Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-nov-16 i Amateur Gardening

I’VE just been helping my neighbour sort out her friend’s old, deciduous magnolia tree (probably M. soulangeana). Planted as a feature in the centre of the lawn many years ago, it had grown about 20ft (6m) tall and the same wide carrying lower branches up to 6in (15cm) girth. While it looked magnificent in flower in late spring, the house was going on the market, and the owner feared a big tree would put off buyers. Cutting it down would have left a huge hole, so I suggested ‘lifting it’s skirts’ – cutting off lower branches completely to raise the canopy, expose more trunk and let light in, reducing spread if not the height. Magnolias need pruning with care. They have a natural grace which is easy to spoil. Tip…

1 Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’: A spiny-branched evergreen with long-lasting bright orange berries that tend to be left until late winter by the birds. 2 Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ AGM: Star shaped summer flowers are followed by glossy clusters of lilac fruits that remain after leaf fall. 3 Cotoneaster horizontalis: A low growing, spreading shrub with foliage that turns orange in autumn, and berries which last into the New Year. 4 Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn): A tough shrub, ideal as a hedge in exposed regions. Expect orange fruits on the female if a male is present. 5 Variegated holly: Look out for Ilex aquifolium ‘Argentea Marginata’ AGM for its spiny foliage with cream margin and dark green centres. 6 Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus): Comes into its own in autumn and winter, when…

• Seeds of trees, shrubs and climbers can be sown immediately without drying. Collect from species plants rather than hybrids as these do not come true from seed. • Sow hardy perennials, including Hellebores, Dictamnus, Astrantia, Eryngium, Corydalis, Eranthus hyemalis and flag iris. • Sow winter salads to provide fresh winter pickings. Cauliflowers can also be sown now into 3½in (9cm) pots. • If you don’t have a cold frame, place alpine seedlings beside a sheltered wall and protect with a piece of glass supported by bricks.…

HARDY carnations and pinks are more popular today than at any time in the past 50 years, thanks mainly to the wealth of new varieties available and promotion they’ve had in garden centres. There are certainly some wonderful new introductions but, to my mind, nothing beats some of the old favourites including ‘Dunkirk Spirit’, a perpetual flowering carnation with apricot-orange flowers, slightly flecked with red, and ‘Gran’s Favourite’, a garden pink with fragrant, semi-double white flowers heavily laced with reddish purple. These are tough plants, and they come back year after year. But, rather like strawberry plants, they start to be less productive after three or four years, bearing fewer flowers on leggy plants. Before you rush off to buy replacement plants, try your hand at taking cuttings. Perennial dianthus…

A GREAT way to enjoy fresh veg through the winter months is by raising seed sprouts on your windowsill. These are the Chinese food favourite called bean sprouts we all know, grown from Mung beans. However there are lots of other seeds you can grow in exactly the same way, such as alfalfa and lentils. Bean sprouts are grown from bigger seeds to produce good, chunky sprouts for stir fries or salads. Seed sprouts take from five to 14 days to be ready for harvest. It’s simple – the seeds are soaked for an hour, put in a clear container and left in a warm, bright place to germinate. They need rinsing every couple of days with fresh water, but that’s pretty much it. When they’re an inch or two…

• Place plants in medium light which in winter, means close to a bright window. • Anthuriums relish warm temperatures of 65-70°F (18-21°C) but can tolerate short periods down to 55°F (13°C). • Keep plants away from radiators as hot dry air scorches leaves. • These plants love a humid environment, so group them with other plants or on trays of moist gravel. • Keep compost moist but don’t leave plants sitting in water. • Add a quarter strength general purpose liquid fertilizer every month or so during active growth. • In spring move to a slightly bigger pot, compost as above. • Anthuriums are not pest-prone but look out for mealy bug and scale insects.…

