Innholdsfortegnelse for 21-Jan-2017 i Amateur Gardening

I HARVESTED the last of my outdoor chilli peppers in December. Mad, isn’t it? These tender semi-tropical plants usually curl up their toes at the merest hint of cold. However, the variety I grow outdoors is from the seeds of a distinctive egg-shaped fruit I was given at the Amateur Gardening Show over 12 years ago. The closest looking variety I can find to it now is ‘Rocoto Red’ (Simpson’s Seeds). Fruits are about 2in (5cm) long and 1in (2.5cm) wide and the plant’s habit is very lax, so it needs lots of support. Perhaps saving seeds each year and growing them on outdoors the following year has actually created a hardier strain. I grew a different variety for the first time in my frost-free greenhouse and it shrivelled from…

1 Place crocks in the pot, and fill to near the top with multi-purpose mixed with John Innes No 3 compost. 2 Tease out the roots of plants. Start with your central plant, and set it at the same depth as its rootball. 3 Add the rest of the plants, taking care not to damage roots. Firm them in gently so they are supported. 4 Water the pot well, even if rain is forecast. It helps to settle soil around the roots and gives support.…

SEVERAL years ago we bought a small boat lily (Tradescantia spathacea). It is not a true lily, but still lovely. It is also known as Moses in a basket and Christ in a cradle. It was a slow grower at first, but once we found the right place, it grew and grew until we had no room for it. Like all houseplants when they grow overlarge, it started to look rather tired and straggly, and several of its leaves were turning brown, so I decided to take cuttings and start again. This is an easy job, and if you keep the cuttings somewhere light and warm, they should start to root within a month or so. Once they have taken, you can remove the plastic bag cover, and carefully transfer…

I’M trying to avoid looking at my lawn at the moment, because it is a soggy, mossy, mess. It is developing a well-worn path from the garden steps to the washing line, and I know that when the weather warms up I will have to do something to prevent it being completely worn away. But that is some weeks away, and it is now, when lawns are likely to be saturated by persistent rain, that gardeners need to act. Lawns take a real battering from the elements in winter, and are not helped by being trampled over by gardeners and their families going outside whenever the weather permits. Waterlogging is a really common problem. It is worse on compacted soils, where too many solid soil particles are pressed together. This…

• The seeds of some plants, including many trees and shrubs, alpines and some perennials, need a period of cold weather to break their dormancy and encourage germination. • You just have time to sow these now before the temperature rises, or you’ll have to wait until next autumn. Sow the seeds in pots, and place them outside in a cold frame. • Or, mix them with compost and seal them in a plastic bag. Put it in the fridge for six weeks, then sow the seeds. • For fleshy berries, such as sorbus or cotoneaster, slit the skin, place in bags of compost, and leave them somewhere cold. The flesh disintegrates over time, and the seeds can be sown in spring.…

SOFT fruit bushes are still dormant, so prune them now, to boost their productivity and keep them in a tidy shape. A good rule of thumb is to start by removing dead and damaged branches, as well as those that are rubbing or crossing. Mature blackcurrant bushes need around one-third of their old wood removed each year, to prevent them becoming congested; remember, they fruit on strong current years’ growth. Gooseberry bushes become tangled and unhealthy if not regularly pruned, so cut them into an open shape with well-spaced branches to help air circulation. Cut back drooping stems to an upright shoot, then prune unwanted branches, and all sideshoots to about 3 buds or 2-3in (5-7cm). Grape vines should have their side shoots cut back to one or two buds…

WHEN someone mentions gooseberry bushes, do you think of huge, unruly things that take up loads of room and scratch at your ankles as you walk past? Well, think again! While classic globe-shaped bushes can be domineering thugs, you could do as we’ve done at East Donyland Hall and train them into disciplined cordons instead. Essentially the plant has one upright main stem, trained to approximately head height. Off this short spurs develop – these are what bear fruit. It means that harvesting is incredibly simple in summer and thorns can be easily dodged. You can also cram multiple varieties into a small space – handy for someone like me who absolutely loves the taste of them. Pests and diseases are also easier to spot and control, so it’s an…

