Innholdsfortegnelse for 22-Apr-2017 i Amateur Gardening

I FINISHED digging the allotment the other week, and was concerned that I found very few earthworms in the soil. Worms? We all know they matter. Charles Darwin reckoned they’re essential to agriculture, and hence our survival. But I was turning over spit after spit of soil and only encountering the occasional wriggler. Worse, I’ve found the dreaded earthworm-guzzling New Zealand flatworm on my plot OMG Paniiiiiiiiiiiiiic! Was this the end of the world? Was I tilling dead earth? Well, I had wonderful crops last year and the patch is still yielding excellent leeks, parsnips, purple sprouting and spinach. So something else must be going on. A little research revealed that different earthworms deal with winter in different ways. Some die but leave behind eggs in the soil which hatch…

THERE is no time like the present to think about planning for the future – in this case planting bulbs that will bring colour to the garden when summer ends. You can plant autumn-flowering bulbs from now until late summer, but the earlier they go in the ground, the better chance you have of an impressive show. It’s getting a bit late to plant summer bulbs, though as long as you can find bulbs there is still time. However now is the right time to plant hardy Nerine bowdenii which produce stunning pink flowers before the strap-like leaves. Flowers appear in September, or even later, so to fill the gap between summer and their arrival, I am also planting Gladiolus murielae in containers. These produce elegant white flowers from late…

WHEN planning sowing for the year ahead, gardeners often miss a trick by ignoring the merits of annual ornamental grasses. They make a wonderful addition to borders and containers, and once they have produced their seedheads they can be cut, dried, and used to supplement indoor arrangements. The most popular include bunny tails (Lagurus ovatus), which produce fluffy and soft tufty seedheads, and quaking grass with its delicate, divided, raindrop-shaped pendulous heads. Stunning Pennisetum produces brilliant white, fluffy seedheads from dense clumps of deciduous leaves, and black millet (Sorghum nigrum) will add height and structure to borders, with striking flowerheads that range in colour from greeny-gold to distinctive bronze. Sow seeds in drifts and spirals for the most attractive effects. Rake them over, and protect with twigs, mesh or a…

“Smaller flowered violas are now outstanding” THE search mounted by presenters of BBC Gardeners’ World for plants making the greatest impact over the past half century is a tough one. When they kicked things off with ‘bedding plants’ it was a cop out. Do they mean spring bedding, or summer bedding, or autumn or winter? We didn’t have winter flowering Pansy ‘Universal’ 50 years ago and given some dead heading both Universal and their successor Pansy ‘Maxim Series’, with over 30 different separate colours, will flower pretty well year round. A case could certainly be made for Pansy and Viola F1 hybrids being the plant that has made a great impact on our gardens and public plantings. Last month at Meadow Croft Garden Centre Pansy and Viola Festival there were…

THIS week’s batch of free Mr Fothergill’s seeds – Viola ‘Comedy Mix’ – should cheer up everyone’s garden. Violas are hardy perennials, though they are best grown as a biennial or annual, with an easy-going nature and jolly character. They are happy growing in beds, as edging plants, and in containers. They will tolerate sun and dappled shade, and come in a variety of velvety colours. ‘Comedy Mix’ come in cheerful shades of purple, pink, yellow and a creamy white. At this time of year, they will be fine if sown directly where you want them to grow, and then thinned out when large enough to handle. However, if you live in the north of the country, or somewhere exposed, you will have more success sowing them undercover, and moving…

1 Citrus are self fertile and small fruits are setting. On a small tree, these should be thinned to just one or two per cluster. 2 This existing mature fruit has not grown or changed since the autumn so is best removed, or it could slow the set of new fruits. 3 Citrus need well-draining, neutral compost. I used 4 parts of 50:50 soilless and JI No 2 plus composted bark and leaf mould, and 1 part grit. 4 Remove the lime from its pot and use this to ‘pot’ into the new larger one. Removed, it leaves a tailor-made hole for the rootball.…