GRAPES, like blueberries, provide a blast of scarlet and purple autumn leaf colour before entering winter dormancy. But now, devoid of foliage, should you do anything to your slumbering vine? The answer is a most definite ‘yes!’. Do pruning and hygiene jobs now to keep vines vigorous and productive. Pruning should be done now because if left till after Christmas the cuts will bleed copious volumes of sap. Whatever shape your vine is trained into, the principles of pruning remain the same. Grapevines have two main parts: older stems that form the permanent framework; and young cropping arms. On new vines you may still need to tie in shoots to make your permanent structure – do that now. If it’s already in place your job there is complete. Now focus…

NEXT week is National Tree Week (Nov 26-Dec 4), the aim of which is to encourage us all to plant more trees. Keeping up our tree population is essential for the environment and our own well-being, but it is also crucial to the many forms of wildlife that live up or on them. I could talk about the hundreds of bird, insect, spider, moth and butterfly species that inhabit trees for some or all of their lives, however there isn’t room to discuss them all – and certainly not if I wanted to explain how important trees are for each of them, and what they use them for. I could also talk about squirrels and bats – both archetypal tree dwellers – but I have covered these in recent weeks.…

I RECENTLY read that September 2016 was one of the hottest on record for many years. If I look back over my gardening diaries it seems autumns have been kind to us. Well, some might say too kind, as a sharp frost is a gardener’s friend when it comes to killing off pests. Those who listen to the lovely Terry Walton on Radio 2, reporting from his allotment in the Rhondda Valley, will know that white flies are enjoying his sprouts thanks to the warm weather. A greenhouse is a perfect place for pests like this to lurk and enjoy the warmth. Therefore, it is essential that greenhouses remain well ventilated in autumn. Each morning you need to decide if the door needs to be left open. Those with automatic…

1 Plant next to contrasting colour For instance, a fiery acer beside stone, gravel or slate paving, or a white birch in front of dark evergreens. 2 Underplant effectively For example snowdrops beneath Acer griseum; or a carpet of aconites under a corkscrew hazel tree. 3 Create a focal point Tall, columnar varieties of thuja, yew, and juniper are great for small spaces, and draw the eye. 4 Tree seating Break up a wide lawn by planting a tree (such as an apple) in the centre and encircling it with a bench.…

MOVE over Man Cave – the She Shed is gaining ground. The garden shed has long been a bolthole for men, but there are growing numbers of women wanting a shed of their own – and not as somewhere to store the garden fork. Shed maker The Posh Shed Company, and accessory firm Plantabox, have seen a big rise in the number of women looking for an outdoor space close to the home that she can call her own – where she can create a sanctuary kitted out with the decor of her choosing. “Sheds have traditionally been seen as a male preserve,” said Posh Shed’s Richard Frost. “The stereotypical image has a man escaping to his shed for some peace and quiet. It was a place to retreat to,…

Bare roots and bare necessities Q I’ve been told it’s cost effective to grow roses and shrubs supplied as bare-root plants. How should they be planted and grown? Caroline Kiddle, The Potteries, Staffs A Bare-rooted was once how most of our plants were sold: their popularity only waned with the boom in container-grown plants available at garden centres. Bare-rooted plants are dug out of the ground when dormant and transported without soil. Damp material is normally packed around the roots to prevent them from drying out during shipping. They’re generally cheaper than those grown in pots, are lighter to handle and sometimes establish more quickly than those grown in containers. Planting should take place before leaf break in the spring, so that usually means planting from November to early March.…

Leather Gauntlet Gardening Gloves £36.95 (p&p £3.95) 0844 2495 007 prezzybox.com Gauntlet-style gloves made from hard-wearing leather with a soft, comfortable inner. Ideal for weeding and pruning, they can be personalised with a maximum of 14 characters. Available in blue or brown, in one size. Trowel And Fork Gift Set £22.95 (p&p £3.75) 0020 3318 5115 notonthehighstreet.com With a green carbon steel and ash timber design, this set combines form with function and has the added attraction of the option to make your mark on the handles. Add any name or message up to 20 characters long (including spaces). Roman Brass Sundial £148.99 (p&p £3.99) 03303 334220 gettingpersonal.co.uk A classically designed sundial featuring roman numerals plus your own unique messages. It can be personalised…