WHY do they do it?! I walked into the fruit store yesterday and mischievous mice have been nibbling the apples – loads of them! Why oh why can’t they just eat one whole apple, rather than taking tiny little bites out of twenty of them? It drives me mad! We’ve had no damage since I moved the fruit into the store in October – only now are naughty teeth starting to nibble where they’re not wanted. There’s nothing else for it, I’m going to have to scour the store to see where they’re getting in and block the hole. Setting a few humane traps will tide me over should it take me a while to find the access hole. In the meantime I’m putting a sign up over one large…

1 Have a garden tidy, pick litter, store tools. Rake soil, mulches and gravel, trim edges and brush down paths. 2 Sort your seeds into batches by sowing date, write out their labels now and order anything missing. 3 Get your potato sets then chit them standing rose end (lots of eyes) up in a frost-free, light place. 4 Make and set more bird boxes as our insectivorous friends like wrens and tits build their nests early each year.…

Raspberry ‘Ruby Beauty’ These compact dwarf raspberry canes reach just 1m (3ft) in height, making them perfect for large patio containers and smaller gardens. They produce an impressive 1.5kg of fruit per plant. Height: 100cm (39in). Spread: 50cm (20in). Supplied as a 9cm potted plant. • Buy 1 for £9.99 • Buy 2 and Get 1 Free for £19.98 Strawberry ‘Just Add Cream’ Strawberry Just Add Cream’ is a compact plant producing mid-pink flowers and up to 1kg of fruit per plant. Fruiting early, this attractive strawberry has an intense perfume and will keep cropping until the first hard frosts of autumn. Supplied as bareroots. • Buy 5 for £12.99 • Buy 10 for £20.98 - Saving £5 Begonia ‘Apricot Shades’ A best seller, Begonia ‘Apricot Shades’ is as versatile…

LAST winter I decided to turn a small triangular bed into one that would provide winter interest, while retaining some structure to earn its keep during the rest of the year. As it’s such a small space I went for evergreen grasses, hellebores with attractive foliage and a little known plant from the Far East called Rohdea japonica. Unfortunately two of the three Helleborus foetidus have died and the third is looking pretty unhealthy. Rather than replace like for like I’ve gone for three Helleborus argutifolius, which has really attractive evergreen foliage. Rosette forming Rohdea japonica has been a disappointment too. It’s simply not ornamental enough, so I’ve decided to move them into pots, with the aim of finding a more suitable position. That’s left me with a fairly…

SEED merchants have played down press reports of dismal cauliflower crops this winter. Stories claimed that caulis on sale at supermarkets were tiny last month, with some boasting florets that were no bigger than an egg or a bulb of garlic. Farmers blamed cold weather in November. But DT Brown, a mail-order supplier, said the problem had not affected kitchen gardeners. General manager Tim Jeffries said: “We’ve had no reports of this problem from customers. “The varieties we assessed in our summer trial performed as we would have hoped.” Tim added: “For large heads, I recommend ‘Snow Crown’ F1 which yields big, white heads up to 1.2kg each in July and August, while ‘Mystique’ F1 is just the job for February and March cropping.” Thompson & Morgan’s Colin Randel also…

In a container Young plants of evergreen euonymus make attractive focal points in containers. Here, a gold and green variety pairs up well with narcissus, crocus and orange polyanthus. Tightly clipped Evergreen euonymus can also be used as less formal alternatives to box, paired on either side of a door, perhaps. Best clipped just once or twice a year. Be sure they never dry out. Trained up a wall or over a pergola Climbing varieties turn a shady wall into a feature. Choose one of the variegated climbing forms such as ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ or ‘Silver Queen’. Tape the stems to the wall with duck tape to guide them.…

• Keep rows between peas weed-free. Unless drought strikes, established plants do not need watering until flowers appear. Then, to ensure a good harvest, apply 22 litres per square metre every week until the harvest is complete. • Pick on a regular basis to ensure a high yield, when pods have swollen. Letting them fully develop into hard dry peas will reduce the crop significantly. Peas kept in a plastic bag in the fridge will stay fresh for up to three days.…

