Innholdsfortegnelse for 09-apr-16 i Amateur Gardening

THREE weeks ago at the allotment, I put a big sheet of black plastic over the soil where I planned to plant my early potatoes. Warming the soil like this makes a significant difference to the performance of tubers. If you plunge the tubers into freezing, damp conditions after they’ve been sitting chitting on a warm, dry windowsill, you can pretty much guarantee to check their growth. The black plastic warms the soil and allows it to dry out a bit, too. However, when I peeled back the cover to start planting this week, the local mouse (or rat!) population had obviously been enjoying the warmth, too. The whole of the covered area was a patchwork of holes going down 6-8in (15-20cm). I’m hoping it wasn’t rats – the idea…

1 Start by carefully removing plants from the broken container, gently lifting them and untangling roots as you go. 2 If you don’t intend to replant immediately, wrap the rootballs in damp newspaper to stop them drying out. 3 I replanted some of my herbs in a new pot of multi-purpose and loam-based composts, starting with a central bay tree. 4 I filled around the bay with the original thyme plant, and an oregano which I had divided into three pieces.…

IN the two weeks since I sowed a batch of night-scented stock, they have germinated happily on a warm windowsill and are ready to move on. But because the seeds are so fine, my sowing was rather erratic. Some module cells contain just one or two seedlings, while others are over-crowded with young plants. What I should have done was pick up a few seeds on a dampened fingertip (just huff on it), so I could spread them more evenly around the cell tray. Seedlings of night-scented stocks are notoriously delicate, and I have two options for pricking them out. Crowded modules can be potted up as they are to give roots more growing room. I’ve moved mine into individual 3in (7.5cm) pots of multipurpose compost. Where seedlings are more…

“Over the years your garden strain steadily improves” MODERN hellebore hybrids are proving remarkably good garden plants and revelling in the latest mild, wet winter. They have been in flower pretty well nonstop from December right through to spring, taking shade and quite heavy soils in their stride. Once well established they as good as look after themselves. It’s fun to let the ‘Oriental’ hybrids set a carpet of seedlings, which flower in two or three years. The plants with good flower colours can be selected out and poor colours destroyed, so that over the years your garden strain steadily improves. When you are moving these seedlings to space them out, lift with as much soil around their roots as possible. Hellebores are neither the easiest plants to move nor…

HAVING planted up a spring basket, I realised that I had nowhere to hang it, having removed an old wall bracket when we had some building work done. So I attached a new one to the porch, where plants will get plenty of sun, and be sheltered from the worst of the weather. The previous owners of the house also hung their baskets there, judging by the holes already drilled in the masonry. I reused one of the existing holes, by removing its old rawlplug, filling the empty cavity with epoxy resin, and inserting a new plug. The new bracket is shorter than the original, so I drilled a new hole for the lower screw. The original lower hole is still visible, but will be masked by the hanging basket.…

THE seed potatoes I chitted a few weeks ago have developed shoots, and are ready to be planted out. Because the garden doesn’t contain enough room for a potato bed, I’m planting them up in containers. I tried this for the first time last year, and was rewarded with an excellent crop of creamy-skinned new potatoes. Early-to mid-April is the perfect time to plant my second earlies, and they should be ready to harvest in mid-summer. I have placed the containers in a sheltered area of the garden that gets lots of sun and does not get frosted, and will make sure the compost doesn’t dry out. I have not used up all the seed potatoes I bought at the start of the season, so will keep some in the…

WITH every passing week my spirits lift a little bit more – I was obviously born to grow fruit and veg! The warmth of the sun (when we do get it in this notoriouslywet month) has real strength compared to that of February and March. Consequently lush growth is everywhere... and yet there are some veg still in their seed packets, poor things! So this week I’m sowing three key crops, including one of my absolute favourites, runner beans. These rampant climbers need sturdy supports and thorough soil preparation. Take your time over this stage to ensure generous yields. I’m sowing runners under glass now, one bean seed to a small 3in (7cm) pot of multipurpose compost. My step by step project (right) shows how I prepare the growing site…

