Innholdsfortegnelse for 3-Jun-2017 i Amateur Gardening

with AG’s gardening expert Ruth Hayes TopTip Decide on colour schemes before you buy. Reds, oranges and yellows bring heat to your borders, while cool blues, mauves and gentle pinks are soothing and make a garden look larger. PLANTING out your summer bedding is one of the most traditional of seasonal markers for British gardeners. I vividly remember, as a child, accompanying my dad to buy his bedding plants from a knowledgeable old chap who ran a large nursery tucked away down a residential road near where we lived. The sight and smell of serried ranks of plants, some outside, some protected in cold frames and glass houses has stuck with me, and although such traditional nurseries may be on the wane, our love of summer colour hasn’t wavered. This…

1 Place plants still in their trays onto the soil, and move them around until you get an arrangement you like. 2 When planting, work off a board to stop your weight compacting the soil and damaging its structure. 3 Dig holes as deep as the rootballs, and slightly wider. Add a handful of slowrelease feed before placing the plants. 4 Infill around the plants and firm them in. Remove dead or damaged foliage, and water the plants thoroughly. 5 I finished with a wool-based slug repellent, as hedgehogs roam the garden and I don’t want to use chemicals.…

The popularity of bedding schemes came to rise during the Victorian era via the ‘Gardenesque’ movement developed by John Claudius Loudon. he believed that for a planting design to be recognisable as a work of art, only exotic plants and geometric patterns should be used, otherwise the scheme could be mistaken for unplanned natural growth. In an opulent era obsessed with order, time-tabling and the taming of the world around us, bedding plants fell perfectly into a structured seasonal production and planting cycle for nurserymen and estates workers. heavy use of bedding displays in public spaces fixed the style firmly into the British psyche and our love affair with bold, brash bedding remains strong today. Traditionally summer schemes were stripped out in early September to be replaced with winter bedding…

1 Place your planter in a sunny, sheltered spot, and line the base with a layer of grit to help drainage. 2 For the best results, use either multi-purpose or nutrient-rich, free-draining container compost. 3I also dug in some well-rotted manure to give the compost more structure and nutritional oomph. 4 I am using the bed to grow black kale and celeriac. Space plants so they have room to grow properly.…

IN keeping with this week’s bedding theme, our free seeds are for one of the most popular and traditional border and container plants. Mr Fothergill’s ‘Black Jack’ is a stunning and unusual variety of pansy. The large, velvety petals are such a rich, deep purple they appear to be almost black, and are offset by a shining golden centre. Like all members of the Viola family, pansies are happy in full sun or partial shade, and do best if they are well watered and occasionally given a boost with liquid tomato fertiliser. They are generally robust, and not particularly prone to pests and disease, though leaf spot can cause problems. If it appears, treat it with a fungicide and dispose of leaves, instead of adding them to the compost heap.…

1 Knock the plant from its pot, inspect its roots and remove moss and in this case, maidenhair ferns, taking care not to dislodge tubers. 2 Tickle old compost and dead roots from the base. In this example, the original pot can be used again if washed and dried. 3 Place 50:50 potting compost and grit in the base, replace the rootball and add a new young plant into a gap made in the top. 4 Top dress with shingle or grit, trickling it around surface tubers. Place where stems can trail and leave three or four days before watering in.…

WE’VE had the most fantastic fruit set in Essex this season. The warm spring and lack of frost allowed the nectarine, peach, apricot and cherries to set a huge crop. I’ll explain how to thin some of them out in a later issue but for now I just want to highlight why you don’t need to thin cherries – they’re incredibly good at doing it themselves! At least half the fruitlets have yellowed and withered on the tree – an issue called cherry fruit ‘run-off’. It can be caused by cool or dry temperatures just after flowering, or cool and wet autumns, and is due to insufficient food and light reaching the fruitlets. I put this year’s drop down to the cold snap we had in late April – just…

