Innholdsfortegnelse for 6-May-2017 i Amateur Gardening

ACCORDING to the song, the other man’s grass is always greener – but it doesn’t have to be. Many gardeners are guilty of taking the lawn for granted, giving it little care then being irritated when it ends up looking a mess. For many years I was one of them (my wife Kath would argue I still am, as she invariably mows the lawn). However I have learned that mosskilling (with lawnsand), de-thatching or scarifying a couple of weeks later (raking out the rubbish), spiking closely with a garden fork, then dressing with JI No 3 compost makes a huge difference. I’ve done this most years in spring, for the past eight years, along with spot treating weeds using a selective lawn weedkiller through summer. Now I have a lawn…

IF I had to choose what I believe is the best novelty introduced over the past decade, it would have to be the tree lily. These towering giants reach 8ft (2.4m) in just two years, and each bulb can produce up to 30 enormous trumpet flowers. I’ve been growing tree lilies, in pots and borders, for five years and I’ve never lost a plant due to harsh winter weather. And unlike traditional lilies, red-shelled lily beetles have given my tree lilies a wide berth. I’m told that this is because some suppliers treat tree lily bulbs with fungicide, which also has the effect of making plants less attractive to lily beetles for the first few years. It’ll be interesting to see if the beetles attack more mature plants in future.…

“I’M REALLY sorry about the mix-up you’ve had to endure with free seeds on the cover not matching editorial inside. My fault entirely”, says Editor Tim Rumball. “I should have checked more carefully. Thankfully you’ll still all get your free seeds, and (eventually) the information you need to sow them! “I’ll hand back to Ruth to bring you up to speed with last week’s dahlias, and this weeks campanulas.” Ruth says: If you want to attract insects to your garden, last week’s free Dahlia Mignon Mixed seeds from Mr Fothergill’s are a must, producing brightly coloured flowers over compact plants with verdant green foliage. They flower between June and October, thrive in full sun and grow to 24in (60cm) tall, perfect for the front of borders, as well as pots…

TopTip If there is a spate of frosty nights don’t be tempted to leave plants covered during the day to save time. Always remove protection in the morning – even if you have to replace it at night. A FEW precautions taken now could save you a fortune in lost flowers, fruits and crops later. Although the likelihood of frost lessens each day, as May progresses there is still a good chance of a late hard killer frost every few years. It usually comes after a bright beautiful day and a clear night. Then – whammy! – we wake up to a sunny morning with a white frosting on everything. At first, those leaves and petals look fine; then they slowly wither and go brown. Likewise buds, shoots, stems, even…

Bunny block: Do rabbits invade your garden? If they do it might be wise to install a chicken wire fence around your young sweet pea plants to give them a chance to establish. I ADORE coming up with ideas for summer containers. But, before I get too carried away I thought I’d look back at photographs of the pots I planted last year. It’s hard to remember the successes and failures of previous years, so a photographic reminder is handy to have. In one part of my garden I have a raised urn in the centre of the lawn, and it’s vital I get this right as it can be seen from all angles. My focus here in 2016 was pastels and trailing plants, such as begonias and lobelia. although…

■ Climbing bean hits new heights Climbing French bean ‘Cobra’ was DT Brown’s best-selling bean from September 2016 to March 2017, with sales rising by 35 per cent on last year. ■ Florists celebrate at Chelsea Over 600 cut flowers will create an 8ft (2.5m) feature to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the British Florist association at Chelsea Flower Show. The Royal horticultural Society’s goal of creating a fifth major garden has moved a step closer. Salford City Council has granted planning permission, in principle, for RhS Garden Bridgewater. It means that lost historic grounds at Worsley New hall in Salford would be brought back to life, creating a 156-acre showcase garden that would aim to inspire gardeners in the north west. Green belt The application must now be referred…

RHS Wisley A new exotic garden will open at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey in July. It’ll showcase over 100 species including dahlias, cannas and gazanias. Bodnant Garden After a decade of work, the planting of 14,000 bulbs, 200 azaleas and 75 trees, the new Furnace Wood and Meadow opened at Bodnant in Wales. A BLOOMIN’ BAD WEEK Cauliflower growers Growing cauliflowers may be a challenge, but it won’t save you money. Some of the big supermarkets have cut the price of caulis to just 29p. Orange carrots Orange carrots are falling out of fashion with sales of purple and black roots rising by 40 per cent in a year, due to claimed health benefits.…

