, where I keep a large selection of herbs in pots. Not only are they handy for cooking – fresh herbs pack much more of a flavour punch than their dried counterparts, and are packed with vitamins and other good things – but they look so attractive. They also release their scent into the air when you brush past them, and are fantastic for bringing beneficial pollinators into the garden and, in the case of lavender and rosemary, deterring unwanted insect pests. In fact, I’m so pleased with my herbs that this summer I planted lots of thyme, feverfew, dill, and fennel around the garden to add colour, groundcover and structure to borders. But I…

WINTER MOTH caterpillars are a pest of fruit trees, as well as ornamental trees and shrubs. The term ‘winter moth’ covers several species, the most destructive being the winter moth (Operophtera brumata), the mottled umber moth (Erannis defoliaria) and the March moth (Alsophila aescularia). Wingless females pupate in the soil, emerging between November and April to crawl up the trunk and lay their eggs. The pale, green ‘looping’ grubs feed on leaves, flower buds and fruitlets. Combat them by painting the trunks with a sticky substance that traps the females as they climb the tree. Grease bands and paint are effective – buy yours now, and get them on tree trunks by October! top tip Grease bands and paint are not an effective deterrent for coddling moths and plum moths,…

1 First, look the plant over and cut out any of the main stems that contain dead, as well as severely diseased or damaged, branches. 2 Continue by pruning out new stems that have outgrown their allotted space, and are spoiling the shape of the plant as a whole. 3 Then get rid of stems and leaves that are showing serious signs of disease, or that have been damaged by pests, and may be susceptible to disease. 4 Take out the thin, spindly ends of branches, especially those that have been eaten or damaged by pests, as well as wear and tear. 5 Look for vigorous new growth and tie it back to help maintain the shape of the plant, and encourage strong flowering next season.…

THERE’S NO need to splash the cash on plants if you want to make your own box parterre. Take cuttings now from mature specimens, and you’ll have plants that will be ready for planting out next year. 1 Collect bushy sprigs. Remove sideshoots, and make cuttings 4in (10cm) long – cut beneath a leaf joint and remove lower leaves to leave a third of the stem bare. 2 Put cuttings into a pot filled with cuttings compost, water in, and place in a heated propagator. 3 Cuttings should be rooted within eight weeks. Split the rootball apart and give each rooted cutting its own pot. Put in a shady place and keep compost moist.…

Blueberries can be a tasty and attractive addition to the garden. In the autumn the bushes turn to blazing crimson. In the spring the bushes are covered in masses of sweet scented bell shaped flowers. They grow just as well as other fruits in the U.K. if they are given the special acid conditions they require. If you do not have the right soil, then why not grow blueberries in containers? Two varieties should be planted to improve pollination. SPECIAL OFFER Our new ‘All Season Blueberry Collection’ consists of three young blueberry plants, that, once established will provide you with delicious blueberries from early July through to September. Supplied in 9cm pots. Code: BLUA Price: £19.99 (inc p&p) This collection comprises of one each of the following three varieties Earliblue,…

Oat, yoghurt and blueberry scones These rustic scones are easy to throw together for a delicious afternoon treat. Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 18 minutes Total time: 38 minutes Makes 8 scones Ingredients Method 1 Preheat the oven to 200°/fan 190°/gas 5 2 Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. 3 Rub in the butter, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 4 Now mix in the sugar and oats. 5 In a separate small bowl, mix the yoghurt with the beaten egg, then add it to the dry ingredients, mix just enough to combine. 6 Add the blueberries, and kneed the dough quickly for 30 seconds, until the mixture just comes together. 7 Flatten out to a thickness of 1in…

BACK IN June I found myself with pumpkins and squash, sweet corn and runner beans to plant out. We’d had a cold spring and they’d all been rather slow to take off, then a busy period took me away from the garden and the plants became a little pot bound. This stress caused mildew on the older leaves and I was in two minds whether or not to keep them. The area up by the kitchen receives good morning sun, so I decided to do away with my usual 4ft (1.2m) wide beds and be creative. A curving pathway was trodden down through the middle, canes stuck in 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) apart to mark where the squash would go and a wheelbarrow full of well-rotted compost deposited at each station. Worked…

A FORMER AG editor has paid tribute to singer and TV presenter Cilla Black, who died in Spain on 1 August aged 72. Graham Clarke, who is now one of AG’s practical gardening experts, arranged for Cilla to star on the cover of AG’s 27 May 1989 issue – and met her at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to launch her namesake rose. KEEN ON FLOWERS Graham said: “I met Cilla at the height of her fame during the Blind Date and Surprise, Surprise! years. She was keen on beautiful gardens and flowers. She loved her garden in Denham, Buckinghamshire, and was so excited about the launch of her rose.” Rosa ‘Cilla,’ a red-and-yellow fragrant hybrid tea, is no longer listed in the RHS Plant Finder or in Find That…

WE ALL need to unwind and let off some steam now and again. So if you’re planning a summer party or BBQ and looking for something to entertain the guests with there are plenty of garden games to choose from these days. Up for some fun in the sun we got stuck into four this week: croquet – the most quintessential of all lawn games; Kubb – a skittles type strategy game with Viking origins; Evesham Quoits – a variation of a classic pub game, and Ladder Golf. Each has a similar need for hand/eye co-ordination but all are light hearted and easy to play (croquet and Kubb require a bit of time to learn the rules though). The size of your playing area might restrict your options, but there…

MANY THINK of the fig as a tender Mediterranean plant, however these fruiting plants are much tougher than most imagine. Given a bit of shelter, they thrive as summer foliage plants almost anywhere. Little else gives as much impression of warm, southern holidays as a whitewashed wall with a fig tree (and maybe some red pelargoniums in pots). Although they enjoy a Mediterranean summer, figs are remarkably hardy and can crop in most places, too. But, unless hard-thinned, they produce far too many, and thus tiny, figs. Thin hard and often, and you can get huge, sweet figs the size of apples – just not so many of them. These will be better still if grown in front of a warm wall. There’s no plant easier to grow in a…