THERE’S nothing worse than biting into an apple to find caterpillars feeding on the core. These black caterpillars belong to the codling moth (Cydia pomonella). The female moths lay eggs on developing apples in early summer and the larvae then make their way into the heart of the fruit. To prevent this problem, now is the time to take action. Hang a pheromone trap at head height in your tree and wait to see if it attracts the male codling moth. The pheromone is placed on a sticky plate inside the tent-shaped trap, tricking them into thinking that the scent produced is that of the female. As a result the males come to a sticky end. Codling moth traps won’t solve the problem but they will confirm if you have…

THERE is no denying that nothing beats the taste of fresh herbs at any time of year but dried or frozen ones in a winter soup or a casserole are a real treat in the colder months. Rosemary, lavender and thyme are easy to dry. All you need to do is harvest sprigs on a dry day and place them in a paper bag. Hang the bag in a dry place and the herbs will be ready to use in warming winter meals. To freeze herbs you’ll need an ice cube tray. Pick off the leaves and place them in the tray. Then fill each cube holder with water and freeze. The herb cubes can then be popped out and dropped into casseroles whenever required.…

Foxglove had a strange turn QPlease can you tell me what has happened to this selfseeded foxglove? Can I collect the seeds and grow more, or will it revert to a ‘normal’ flower? Carol Millward, derby AWhat a fascinating thing to happen! It is called ‘peloria’, and is triggered by a small genetic change within the cells of the affected flower. It is basically abnormal regularity where an irregular flower (only symmetrical in one plane) unexpectedly develops a regular (symmetrical in more than one plane) shape due to minor genetic changes. It looks as though a seedpod is already forming, so you should be able to collect seeds in a few weeks. Seed will be ready to collect when the pod is dry and has started to split. Ideally, sow…

▪ Harlow Carr Flower Show More than 40 specialist plant nurseries and TV florist Jonathan Moseley (left) will be at RHS Harlow Carr Flower Show in Harrogate on 23-25 June. ▪ Trees for Peterborough Charities have planted more than 96,500 trees in Peterborough to date. It’s part of a plan to plant one tree for every person living in Peterborough by 2030. GARDENERS may have Good Week unknowingly bought genetically-modified orange petunias after plants illegally entered the UK supply chain. Garden centre group the Horticultural Trades association (HTa) told AG: “We are aware of GM material found in varieties of orange-flowered petunias and are in communication with government agencies. “A Finnish research team believe that the material came from the netherlands or Germany.” Sales halted The HTA added: “While it…

Keep ‘em coming: As summer progresses, keep deadheading spent bedding plants to encourage longer flowering. 1 If you are planning a large and intricate design, draw it on graph paper first, then lay it out using sand. 2 Don’t let your plants dry out before planting. Watering avoids stunted growth and helps keep plants robust. 3 Watch out for pests. Fresh, young shoots and unprotected plants are a magnet for aphids, slugs and snails. 4 Powdery mildew, grey mould and leaf spot can be a problem. Good husbandry will boost plants’ strength. 5 Frosts are unlikely now, but still harden off plants. This is important for tender varieties grown from cuttings. 6 Beauty isn’t just skin deep – French marigolds lure pests off crops, and attract predatory insects that eat…

Listen to Peter's free podcast every Thursday. Search for 'This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook' on iTunes WHEN it comes to summer bedding there are two steady developments I’ve noticed that are having quite an effect on what and how we grow. They concern length of flowering season and hardiness, specifically the ability to survive late frosts. Where flower sterility can be bred into new varieties they bloom nonstop in a forlorn effort to set seeds. We first saw this in F1 hybrid Begonia semperflorens and if you’re looking for a good modern day example then Power Daisy ‘Sunny’ is the one. This calendula hybrid sets very few if any seeds and blooms just about yearround. The annual calendulas are pretty hardy and this new variety has survived…

Geranium A good all-rounder for beds and patio. Scented leaves and bright blooms conjure memories of holidays abroad. New Guinea Impatiens Great low maintenance option and with masses of colour. This type will not succumb to downy mildew disease. Antirrhinum Wide range of colours. Choose from dwarf types of around 25cm (10in) up to towering monsters up to 1m (3ft). Lobelia Compact varieties are popular edging plants in borders, while the trailing varieties look stunning in hanging baskets. Petunia Trailing varieties are the number one option for hanging baskets, but look out for shorter varieties for use in beds. Begonia Such a versatile bedding plant. Finished blooms fall from the plants to be replaced by new buds – no deadheading needed.…