“Compost in pots soon runs out of nutrients” DESPITE experts advising gardeners to boost fertility in the borders by adding well-rotted manure and garden compost, a lot of people don’t bother. At best, shrubs and perennials get a handful of fertiliser chucked at them once a year. However, when we grow plants in pots and containers, feeding is no longer optional, it’s as necessary as watering. The poor plants cannot extend their roots into a huge volume of soil in search of their sustenance and must find it all in that tiny bit of compost we have allowed them. And no matter how rich this compost was initially, it will soon enough run out of nutrients as the plants suck them away. Thus if we can’t move the plants on…

THESE twining climbers will perform magnificently all summer, clothing fences, posts and pea sticks with their exuberant growth and large, saucer-shaped flowers. As the name suggests, blooms open fully in the morning but tend to fade in the afternoon. Although treated as annuals, these ipomoeas are tender perennials, killed off by the first frosts of autumn. Some white-flowered plants in this mix might remind you of the magnificent greater bindweed (Calystegia sepium) but there is nothing to fear, as the roots of ipomoeas are not pernicious. Most descend from I. tricolor, a native of scrubland and cliffs in Mexico and South America. In the garden Morning glories make excellent temporary cover for fences and walls and their blooms have a tropical appeal, which is suitable for exotic borders. They’d look…

EARLY this year I bought a ‘Dalmatie’ fig so I could fan-train it against my rear wall, which is the sunniest spot in my north-facing back garden. A couple of weeks ago I fitted some training wires on the wall, and then started to wonder about the best way of planting my fruit tree. My initial plan had been to dig out a fig pit – a 2ft (60cm) square hole lined with paving slabs with a layer of compacted rubble in the base. If roots are allowed to wander, figs can put on a lot of growth at the expense of the fruit, so the solid-sided structure would confine roots, keeping the fig compact and fruitful. When I started digging it became clear that I wouldn’t have enough space…

Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’ Thrives where little else will grow. Good for lighting up a shady part of the garden and provide a backdrop for summer flowers. Will only reach 6ft (1.8m) in 10 years. Anemanthele lessoniana This gold-leaved grass (formerly known as Stipa arundinacea) reaches around 3ft (90cm) and bears flowers in summer. Plant it against a dark green hedge in full sun. Erica carnea A lime-tolerant species flowering in late winter and early spring. Some varieties also have attractive leaf colour. Mulch in spring. Height - from 5in (15cm). Pachysandra terminalis This unusual groundcover has serrated leaves that do a great job of smothering weeds. It needs a semi-shaded site and moist soil to grow well. H6in (20cm). Sarcococca confusa The Christmas box’s white winter flowers are…

THE National Gardens Scheme has donated a record £2.7million to good causes, raised by gardens that opened for charity under the Yellow Book scheme during 2015. Beneficiaries included Macmillan Cancer Support (£500,000), Marie Curie (£500,000), Perennial (£130,000) and Parkinson’s UK (£100,000). It means that more than £22million has been donated to NGS beneficiary charities over the last 10 years. NGS chief executive George Plumptre thanked garden-owners and “hundreds of volunteers” who had opened plots for good causes, leading to “record donations for nursing and caring charities”. The NGS has welcomed the MS Society as its new guest charity for two years.…

A ROSE has been named ‘Wallace Hartley’ after the violinist and band leader on the Titanic – which famously played on until the ship slipped beneath the waves on 15 April 1912. David Wilce, of the British Isles Rose Society (BIRS) said the rose will be launched at the society’s show in Pickering, North Yorkshire, on 9 July. “It is a cross between a hybrid tea and a floribunda. It’s fuchsia-pink in colour with a white stripe centre,” he said. Wallace Hartley was born, and is buried, in Colne, Lancashire. Two pounds from every sale of the rose (circled) will go towards keeping his memory alive in the town.…

