Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Jan-2017 i Amateur Gardening

IT struck me at the weekend, sorting though my stored potatoes and removing a lot that have sprouted so won’t keep, that we spend a lot of time as gardeners doing things that are unnecessary or at best the reason for doing them is obscure. Christine Walkden (p33) makes the point that commercial growers don’t ‘chit’ early seed potatoes before planting. Do gardeners really need crops to mature just a couple of weeks earlier? That’s the advantage chitting offers. A couple of 10 litre pots planted with single tubers in a frost-free greenhouse in early January will give you a good picking of spuds even earlier. Then there’s ‘earthing up’ the potato haulms as they grow. This can give young green shoots some brief protection from frost – but only…

1 Begin by sieving fresh seed compost into a seed tray. This sifts out debris that can impede seedlings as they germinate. 2 Level the compost, water it, and leave to drain. Then sprinkle the Morning Glory seeds thinly over the surface. 3 Cover the seeds with a thin layer of compost, or compost mixed 50/50 with vermiculite. 4 Label them, and place a lid over the tray to protect the seeds and prevent the compost drying out before germination. 5 Place the seed tray somewhere light and warm. The seeds should start to germinate within 2-3 weeks.…

A FEW years ago, box blight wasn’t on the radar of most gardeners. Now it has the unenviable position of second place in the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual list of top 10 horticultural horrors. It’s caused by two fungi (Cylindrocladium buxicola and Pseudonectria buxi). Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce these Latin names – but do be concerned if you see brown leaves and bare patches on your box. Box blight strikes all year-round, with outbreaks most likely during rainy, damp weather. That’s a worry, with the UK’s winters tipped to be milder and wetter in future due to climate change. At present, no varieties of box are known to be resistant to box blight. This blight has spread across the UK at an alarming rate. Earlier this month, AG…

BUSH roses should be cut back by one third in autumn to protect them from storm damage. As winter comes to an end, it is time to cut them back further, to encourage new growth for the coming year. When pruning roses, make sure your secateurs – or loppers for older, thicker stems – are clean and sharp. Pruning cuts should be immediately above a healthy, outward-facing bud, and should slope away from the bud so rain runs away from it. Cut dead, diseased and damaged stems back to healthy wood, and get rid of congested and weak branches. Remove any unproductive wood, and pull out suckers from beneath ground level. Their leaves look different to those on the main plant. TopTip Late January and early February are your last…

VERBASCUMS – also known as mulleins – are sturdy beauties that bring height and colour to the border. These short-lived perennials flower reliably from midsummer to autumn, and if staked securely their tall flowerheads will survive the battering of summer storms. Adding to their allure is the fact that you can propagate them from root cuttings through autumn and winter, until the end of next month. It’s really simple. You should only do this job in warmer periods when the ground is not frozen. Loosen soil all around the plant before lifting the crown. Digging up the crown makes access to roots easier – just replant it when you’ve finished. But you could just scrape soil from around the crown to expose roots, and cut these away without digging up…

ONE day I watched celebrity chef Rick Stein on TV, in India, cooking a fish curry. Into some hot oil he threw mustard seeds, onion, then other spices followed by a handful of curry leaves (also known as sweet neem). The steam rose and you could almost smell the flavours that would make the curry so delicious. The richly scented leaf used so widely in Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine is from Murraya koenigii a small evergreen tree in Rutaceae, the citrus family. Native to these countries, it has pinnate leaves and small white flowers. Here in the UK we have to treat murraya as an indoor edible, at least for the winter. There’s a strong motive for growing it because the leaves are best used fresh and dried ones…

WE have raspberry canes growing up a sunny fence, and a solitary summer-fruiter in a large pot on the patio. It’s done it’s job as a demo plant, so I decided it was time for it to join its fellow canes. Late winter, when soft fruit bushes and canes are dormant, is the best time to move them. Any later, and they will be starting to come into leaf, and should not be disturbed. If you want to move plants now, make sure the ground is workable. If it is frozen or waterlogged, wait until it thaws or dries out. Raspberries like a sheltered, sunny spot. Their ideal soil is slightly acidic, moisture retentive and well drained. Our soil is chalky and alkaline, but we added loads of compost and…