QI’ve got a very solid trellis shelter with roof, and want to grow something over it that is beneficial for insects and wildlife. What would be good? J Couling, Portsmouth A Which way does the trellis face? Will the plants be in the sun or shade for the first couple of years until they get high enough? What is the soil like, and how big is the planting area? These all affect the choices of plant. Ivy is very good for insects (food and shelter) and is vigorous once established, but it can seem slow in its first year. However, it is putting down roots and once it has a strong source of food and water it will be off. Plants for a hot, sunny spot include clematis, roses, honeysuckle,…

Helleborus x hybridus The dependable lentern rose comes in many different colours and forms. Look for Ashwood Hybrids, Farmyard Hybrids, Harvington Hybrids, and choose the plants whose flowers you admire the most. 17in (45cm). Helleborus niger The Christmas rose is shorter-lived than many hellebores but new hybrids are prolific, more dependable, and should actually flower at Christmas. Look for the Hellebore Gold Collection (HGC). 1ft (30cm). Helleborus marbled hybrids Ideal for containers and the front of the patio border, long lasting red, pink or creamy flowers are set off by marbled leaves. Look for ‘Anna’s Red’, ‘Penny’s Pink’, ‘Ivory Prince’ and ‘Winter Moonbeam’. 13in (35cm). Helleborus argutifolius The bold evergreen foliage looks good all year. In spring upright stems carry dozens of green flowers. Loves sun. Reaches 3ft (90cm). Shade-loving…

All Year Round Bird Seed Mix From 58p/kg free delivery for bags 12.55kg and over 01772 440242 gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk All Year Round Seed Mix contains a range of grains and seeds including cereals and grains, black sunflower seeds, red dari, kibbled corn maize, yellow millet and rapeseed oil to provide wild birds with a nutritional, balanced diet whatever the season. Suitable for bird tables, ground feeders and seed feeders. Bresser Topaz 10x25 binoculars £30.90 free delivery 0330 808 0283 binoculars-expert.co.uk With 10x magnification this quality pair of compact, light and foldable binoculars is perfect for watching wild birds in the garden and will take up little space in a kitchen drawer. Central focusing wheel and 25mm diameter main lens ensures a bright, clear image. Includes a travel…

Most lilies like a moist soil to help them produce a fresh bulb for the following year, yet they should never be waterlogged, or this will rot the bulbs. Lilies dislike a manured soil and are easily overfed. On good soils, mulching the surface with well-rotted organic matter to improve texture (in other words feeding the soil) is enough. On poorer soils, you might want to add a little slow-release fertiliser in the spring. Roots in the shade and the tops in sun is an ideal position for a lily. In general, they can have more sun where the soil is moist but light shade will help them resist stress where soils are poor and dry. Ours thrive among herbaceous perennials and between woodland plants.…

Tread carefully! MY husband John managed to trip over backwards in the run up to Christmas, only just missing the deep goldfish pond where our black dolphin fountain is situated. As you can see from this picture which a visiting neighbour took (she had steadier nerves than me), he just lay there rigidly with one foot in the air. He said that he was actually more terrified by my screaming than the shock he had had. The awful thing is that he only came outside to see how I was doing and he still had his slippers on! To mitigate the first picture I’ve sent another of our garden taken in the summer time when it was looking an awful lot better – and didn’t have my husband sprawled in…

“It reminds me more of my youth than any other flower” I’VE just bought a potted lily of the valley to scent my porch. It’s a plant that my mum cultivated in great swathes in the family back garden and its clusters of bell-like blooms remind me more of my youth than any other flower. She loved lily of the valley for its sharp, citrusy aroma that also reminded her of her childhood spent as a ‘happy evacuee,’ far from the falling bombs in Birmingham. Evacuated to Dartmouth, where the Luftwaffe merely strafed the houses, lily of the valley thrived in the moist ditches and hedge banks. Convallaria majalus, as botanists call it, is a British native but its character is quite different from other wildlings in that it can…