Growing in pots Pot up young plants into progressively larger pots so the rootball can develop. Harden off before planting out in May. Don’t overfeed They need to be fed no more than once every four weeks with a high potash fertiliser like Maxi crop or Tomorite. Watering Water thoroughly every two or three days. It’s important for this plant to establish roots in order to flower well. Pests and diseases If growing them in a conservatory, watch out for red spider mite, especially if you also have whitefly infestations.…

A RAIN gauge offers an amusing distraction in the winter when you’ll be able to tell your friends and neighbours EXACTLY how much precipitation we’ve had to suffer. But in summer it really comes into its own as a useful tool for the garden, giving an indication of how much rain has fallen – and how much watering you’re therefore likely to need. With a rain gauge you’ll know how much it has rained overnight, and whether you can get away without having to break out the hosepipe for watering the next day. For a realistic measurement of rainfall, gauges should be placed away from buildings, trees and other forms of shelter or rain shadow. Marshalls Rain Gauge £2.99 + P&P £4.95 0844 557 6700 marshalls-seeds.co.uk Features A simple clear…

Forget about the Euro millions or the billion dollar Powerball, we have the sweepstake everyone wants to win right here! TO celebrate our reunion with Mr Fothergill’s we’re making someone out there a seed millionaire! That’s right, one lucky reader will receive one million seeds of various flower and veg varieties including; asters, begonias, cleome, foxglove, poppy, larkspur, forget me not, daisy, rudbeckia, beetroot, pea, carrot, onion, cabbage, mint, thyme, radish, spinach and many many more. Now, we know that’s a lot of seeds to be planting so we’re opening the competition out for all groups and communities to enter! The more people you get involved – the more chance of winning! Schools, allotment clubs, gardening groups, neighbours, friends and family or keep them all for yourself (It’s ok, we…

“I use black plastic labels and liquid chalk markers” DO YOU have plant-Tourettes, that common disorder that causes you to forget familiar flower names only to involuntarily shout them out hours later? You’re not alone. If I had £10,000 for every time I’d startled the cat with a ‘Anigozanthos flavidus!’ or broke the peace with ‘Narcissus canaliculatus!’ I’d be writing this article from a holiday home in the Bahamas. Even the late, great plantsman Christopher Lloyd suffered. Once, when working as a student at Great Dixter, I asked him what a strap-leaved silver plant (Astelia) growing in the shade was. After a very long pause he replied: “Let’s just call it an architectural plant and leave it at that!” For most plants it’s enough to know they’re there, and for…

AS well as being a beast to many plants, winter can also play havoc with garden containers. We lost several large terracotta containers to the cold this year, and I am kicking myself because I fear that if I had remembered to stand them on feet, they would still be with us. Containers crack in cold conditions because the water in the compost expands as it freezes, putting pressure on the clay. If I had raised the pots on feet to improve drainage, more water would have run away, potentially preventing the breakages. However, all is not lost. My pot may be gone, but the perennial herbs growing in it have survived, and as I show on these two pages, I am going to move them to new homes either…

OVER the past few years, raised veg-growing planters have become a must-have accessory for people who enjoy cultivating food at home. They raise crops up to waist height, making sowing, watering, tending and harvesting easier – and because crops are way above ground level, the risk of slug damage is reduced, too. Even if you only have a balcony or patio, it’s easy to get a harvest. Most planters are big enough for fruit and veg such as carrots, lettuce, radish, garlic, onions, peppers, strawberries and compact trailing varieties of tomatoes. They’re great for herbs, too: chives, rosemary, basil, mint, coriander and thyme, to name a few. All can be grown outside your kitchen door. The original was the VegTrug: an attractive wooden, waist-high planter. Similar products soon sprung up…