A COUPLE of weeks ago I was encouraging you to buy red, white or pinkcurrants as they’re incredibly generous croppers. Well, many of you will have alreadywisely invested in a bush or two, so how do you go about pruning them? These bushes crop predominantly at the base of one-year-old and older stems (blackcurrants crop differently so I’ll deal with these another week). This habit means that you can train a system of semi-permanent branches off which you develop fruiting spurs, so fans, cordons and standards are all within the realms of possibility. I’m growing two redcurrant fans at home, but many of you will have the traditional bowl-shaped currant bush which is what I’m pruning this week. So here’s how to tackle them, step by step: TopTip Use pruned…

THIS year I’ve planted six rows of yellow winter onion (‘Radar’) and five rows of red (‘Electric’). I started them off as sets back in November, planting them 9 x 9in (22 x 22cm) apart in a grid system. They’re busy making root growth at the moment but as the soil warms in February and March telltale green shoots will appear. Onions need to be kept weed-free for success, especially in these early stages, so I hoe regularly. Wide spacing and grid planting make this job a doddle! I’m also applying a sprinkling of high-nitrogen fertiliser now because it boosts yields considerably. Chempak offer a good range, or if you’re organic, use chicken pellets.…

THE UK’s gardens cover an estimated 10 million acres – equivalent to five million football pitches, and bigger than all of the country’s nature reserves combined. That’s why the way we look after garden wildlife is so important. And top of the list of garden wildlife is the bird population. Each winter the RSPB holds the Big Garden Birdwatch (BGB), when more than half a million people help create a snapshot of the nation’s garden bird populations. This year’s survey takes place over the three days of this weekend, 28-30 January. To take part all you have to do is spend an hour over one of the three days, keeping a watchful eye on your garden and counting the maximum number of each type of bird you see landing or…

WHO doesn’t like a good bowl of rhubarb and cream? It’s a family favourite, so we grow many clumps in the garden. And we like to force some of the plants to encourage an early crop. To do this you need either a traditional rhubarb forcer or a homemade version. The purpose of a forcer is to block out the light, which ensures the plants produce tender red sticks earlier than expected. Traditional forcers are often handmade from terracotta, and a quality frostproof forcer that can cope with winter outside is a must – they can cost well over £100. Attractive, they’re often placed in kitchen gardens purely for decoration. At Stockton Bury we have a couple of traditional forcers but our home-made versions are far more generous when it…

I SPOTTED some strange growths on a plum tree in the garden recently. Firm to the touch and up to 4in (10cm) across, after looking through my gardening books I was still at a loss as to what they could be. I turned to Twitter and within minutes a very experienced arboriculturist came to my rescue. He identified them as cushion fungus or cushion bracket, Phellinus pomaceus. Apparently common in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, it tends to be saprophytic on dead or dying wood. Prunus are particularly at risk. Closer inspection shows the branch is still alive but I suspect it may be in trouble or under stress so removing and burning it seems the obvious solution.…

Q Some of the chaps at the allotment say they always chit their early seed potatoes but others just plant. What’s the best method? Harry Stevenson, Hull A Both techniques work. However, chitting starts the potato tuber into growth early and speeds up the process. You hardly ever find a commercial potato grower chitting potato tubers. If you don’t chit them they will still grow and produce a reasonable harvest, but crops will be ready later than chitted tubers. To chit, place tubers in a light, frost-free place at 8-10°C (46-50°F). A porch, conservatory or cool spare room are fine. The tubers should be placed in a single layer with the eyes facing upwards. Old egg boxes hold the tubers well. Chit from January in milder parts of the UK,…

QI planted two ‘Blue Wave’ hydrangeas, but their flowers came through as white and a washed-out pink. How can I get them back to blue? F Richmond, Fairford, Glos A The flower colour of this type of hydrangea changes according to the pH of the soil or compost. They have lilac-to-deep blue flowers in acidic soil, but their blooms are pink or mauve (often muddy-looking colours) in neutral or chalky (alkaline) soils. Interestingly, white and green-flowered varieties remain white or green regardless of the soil pH. When wanting to keep to the ‘pure’ colours of the variety in question, such as blue for ‘Blue Wave’, try to achieve as acidic a soil as you can. For example, use rainwater to water hydrangeas, since hard water from the mains can affect…