▪ 3-4 June: Family Gardening Show, RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB; ? 0203 1765 830, ?rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisely ▪ 3-4 June: Gardening Scotland festival, Royal Highland Showground, Ingliston, Edinburgh EH28 8NB. ? 0131 333 0965, ?gardeningscotland.com ?info@gardeningscotland.com ▪ 3-6 June: Bugs and Slugs Craft Workshop for Families, RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH; ? 0203 1765 830; ?rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor ▪ 3 June: Frant Open Gardens, Frant, Tunbridge Wells TN3 9DS. Around 18 gardens from tiny back yards to large estate gardens and allotments. 11am-4pm, ? 07823 886160, ?opengardens.co.uk ▪ 4 June: 2-6pm Wadhurst Open Gardens, Wadhurst, East Sussex, TN5 6AA. ? 01892 785658, ?opengardens.co.uk ▪ 3-4 June: Sheffield Cactus Society Annual Show, Sheffield Botanical Gardens, S10 2LN. ? 01246 231109 ▪ 4 June: 11am-4pm. Rare Plant Fair,…

1 Know your plant’s requirements (amount of sun, soil type etc), and site it accordingly. Dig a hole as deep as its rootball. 2 Water the plant well before starting, to make it easier to slide from its pot. Carefully loosen its roots before planting. 3 Place the plant in the hole and infill with soil and compost, firming gently for support and to remove air pockets. Water it well. 4Mulch with well-rotted organic matter to help retain water, and feed the plant. Don’t let it dry out while it gets established.…

▪ If you are growing vegetables in a small garden or container, maximise space by intercropping. ▪ While larger varieties, such as onions, grow slowly, sow fastmaturing spring onions, radishes and spinach in between the plants. ▪ These will be ready for harvest well before the onions, and should do well because the onions’ thin leaves won’t have kept sunlight and rain off them. ▪ Ideal varieties for intercropping include radishes, spring onions, spinach, beetroot and companion plants such as French marigolds.…

with AG’s indoor plant expert Anne Swithinbank SWEETHEART VINE (Ceropegia linearis subsp.woodii) is a trailing, characterful succulent related to hoya and originally from Southern Africa. Mature plants develop sizeable tubers, from which thin, wiry stems trail vertically to 5ft (1.5m) or more. These are strung with neat, fleshy, heartshaped leaves, patterned with silver, additional tubers and in summer, small structural purplish flowers. It is easy to see where the common names hearts-on-a-string, rosary vine and sweetheart vine come from. Unlike most succulents, this ceropegia can thrive in light shade and fortunately for me, is incredibly resilient. Having arrived as a cutting 34 years ago, our ceropegia trailed from a shelf above my old computer screen. This had a full back complete with air holes, through which the stems threaded, no…

Evergreen climbers for instant impact Create the perfect backdrop with the irresistible fragrance of this collection. These elegant climbers produce a constellation of fragrant starshaped flowers throughout summer, which will fill your garden with their irresistible, sweet perfume. This stunning collection of jasmine plants contains 3 spectacular varieties that are ideal for training over your arches and doorways or close to paths where these beautiful climbers can be best appreciated. ▪ Buy 1 of any trachelospermum variety for £24.99 ▪ Buy the super saver trio (1 of each) £39.99 (RRP £74.97) – Saving £34.98 ▪ Delivered to your door in June as established 3-litre potted plants Save £34.98 Trachelospermum jasminoides This elegant evergreen climber bears thousands of pure white, star-shaped flowers throughout summer on twining woody stems. The glossy, evergreen…

1 It’s often said that potatoes start forming tubers when they flower – but this can be misleading from variety to variety. It’s better to gently poke around their roots with a hand fork to see if tubers are ready once a good amount of foliage has built up. 2 If your potatoes are growing in ridges, position the prongs of your fork alongside the edge of the ridge, opposite a potato plant, and then gently slide them vertically into the soil. Levering the fork upwards will reveal your tuber harvest. 3 If you’re growing in pots you can tip the plants onto some polythene sheeting, then pick out the tubers. Both pot and soil-grown spuds can carefully be replanted – water them in well and within three weeks you’ll…