LAST month I was encouraging you to pot up a selection of fruit trees and bushes – they’re such a handy way to grow a wide selection of crops in a small space that everyone should treat themselves to a few containerised plants. Well, now that they’re fully entering into growth, it pays to give them a little attention to get the best yields later. You have to remember that these plants are relying heavily on us for food and water – much more than plants grown in the open soil. Shortfalls in this department will result in considerably reduced yields and poor quality fruit. To get over this problem follow my step-by-step guide to their care: Top Tip Don’t use peat or peat substitute composts to pot up fruit…

IF you think of garden creatures as being either ‘good’ or ‘bad’, then shrews are on the side of ‘good’. Hard-working animals, often labouring for 24 hours a day, they grab little catnaps here and there. Most importantly they serve gardeners well by consuming many pests, including slugs, beetles and other invertebrates. There are two commonly seen shrews in the UK. The smaller of the two is the pygmy shrew, which grows to about 2¼in (6cm) long, with a tail of some 1¾in (4.5cm) long. It has grey-brown fur, a lighter belly and a pointed snout. This tiny creature is on a permanent hunt for food because it needs to eat more than its body weight each day. Insects, woodlice and small spiders are its preferred diet. The common shrew…

HAVE we had the last frost of the year? Let’s hope so. It is wise to remain glued to the weather reports in late April as so many of us have precious and tender plants in the garden that will suffer if hit by frost. If frost is forecast, move tender potted plants to a sheltered spot. Larger garden plants such as my mature Magnolia stellata are harder to protect. All I can do is throw a large piece of garden fleece over the plant in the evening. This is tricky when plants are mature, so find a helper if you can. Garden fleece is reasonably priced and can be bought off the roll at most garden centres. Keep a few metres in the shed and hopefully you’ll never need…

IT’S well worth checking if you have all the attachments and hoses you need ready before the weather warms up. Follow my tips for easy watering this summer: • Unravel your hosepipes and make sure they are long enough to reach where you have chosen to place your container displays. • Invest in automatic watering systems now and work out how to install them. • It’s not too late to install a water butt. • Ensure you have suitable wands to make hanging basket watering easy. • If you’ve moved house since last summer, do you have the right tap connector for your hose pipes? • Invest in a new watering can if the old one has a hole in it – who wants water running down their leg! •…

‘Golden Marinka’ Naturally cascading and ideal as a specimen in a basket, the whole flower is bright red, the petals slightly darker, and makes a lively contrast with the narrowly yellow edged foliage. Also very pretty with trailing blue lobelia. ‘Harry Gray’ This prolific, double flowered and well-branched trailer has green tipped white sepals and fluffy white petals veined in pink towards the base changing to palest pink as the flowers mature. The short growth between leaves gives masses of flowers. Swingtime’ A classic basket variety, with good vigour and tolerance of less-than-perfect-care. The bright red sepals flutter above a skirt of rippled white petals that are prettily veined in red. The variegated version, ‘Golden Swingtime’, has golden-edged foliage. ‘Thalia’ A bold and upright variety with rich, bronzed green leaves…

TENDER fuchsias are short-lived so take cuttings from them every couple of years, in spring and through summer. Take cuttings from strong new growth. SNIP off the lowest leaves and snip through the stem just below the leaf joint. Each cutting should be about 3in (8cm) long, with two pairs of leaves and a growing tip. PUT three cuttings in a 3in (7.5cm) pot of multipurpose compost with the lowest leaves on the compost. Water and cover with a clear plastic dome or polythene bag. Keep at about 18°C (64°F).…