Dunlop Women’s Dull PVC Wellies £15 collect in store or + £3.99 p&p 0161 393 7060 millets.co.uk These no-frills traditional olive green wellington boots are made from a flexible PVC rubber with a rubber sole for traction and have a comfortable polyester lining. Harder wearing than some of the more expensive “fashion” wellies, these should be ideal when digging with a fork or spade. Sizes 3-8. Forest Boot Store £189.99 SRP 0333 003 0026 forestgarden.co.uk  for retailers Messywellies always cluttering up your porch or conservatory? This decorative boot store will provide a weatherproof home for them outdoors. A galvanised metal roof offers long term protection, while inside two rows of wooden pegs allow upside down storage for four pairs of wellies. The boot cutout detail in the door provides ventilation.…

EACH variety has been selected for its striking colour, large fully-double blooms and top garden performance. Easy-to-grow, perfect for borders and for cutting. Supplied as tubers. Collection comprises: • ‘Nuit d Ete’ • ‘Orange Turmoil’ • ‘Yellow Star’ • ‘Badger Twinkle’ • Buy 1 of any variety for £6.99 • Buy 4 (1 of each) for £14.98 (RRP £27.96) – Saving £12.98! • Buy 8 (2 of each) for £24.98 (RRP £55.92) – Save Over £30! To order, call direct on 0844 573 2021 quoting AG766Z (lines open 9am-8pm weekdays, 9am-6pm weekends), OR order online today thompson-morgan.com/AG766Z OR complete the coupon below in BLOCK CAPITALS. Remittance may be made by MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, postal order or cheque (name, address and AG766Z on the back of cheque, please), crossed and made payable…

“Snowdrop snobbery started in the 1850s” I LOVE snowdrops as much as the next gardener but have never understood snowdrop-mania. To my heathen’s eye, snowdrops look best when grown like a flurry, or better still an avalanche of white that covers the ground. To the Galantho-Geek however, abundance is boring. What sets his or her heart racing are the tiny nuances in petal shape and colour that distinguish the hybrids from the regular Galanthus nivalis. Snowdrop snobbery isn’t new but a trend that started in the 1850s when soldiers and war-tourists collected Galanthus plicatus as souvenirs of their time in the Crimea. G. plicatus differs from the common type in that it’s bigger with green flecks on the white petals but is only too happy to hybridise with the common…

THIS week sees the start of our fabulous free seed giveaways in conjunction with renowned horticultural suppliers Mr. Fothergill’s Seeds. Each week, Amateur Gardening will come with free seeds to fill your gardens with weeks of gorgeous colour through the summer. We will show you how to sow them, and demonstrate any aftercare each variety might need. We start the year with a fantastic double giveaway – Morning Glory ‘Heavenly Blue’, and Penstemon ‘Mixed Colours’. • Morning Glory ‘Heavenly Blue’ are robust climbers with sky-blue, saucer-shaped flowers. They love to twine their way up trellises and poles. After germination, transplant seedlings to larger pots when they are large enough to handle (see below), and grow on in cool conditions. Harden them off and plant out in May or June when…

CONTAINERS of colourful shrubs and bedding are an easy and reliable way of bringing colour and cheer to the garden before the spring bulbs emerge. But they do need regular care to keep them looking their best. Most winter bedding stops flowering during the coldest weeks, but don’t give up on it. If you can keep your plants healthy, they will come back with gusto when the mercury starts to rise once again. The main problem to avoid is waterlogged compost, which causes roots to rot, killing the plants. You can lessen the risk by using free-draining compost when planting your container, and by standing pots on ‘feet’, which raise them above the ground and give excess water an escape route. You should also remove saucers underneath containers, so they…

INSPECT plants regularly for dieback, all year-round. Box blight loves wet conditions, but it spreads quickly during warmer, humid weather. The fungal disease also spreads fast in poorly ventilated areas. Frequent box clipping leads to denser foliage which restricts air movement and increases the risk of outbreaks. So try not to clip box plants too often. Water box (especially container plants) at the bottom, applying water directly to the soil or compost. Don’t splash water over the foliage, as this helps to create humid conditions that box blight thrives in.…

• With seed sowing time almost upon us, this is the perfect opportunity to test the viability of leftover seeds from previous years. • The two easiest ways of checking if your seeds will germinate successfully this year are: • Scatter some seeds on a piece of damp kitchen paper, seal it in a plastic bag to retain the moisture, and leave the package somewhere warm for 3-4 days. Check regularly. Healthy seeds will start to sprout, dud ones won’t. If they don’t, throw the packet away. • Larger seeds, such as sweet peas, can be dropped into a bowl of water for 15 minutes. The healthy seeds will sink, bad ones will float and should be discarded.…