“This is the best time to prune deciduous trees” LATE January is a surprisingly busy time for gardeners. Though everything looks tatty and soggy, getting on with a few important jobs now will pay dividends in the spring. On really cold days the ground will be too hard to work so it’s best to stay off both the borders and the lawn. But when the weather is a little warmer - albeit wet, there are jobs to do. Some of them can only be done during the dormant weeks of mid-winter. This is the best time to prune and shape deciduous trees, before the warmer weather comes and their leaves swell and get ready to bud. Always use clean, sharp tools, and wear long-sleeved clothing and gloves. If you need…

WINTER is the key time for moving deciduous trees and shrubs, so you don’t have too long to do so before buds start to swell in preparation for spring. However, you shouldn’t undertake this task if the soil is frozen or waterlogged – pick a day which is both dry and mild. The key to successfully transplanting of trees is to do it quickly, and water the transplant in well. This lessens the likelihood of the roots drying out and so being damaged. Start the process by removing all perennial weeds from the site where the tree is moving to, and raking the earth to remove stones and make it easier to dig. Dig the planting hole to a little deeper than the tree’s rootball, and slightly wider than its…

• Low light levels, cold draughts and central heating, make winter a tough time for houseplants. • Move plants closer to natural light. Wipe dust off leaves, so they can make the most of available daylight. • Don’t leave them in draughts or too close to open fires and radiators. Take them off windowsills on freezing nights, as they can become chilled. • Water them only when their compost feels dry to the touch, and only feed plants that are in flower. • Watch out for opportunistic pests such as mealybug, aphids and scale insects; treat as soon as you spot them.…

“Start with a good open trench” OUR main task late autumn/winter on my first gardening job was winter digging. If it was not raining or the soil frozen hard there would be about five of us digging steadily in a straight row across large plots from 7.30am until dark. Turning the soil, burying well-rotted manure and compost as we worked, it left the land in big clods, but perfectly level; a good preparation for sowings and plantings. Winter digging is one of the most important gardening skills and yet there is nowhere for people to go and be shown how to do it, practicing, as I did, alongside experienced gardeners. It’s something that I discussed with Chas (Hodges), song writer and performer of Chas and Dave fame, when I visited…

WITH their structural shapes, attractive leaves and low maintenance lifestyles, succulents have never been more popular. You can pay a couple of pounds for a young plant and keep it going for a lifetime. At a show back in June I chose four new plants and until now, they’ve stayed in their 2in (5cm) pots. I could have potted them on individually to larger containers but always intended to display them together as a succulent ‘garden’. The other day I found just the right bowl, shaped like half a melon. Most plants would prefer to be potted in spring or summer when their roots are more active but succulents transfer happily to new pots in the depths of winter. The rootballs were completely dry, the well-draining compost just-moist and they…

• Early spring is the start of the rhubarb-growing season, when the fat leaf buds of this popular perennial ‘fruit’ break through the soil. • The plant’s sturdy, pinkish stems are usually ready for harvesting from late spring through until the summer. But you can hurry things along by ‘forcing’ the plants. • The simplest way is to place a large container over the crown of the rhubarb. The emerging stalks grow fast and pale as they rise, trying to find a source of light to enable them to photosynthesise. • These stems are sweeter and more tender than those grown naturally. • Forcing is not recommended for young rhubarb plants, as it uses up a lot of energy and can weaken plants that are less than three years old.…

IT’S best to get peas in early, especially on light, sandy soil. They have time to make better roots in cooler weather, making them more productive and mildew-resistant. Smooth-seeded pea varieties are more tolerant of cool temperatures than wrinkly kinds, so I’m sowing shelling pea ‘Meteor’ and mange tout pea ‘Oregon sugar Pod’. Even these hardier varieties will sulk (and potentially rot) in cold, wet soils so I start them in the greenhouse. It doesn’t need to be overly warm – around 8-10°C will give good germination. You can sow into lengths of guttering, but this year I’m using 4in (9cm) pots and sowing two or three peas per pot. They’ll be hardened off and moved outside come late March.…