Marginals: try Iris laevigata (above). One of the best aquatics, producing large, clear violet-blue flowers in June on plants that grow to 24-35in (60-90cm). Also consider Caltha polypetala, the largest-growing marsh marigold. It bears big single flowers up to 16in (40cm) tall in May. For the shallows: Aponogeton distachyos (water hawthorn, above) has snow-white fragrant flowers with black anthers, standing 1in (3cm) above the water from early-spring to late-autumn. Orontium aquaticum produces blue-green foliage and spikes of tight-packed yellow flowers on white stems. Floating plants: Stratiotes aloides looks like the top of a pineapple with spiny rosettes of green leaves. It has small white flowers. This floating plant sinks to the bottom of ponds in winter.…

Pop-Up Net Cloche £8.95 + £4.95 p&p 0333 777 3936 mr-fothergills.co.uk Protect young plants against light frost and insect and bird attack. A useful 39in (100cm) long by 16in (40cm) tall and wide, this cloche has a powder-coated steel frame and is covered in a woven net mesh. Gutter Mate Rhubarb Forcer £69.99 free delivery 01462 429765 guttermate.co.uk Traditional-looking but made of UV-stabilised plastic making it light in weight and so much easier to move around, it’s pretty well indestructible and a fraction of the price of a clay pot of this size. Height is 32in (81cm) including the lid and the bottom diameter is 22 1/4in (56.5cm). Apollo Frost Fleece Grow Tunnel £7.99 free click & collect 03330 112112 screwfix.com  for store finder…

If algae or blanket weed is a problem, use barley straw – either mini bales that float in the water, or stuff handfuls into an old pair of tights for smaller ponds. 50g of straw per sq m (1½ oz per sq yd) of water surface area is ideal. As the barley straw rots it produces a substance that prevents algae and blanket weed from growing. Add the straw in spring and remove it when it has turned black (about six months later). You can purchase barley straw from aquatic departments of garden centres.…

FILL a watertight container with rainwater – tap water should stand for a few days before planting to allow the chemicals to dissipate. Use upturned pots to create shelves to allow you to grow different plants. Pile up stones at the edge to allow wildlife to get in and out. Include oxygenators to keep the water fresh. Plants to try: Thypa minima (miniature bullrush), miniature waterlily ‘Helvola’, Mentha cervina( water spearmint) and Isolepis cernua (fibre optic plant).…

“Soil conditions now are ideal for germination” IF you have successfully coaxed your autumn-sown sweet pea seedlings through the winter, pinching them out and keeping them pest free, you can plant them in the ground now. If you live in the north, or somewhere particularly exposed, it may be worth waiting another week or so, but they are hardy plants and can survive outside in most areas. Late April is also a good time to sow sweet pea seeds directly where you want plants to grow. The soil is being warmed by the sun and dampened by spring showers, so the conditions should be perfect for successful germination. I have three lots of sweet peas to deal with this week. The first lot was sowed last October, and after germination…

Basal cuttings taken from the base of a newly-sprouting perennial are an easy way of creating more plants. Cut young shoots from around the edge of the main plant’s crown, with a few roots attached. Remove lower leaves, and pinch out the growing tip. Dip the end in rooting powder, and insert into a pot containing seed compost and perlite. Water, cover with a plastic bag, and place somewhere light and warm.…

IF you haven’t already done so, this is a good week to spend some time looking after your trees and shrubs. They will benefit from being fed and mulched, and you should also check that they are still securely planted after winter storms and frosts. Start your overhaul by firming any ground around the roots that may have been cracked, loosened and lifted during spells of frosty weather. At the same time, check that supporting stakes are still embedded in the ground, and make sure tree ties are doing their job. If they have perished over time, replace them, and if they have worked loose tighten them up... but not so much that they are too tight and biting into tree bark, as this can provide an entry point for…

IT’S a great British tradition – a bit like moaning about the weather: we regard runner beans as a summer essential, then end up complaining about stringy, tasteless crops! Thankfully, chewy runners are history if you choose a stringless type. Modern runner beans are flavoursome and tender. Plus, their flowers look as good in borders as they do on a veg plot. Runner beans can be sown indoors or in a heated greenhouse from April until early-June, so now’s a perfect time to get crops going (see below). I’m sowing ‘Firestorm’ – the first completely self-fertile scarlet-flowered runner bean. I trialled it last year and it lived up to its RHS Award of Garden Merit, setting heavy, continuous pods even during periods of wet weather as well as hot spells.…