1 Mix cuttings compost with perlite in a clay pot, water it well, then let it drain. Clay pots are slightly porous and let the plants’ roots breathe. 2 Dig up the plant with as much soil as possible. Using a sharp, clean knife, cut a long section of pencil-thick roots as close to the crown as possible. 3 Remove all fibrous bits. Cut root into 2-4in (5-10cm) sections, one end flat (top, close to crown), the other angled (base, furthest from crown) 4 Insert the cuttings into the compost, angled end down, until the top is just below the surface. Place in a cold frame, and keep damp.…

1 Either buy special citrus compost, or mix 1 part John Innes No2 with two parts soilless multipurpose/leaf mould and 1 of grit and/or vermiculite. 2 Unwrap carefully and if you can’t pot immediately, make the plant comfortable in a light, warm airy place, with roots covered. 3 Choose a pot just larger than the roots – in winter the plant will be inactive and too much wet, unoccupied compost can suffocate roots. 4 Place compost in the base, set plant at the right height (check stem soil mark) and fill in around roots, firming gently. Water the compost.…

1 Clear the planting area of stones and weeds, enrich with organic matter, and dig a hole as deep as the plant’s rootball. 2 Carefully lift the plant from its container. Standing it in water for 20 minutes first will make this easier. 3 Plant your raspberry, and in-fill around its rootball, so the roots are all covered. Firm in well to support the plant. 4 Water well, and mulch. Avoid using mushroom compost (it’s alkaline) or fresh farmyard manure (it burns shoots).…

MANY of us are thinking of losing a few pounds after Christmas indulgences, and what better way to do it than with healthy salads. Long-gone are the days of limp and tasteless lettuce. I can’t emphasise enough how impressed I am with salad leaf varieties I’ve sown in recent years. They are quick and productive, and they come in all manner of flavours from mild and crunchy to blow-your-head-off peppery! Many are very hardy so lend themselves well to early sowings. While blends are available I like to sow individual varieties in separate pots – that way if there’s a difference in growth rates or competitiveness it doesn’t matter. Being quick to grow (six weeks from sowing to harvest at this time of year in a frost-free greenhouse) and comparatively…

• 29 January: Kings Arms Garden, Ampthill, Beds, MK45 2PP. Small 1½ acre woodland garden of trees, shrubs and bulbs created by plantsman the late William Nourish. Open 2-4pm. 01525 755648, ngs.org.uk • 1, 4, 8 February: Spring Platt, Boyton Court Road, Sutton Valence, Maidstone, Kent ME17 3BY. Panoramic views of the Weald and more than 400 varieties of snowdrop grown in tiered display beds. Open 10am-4pm for NGS. 01622 843383, kentsnowdrops.com • 5 February: West Dean Gardens, nr Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0RX. Historic downland garden of 35 acres: more than 500,000 snowdrop bulbs have been planted in recent years. Open 9am-4pm for NGS. 01243 818221, westdean.org.uk/gardens • 5 & 12 February: Rock House, Elberton, South Glos, BS35 4AQ. Two-acre woodland with snowdrops, hellebores and spring bulbs. Open 11am-4pm…

JANUARY is a good month to take a break from weeding, surely? Well, if the ground is icy cold, maybe it is. However, on mild days so much can be done to prevent a takeover of invasive weeds in summer. The problem weeds in our borders are rose bay willow herb and hairy bitter cress. Willow herb (Chamerion angustifolium) is forming its first shoots and it’s a good idea to stop this native perennial in its tracks now. The hairy bitter cress (Cardamine hirsuta) is an annual that loves our soil. It is far easier to hoe this plant off in spring but on mild days I will hand weed it to stay ahead of the game. It’s not just the borders that need weeding. My uncle offered me sound…

THE first pictures have emerged of proposals for the RHS’s new fifth garden – RHS Garden Bridgewater – set to be created in the grounds of the former Worsley New Hall in Salford. Plans, including a welcome building at the 154-acre site, have been submitted for planning permission to Salford City Council. Designs for the proposed entrance garden (laid out like a web and planted in a perennial meadow style) and ‘paradise garden’ have been created by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith. One of the key features at Bridgewater will be a 10-acre walled garden, which is set to contain fruit and veg as well as flower gardens and therapeutic plants. Other plans include a new lake and a water garden of interlocking streams and rocky waterfalls. RHS Garden Bridgewater is…