‘Midnight Mystique’ I’m wary of purple-black flowers that tend to disappear against dark soil, but my husband gives this hyacinth the thumbs up if it’s grown against light foliage or mulch. ‘Anastasia’ A pretty multiflora variety bearing four or five dark stems per bulb, contrasting with sweetly scented blue flowers. Naturalises well. ‘Carnegie’ This white-flowered hyacinth is my favourite for planting in containers outside. Its candles of fragrant, pure white flowers are a classic size and shape. Roman Closer to wild hyacinths and great for naturalising, each bulb produces two or three stems of elegant, sweetly scented flowers in white, pink or blue.…

WITH the leaves gone from the trees, why not have some fun by bringing winter colour into the garden? Stalwarts for pots include primroses, violas, bellis daisies, heathers and cyclamen, but don’t rely on flowers alone as many plants will slow down when temperatures plummet. Mix bedding plants with ivies and young berrying shrubs such as Gaultheria mucronata, Skimmia japonica subsp, reevesiana or Skimmia ‘Rubella’. Hardy semi-evergreen perennials like Lamium maculatum and pulmonaria offer great foliage interest, spring flowers and will later take their place in garden borders. Berrying trees add vibrancy to the garden in winter, with the added satisfaction that birds will benefit from their nutritious fruit. It’s a great time to plant things like Viburnum tinus with glossy evergreen leaves, and scented winter flowers. Flowering grasses have…

• Provide pots with maximum sunlight, as even shade-loving plants can struggle in the low light levels of the winter months. • Place containers on pot feet to allow excess water to escape. Wrap bubble wrap around individual pots, or drape them with fleece. • Group pots together to create a mini microclimate. This may help prevent compost freezing in the pots – it can expand and crack terracotta. • Pots still need to be watered in winter, particularly if sited near to a house wall. Avoid feeding, as soft new growth will be damaged by frost.…

ALLIUMS are some of the most spectacular flowers we can grow in our gardens. They look at home in all manner of situations, from cottage borders to formal beds and contemporary displays. If you want to enjoy the architectural blooms of these giant ornamental onions next May and June, now is the last chance to get bulbs planted in borders or containers before winter. Of course, you can buy alliums as young plants next spring, or even when they’re in bud ready to flower after Easter, but it’s far cheaper and more satisfying to nurture your own bulbs into growth. Although alliums are mostly regarded as hardy or borderline hardy, they hate waterlogged soils. Choose a sheltered, sunny site with free-draining soil. Add loads of garden compost and horticultural grit…

1 Take hold of non-flowering shoots between your finger and thumb and gently pull until the cutting snaps off. 2 Each cutting should be 2-4in (5-10cm) long (don’t trim the base). Dip into hormone rooting powder. 3 Insert cuttings ½in (1cm) deep, into a module tray filled with seed and cuttings compost. Firm them in gently. 4 Water, cover and place in an unheated propagator or leave on a bright windowsill. Pot up when rooted.…

• Bean sprouts being an Asian dish, many of the seeds used for producing seed sprouts are not commonly used by UK gardeners. • They include Mung beans, Adzuki beans, lentils, fenugreek and alfalfa seeds, but you can also use cabbage seeds, and peas. • Fortunately all of these are widely available from good garden centres and seed catalogues, along with special growing kits like to the one I’m using.…

HELPING Amateur Gardening readers celebrate National Tree Week in style, we have hand-selected our top-pick acers from the world famous Westonbirt Arboretum. Not only will they fill your garden with exceptional autumnal shades, their graceful habit and slow growth rate makes them ideal for the smaller garden. Whether planting them in a pot or in the ground, there is a variety to suit every taste and location. Height and spread 9-13ft (3-4m). Supplied as 3 ½ in (9cm) potted plants at the optimum time to plant. OFFER 1 Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’ AGM Offering interest across the year with its clever colour-changing leaves, this dwarf variety starts off yellow with red-tinged edges and matures to green and orange before dropping. Great for drawing the eye. • Buy One for £15…