CITRUS including lemons, limes and various oranges, are popular indoor plants but need good regular care to thrive. So for everyone who owns one of these rewarding tender fruit trees, here’s a timely follow-up on the Tahiti Lime featured last September. Also known as Bearss or Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia), our plant was bought at the end of last summer with no blossom but one small lime in place. Most citrus are durable plants able to survive temperatures close to freezing, but at low temperatures plants go very dormant and can be slow to wake up. A better bet is to aim for a minimum of 50˚F (10˚C) in a cool, bright room indoors. Our lime lived out the winter parked at the end of a dining table, sharing…

“Warm water wets compost much more readily” HERE'S a simple way to help your plants – don’t chill them. Warm the water before giving it to your plants, especially the more tender ones under cover. Of course plants are going to prefer warm water to cold, wouldn’t you? True, water will warm up once in the pots but surely water warm to start with must be better than cold (except during a heat wave in summer). Warm roots means growth can proceed more quickly, that’s why we use ‘bottom heat’ in propagators. Plus, warm water wets compost more readily than does cold. So how can you have warmer water without plumbing in a water heater in the greenhouse, or fitting an outside hot tap, which would be expensive? Obviously, if…

THESE delicious pearl-like beans are making good growth now that the weather is warming. Regardless of whether you sowed in autumn or spring, plants are definitely on the move. It’s time then, to jump in and support them so you’re not faced with a tangled mess come June. I’m staking these overwintered ‘Aquadulce Claudia’. They can easily grow 5ft (1.5m) tall and the brittle stems are not strong enough to support themselves. Even compact varieties such as ‘The Sutton’ and ‘Robin Hood’ benefit from a few twiggy pea sticks to hold them up. My ‘Aquaduce Claudia’ require heavy-duty stakes, so I’ve pruned a few whippy stems to weave into tall hoops around the edge. Bamboo canes and string work just as well if you haven’t got prunings.…

SAVOY cabbages, Brussels sprouts, winter caulis, curly kale and other winter brassicas should be sown now to ensure good harvests. They need time to bulk up before autumn when growth rates slow. Sow seeds one per module of well watered seed compost, now. Pop them in a propagator at 16-18°C and they’ll germinate within a week. Grow seedlings on in a cool, bright spot under cover to plant out in June. Classic varieties need quite wide spacings, especially on light soil which dries out quickly. I space mine 32-40in (80-100cm) apart each way. In smaller gardens closer spacing (50cm) gives smaller yet perfectly harvestable ‘mini’ heads of cabbage and cauliflower, and kale will merrily crop if crammed in, too. Only Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting might suffer. Many modern kale…

22-23 April: Spring Plant Fair: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettenden Common, Chelmsford CM3 8ET; 0203 1765 830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 20-23 April: Harrogate Spring Flower Show, Regional Agricultural Centre, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate SG2 8NZ. Tickets from £17. 01423 5461578 flowershow.org.uk 22 April: Introduction to Polytunnels: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH; 0203 1765 830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 22 April: Springtime Bird Walk: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB; 0203 1765 830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisely 22 April: Starting from Scratch (Propagation): RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET; 0203 1765 830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 23 April: Bosworth House, Arthingworth, Market Harborough, Northants LE16 8LA. Three acre garden open in aid of the NGS. Herbaceous borders, orchard, cottage garden and little spinney. 2-6pm, admission £4, children free. Mr and Mrs Irving-Swift…