You’ll need: Untreated wood at least 4ft 9in x 6in x ¾ in (1500mm x 150mm x 15mm) Electric drill and wood drill bits, paddle bit and rounded file Galvanised screws and screwdriver Rustproof hinge and catch (optional) Waterproof material such as pond liner or shed roofing felt. Tape measure and pencil Saw and sandpaper 1 MEASURE and saw your wood (see the diagram, below left). For an open-fronted box, cut the front panel to 4in (10cm) for robins or 14cm for wrens. 2 SAND off any splinters and screw pieces together; start with the back. Drill a few drainage holes in the base. Don’t attach the lid at this stage. 3 DRILL an entrance hole in the front panel with a paddle drill bit, at least 4½in (12.5cm) from…

Q My winter-flowering Clematis ‘Winter Beauty’ has finished flowering. I can find no information on pruning this particular variety. Should I cut it right back to ground level? Roy Bristow (via email) A‘Winter Beauty’ falls into the Clematis pruning group 1, which means it does not require pruning other than to remove dead or weak stems, and to do this in late May or June. However, plants that have made excessive growth, and are in danger of outgrowing their situation, can be pruned back by up to a half, if required. This is also done at the same time, in late May or June. If you prune too much out of the plant, or you do it at any other time of year, it may result in fewer flowers. My…

Q Do you think a Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan-Sugi’ would grow happily in a half barrel? What soil type would be best, and what could I plant underneath it? Valerie Hartshorne, Steeple Bumpstead A Yes, a container is fine. Conifers like free-draining compost that is rich in humus, so I would use John Innes No 3 and a good dose of well-rotted garden compost or leaf mould. Topdress annually with organic matter. This variety of Japanese cedar is happy in both full sun and partial shade. It is fully hardy, so has no need of winter protection, though as with all container plants, it might be worth wrapping the barrel in sacking or fleece if we have a hard winter. Ultimately, this variety will reach 6ft (2m) tall and 5ft (1.5m)…

1 Choose sowing composts carefully as some are too fine, others lumpy; most benefit from the addition of sharp sand or vermiculite for improved drainage. 2 YoU only need a few of each variety, so sow thinly and sparingly. Dense seedlings are prone to fungal damping off disease and suffer when prised apart. 3 VeRY warm temperatures in a propagating case can damage seeds and encourage damping off disease. Aim for 60-65 F (15-18 C) and ventilate well. 4 WheN handling seedlings, hold them by a leaf rather than the stem, which is easily bruised and might rot. You can safely bury long stems up to the leaves. 5 Use modules and fibre pots to make handling easier but they take up valuable propagator room. In the garden, give plants…

Marvellous mahonias I SO enjoyed Anne Swithinbank’s article in AG (19 November) on fragrant winter flowering shrubs and agreed with her about mahonias being on her list. Then we had another lovely feature specifically about them in AG’s Christmas issue. The glorious evergreen leaves give pleasure all year but they’re nothing in comparison to the winter blooms. In my view they’re better than any Christmas decoration and the vibrant flowers along with their glorious scent brighten up any winter’s day. This is a picture of mine that I took last year and no doubt the blooms will be equally lovely this year too. Sylvia Monk, Takeley, Herts Jenny says... I like the bright yellow blooms but I’m not keen on their spiky leaves! Toad of Toad Hall THIS is Sampson…

IF you have interesting snowdrops in your garden you can hybridise them to create a new variety. Choose two plants that have features you want to combine and as soon as the flowers start to open on the female (seed-bearing) snowdrop, remove the anthers with tweezers and cover with a cloche to prevent accidental insect pollination. On a sunny day, when the pollen is at its most potent, transfer the pollen from your selected male parent onto the stigma of the female and cover again – repeat this process over a few days. A few weeks later the seed-holding ovary will start to swell and will ripen ready for sowing, once the casing has been removed in late-spring. You never know – you could create a hybrid that’s worth a…

• For the best results always use fresh seed compost and vermiculite. Seeds need little in the way of nutrients for initial germination, and stronger growing media can burn developing roots. • Vermiculite is lightweight mineral granules that help boost water and nutrient retention, and improve air circulation around seeds. • Once seedlings have developed their first set of ‘proper’ leaves, they can be pricked out into small individual pots. • Handle the seedlings carefully, picking them up by a leaf, not their delicate stem, and potting them on into multi-purpose or John Innes No 2 compost. Grow them on, and harden them off, before planting in their final position.…