I THINK we’re just waking up to how excellent kale is as a vegetable, not only in the depths of winter but in spring and summer, too. I sowed these ‘Dwarf Green Curled’ plants way back in March, and by July they were offering up the most tender, rich green crimped leaves. The softer texture of these summer harvests made them ideal for stir-fries and steaming. Admittedly now in the chill of winter, the foliage has become thicker and more robust (and with that, it demands more cooking time) but this heartier leaf combines perfectly with roast lamb or beef casserole. This is the standard variety but there are plenty of others – the trendy strap-like ‘Nero di Toscana’, purple-leaved curly ‘Redbor’ and bi-coloured green and white ‘Emerald Ice’. This…

ARE earthworms the gardener’s friend or foe? The answer is simple... it depends! In general, worm activities are good for gardens: they help to improve soil structure through aeration and nutrient recycling. However, if you have a fine, beautifully manicured lawn, then some worms are pests. Worms feed on dead plant material consuming, as they go, small amounts of soil. This accumulates and passes through the worm and comes out the other end: it looks like and has the consistency of mud. Most worms deposit their waste underground, causing the gardener no problem, but a few species leave casts on the surface. Casts are muddy, fine-grained, and often coiled, and they can be a problem any time from autumn to spring. Once mown over or walked on, a cast spreads…

I’VE been amazed by my golden hops. After planting three Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ at the base of my pergola back in April last year they grew rapidly upwards, covering it with a mass of lobed, bright yellow leaves. At the height of summer the foliage created a magnificent spectacle, displayed to perfection against the black supports of my pergola. The hop went on to surpass itself in early autumn when lots of tiny flowers appeared, developing into thousands of showy cones over a matter of weeks, filling the garden with a musky, aromatic scent. The only downside with growing hops was that the plant required constant attention. The hairy stems made their own way up to the top of the structure from the ground by twisting their way round some…

I ALWAYS like to start a brand new year off by making some plans for my garden. Top of the agenda in 2017 is sorting out my boundaries. After taking down a load of rotting trellis last year I’d intended to replace it immediately with something more attractive. But it took months to find a suitable product, which I still haven’t got around to erecting. It really requires the skills of a professional fencer and I have yet to find one that has given me a reasonable quote for carrying out the work. Once the fencing work is completed I can turn my attention to planting up several beds – one in a sunny spot and the other in shade, near my back door. I had hoped to fill them…

WILDLIFE-LOVERS who feed birds in the spring could be unintentionally harming them, according to a new study by the University of Reading. Researchers claimed that putting food out for birds during the breeding season (spring) makes it five times more likely that bird nests near the feeder will be attacked by predators such as grey squirrels. Predators are also attracted to the bird food, and then explore nearby vegetation where nests are located, according to the conclusions of the study. The results are at odds with advice issued by the RSPB, which has urged gardeners to feed wild birds all year-round. Reading University’s Professor Mark Fellowes said: “Our study revealed that if we really want to help garden birds, during the breeding season we should make sure that feeders are…

ROYAL Horticultural Society boss Sue Biggs has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year’s honours list. The RHS director-general, who joined the 212 year-old gardening charity in 2010, was honoured for services to the environment and horticulture. Under Sue’s guidance, the RHS hit record membership of 467,000 and is investing £160million in horticulture – including the Society’s fifth garden. RHS Bridgewater in Salford will open in 2019. Former travel industry chief Sue said: “I’m proud to receive a CBE and see this also as a recognition of the impact that gardening can have to make the UK a happier, healthier and better place to live.”…

Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Rocket’ Small, neat, dark green leaves roll back as they clothe the upright stems. Rather like box but without the disease problems. Makes a good hedge. H 3ft (1m). Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ Widely grown, with good reason, dense compact bushes feature vivid yellow edges which turn creamy with pink tones in winter. H 2ft, 9in (90cm). Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ New leaves are rich yellow, fading to white with pink winter tints. Climbs if given the chance. H 6ft (2m). Euonymus japonicus ‘Chollipo’ Makes a substantial, vivid, rather upright specimen shrub whose dense, dark green foliage is boldly edged in bright sunny yellow. Good in a large container if watered regularly. H 6ft (2m). Euonymus fortunei ‘Dart’s Blanket’ Top choice for low and steady ground…

Q For many years we have grown hyacinths for the house. This year the whole lot have failed due to a soft brown rot. What has gone wrong? Andrew Pugh (via email) A The most usual reason for hyacinth bulbs rotting is that they are sitting too wet. Bulbs in pots are most vulnerable as the concentration of wet compost around them is much greater, but bulbs in the ground can also succumb. If this is likely to have been the cause then using new compost could have been part of the problem – it can take time to adapt watering methods to new composts and things can go wrong very quickly There are many physiological disorders (those caused by growing conditions rather than pest or disease) that can affect…

QI have a lovely Christmas rose with longer stems than usual. It is even earlier flowering than our snowdrops – is this usual? Ken Dean, Cambridge AI have a few Helleborus niger starting to show some colour but none are as advanced as yours. Flowers can appear from December to March. Yours are brave to emerge so early, but they are extremely hardy, with neither buds nor flowers being harmed by frosty weather. Growing conditions do play a large part, so possibly yours are in a brighter spot, are better established or perhaps are paid some attention (mine are largely left to fend for themselves!) Christmas rose flowers appear on stems ranging from 3-8in (7.5-10cm) tall, and it can vary from year to year how tall they get. To encourage…

ALTHOUGH lentern and Christmas roses are evergreen, it pays to cut all the foliage off at ground level in November to prevent disease being carried over on to the emerging flowers. Spread an annual mulch of rich but weed-free humus after the foliage has been cut away. AFTER flowering, cut off the flower stems before the seeds have been shed. Hellebore flowers are designed for cross pollination and when two plants with flowers in different colours cross with each other the resulting seedlings can be wildly unpredictable – and usually poorly coloured.…

Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ A very good perennial that copes with dry or moist shade, and bounces back after slug attacks. Its silvery green leaves light up shady areas and the pretty forget-me-not-like flowers are a joy in spring. Begonias All begonias are happiest in shade as their leaves can scorch in full sun. Begonia semperflorens copes well with deep shade but tuberosa types are better in light shade. Start tubers off indoors from March. White blooms Fill borders with shade-tolerant white flowers to illuminate the gloom. Try spring-flowering Geranium phaeum ‘Album’ and Tellima grandiflora, and in the summer, go for Campanula latiloba ‘Alba’ and nicotiana (above).…

1 Clean the patio to prevent drainage channels being blocked with debris, and stop muck being walked into the house. 2 Deadhead bedding plants in borders and containers, so energy goes into new blooms to prolong the flowering season. 3 Replacing greenhouse panes is an unwanted chore, so secure them in place with plenty of clips. 4 Weed around hardy vegetables including broad beans and onions, and remove unwanted plants from borders. 5 Check young trees are securely supported. Make sure tree ties aren’t too tight, as this will damage the bark.…

HARDWOOD cuttings are a slow, but relatively failsafe way of propagating deciduous woody perennials, climbers, shrubs and trees. Take them between autumn and late winter, and in a year’s time they should have rooted and formed new plants. They can either be rooted in trenches in a sheltered part of the garden, or in large pots, in a free-draining mix of damp compost and sharp sand or perlite. To take hardwood cuttings, select a healthy length of this year’s growth, and carefully remove its soft tip growth. Cut it into sections between 6in (15cm) and 1ft (30cm) long, with a flat base and a sloping top that will allow rain and water to run off. Trim the base with another flat cut to just below a bud, and insert it…