“Storing onions in net bags seems a bit dubious to me” WE may get a mild winter again, or a frightful one. Either way we need to ensure our hard-won crops are not destroyed when a little planning can save them. Potatoes are most at risk, though a cold winter is oddly less a problem than a warm one – if your spuds start to sprout they’ll wither and lose food value. Potatoes must be kept cool but not chilled too much either, any freezing kills them but just low temperatures a few degrees above freezing changes their taste making them unpleasantly ‘sweet’. Potatoes also need to be kept somewhere humid, not damp, and definitely not dry. If all this sounds difficult it’s not. I find making a stack of…

• 26 November: Illuminated gardens, Powis Castle and Garden, Welshpool, Powis, SY21 8RF. 5pm-8.30pm. Adult £5.20, child £2.60. 01938 551929 nationaltrust.org.uk • 26 November: Chelsea Physic Garden Christmas Fair. 10am-5pm. Over 100 exhibitors selling a range of craft products and family activites including how to make handmade decorations. Tickets £6, under 16s free. To pre-book visit chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk • Now -2 January: Christmas at Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, SurreyTW9 3AB 020 8332 5684; kew.org • Now -2 January: Birmingham Magic Lantern Festival, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Road, Edbaston B15 3TR. See spectacular lights and lanterns. Gardens open 5-10pm. Pre-booking required. Tickets £9.62-£13.87 01214 541860 birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk • 2-4 December: Children’s Magic of Christmas, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 8ET. Say hello to Santa and his elf, and listen…

Buddleja Usually thought of as a shrub, the butterfly bush can be trained to grow into one of the most charming of small garden trees: it’s arching branches pouring a waterfall of flower panicles into the sun, from summer into autumn. H&S 8ft (2.5m). Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ Come autumn, this Japanese maple blazes shades of orange-scarlet, like a burning bush, for weeks on end. Grow as a large shrub or small tree, in sheltered sun or semi-shade, in a border or container. H&S 13ft (4m). Cotinus coggygria In summer, the purple or green foliage of this deciduous shrub (which can be grown as a small tree) is covered in hazy smoke-like flower plumes; and, in autumn, flushes amber-scarlet. Grow in sun. Unless pruned: H19ft (6m) x 16ft (S5m).…

ANEW species of killer flatworm has been found in Britain, threatening beneficial native earthworms as well as plant-munching snails. A 1 3/4in (4.5cm) long Obama nungara flatworm, already a threat to agriculture in France and spreading through Europe, was discovered when it crawled out of a potted heuchera bought at a garden centre in Oxfordshire. It’s the fourth time the Brazilian flatworm, which can grow up to 2 3/4in (7cm) in length, has been found this year – three times at garden centres and once in a private garden. Lax controls The charity Buglife, which campaigns to protect native bugs and insects, has put the blame for foreign invaders firmly at the door of lax controls on the import of potted plants into the UK. “The import of pot plants…

PLUMP and bizarre-looking birds have been turning up in Britain’s towns and cities. Lured by bright city lights, woodcock have been showing up in gardens, some appearing dazed and confused having bumped into windows. A bulky wading bird with a long bill, woodcock from Russia and Scandinavia have been migrating to Britain to enjoy our milder winter weather. Because they fly at night they’ve been bumping into tall buildings next to the rivers they appear to use as migratory paths. RSPB wildlife advisor, Ben Andrew, said the society is getting lots of calls: “Woodcocks are large birds, and make an almighty noise when they strike a window,” he said. The RSPB’s advice is to interfere as little as possible if you find a woodcock that isn’t visibly injured. Given time…

If the weather is against you for planting newly delivered bare root plants, leave them somewhere unheated but frost free. If there’s any damp compost or sawdust media around the roots leave it in place. Water if they appear to be on the dry side. If you still can’t get them in the ground where you want them after two or three days, take out a V-shaped trench in the garden and spread the plants out in a single row against one of the trench walls. Cover with soil, tread lightly in and water if the soil is dry. Replace paper labels with more permanent ones.…