IF you’re unsure about sowing seed then choose hardy annuals. These can be sown direct into the garden now and there’s no need for greenhouses, propagators and seed trays. It’s so easy to do that it’s likely you’ll forget you’ve sown them and you’ll have a wonderful surprise later in the year. In my April 8th column, I shared the planting of my new herb bed. As the herbs will be immature this year I have plenty of space for some easy to grow plants with edible flowers. First on my list is calendula (pot marigold). The petals of this vibrant orange annual are a delicious peppery addition to salads. I’ve chosen Calendula officinalis ‘Candyman Orange’ from Thompson and Morgan. According to the seed company it is the longest flowering,…

THE royal Horticultural society is to plug the gaps at Chelsea Flower show by teaming up with BBC radio 2 to stage ‘Feel Good Gardens’. Just nine Main Avenue show gardens are set to be staged at Chelsea (23-27 May) compared to 17 in 2006. the five ‘Feel Good Gardens’ will sit on royal Hospital Way. they’ll celebrate radio 2’s 50th anniversary and will be named after presenters. On 22 May, Chris Evans will present his radio 2 breakfast show from Chelsea. Asked if the RHS had secured sponsorship for the gardens, an RHS spokeswoman said: “the industry is pulling together by donating plants and materials and working with the RHS to help us deliver these gardens.” the Feel Good Gardens will comprise the Chris Evans taste Garden, the Jo…

This collection of impressive perennials will create a rich display of pretty colours providing an amazing scene in any garden year after year. This easy to grow collection is also fully hardy. Height: up to 59” (150cm). Spread: up to 18” (45cm). Supplied as plug plants. Contains Verbena bonariensis, Geum ‘Mrs Bradshaw’, Coreopsis ‘Early Sunrise’ and Foxglove ‘Excelsior’. * Just pay £5.65 for postage Other special offers: OFFER 1 Verbena ‘Quartz Mixed’ F1 Hybrid Invaluable for massing in beds, borders, window boxes and hanging baskets, this carefully selected mix of early flowering, brightly coloured verbena with excellent mildew resistance will guarantee a long lasting display. Height: 10” (25cm). Spread: 12” (30cm). Supplied as plug plants. Buy 36 for £11.99 Buy 72 for £17.99 – Saving £5.99 OFFER 2 Lavender Duo…

‘Alice Hoffman’ A small and cheerful variety with rosy red sepals and a semi-double skirt of white petals. Makes an upright to rounded plant which looks well on a rock garden to take over when the alpines have faded. 2ft (60cm). ‘Dollar Princess’ A small flowered, but very prolific double-flowered variety with cerise sepals and a mass of rich purple petals. Over a hundred years old and still the most popular double-flowered hardy variety. 17in (45cm). ‘Genii’ Its rich yellow foliage from spring to autumn makes its cherry red and deep purple flowers pop out. Good in a mixed border, the sun enhances the foliage colouring. A little less hardy so it appreciates good drainage. 31in (80cm). ‘Lady Boothby’ Sometimes described as a climber, this vigorous, tall and upright variety…

1 Feed regularly Use a liquid feed such as Chempak Fuchsia Food, Vitax Tub & Hanging Basket feed, or any liquid tomato feed. Apply at half strength at every watering. 2 Water regularly Fuchsias hate to dry out and may need watering every day in the height of summer. Be sure to give them a thorough soak. 3 Deadhead Nip the flowers off container-grown plants as they deteriorate. Some will drop off (and need tidying up) but some will make energy-sapping berries. 4 Pay attention to P&D Be alert to early signs of gall mite and rust, in particular, as both can take hold quickly and ruin the display. 5 Try a standard When visiting a flower show, look out for standard fuchsias which are not usually available mail order.…

ONE of the simple joys of gardening is snipping a bunch of sweet peas on a summer’s evening. These colourful annuals are cut-and-come-again plants, which means they thrive on being cut for the vase. Even just a small bunch with fill a room with delicious scent, and it doesn’t matter that the flowers only last a few days because the plants outside will have produced more when your vaseful is spent. Sow or plant now There’s still time to get them in the ground. In fact - according to expert Roger Parsons, who holds the National Collection of sweet peas in West Sussex - they can be sown as late as early June. Of course the later they are sown, the later they will flower, so get them in the…