• Use these quieter weeks to replace the basic equipment that is so essential for successful gardening. • You can never have too many plant labels, indelible markers, and balls of garden twine. The same goes for seed trays plus their lids, and 3in (7cm) pots for potting-up or rooting cuttings. • Make the most of ‘3-for-2’ offers on compost, plus bags of vermiculite and perlite for seed sowing and cuttings. • If you use rooting powder or gel, buy new each spring so it stays fresh and uncontaminated. • And don’t make do with one pair of gardening gloves – I have waterproof pairs for mucky work, thin ones for sowing seeds, and tough ones for pruning and heavy work.…

IF you use chemicals – Bayer’s Fungus Fighter and Fungus Fighter Plus state on the packaging that they can be used to treat box blight. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, Scotts’ Fungus Clear Ultra and Fungus Clear Ultra Gun are “labelled for control of other diseases on ornamentals and could therefore be used legally on box, at the owner’s risk”. If you’re organic, infected box plants should be removed and burnt or binned without delay. Clear-up and bin fallen box leaves and surrounding topsoil, as the fungus can remain active on debris for more than five years.…

“Garden-ready sized plants are rapidly gaining in popularity” PRICE ought to be only a minor consideration when we thumb through the mass of summer bedding plant catalogues that pile through our letterboxes this time of year. The old adages “You get what you pay for” and “Regret economies rather than extravagancies” ring very true. Priority should be given instead to the cultivar and the conditions you have to grow-on plants after delivery. Gardeners with heated greenhouses, conservatories or windowsills wide enough to take several dozen young plants can go for small seedlings early in the year. Those with unheated greenhouses, cold frames and limited frost-free space are well advised to order somewhat larger plug plants for late April/early May delivery and then be ready to bring indoors or cover with…

• When taking cuttings, make sure that as much soil as possible stays around the roots of the parent plant when you dig it out of the ground. • Keep the root ball out of the wind and direct sun, and only remove up to one third of the roots at any one time. • Make sure you return the parent plant to the soil as soon as possible after taking the cuttings. • When replanting, make sure the soil falls all around the roots. Firm it in, and water the plant well.…

• Stand plants in good light – close to a window in winter but away from harsh light in summer. They can go outdoors into a lightly shaded, sheltered spot from June to September. • Cool indoor temperatures of 60-65°F/15-18°C are ideal. Plants can withstand temperatures as low as 40°F (4°C) but are apt to drop leaves and struggle. • Water only when the surface of the compost dries out. • Feed with a citrus type fertilizer every 3 weeks from spring to autumn. • When plants are growing strongly, nip out the growing tip to encourage branching. • Keep an eye out for signs of spider mites (pale, mottled leaves). Mist leaves with water occasionally to put them off.…

• Use these last dormant days of winter to prune any fruit trees and shrubs that require shaping, and to remove old, unproductive and congested wood. • Check that dead-looking stems are actually dead by dragging a thumb nail down a small area. If green shows under the bark, it is alive, but if the wood is brown it is dead and should be removed. • Leave alone any fat buds or green shoots on branches, or around the base of autumn raspberries. In many cases this new growth will bear flowers and fruit, so your harvest will be reduced if you remove them now.…

IF there was one vegetable that you’d grow for looks alone it would be the chilli. I always grow a selection of varieties each year. Plant breeders introduce new and improved varieties regularly. This spring, I’m keen to trial those that are specifically bred for growing in pots and hanging baskets. I want to create a stunning greenhouse display for visitors to East Donyland Hall’s summer open day. If you’re new to chillies, try F1 hybrids ‘Cayenetta’ and ‘Basket of Fire’ as both are compact and bred for pots. For hanging baskets ‘Sweet Sunshine’ is good, producing hundreds of pointed orange-red fruits. Chillies benefit from early sowing because many (especially hotter varieties) need a long growing season to ripen. Remember the plants need warmth and full sun. Check the Scoville…

“Pruning is simple: all canes are cut down in winter” YOU still have time plant some new soft fruit as long as your soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged. Now, it’s better not to crop them the first year as this exhausts young plants. However, you could have first-year crops of both strawberries and raspberries if you choose varieties that fruit later in the year, such as ‘Just Add Cream’ strawberries and ‘Polka’ raspberries, as these will have had more time to establish. And there are other good reasons for having autumn fruiters continuing the harvest. Late fruiters spread the weather risk, as a ‘bad’ autumn may not always follow a ‘bad’ summer (well here’s hoping). Their greatest advantage though, is their later timing means they often escape pests or…