1 Draper Tools We are all keen to get the children involved in growing their own fruit and vegetables. Now, with the help of Draper Tools, they can have their own complete tool set with which to achieve this. These tools have the usual Draper guarantee of quality and are exactly the same as Mum and Dads, but are scaled down for smaller hands. The rake, for example, is correctly hardened and tempered with lacquered ash handle and a wrist strap. The Young Gardener range starts at £2.35 (typical selling price). For details of your nearest stockist please visit drapertools.com/ younggardener 023 8049 4333. 2 Perilla Treat your feet to gorgeous alpaca socks from Perilla; walking socks are perfect for gardeners. Alpaca fibre is as soft…

I’ve gone potty! I’M generally known as Frank Spencer on the DIY front in my family, but I was none the less pleased with my first attempt at a winter pot. The plan was to keep it simple and low cost, and Ruth’s practical features were a great help. I started by topping up an emptied summer pot with some John Innes No: 3. I’d retained some trailing ivy from a hanging basket which went in and I reused a miniature conifer from a pot we’d bought a few years ago. Then I took Ruth’s advice and purchased a good size healthy cyclamen and a pot containing two different varieties of hebe, one light coloured and one that was a darker green to create a dark green background. Lastly I…

1 While plants are standing in water, line the pot sides with bubble wrap, and place crocks at the base for drainage. 2 Fill the container to just below its rim with good rich potting compost with a little grit added to improve drainage. 3 Place the central plant as deep as its rootball (I used Phormium ‘Jester’ for height and colour). Tease out its roots first. 4 Add the other plants, taking care you don’t damage any roots. I used dwarf lavender, thyme, cyclamen and pansies. 5 Protect the plants from slugs and snails. Copper tape is said to keep molluscs at bay, and looks Christmassy! 6 Water the container well to help settle compost around the roots, and stand it on feet to help excess water run away.…

TO give hardy perennials, alpines, trees and shrubs the best chance to germinate, now is the time to sow using fresh seed. Some plants need to be exposed to winter chilling to break their dormancy, and sowing them straight away rather than waiting until spring provides a cycle of cold and warmth to encourage strong germination. Choose ripened seed pods from around the garden and place into paper bags. Trees often disperse seed and fruits just at the right time, so gather from the ground beneath the tree, and then detach the seed from the chaff. Seed from mail order suppliers is also fine to use, as it’s generally been stored and packed correctly. Sow into deep pots or trays, and place in a cold frame for winter. This gives…

1 In borders: Position tall species near the back and short ones at the front. Only plant in sunny borders with well-drained soil. Avoid exposed sites, as tall flower spikes can be damaged by wind. 2 In containers: Choose a large, deep container and fill it with a free-draining compost such as John Innes No2. After planting at the correct depth and spacing, water and place in a sunny location. 3 In pots: You can start allium bulbs individually in smaller pots now and transplant them into borders next year. Choose a deep pot (old rose pots are good) and plant into multi-purpose compost.…

“I can never get enough garden compost” THE sight of brown wheelie bins packed full of green garden waste, being collected down our street every fortnight is worrying to say the least. I can never get enough garden compost to improve and lighten my heavy clay soil and have five compost heaps and bins on the go, plus another container for fallen leaves. The largest heap 4ft square and 3ft high (1.2m x 0.9m) has just been emptied and eight good barrow loads of well-rotted compost heaped on the vegetable plot ready to winter dig into the soil. The small, recently acquired, addition to my back garden had a huge heap of lawn mowings accumulated over a number of years. Emptied out, spread over the plot and dug into what…