Choose plants that fit the size and depth of your pond – check labels and ask for advice from specialist nurseries. Check if plants come bare root or potted up. Ready potted will establish more quickly. Plant into aquatic compost in mesh baskets. Add gravel on top of the compost to hold it in place. Gently lower to the right depth. In autumn trim back foliage to a couple of cm above the water. Thin out oxygenating plants now. Use aquatic fertiliser tablets pushed into the compost in spring or a specialist liquid fertiliser like Eco Pond aquatic plant food.…

Pure pleasure ONE of the best ever buys we made for our garden was late blooming daffodils. This lovely white variety never fails to pick up where our early yellow ones leave off, and they’re a delight all through April and into early May. It seems to us that gardening always gives you so much to look back on, and so much to look forward to as the seasons progress. John Livingstone, Jersey, Channel Islands He’s a slow reader! MY tortoise Georgie likes nothing more than catching up on a bit of reading when the weather isn’t warm enough to venture outside. Miss Freya Giblin, Penarth, South Wales Beacon of spring I THOUGHT AG readers might like to see a picture of my dad with his forsythia bush. I’ve pruned…

1 Second batch sweet peas that are not ready to plant out should be pinched out to encourage bushy growth. 2 Initially secure seedlings to supports after planting out. As they grow, they will support themselves with tendrils. 3 Help seeds to germinate by roughing their hard casing with a nail file before sowing. 4 Sow seeds direct in well prepared soil. Set them 1in (2.5cm) deep, 3in (7cm) apart at the base of supports. 5 Rake soil over the seeds, and water. Deter birds and cats by laying a lattice of twigs over the sowing area.…

1 Unusually, nerines are planted with the tip of the bulb showing at the surface of the soil. Improve wet soil with garden compost and grit. 2 Set bulbs 4in (10cm) apart, firm soil around them leaving tips exposed. Water well and label. Slugs and snails are not usually a problem. 3 I’m planting my gladiolus in a pot. Place a layer of crocks at the base, start to fill with multi-purpose compost – I add a little John Innes 2. 4 Set the bulbs so they’re 6in (15cm) deep and 4in (10cm) apart, and cover with compost before watering and labelling. Raise the pot on feet.…

Look after roses now, and they should be more robust, and less disease-prone, in summer. Weed carefully around them (their roots are shallow and easy to damage), and feed with a general or rose-specific fertiliser before adding a layer of mulch. Pull out suckers from the wild rootstock the rose was grafted on, from below the grafting point. Feed container plants with a general liquid feed until buds form. Then change it to a high-potassium liquid tomato fertiliser.…

1 Empty the packet of seed into your hand and pick the biggest, fattest bean seeds to sow. Discard any tiny, shrivelled or damaged seeds. 2 Fill small 2.5in (7cm) pots or a tray of modules with seed and cuttings compost and firm the compost gently. 3 Holding the bean seed vertically, push it into the compost so it’s about 1.5in (4cm) deep. Cover the hole with compost. 4 Using a hand-held sprayer, lightly mist the compost using tap water. Do not use water from garden water butts. 5 Put the tray in an unheated propagator on a windowsill. Make sure that night temperatures don’t drop below 10o C (50o F). 6 Germination takes seven to 14 days but can be quicker in warm spells. Use plant sticks (pictured) to…

• Keep plants indoors for now in good light but not harsh sun. In June, weather permitting, move citrus outdoors into a sheltered, shady spot at first, while the plant acclimatises to outdoor light. • Water (ideally using rain water but tap is better than nothing) when the compost surface starts to dry out. • Citrus plants carry both flowers and maturing fruit at the same time. The flowers are self-fertile and will set fruits without a pollinator. • From a month after potting, apply a summer citrus feed or well-balanced liquid feed every 2-3 weeks to keep leaves green. • Continue to examine leaves regularly with a magnifying glass to check for outbreaks of pests like spider mite, mealy bug or scale insects and treat immediately with something like…