THE Dingle Garden at Stockton Bury was planted more than 20 years ago. It’s home to our water garden and to keep it private from the road there’s a large shrubbery on a bank creating a very successful screen. The shrubbery is home to shrub roses, mahonias, buddlejas, berberis and yew that are underplanted with eranthus, bluebells and anemones. Although the underplanting is ideal for a woodland edge these plants are now cast in too much shade and the shrubs are fighting for light and becoming unruly. Left untouched shrubberies eventually outgrow their space and you end up with shrubs that have an empty heart and just a few flowers around the edge. January is a good month to sort a shrubbery, but you’ll have to watch your step to…

A SPECIAL exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May will mark gardening pundit Peter Seabrook’s 40 years as gardening editor of The Sun. The display, called ‘40 Sunbury Road,’ will feature a “typical but modest suburban back garden”. It’ll have a patio and decking, hanging baskets and pots, a wildlife area, shed, greenhouse and living walls. The industry showcase garden, supported by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), will feature an area grown by school children, focusing on vegetables and wildlife-friendly plants.…

House martins House martins traditionally built their mud nests on cliff faces, but today they are more likely to set up home under the eaves of buildings. You can make your own from cement and sawdust using a child’s ball as a mould. Woodpeckers Woodpeckers like to excavate their own entrance hole so a nest box made from birch wood gives them the opportunity to do so. Site at a height of 6-9ft (2-3m); you can also line the box with a layer of forest soil or peat. Starlings The extended front or “balcony” keeps predators away from the nest. Young starlings will squirt their droppings through the entrance hole to the nest box instead of fouling the main nest site. Treecreepers These birds prefer to build their nest in…

QI have several viola plants, and would like to take cuttings from them. What is the best way? Craig Stewart (via email) A Viola cuttings are best taken from new shoots in spring. When the plants flower, the stems elongate, become hollow, and don’t root very well. But new shoots root extremely easily. Cuttings should be 1-2in (2.5-5cm) long, and inserted into well-draining seed and cutting compost. If kept at a temperature of 15˚C (59˚F), they should root in around 14 days, and can be potted up individually once there are signs of new growth. If you fancy growing from seed, seeds should be available a few weeks after flowering. Seedpods are quite small, and turn brown once they are mature. Seed is best sown fresh, and kept at a…

Q How can I stop birds scattering seed from feeders all over my lawn? I love seeing the birds, but they make such a mess! M Lambert, Congleton, Cheshire A The best way to stop the birds scattering food from tubular feeders is to fit a tray to each one. These will catch the seeds, and the birds will eat them instead of wasting them. With a little ingenuity you can convert seed trays into useful ‘seed catchers’. QI covered my brassicas with netting, but holes appeared! What did it, and how can I stop it? P Warner, Thurlton, Norfolk A This looks like the sort of damage done by pigeons, although voles and mice also cause this sort of devastation, particularly if their numbers are high. These smaller members…

• HA (hardy annuals): these will tolerate light frosts and can be sown direct to the soil in early autumn or anytime from late March to May. If heavy frosts are due, some need protection such as a hooped cloche covered in fleece. • HHA (half hardy annuals): These need to be started off in a propagator or in a greenhouse that doesn’t go below 4˚C (40˚F). Sow in February and plant out in May or June. • Biennials: These are sown from mid May to mid July and planted out in late summer/early autumn. They will flower the following spring/summer. • Perennials: Some can be sown early in the year (from February), but the majority are sown in spring, planted out in autumn, and will flower the following year.…

CLAGGY mud tends to stick to wellies and garden work boots at this time of year, and you really want to get rid of the worst of it before you go indoors. It’s not always practical to take your boots off on the doorstep and give them a good banging together to bash the mud off – mud tends to fly all over the place anyway. Boot scrapers offer a solution to this problem. You can clean off dirt while you’ve still got your footwear on. Scrapers come in various guises: some decorative and some purely practical. But which works best? Four Brush Scraper £24.99 RRP 0117 9341799 bosmere.com  for retailers Features Steel frame holds a pair of bottom and side brushes with stiff nylon bristles. Hinged side flaps with…