1 Fill a 3in (7.5cm) pot with potting-on compost, water well and make a wide hole in the centre of the pot. 2 Ease the rootball of the crowded seedlings out of the cell – I tipped the cell tray and used a clean teaspoon. 3 Place the group of seedlings in the new pot and carefully firm it down, making sure no stems are crushed. 4 Also prick out single seedlings. Put them all on a windowsill, and water from the bottom to deter damping off.…

ROSES are a fabulous addition to the garden, but are vulnerable to many pests and diseases. To keep plants healthy through the growing season, you need to lay strong foundations. Southern rose growers should have already pruned shrub roses back hard. But gardeners in the north, where it can be several degrees colder, can cut back theirs now. Using sharp, clean secateurs, prune out dead, diseased and congested stems, and cut back healthy stems by about a quarter to above an outward-facing bud. You can feed your roses now, because new growth will hopefully be safe from the worst of the winter frosts. If a cold snap is forecast, wrap the plant in fleece. Feed using a slow-release granular feed, and then mulch the root area with well-rotted compost or…

1 Work out where you want to attach the bracket to the wall. Try and align it with any holes already drilled in the brick. Mark the position of any new holes. 2 Drill new holes with a masonry drillbit. To strengthen an old drillhole I lined the hole with epoxy resin before inserting a new rawlplug, and let it set. 3 When you have drilled your first hole, line up the bracket top hole with it, then using something sharp mark through the bracket, the position of the lower hole. 4 Drill hole with a suitable masonry drill bit, then insert a rawlplug. Screwing into the plugs, fix the bracket to the wall as tightly as possible.…

• A ‘tie’ is crucial when planting a tree – but don’t forget that trees grow in girth as well as height. • Check the tie regularly to make sure it is not rubbing the bark or constricting it completely. • Modern tree ties are made of durable plastic, and have straps with buckles for fastening and adjustment. Loosen them as the tree’s girth expands. Some ties include spacers to prevent the stem and stake rubbing against each other.…

1 These deep-rooted beans enjoy nutrient-rich, moisture-retentive soil. Add lots of organic matter (well-rotted farmyard manure or garden compost) mixed with chicken pellets. 2 I use hazel rods, not bamboo canes, for this top-heavy crop as they guarantee stability. Push them into the soil, 10in (25cm) apart in a row. Make another parallel row 2ft (60cm) away. 3 Lash the tops of each facing pair to form the classic inverted ‘V’ shape. Don’t worry if it feels flimsy – connect the tops with a horizontal pole where the sticks cross and it will all firm up.…

YOU might remember me saying earlier in the year that I planted a few new fruit trees in our garden at home this winter. Now that their roots are starting to settle in, I’m going to tackle one of the most important stages in their life – formative pruning and training. This gives your tree its shape for the rest of its life (no pressure then!) I’ve started a few fan-trained trees – cherries, peaches and greengages – along the sunny, south-facing fence of our plot. This little ‘Merryweather Damson’ at East Donyland Hall is being shaped into a pyramid. Essentially, you tie the main branches into the shape you want, using stakes, canes and strong twine. Generally they need to be horizontal because that encourages lots of flowers to…

WHEN I was a boy, I used to delight in hearing cuckoos calling their familiar ‘coo-koo’ song in spring. But that was some 50 years ago, and now it is much more rarely heard. In fact, according to the British Trust for Ornithology, in the last 20 years the number of cuckoos visiting the UK has fallen by half. The BTO is currently monitoring the birds to find out why. Cuckoos are migratory summer visitors. They can be seen throughout the UK, but are mostly found in central and southern England. However they are only with us for a short time. The adult birds arrive from central Africa in late March/April, and then fly off again in July/August; the young birds depart a month or so after this. Roughly the…

1 Soak the seeds in a saucer of tepid water overnight. These seeds are poisonous, so don’t leave them where pets and children have access. Label them carefully and wash hands after touching the seeds. 2 Drain water carefully from the saucer and tip seeds on to folded kitchen towel. Mix your usual seed compost 4 parts to 1 with sharp sand, potting grit or vermiculite, fill a 5-6in (13-15cm) pot and press gently. 3 Sow thinly and evenly over the surface. Scatter or sieve compost to cover the seeds by their own size. Press again and water gently using a fine rose (sprinkler) on the can. Place in warmth at 21o C (70o F) to germinate. Alternative sowing: In late May or early June, make direct sowings where you…