WITH names like flamingo and oilcloth flower, painter’s palette and painted tongue, we expect something distinctive from cultivars of Anthurium andraeanum and A. sherzerianum. These flamboyant relatives of the arum lily originate from the tropical forests of South America and are grown for their colourful, waxy spadices and shiny foliage. I love these showy indoor plants but they don’t seem to like me. We’re a little stingy with our heating oil and in winter our house is far removed from the warm, humid interior of an Ecuadorian rain forest. Recently, I bought a stunning plant with salmon pink spathes but within three weeks it began to deteriorate. Should I donate it to my friend who runs a cosy warm care home, or try again? When any plant fails, it pays…

IF you imagine that not much goes on in the veg garden over winter, you couldn’t be more wrong! I’m busy taking hardwood cuttings of gooseberries, grapevines, figs and blueberries this week with thoughts of our plant sale at East Donyland Hall this coming July. As well as bulking up numbers, taking cuttings is an excellent way of rejuvenating the vigour of tired plants. A gnarly old vine or neglected gooseberry will (as long as its healthy and free from viruses) give you cutting material that will romp away once rooted. Because they’re taken during the dormant season no propagators are needed for hardwood cuttings, just secateurs and a pot of compost. This is by far the easiest way to propagate plants so go on, give it a go! Top…

I CONFESS I’ve not forced chicory before, so I’m excited to try it out. This hardy veg is a favoured winter salad leaf at East Donyland Hall. I sowed Witloof chicory ‘Zoom’ way back in August, and since then the plants have grown into what looks like large, loose cos lettuces. Although the leaves are edible, they’re very bitter, which is why plants are ‘forced’. This means growing them on in darkness, which blanches the leaves and minimises bitterness. I plan to force the roots later this winter, but for now I’m lifting the chicory before the soil freezes solid. I’ll cut off all the leaves, dig up the fleshy roots and store them in a box of sand in a shed till I’m ready to force them. Wish me…

1 Empty and replace stocking bags on water downpipe spouts, the debris is excellent for the compost heap. 2 Go through your seed packets, throwing out all those you know didn’t come up or are too old to be good. 3 Now’s a really good time to get chickens, as once settled in they’ll start laying soon into the new year. 4 Sow mini-salads of pak-choi, rocket, loose leaf lettuce and kale under cloches or in trays under cover.…

ONE of the plants I bought for my very first garden was a golden hop – Humulus lupulus ‘Aureas’. These deciduous climbers are useful as their vibrant green foliage offers an incredible freshness. In spring the hops make their own way up supports thanks to their twining stems – at Stockton Bury one plant easily covers an archway each year. You can expect a plant to reach about 8ft (2.5m) in height and spread if it’s happy. They are ideal for a south or west-facing aspect and cope with most soils. After enjoying the papery hanging hops of late summer it’s time to cut back. They are such easy plants to prune – all you need to do is cut the stems right down to the ground. The hardest part…

AFTER cutting back a border last week I spotted a cluster of allium bulbs poking above the soil surface. Using a garden fork I carefully lifted them from the soil and was thrilled to find a stack of nearly 20 of them. To buy this many would cost a small fortune so I carefully peeled the bulbs apart trying to keep the roots intact. Each bulb was then replanted in the border to give them space to flourish. It was an enjoyable job – the only downside being the strong smell of onions! I would estimate that the original bulb was planted here about 10 years ago, so I’ll be keeping a very close eye out for any more rising to the surface. It’s always so exciting to discover plants…

A MANNED mission to Mars could be a step closer thanks to rocket seeds grown by kids. A national schools science experiment, called Rocket Science, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society and the UK Space Agency, compared the growth and development of Eruca sativa seeds on the International Space Station (ISS) with those that had remained on Earth. Data was provided by 600,000 young people who took part in the experiment. They found that the space seeds, pictured (left) on the ISS with UK astronaut Tim Peake, grew only marginally less well than those that had remained on terra firma. The space seeds had been subject to violent vibrations while breaking clear of the Earth’s gravitational pull, as well as micro gravity, fluctuating temperatures and space radiation for six months.…