ELECTRIC mowers are clean and simple to use. Just plug in the cable and mow. There’s no messing with fuel, no fumes, little vibration and they are quieter than petrol models. On the down side they don’t provide the same freedom as petrol or cordless mowers. And the cable can be a nuisance if there are obstacles like island beds and bird baths to mow round. Electric mowers are lightweight, so easy to store and carry, plus the controls are remarkably simple – usually just a safety button and lever. A wide range of sizes is available and you should choose one appropriate to the size of lawn. Remember, larger mowers will get the job done quickly but may be tricky to manoeuvre around bends and into corners. Space-saving foldable…

Write to: Jenny Bagshaw, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com They’re in my blood FOR over 20 years now I’ve grown Sanguinaria canadensis, more commonly known as ‘Bloodroot’ (as it bleeds when divided), though I remedy this by putting wet clay on the wound. I paid £5 for my first little root, which was a lot of money then, and the lady I bought it from said “you’ll never grow it”, but after paying so much for it I was determined to succeed. The flowers come up before the heart-shaped leaves do. As you can see, one image shows its early stages and the other was taken on 7 April. Even when the flowers have died back the leaves give pleasure all…

TopTip Set mower blades at their highest level for the first few cuts of the year to avoid damaging the grass and soil. Lower them as summer progresses and the grass grows more quickly. WE are in the throes of late spring, and lawns should be growing with gusto. On these two pages I look at three aspects of lawn care that affect most people – choosing the lawn mower that suits you best, ways of edging a border (and why this is so important), and what type of grass is most suitable for your garden. A lawn mower is potentially the most expensive piece of equipment you will buy for your garden, so make sure you get one that meets your needs. Key points to bear in mind include…

MAY is the most hectic month in the gardener’s calendar. Everything is growing fast and as the chance of night frost recedes, we have all the half-hardies to sow and plant. This is the week to make the first sowing of runner beans. By the time they are through we should be free of frost and a second sowing early June will see beans to pick from July into autumn. It is not just the home garden, where I have a list of jobs as long as your arm. In just over two weeks there is the Chelsea Flower Show. We have been working on The Horticultural Trades Association Back Garden Exhibit for months. Soon the hard landscaping has to go in, and after that all the plants will be…

TopTip When mature plants have grown too large, propagate them by dividing the clump. To do this cut through the middle using a tooth-edged knife, and pot up healthy sections with roots and shoots. HAVE you struggled to keep true ferns like Boston and maidenhair alive indoors, where their fine roots and delicate fronds are prone to drying and withering? The answer could lie with fern-like but much tougher asparagus. Not spore-bearing ferns at all, they belong firmly to the world of flowering plants and are capable of producing tiny, often scented white flowers and berries. The asparagus whose young spears we eat from the garden from April to June is a hardy relative of the smaller, frost tender kinds that make excellent indoor plants The fronds or ‘leaves’ of…

WE’RE in May, so surely it must be time to see mayflies dancing above ponds and watercourses. Well, not necessarily. The common name of mayfly is misleading as these insects can be seen almost throughout the year. The ‘May’ part of the name comes from one particular species, which emerges as adults when the mayflower (or hawthorn) is in bloom. Sadly populations of mayflies are declining in the UK, probably due to increased development around rivers, or pollutants and other man-made water impurities – no-one yet has a full answer as to why the decline is taking place. It’s important that the answer is found, however, as they are known to be some of the first winged insects on earth, with fossils dating back more than 300 million years. So…

OUR climbers are putting on incredible growth with plenty of stems that need tying into supports, so I’ve bought a selection of ties to see which I prefer. ■ A roll of polypropylene garden twine: offered no give and stands out, even though it’s green. It’s not the easiest of strings for tying knots and you need scissors to cut it. I’ll use it for tying canes together but not for supporting plant material. ■ Galvanised garden wire: You need secateurs or pliers to cut this, but it’s easy to use and it’s almost invisible among the foliage. ■ Wire hoops or clips: Ideal to keep in your pocket, and perfect if you’re tying lots of potted climbers onto canes – they’re quick, almost invisible and don’t need cutting. However,…

BRITAIN’S butterflies have suffered further dreadful declines, claims a study. UK butterflies had their fourth worst year on record in 2016, according to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Some 40 of the 57 species studied recorded a decline compared with 2015. The heath Fritillary had its worst year on record for the second year, while the Grizzled Skipper, Grayling, Whiteletter hairstreak and White admiral all recorded their worst ever years. Butterfly Conservation’s Professor Tom Brereton said: “The results show that butterflies are failing to cope with our changing climate. “As butterflies are regarded as good indicators of environmental health, this is hugely concerning for wildlife and people.” The White admiral, White-letter hairstreak and Grayling slumped by 59 per cent, 42 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. experts say mild…