1 If you’ve an apple or pear that flowers well but never fruits, hang blossom sprigs from the apple trees of neighbours to aid pollination. 2 Use your grass cutting waste as mulch under fruit trees, bushes, shrubs and roses in thin layers, topped up weekly. 3 Spray everything growing with diluted seaweed solution, it only does good and works miracles on plants suffering nutrient shortages. Dust wood ashes amongst onions, garlic and shallots – it adds valuable potash, discourages, diseases and also deters molluscs.…

1 Never neglect watering. Pots can quickly dry out, so water at least once a week – more in dry weather. If plants get drought-stressed at fruit set you’re in for a poor harvest. 2 Feeding is important. Potash is an essential nutrient for fruiting crops as it encourages flowering and fruiting. Give high-potash liquid feeds throughout the summer. 3 Re-pot root bound plants. Choose a one size bigger pot and loam-based John Innes No 3 compost. Opt for an ericaceous blend for acid-loving crops.…

HAVE you come across the term ‘loose-leaf’ lettuce? Essentially it applies to varieties that don’t develop a tight central heart, and they’re incredibly useful. Because there’s no heart, you can harvest leaves over an exceedingly long period of time. I planted these ‘Red Salad Bowl’ in the greenhouse border in February and am now picking every few days. You simply harvest the outer foliage and leave the centre to carry on growing, which it will do for weeks or even months if you’re lucky! Sowings can be made all spring and summer. Look out for varieties like ‘Navara’, ‘Lollo Rossa’, ‘Catalogna’, ‘Mazur’, ‘Relic’ and ‘Black Seeded Simpson’.…

DO you remember the couple of warm days we had in March? They were responsible for the sudden arrival of so many spring flowers in my garden. It seemed that overnight the primroses, corydalis, hepaticas and peach blossom appeared. These plants have continued to decorate the garden into April along with a host of daffodils. The down side is that it’s so tricky to weed and prune in a border with tiny gems at your feet. However, it is vital that you do keep on top of your borders in spring. Weeds are very active. Leave them be and you’ll have an army of them showering your garden with seed later in the year. My spring weeding technique is to use a very small hand rake and an old kitchen…

I HAVE spotted far more bee activity in the garden now that we have hives. If you don’t have hives in your garden there is no need to despair as bees travel a long way to collect pollen – all you need to do is grow plenty of single flowers to draw them in. Earlier this month Seggin Bees ( segginbees.co.uk) who own the bees, came to do their spring health check and see how the bees had fared over the winter. They chose a warm day and there was lots of bee activity. This check involves seeing if the brood boxes are full of bees. If this is the case they could look to split them and start another hive. They also look to see if there is pollen…

SHORT on time? If so, I strongly recommend buying your plants via mail order. This way you can enjoy buying from specialist nurseries without having to run up the mileage on your car. Last week I had great fun unpacking a delivery from Crug Farm Plants, which arrived first thing in the morning after ordering at 3pm the day before. The trick with mail order plant shopping is to be at home when it’s expected to arrive and to be ready to plant as soon as possible. Ask the nursery for an expected delivery time and date.…

THE first fuchsia was discovered in what is now the Dominican Republic at the end of the seventeenth century. Unfortunately, those earliest specimens were lost in a shipwreck in 1695 and it took another hundred years for live plants of Fuchsia magellanica to reach London. A Hammersmith nurseryman was soon selling them for twenty guineas each – well over £2200 in today’s money. Fuchsias grow wild from Mexico to south Chile and Peru, a few are also found in New Zealand. Most feature distinctive flowers in which the bud splits into four long slender sepals surrounding four short broad petals from which the reproductive parts protrude. Flowers are often coloured red and purple, colours that appeal to the hummingbirds that pollinate the flowers in their indigenous countries. Their long and…