I use onions in most savoury evening meals I cook. It’s frustrating to fiddle around slicing up small bulbs so I like to ensure those I grow are suitably plump, and now is the time to do that. I planted yellow ‘Radar’ and red ‘electric’ sets in winter and they’ve slowly been bulking-up in size, and while they’re doing that it’s important to keep the growth rate fast. I add a couple of top-dressings of high-nitrogen fertiliser (such as chicken pellets) – one in February and one now. I also irrigate during any dry spells as we garden on very light, free-draining soil. It’s also crucial to keep weeds at bay because onions detest competition, so keep that hoe moving!…

Tip: Are you planning a holiday away this summer? If so, avoid planting summer bedding in small containers as these will dry out very quickly when you’re away. THERE’S nothing quite like plants with a lovely aroma and fortunately it’s not too late to start raising them now. In the greenhouse The greenhouse in my garden is filled with scent thanks to a simple pot of freesias. Keeping them in an enclosed space increases the impact the scent has. Plant prepared bulbs this autumn in a pot and keep them out of direct sunlight. As soon as the bulbs start to show signs of life move the pot into a sunny spot and wait for the April/May flowers to fill the air with perfume. In the shrubbery Lilacs are reliable…

TREES and shrubs planted in spring need a little bit more love and attention in their first summer. Watering is vital, especially if it’s a dry year. I have planted quite a few new magnolias in the garden this spring and every week I intend to give each shrub a 10ltr watering can full of water (unless we have very heavy rain). Watering new shrubs little and often will only encourage roots to form close to the surface. But a good watering less often will help them to lay down much deeper roots. If you’ve planted apple or pear trees this spring remove some of the developing fruits. Allow your fruiting plants to put their energy into root growth rather than fruit growth in their first year.…

Christine Walkden’s masterclass on compost bins Q I want to install some compost bins. Which type works best? Gillian Jones, Tamworth A It’s sensible to compost your waste and it’ll become a great source of well-rotted compost for your garden. The ideal bin should have solid sides and an open base. As for size, the larger the better: a minimum of 3x3x5ft (1x1x1.5m) is advisable. Having removable sides, or an access panel on the side of the container, will make access to the compost easier. It should be sat on soil or grass in a welldrained position, ideally in sun but a slightly shaded site is also suitable. Allow plenty of room around it for adding, removing and turning the heap. Make sure the container has a wide opening for…

▪ When re-potting a plant, take a look at the compost it arrived in. My gardenia contained some small bark chips, so i added a scoop to the ericaceous compost. ▪ Potbellied containers can be a nuisance when it comes to potting on again, as the bulge of roots won’t fit through the top. When the time comes, i’ll cut the roots out using an old longbladed kitchen knife. ▪ set the plant at the same height as it was in the old pot, firm around the roots with compost and water in (using rain water). ▪ once established in the pot, a liquid feed for lime hating plants applied every three weeks or so will help foliage stay glossy and green.…

We try before you buy BYPASS secateurs are the best choice for precision pruning. Cutting like scissors, where a sharp blade passes a bottom blade, they are designed to deliver a clean, healthy cut on living stems. Ideal for softer material and for dead heading, they are small enough to get into awkward spaces and prune side branches flush with the main stem. Secateurs come in a range of sizes so when choosing a new pair, make sure they fit your hand so as not to cause strains, chaffing or blisters. If you have lots of pruning to do, you may find that rolling handles help but this can take some getting used to. Always inspect the shock absorbers to ensure they will lessen the impact of making a cut.…

IF keeping the garden under control can feel like too much hard work at times, spare a thought for the new owner of this three-bedroom end-of-terrace house. After years of neglect, trees and ivy have engulfed the entire property, including its front garden, walls, roof and 50ft (15m) rear garden. Nicknamed The Tree House, the property, in Blackheath, London, went up for auction with a guide price of 450,000. despite its condition, almost 100 buyers sparked a bidding frenzy and it sold for £554,000. It is so overgrown that the house is almost concealed from the street by foliage.…