Thursday 11 May to Sunday 14 May THIS year’s four-day RHS Malvern Spring Festival will offer a vibrant line-up of the finest in gardening, food and lifestyle. But the 2017 event, taking place from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 May, also has new vision. New Festival boss, Jane Furze, said: “This year the event takes its inspiration from Malvern Spa’s Victorian heyday as a fashionable health resort – where day-trippers took advantage of the clean air and the health-giving waters. “It really is going to be a sensational Festival, with plenty for everyone. Whether you’re a newcomer to gardening, a veteran horticulturist or just looking for a family day out, it will have it all,” she added. The Floral Marquee THe Festival boasts the UK’s longest Floral Marquee, at over…

Uniform low-growers Create a ‘lawn’ minus the mowing by using a single type of low-growing perennial. Plenty of specimens are sufficiently robust to withstand light footfall, and stepping stones can be used to provide access through those that aren’t. Try mondo grass Ophiopogon japonicus for a cutting edge, modern look. A light tidy may be required from time to time. ‘Eco lawns’ Forget about cutting and feeding; instead allow grasses and associated wildflowers to grow, possibly with a path mown through the middle. Remove thugs such as nettles, and introduce additional wildflower plants to enhance the area. Strim during late autumn. Alternatively, look for special seed mixes that produce grass needing little maintenance. Patios and decking These permanent lawn alternatives are especially useful for dry areas in which little will…

UV Garden Parasol £19.99 for two p&p £4.99 0844 482 4400 coopersofstortford.co.uk It’s important not to get sunburnt when relaxing in the garden. This parasol has a wide 401?2in (103cm) diameter and a clamp fitting that allows you to attach it to most garden chairs and loungers. A bendy snake-neck shaft enables you to angle it and the material has a UV protection factor of 40+. It’s rain proof too! Tilley LT5B Hat £67 p&p £5 01326 574402 tilley.com for stockists Guaranteed to block out 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays, the Tilley claims to be the world’s best hat. Manufactured from 93% breathable nylon and 3% Spandex it also repels rain, floats and has a draw cord to hold it on in the wind. It’s washable, has a…

Many Mediterranean and southern hemisphere plants like woody herbs, lavenders, agapanthus, hebes, mimosa, ceanothus, and short-lived perennials like penstemon and salvias, come from areas where summers are warm and sunny, and winters are cold but dry. British wet winters are the enemy of these kinds of plants – newly planted specimens with delicate or broken roots can easily rot as the weather cools and rainfall increases. Off to a good start Starting these sun-baskers off in the spring rather than autumn – which is the traditional planting time for hardy shrubs and perennials - is the first rule of thumb. With the soil warming nicely and still moist from spring rains, they have time to establish through summer in order to cope with the wet, cold and dark of winter.…

THERE are many things that make me fret while watching TV. Politicians who say “absolutely” in absolutely every sentence and, of course, Arsenal fumbling with a football. But there is one thing that makes me shout out loud and that’s the way turf is laid on most TV makeover shows. It’s not that I mind the use of turf – I love it, but so many times on Channel 4’s Grand Designs and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, grass is treated like outdoor paint. “The main crime is laying grass on banks” It’s dashed on at the last minute to hide rubble-filled ground for a ‘reveal’ that has come too early. Having worked on TV makeovers I understand the temptation to carpet unfinished areas in camera-friendly green but unless it’s done…

TopTip Rapid thawing can be as damaging as an unexpected frost, so protect vulnerable plants from early-morning sun with a layer of black plastic, or horticultural fleece. DON’T let the longer, warmer days lull you into a false sense of security. Sunny days can be followed by clear nights and unexpected frosts, even in milder and more sheltered areas of the country. These damage new growth, and can devastate young or tender plants. When plants are hit by frosts, remove damaged material to the next healthy new bud. Then help the plant recover by feeding it with a nitrogen-rich fertiliser, and mulching its roots. Frosts can crack and lift soil around plants, destabilising them. If this has happened, firm the soil back down. I have been placing cloches over our…

TopTip If a seed potato is large, with lots of ‘eyes’ (sprouting areas), cut it into smaller pieces, making sure each segment has its own eye. These should grow as well as whole spuds. THIS is your last chance to plant maincrop potatoes, while the earlies that went in the ground in late March or April will very soon need earthing up. This is when you mound soil or compost around the potato shoots as they grow. Start doing this when shoots are 4in (10cm) tall. Earthing up protects the growing plants from unexpected frosts, and helps keep pests and weeds at bay. Later in the season it prevents developing tubers turning green in the light. Earth up shoots every 2-3 weeks as they sprout through the compost, covering all…