FOR the past five weeks, my kitchen windowsill above the sink has been taken over by egg cartons housing seed potatoes. While washing up, I’ve seen the tubers produce tiny white sprouts then stubby green shoots. Now they’re about 1in (2.5cm) long, the seed potatoes are ready for planting. Potatoes are suitable for many types of container: large pots, flexible polythene growing bags or even buckets. Start with a 4in (10cm) layer of multipurpose compost in the base of your container, roughly flatten, then arrange one to five tubers on top (depending on container size), making sure they’re evenly spaced. Cover with another 4in (10cm) layer of compost, then water. As the potatoes grow they’ll produce haulm, the mass of stalks and leaves above ground. When this growth is about…

Crinodendron hookerianum The Chile lantern tree produces its bright red lantern-shaped flowers in late spring. It needs acidic soil and a sheltered spot in light shade to perform well. Slow growing. H16ft (5m). Griselinia littoralis ‘Variegata’ This glossy-leaved shrub is often used as a hedging plant in seaside gardens because it copes with sea spray well. Tolerates shade, too. Keep an eye out for ‘reverted’ growth. H6ft (2m). Callistemon citrinus ‘Splendens’ The quirky flowers produced by the bottlebrush shrub are unlike anything else you’ll see. Plant at the base of a south-facing wall for better protection in really cold winters. H 4½ft (1.5m). Acacia pravissima This weeping shrub is covered in tiny pompom flowers in March. Responds well to pruning after flowering and will put on…

NURSERYWOMAN Rosy Hardy will launch four plants in a Main Avenue garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show next month – instead of in the Great Pavilion. Rosy, of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, is growing 6,000 plants for the Brewin Dolphin garden, which will also feature her novelties. They include the new and unusual Cirsium rivulare ‘Frosted Magic’. The sturdy perennial bears white flowers in summer and is best suited to prairie-style planting schemes. Newcomer Nepeta x faassenii ‘Crystal Cloud’ is said to be an “exciting new colour break in this species” and produces pale-lilac flowers. It’s said to be compact, neat and bushy. Also new from Hardy’s is Veronica ‘Mountain Breeze,’ a mid-blue repeat-flowerer. And visitors to Chelsea will also be able to see new Gaura ‘Rosy Shimmers’ –…

How close should I plant skimmias? Q I have a potted Skimmia Japonica ‘Veitchii’ (female) and Skimmia Japonica ‘Rubella’ (male) and am hoping for winter berries. How close together should I plant them? Freya Marshall (via email) A Now is a good time to move your skimmias from their pots and plant them into the garden. Choose a sunny, free-draining site and give them a head start by working in some organic soil conditioner. Ideally, space plants at least 6ft (1.8m) apart. Bees and other pollinating insects will then transfer pollen from S. rubella to S. veitchii. If leaves become chlorotic and develop a pale green or yellowish hue, rectify the problem by applying iron-based Sequestrene as a liquid feed. S. veitchii is famous for its ability to fruit well…

‘Lemon’ An eye-catching canary yellow, great for brightening patios and borders. Can be brought into a conservatory at the end of summer and overwintered. ‘Arizona Dark Red’ A beautiful variety with deep red flowers. Combine with a yellow or orange type for a sizzling hot planter scheme. Thunbergia grandiflora Also known as blue trumpet vine. Very vigorous variety with attractive foliage and large pale blue flowers with a white throat. Thunbergia gregorii An unusual thunbergia that does not share the distinctive black eye that other species in its family have. ‘Susie White’ Has masses of black-eyed white flowers all summer long. Great for combining with other more colourful annual climbers. Thunbergia erecta Also called the bush clock vine. An upright shrub producing masses of blue/violet flowers from May to October.…