Nurseryman and former Gardeners’ World host I’M no stranger to horticultural retail therapy, not just because I’ve owned a nursery and sold lots of plants, but because, like many gardeners, it’s impossible not to give in to temptation at nurseries. Even at my own Garden Festivals, when I should be organising something or preparing my talk, I’m off rooting through the nursery stands looking for treasures and bargains to take home. “Too often, plants wither away” Of course, buying plants makes you happy, but the problem is finding time to plant them afterwards. Too often, a plant bought in haste withers away at leisure on death row (the doorstep) while you’re busy doing other things. Fortunately over the years I’ve learnt some simple tricks that keep them happy until they’re…

Basket beauties: Next week I will show you how to create a stunning hanging basket for summer. ONCE you have navigated the garden centre or online marketplace, and ignored the siren call of plants tempting you to buy more than are strictly necessary, it’s time to get on with planting. If you ordered online, remove the plants’ packaging as soon as they arrive, check they are healthy and undamaged and water them well. Plants brought home from garden centres will probably need watering too. If you can’t get your plants in the ground straight away, store them somewhere cool, sheltered and out of scorching sunlight. Water them regularly so they don’t dry out, and check them for pests. “Make sure plants have enough room to grow properly” Before planting in…

Hanging baskets Baskets are the essence of the summer garden. Always use the largest basket you can, and don’t skimp on compost – use a tub and basket compost with added wetting agent and feed. Use 12 plants in a 12-inch basket (6 around sides, 6 on top), 14 plants in a 14-inch basket. And be prepared for lots of watering! ‘Dot’ plantings Create extra interest in your bedding displays by planting your designs around a selection of ‘dot’ plants or tall urn planters. Cordylines, standard fuchsias, ornamental grasses, exotic cannas and castor oil plants are often employed this way. Training your own standard fuchsias is a good winter project.…

Mention summer bedding plants and many people think of regimented rows of busy Lizzies in parks and multi-coloured hanging baskets outside pubs: lovely to look at but perhaps a bit old-fashioned for some. But don’t be in a hurry to write off these brash summer-flowerers as being past their sell-by date, as it is possible to make the most of their colourful qualities, but in more modern, stylish ways. Increasingly designers are borrowing tips from the worlds of fashion and interior decorating and using bedding plants within planting schemes in order to extend personal living spaces into patios and gardens. Less is more Latest trends include creating ‘moods’ using restricted colour palettes – just two or three colours – and integrating bedding with more permanent border plantings, such as evergreens,…

THINGS are ticking over nicely in the fruit and veg area of the garden and fingers crossed, it looks like we are working towards a decent harvest. With regular watering, feeding and mulching, the crops are growing well. Onions are swelling, broad beans are podding, and the strawberries look extremely luscious. Nightly pest patrols are paying dividends and there is something wonderfully therapeutic about spending a few minutes weeding each evening after work. Here in the south, we can be pretty confident that frosts have finished, so this week I moved my veggie plug plants out from the greenhouse - though you may need to wait another week or so in the north of the country. They were hardened off first, and thoroughly watered. I moved them into a rectangular…

IT’S quite simple to stop slugs and snails damaging your plants, but there isn’t one simple way to do it. It’s best to deploy several methods, which all together reduce these pesky pests depredations to a minimum. Of course you cannot be rid of them entirely and if you did there’d be nothing to feed thrushes and blackbirds. But reducing their numbers dramatically will certainly save your crops and flowers, at least temporarily. The most effective line of defence is during the day to tidy up refuse, rubbish or junk nearby as that’s where many will be hiding. Then go out that night with torch, rubber gloves and a container to pop them in. It’s truly amazing how many are found on warm damp nights (do not throw them over…