TopTip If you’ve no indoor space, move tender seedlings outdoors to a sunny, sheltered spot. Line an old crate or box with two layers of bubblewrap, find a glass lid to fit and put your tender seedlings in. Cover it on chilly nights. THIS time of year is a juggling act for gardeners – windowsills are fit to burst, so how do you decide which crops can go outside and which are best held back indoors (or in your greenhouse, if you’re that lucky!). Hardier crops like peas, broad beans, chard, leeks and winter brassicas can be gradually moved outdoors. Save indoor space for plants that are tender like tomatoes, chillies, peppers, runner & French beans, aubergines, sweetcorn, courgettes, pumpkins, melons, okra, sweet potatoes and cucumbers. Any whiff of a…

OPENING my garden to the general public on a regular basis means I have perfected the art of getting a garden ready to share. Here are my top tips: 1 If you have time to do just one job, mow the lawn. Nothing smartens up a plot more than a neatly cut lawn. 2 Edging borders gives a great finish, but make sure you to pick up the clippings if the grass is long. 3 Sweep up leaves and debris from paths. Evergreens will shed leaves all year so need constant tidying up. 4 Hide messy compost heaps or working areas with some willow fence screening. Buy one piece that can be moved about as required. 5 There rarely seems time to start weeding, so draw the eye away from…

I HAVE great success with the climber Tropaeolum tricolor. This member of the nasturtium family is a summer dormant, tuberous perennial. It offers flowers in March right into May and is ideal for a porch or cool conservatory. They’re not easy plants to find, so take a look at specialist plant fairs now – or you might have more luck growing from tubers (available at ??suttons.co.uk). Plant the tuber deep in a pot that is at least 12in (30cm) deep and 71?2in (20cm) in diameter. Growth will be activated in April when the temperature reaches about 20°C. Eventual height is about 3ft (1m) so push a hazel stem or a few canes into the pot to support the growth. After flowering the plant dies down completely until it leaps back…

TV GARDENER Chris Beardshaw is returning to his roots as a grower – by nurturing over 2,000 plants for his garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this month. The BBC’s former Flying Gardener, now a regular on The Beechgrove Garden and Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, is growing a huge stock of herbaceous plants for his Morgan Stanley Garden at Chelsea. Chris said: “There is something magical about being able to handle, nurture and encourage plants with a specific goal – that of bringing the plants to as close to perfection as possible in time for the show.” People’s choice As well as winning 11 gold medals at RHS shows, Chris’s gardens have proved to be a hit with show-goers. He has won the BBC RHS People’s Choice Award,…

THREE insecticides linked to bee decline that were hit with a two-year eUwide ban could be outlawed permanently, if the european Commission (eC) has its way. In 2013, the eC restricted the use of imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam across europe. The moratorium on these three neonicotinoid (neonic) sprays led to the withdrawal of products such as Bayer’s Provado Lawn Grub Killer, which controlled chafer grubs and leatherjackets in turf (circled). The eU’s Committee on Plant, animal, Food and Feed is balloting member states on a permanent ban. Member states Initial voting could take place this month. The eC would need a positive vote from 55 per cent of member states, representing 65 per cent of eU citizens, to completely ban the three neonics. a ban would be likely to apply…

How do I sow a lawn from seed? Q Help! I need to sow a new section of lawn from seed. I know that autumn is the best time, but can I put seed down in early May – and what’s the best way to do it? Ken Moreton, Loddington A Timing is not as critical as it once was, as lawn seed is available nowadays that germinates quickly, even if temperatures are low. What’s more important is moisture: if there is a dry period in May or June it may be necessary to water your newly-sown lawn, whereas irrigation is seldom required for autumn sowings. First, dig out any perennial weeds, then on a dry day, dig over the site to a depth of 8in (20cm). Break down any…

Mind-your-own-business Small-leaved Soleirolia soleirolii thrives in full sun or partial shade. it grows to 5cm (2in) in height and spreads indefinitely, but is easy to dig up. Frost may kill leaves but they will regrow in spring. Creeping thyme Plant aromatic evergreen Thymus serpyllum for a lush green carpet jewelled with tiny nectar-rich pink flowers during mid summer. it prefers well-drained soil and thrives in sunny areas. Trim twice a year. Corsican mint Low-growing Mentha requienii grows best on free-draining soil, in full sun or dappled light, and should not be allowed to dry out. good for coastal areas, it produces small, insect-friendly purple flowers in summer. White clover A ground-covering perennial with green leaves and pretty white flowers. Copes well with poor soil if kept moist, and is great…