1 Fill several 3in (7cm) pots with a mix of seed and cuttings compost and perlite. Water well and leave to drain. 2 Remove a healthy, non-flowering shoot, or gently pull a healthy leaf free with a small piece of stem attached. 3 Dip the cut end of the shoot or leaf in hormone rooting powder or gel, to help the development of strong roots. 4 Insert the shoots and leaves into the compost and perlite mix, lightly firming them in to keep them secure.…

HELLEBORES are more commonly known as Christmas or Lenten roses, and they can flower any time from mid-winter through to spring. The majority will come into bud over the next few weeks. You should start tidying up and feeding them now so they will put on a robust and colourful show. Hellebores are evergreen perennials that thrive in dappled shade. They flower in a diverse range of colours, from snowy white to a rich, dark red. The stinking hellebore species Helleborus foetidus, produces striking green flowers, and is popular with gardeners looking to add structure and interest to borders. Get your plants ready for the flowering season. Start by cutting away any old, tatty and yellowing foliage that can act as an can also spread to stems, causing the plant…

1 Choose your succulents, then track down a container, shingle for the base, your compost mix and topping-off shingle. 2 This bowl has no drainage holes so I’m adding a layer of small stones and shingle in the base to hold excess water. 3 Add compost, remove plants from their pots and arrange in an attractive group. Fill in around the roots to ½in (1cm) below the rim. 4 Place some larger stones on the surface then trickle grit or shingle around the plants. Do not water them in. Position on a bright windowsill.…

• Last year’s strawberry crop was a good one. The fruits were all grown in a raised bed, and we had a glut of fruit. • This year I plan to stagger the crops so nothing goes to waste. I am moving plants growing in containers into the greenhouse so they should growing early, in late winter as the weather warms, and produce early fruit. • If you do this, always check under the leaves and around the edge of the pots, and remove any lurking pests you find. • Also remember to water the strawberry plants occasionally through the winter; never let the compost dry out. • Keep the greenhouse well ventilated too, to help prevent mildew and botrytis grey mould developing. But always close vents at night, when…

“Waterlogging kills plant roots because they drown” AN IMPORTANT part of gardening is improving the soil. Most gardeners strive to improve fertility and texture with compost, fertiliser, well-rotted manure and mulches. We can do all of this but it won’t do much good if the soil lacks drainage so badly as to be waterlogged only inches down. Or be so compacted that it excludes air even when not waterlogged. You see roots need oxygen just like us. Waterlogging kills plant roots because they drown (except bog plants, which have adapted). Now, heavy clay soils or low lying sites often need proper piped drains setting underneath, however the soil itself must still be aerated for any benefit. Air must somehow get down into the soil at least a foot or so,…

• Now until 19 February: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon, EX38 8PH. Winter sculpture exhibition. See how many sculptures you can discover in the garden – all in a variety of media from steel and glass to cement and pottery. Normal garden admission applies. Call 0845 265 8072 or visit rhs.org.uk • Now until 5 March: RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB Step into the glasshouse as it transforms into a tropical paradise and home to more than 6,000 free-flying butterflies. Normal garden admission applies. Call 0845 260 9000 or visit rhs.org.uk • 10 February: RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane Garden Walk – Plants for Spring Pruning. 10am-12.30pm. RHS members free, non members £28. Identifying plants for pruning in spring and pruning techniques that can be employed. Event…

JAPANESE forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) is a hard working plant that illuminates light shade with striking golden ribbon-like leaves from spring until the end of summer. It also has fairly decent autumn colour. In order to keep these grasses in good shape it’s necessary to give them an annual haircut. By January the foliage looks a bit bedraggled and the colour has turned a muddy brown. Gusty winds are liable to spread the brittle stems all over the place, so it’s best to prune as soon as possible. You’ll also avoid any damage to this year’s supply of shoots, which will soon be working their way above the soil. Pruning is dead easy. Simply gather up all of the leaves, hold in one hand and cut straight across with…

THERE’S a good reason why gardeners are obsessed with the weather – just about everything we do outdoors is determined by it. Every night I watch the TV forecast to see whether I should expect frost, rain, snow or bitter winds. It’s also worth having an outdoor thermometer. Mine is handily attached to the backdoor, ready to give me a clue as to whether I need to wrap up warmly, remove ice from the pond or throw some fleece over a plant.…