Why does my pond go green? Q I have a small pond containing goldfish but every year the water goes green - why? Can I introduce plants to keep the water clear? Gordon White, Aylesbury A The correct number of oxygenating plants, marginal plants, deep marginals, floating and waterlilies to introduce is dependent on your pond’s surface area. Visit an aquatics specialist to establish the correct number. Green water is caused by algae – microscopic plants swarming in the water. Other kinds of algae produce blanket weed. Algae thrive in sunlight and dissolved mineral salts. To create a balanced ecology, introducing the right number of plants is critical. Don’t allow contaminants such as fertilisers, grass clippings and leaves to build up. Oxygenating plants absorb mineral salts while floating plants and…

WHERE the mower can’t reach you’ll need to cut long grass and overgrowth with a pair of shears. But bending or kneeling to use a standard pair of hedge clippers can ultimately be hard work on your back or your knees. Long-handled lawn shears are the answer – the longer handles allow you to stand upright, and the cutting blades are at an angle so you can make a flat cut. They’re also great for clipping right up to the edges of walls or raised beds, and on small jobs can save the bother of getting the powered strimmer out. As with all garden tools, cleaning afterwards and a light oiling will prolong their life and improve the overall performance. Fiskars Long Handled Lawn Shears £29.99 0345 077 8888…

• Avoid potting tiny plants into massive containers where their roots will be drowned by too much empty, wet compost. Move them on to a slightly larger container every year in late-autumn or in wetter climates, late-winter. • A mix of 2 parts John Innes No 2 or 3, 2 parts soilless compost and 1 part potting grit makes a good compost for fruit trees (pictured and circled). • Water regularly and apply a slow-release fertiliser for fruit to the surface in spring, followed by a top dressing of compost. • After six weeks, use a general purpose liquid fertiliser every three weeks on developing trees and a high potash fertiliser on those setting and swelling fruit. Stop feeding by August. • Should a tree in its final container lose…

Oxygenating plants These keep pond water fresh. They’re particularly important if you don’t have moving water. Some are free-floating on or just below the surface of the water, others will sit deeper in a pond. Examples: water moss, hornwort and water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis). Bog garden plants Moisture-lovers that like a soil that doesn’t dry out, but equally they don’t like their crown to be submerged underwater. These add structure and interest to the edge of ponds. Examples: Astilbe, trollis and Primula japonica. Marginal plants These sit around the edge of a pond in shallow areas of water from just below the surface of the pond to a depth of about 20–25cm (8–10in). Check labels for the exact planting depths. Examples: Iris versicolor, marsh marigold, flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus). Deep…

Nymphaea pygmaea ‘Rubra’ A pretty pink, miniature water lily perfect for tiny ponds and containers. Needs full sun and 5-10in (13–25cm) of water over the top of the basket. Caltha palustris The yellow flowers of marsh marigold appear in spring and are great for pollinators. Plant in a boggy spot or with up to 4in (10cm) of water over the crown of the plant. Oenanthe javanica ‘Flamingo’ Pretty leaves and tiny white flowers from July–September. Plant in boggy soil or with 4in (10cm) of water over the plant crown. Iris versicolor Strap-like leaves and purple flowers of the flag iris are produced from May–June. Perfect for boggy soil or pond margins with up to 2in (5cm) of water over the top of the plant pot. Veronica…

THANK you so much for the article ‘How to create a sensory garden’ (AG 25 March). Four members of my family have autism and, having taken on a decent-sized but challenging (bordering woodland, windy, partly sloped) garden 18 months ago, I have been desperate for inspiration. We’re lucky enough to have water close enough to hear, so I’ve ordered some of the suggested plants and I am hopeful that in a year or two we’ll have created a real place of escape and serenity for everyone. Claire Peach, Newport, South Wales Jenny says: For information about assisting those with autism, don’t forget the website autism.org.uk…