PLANT scientists from Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens will be helping to identify and protect unknown and unique species in Colombia, a nation with incredible plant biodiversity. During a state visit to the UK by Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos, Kew signed an agreement to help lead a programme, Colombia Bio, aimed at mapping vegetation and identifying and naming new plants and fungi. Ultimately the research findings will help the Colombian Government prioritise which species and areas should be given conservation status. “This is a critical time for partnerships between scientists and governments in protecting areas of dwindling biodiversity,” said Kew’s director of science, Professor Kathy Willis. Colombia’s landscape is marked by rainforests and coffee plantations.…

• When selecting plants ensure they have a well developed root system for the size of the plant, that none of the stems have dried, are shrivelled or showing signs of disease, and that there’s no sign of re-growth (fine white roots along the old root system). • Once in the ground ensure the plants don’t dry out, watering them well during dry periods over the winter. In early spring apply a 4in (10cm) layer of bark or well rotted organic matter as a mulch to help retain moisture, but don’t mulch right up to the stems as they could rot.…

IT’S important to prune trees and big shrubs to keep them in good health, maintain an attractive shape and, where appropriate, to promote flowering and fruiting. Such work may involve cutting through branches of varying thickness and this is where the folding pruning saw can help. Ideal for cutting through branches between 1-3in (2.5-7.5cm) in diameter pruning saws can tackle wood that is too thick for loppers. And, with a narrow blade, they can also fit into tight-angled branch and trunk junctions where loppers might damage the bark. The folding type should be easy to store, taking up little space in your gardening bag, with a folding mechanism that ensures the blade is safe and protected when not in use. The thickness of the branch will determine the length of…

TO force hyacinths for Christmas, prepared bulbs (which are heated to stir the flower buds inside) need to be planted between mid-August and mid-September. You can suspend the bulb base just above water, so roots grow down, or plant them in bowls of bulb fibre or well-draining compost, ensuring bulbs are not quite touching and with shoulders proud. Set them somewhere dark and cool and when fat buds appear, place in a cool, bright room. To force outdoors plant bulbs singly in 3.5in (9cm) pots or several to larger containers (with drainage holes), using potting compost. Set them against a wall and pile an insulating layer of compost, light garden soil or sand over them until buried by a good 6in (15cm). Inspect regularly and bring in when the buds…

Prize draw WESTLAND Indoor Plant Food has been developed to aid nutrient uptake and includes nitrogen for healthy foliage, potassium to encourage flowering and phosphorus for good root growth. Simply mix a 10ml capful to a litre of water and apply the diluted feed around the base of indoor plants, avoiding wetting the foliage. Each 250ml pack makes up to 25 litres of feed. We have five packs of Westland Indoor Plant Food to give away this week, worth £3.99 each. See below for details of how to enter. How to enter: Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Westland Indoor Plant Food Draw, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@timeinc.com, heading the…

“The idea is to make it feel as if you are in a bouquet” WHILE some gardens are a riot of colour, Louise Reed has taken a different approach. Keen to create a restful sanctuary filled with fragrance, she has stuck to a palette of white, cream and pastel hues, cramming the small space with a remarkable number and variety of plants, including more than 100 roses. Transforming the former cottage garden has proved the perfect therapy for Louise, who began the process after being diagnosed with cancer. Taking inspiration from the White Garden at Sissinghurst – and with the help of her partner Barry – she used her extensive gardening know-how and eye for design to ensure the plot has year-round interest. Winter snowdrops give way to spring blossom…

“There are no rules on what to decorate a wreath with” THEY say the early bird gets the worm, but at this time of year the early bird also takes the berries so if you’re making a home-grown Christmas wreath for your front door now’s the time to act! This festive task has become a yuletide tradition in our house and over the years I’ve honed our wreath design to utilize as many plants foraged from the garden and the borders around our plant centre as possible. Bits of conifer, eucalyptus, the seed-heads of Old Man’s Beard… they all come in handy and are both ubiquitous and easy to find. The tricky bit is always the berries, which in cold years are stripped from trees by hungry birds long before…