Gtech Cordless lawn mower £299 Free delivery 0845 5193281 gtech.co.uk This 36V Lithium-ion battery operated mower will give up to 40 minutes worth of run-time. The steel blade adjusts from 1-3in (30-80mm) cutting height for all seasons. Lightweight, with a 35ltr collection bin, it features a fold-down handle for easy storage. Grass trimmer from £49.99 RRP Bosch at Argos and Homebase bosch-garden.com Switching from edging to strimming can be done at the click of a button on the Bosch ART grass trimmers. The ART 24, 27 and 30 models also feature automatic line feed for less fuss when in use. Prices start from £49.99 for the ART 24, ideal for smaller gardens, up to £57.99 for the heavier dutyART 30. With a lightweight motor, they’re designed to reduce…

1 Raised veg planters will be very heavy once full of compost, so site it in a sunny, sheltered part of your garden before filling it up with compost. 2 I’m drilling plenty of holes in the bottom, to ensure good drainage, which is important to prevent the compost from becoming waterlogged. 3 This planter also has hollow legs for drainage, but I fear they’d quickly fill with compost and clog-up. So I’m filling legs with gravel to aid drainage. 4 Use quality compost such as John Innes No. 2 which has a balance of nutrients for plants in early growth. Liquid feed weekly after 6 to 8 weeks.…

MY back garden doesn’t get as much sun as I’d like, and in spite of careful maintenance the lawn grass grows poorly some years and becomes thin. It’s typical of many small plots surrounded by high fences or hedges which cast shade. If you have this problem you can rectify it by spreading fresh grass seed over the lawn area to thicken up the ‘sward’ in the spring – that’s now! Buy good quality, new grass seed suitable for tough lawn use (it should say this on the box). Fine grass seed for fine lawns doesn’t grow as vigorously. You’ll also need soil based compost – I use John Innes No3 – to cover them after spreading the seeds. If you don’t do this the birds will eat the seeds!…

Plant deep for strong growth • Dig a trench and fill it with well-rotted manure, which will feed the ground and hold water. If your soil is heavy, add sharp sand or gravel as well as manure, to improve drainage. • Plant the corms 4in (10cm) apart, 4-6in (10-15cm) deep. At this depth, the plants are less likely to need staking. • In poor soils, plant five corms in a 6in (15cm) pot. Wait for them to shoot, and plant out in May, when they are established. The plants should flower three months after planting.…

• Pollination occurs when pollen is transferred from the male part of the flower (anthers) to the female part of the flower (stigmas). The end result is fertilisation, followed by fruit set. • As a general rule apricots, peaches and nectarines need to be hand pollinated because pollinating insects are few and far between at this time of year. To do this, gently touch the inside of each open flower, one after the other, with a soft artist’s brush. Repeat 2-3 times over a week.…

1 Plant chitted potatoes when they have two or three greeny-purple shoots that are ½-1in (1.5-2.5cm) long. 2 Put 6-8in (15-20cm) of potting compost in a potato growing bag (or old compost bag with drain holes). 3 Place the spuds, shoots pointing upwards, on the compost and cover with a further 4in (10cm). 4 Water well. As shoots emerge, keep covering with more compost until 2in (5cm) below the top of the sack.…

LOTS of different leafy crops get called spinach, but I’m not complaining as they’re all delicious! Spinach is best sown direct into drills in the soil, rather than being transplanted which can cause bolting. Now, as the soil is warming, is a great time to sow. Which variety should you grow? I swear by perpetual spinach (also called spinach beet) which can crop late into autumn and again in early spring. A mildew-resistant and bolt-resistant variety of ‘proper’ annual spinach such as ‘Mikado’ is also a must – I sow this every month or so for a regular supply of buttery leaves. Tree spinach (Chenopodium giganteum) has attractive deeply lobed leaves and hot pink growing tips. Ceylon or Malabar spinach (Basella alba) is a tropical climber. Planted out in mid…