Q I’d like to grow early peas. Can I start warming the soil now using a cloche, and how/when should I sow for best yield? Robert Corbin, Wisbech A Providing the land you intend growing your crop on is well-drained, soil warming is a good idea. I use a sheet of clear polythene which results in an even temperature across a larger area. Put the sheet in place four weeks before you sow. Germination is erratic and poor on cold soils, so do not sow outdoors when the soil temperature is below 10°C (50°F). Incorporate lots of organic matter during the winter prior to sowing. Peas should be grown in an open, sheltered position on soils that are moisture-retentive but not prone to waterlogging, with a pH of 5.5-7.0. Smooth-seeded…

Q Can I grow rhubarb in a large, plastic flowerpot? S Mann (via email) A Rhubarb should grow successfully in a large pot, using John Innes no 3 compost with some additional grit, and a good layer of drainage at the bottom. This is a good time of year to pot rhubarb as the plant is dormant, but it might be wise to place it somewhere quite sheltered where it will have some protection from the worst of the weather. Plants in the ground should be mulched, not only to feed but also to hold moisture in the soil. A container-grown plant will benefit from having the top layer of soil replaced with fresh soil in late winter. To feed, top-dress with sulphate of ammonia in summer. Water regularly to…

Q Can I buy a cultivated form of hogweed for my garden border? M Durk, Swansea A Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) shouldn’t be grown as it is highly invasive and its sap can burn skin. It is closely related to cow parsley (Heracleum maximum); these and other heracleum species were grown as ornamental plants in years past, but have fallen from favour. Q Can I use nettles as an insecticide or a plant food? I Mills, Kirkby-in-Ashfield A Nettles do make a good liquid fertiliser (not an insecticide), rich in nitrogen and other nutrients. Pack a large drum or bucket with stems, and cover with water, preferably rainwater. Leave for about a month, and stir them several times a week. It smalls revolting, but is good for plants! Q My…

IS there anything more delightful in a winter garden than sitting by the window and watching the birds take their breakfast from a bird feeder? Their behaviour can be entertaining and their plumage a flash of colour against a frosty background. Putting an appropriate bird food out will supplement their diet during the long, cold winter months, but there’s a problem: squirrels also love nuts and seeds and will go to great lengths to get their greedy paws on a treat. Within a very short length of time they can empty a feeder and leave the birds going hungry. If you have neighbourhood squirrels your bird feeder needs to be squirrel-proof. There are two main types of squirrel-proof bird feeder – those where the feeder is surrounded by a cage…

Lonicera ‘Graham Stuart Thomas’ Golden-cream spidery flowers of this dreamy deciduous honeysuckle will fill the air with delicious scent on summer evenings. Rosa ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ This double white scented rose, which is almost thornless, is one of the best varieties for a north-facing wall. Schizophragma integrifolium A vigorous climbing hydrangea that produces huge snowflake-like blooms in mid-summer. Needs deep, moist, well-drained, fertile soil.…

THESE incredible oriental lilies grow up to 8ft (2.5m) in two years. One bulb can produce up to 30 trumpet blooms. Grow through shrubs, against walls and fences, or in large patio pots. Plants reach a height of 8ft (2.5m) and spread of 24in (60cm). Supplied as top sized Lily bulbs size 18/20. Collection comprises: • Tree Lily ‘Yellow Rocket’ • Tree Lily ‘Starburst’ • Tree Lily ‘Pink Explosion’ • Buy 3 of any variety for £9.99 • Buy 9 (3 of each) for £17.99 Was £29.97 Saving £11.98 • Buy 18 (6 of each) for £24.98 Was £59.94 Saving £34.96 To order, call direct on 0844 573 2021 quoting AG760Z (lines open 9am-8pm weekdays, 9am-6pm weekends), OR order online today thompson-morgan.com/AG760Z OR complete the coupon below in BLOCK CAPITALS. Remittance…