• 10 April: Spring Plant Fair, Mapperton House, nr Beaminster, Dorset (10am-4pm). For details PlantFairs.com • 11-16 April: The Garden Celebrated, Highgrove House, Doughton, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8TN 0303 123 7310; highgroveshop.com/festival • 13 April: Pruning Shrubs (10am-12.30pm), Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 14 April: Composting, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 15 April: Lawn Care, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8AH 01572 813 200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk • 15-17 April: Cardiff Flower Show, Cardiff Castle, Bute Park, Cardiff 0844 338 7502; rhs.org.uk/Cardiff • 16 April: Plant Hunters’ Fair (11am-4pm), Bodenham Arboretum near Kidderminster, Worcs, DY11 5SY planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 16 April: Planting Design Workshop, Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland, LE15…

SOME varieties of carrot produce such long roots that they can only be grown in the ground, but there are plenty of short, round or stump-rooted carrots that will do well in pots and troughs. Early varieties can be sown from March, but will need putting in a cold frame or covering with fleece to protect from inclement weather. From April onwards (rogue frosts apart) they can be sown in pots without any protection. To make it worth growing carrots, it’s best to sow several pots or choose a large enough container to give you a decent harvest – a 20cm (8in) pot is ideal. Fill with John Innes No.2 compost, level and firm down. Scatter seeds thinly over the surface - leaving them about 2in (5cm) apart - and…

• Soil preparation is key. Dig a hole that’s at least one and a half times the size of the pot, and incorporate a handful of general fertiliser into the hole and the excavated soil. • Make sure the plant is sitting at the correct height – line up the top of the rootball with a garden cane placed across the hole. Backfill, firm the soil and water well before applying a mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost. • Staking may be needed, and you’ll need to water regularly during dry weather in the first year.…

HALF of all the world’s magnolia species are threatened with extinction in the wild, according to a new report by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI). Researchers found that 48 per cent of magnolia species were in danger of dying out in their natural habitats. They include Magnolia stellata, a favourite of UK gardeners. But in its native Japan, illegal collecting and habitat loss is pushing it to the brink of extinction. Climate change, illegal plant plundering from the wild, logging activities and habitat loss due to agriculture were all blamed for the magnolia’s bleak future.…

MENTION black-eyed Susan and most gardeners think of the climbing plant Thunbergia alata, which has bright orange flowers with the distinctive dark centres that give rise to its common name. This plant is generally grown from seed as an annual – in fact it’s not too late to be sowing it now for a fabulous display of colour throughout the summer months, right up until the first frosts finish it off. Whether it’s covering fences and arches, climbing obelisks or gracing hanging baskets, fast-growing black-eyed Susan is a plant that can be relied on to bring a tropical feel to the garden. Yet in recent years this vibrant and once popular beauty has found itself waning in popularity with gardeners. Nursery owners Jane Lindsay and Toni O’Connor are on a…

Sow thunbergia seeds now for a stunning display from late June to the first frosts. Garden centres and seed companies will be selling plugs now too, if you’d rather skip the sowing stage and achieve earlier blooms. 1 Sow into pots or trays of moist seed compost and cover with a very thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Leave in a warm and light place, keep the compost moist. Seeds will germinate in approximately 4-5 days. 2 Transplant seedlings into small 3in (7cm) pots when big enough to handle. When a root can be seen at the bottom, pot on into 5in (12cm) pots. Gradually harden off plants and plant outside from late May. 3 Plant out three plants into large 8–10in containers that have supports. Twizzle the growing stems…

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. It’s always feeding time! FOLLOWING their tweets one afternoon, my husband discovered this nest of baby sparrows amongst an overgrown ivy hedge. Perched watchfully on a nearby fence, their mother regularly flew in with tasty treats throughout the day. Eventually, we saw the fledglings hop down from the nest and test their flying skills - under the careful instruction of their mother. So…