▪ A little direct light every day is ideal. My plant has enjoyed windows facing north and east. ▪ Normal room temperatures are acceptable, with a minimum of 7-10oC (45-50oF). ▪ During active growth, water when the top half of the compost has dried out. In winter, water occasionally to prevent withering. ▪ When established plants are growing actively, add a half strength general purpose liquid feed, or cactus fertiliser to the water. Do this once a month. ▪ Re-pot in spring, but a mature ceropegia will happily grow undisturbed in the same pot of compost for many years. ▪ Should a plant become straggly, administer an early summer haircut to the stems. ▪ Propagate any time, by 2-3in (5- 8cm) stem cuttings or stem tubers, dibbled into 50:50 compost…

TopTip Eat your new potatoes as soon after lifting them as possible – once harvested the sugars within them turn to starch, impairing the flavour THIS has to be one of the most eagerly anticipated moments in the gardening calendar, and for good reason. Home-grown new potatoes knock spots off any shop-bought spuds in the flavour stakes due to the hugely reduced time they’re out of the ground – it can literally be from garden fork to kitchen fork in minutes! Harvesting new potatoes is like digging for treasure, especially if you involve young children – my little nephew almost bursts with excitement when Granddad starts unearthing them. Knowing when tiny ‘first early’ tubers are ready can be a bit of an art form, as can getting them out of…

Next week: Get fruit netting in place. Prepare seedbeds and sow crops. Plant out courgettes and other squashes. Thin out peaches, nectarines and apricots. Plant out celery and celeriac. It’s been a struggle to wait (I’m not known for my patience) but at last we can plant out our tender veg. The start of June signifies the period at which crops such as sweetcorn, French and runner beans, plus courgettes can be moved outdoors. At this point the risk of harsh frost (which would scorch the leaves of these tender veg) has passed in most parts of the country. I’ll deal with these crops in later issues of AG, but for now I’m focussing on my tomatoes. Glasshouse toms will be swelling their fruits by now, so their outdoor counterparts…

ALTHOUGH a greenhouse is a bit of a luxury, it does allow you to grow a never-ending list of tender plants and enjoy taking cuttings and growing from seed. Here’s the ‘but’ – they need care. To allow plants to perform, your greenhouse requires cleaning regularly. It’s important to remove faded plants and leaf litter, and to clean every nook and cranny. Use a plant label to dislodge any moss or grime that builds up between the wooden frame and glass. Fail to keep up with your cleaning and it will become the perfect home for pests and diseases. At this time of year, remember to open the door and vents every morning and close before nightfall to allow for good ventilation. This, and watering the plants and the floor,…

ANYONE who grows roses will know about black spot! It’s the most common disease to attack the nation’s favourite plant. The fungus (Diplocarpin rosae) not only leaves spots on foliage but also weakens plants. I tackle the problem by raking up the fallen rose leaves in autumn. If left on the soil surface the spores of the black spot will overwinter and re-infect the plant in spring. These spores are easily spread by rain splash, so it is beneficial to apply a layer of mulch or home-made compost around the plant in spring to smother the spores. However, it’s not too late to take action now. A hungry rose is far more likely to be hit by black spot than a well fed one, so feed roses planted in borders…

CLEANING your cutting tools not only ensures that they remain sharp and in good shape but looking after them will prevent the spread of pests and diseases from plant to plant. Start by brushing off the dry mud with a scrubbing brush or wire brush. If they are very muddy then you might need to wash them in a bowl of warm soapy water. Dry off the blades and work on any rust with a piece of steel wool. Then apply some methylated spirit to an old rag and wipe it over the blades. This will help to sterilize the blades and prevent the spread of disease. Wiping them over after each use is a very sensible habit to get into. Lastly, spray the blade and moving parts with some…

PETER WALTERS (aged 66) has always been active. His family have been the centre of his life. But sadly, two years ago his life fell apart. First his wife passed away and then his health deteriorated. “I’d definitely say that I’ve always had a positive outlook on life, and never let things get me down. I used to have an office job, so tried to keep active outside of work. When my boys were small I’d take them to the park for a game of football and often take them cycling. When I eventually became a grandad I was over the moon. They all live closeby, so when I retired my plans were to make the most of the grandkids… take them on days out, spend time running around the…

There’s more than one way to tackle weeds Next week: It’s the turn of tumbling composters Ecofective Weed Blast 1-litre £4.99 RRP 01763 212100 ecofective.uk.com for stockists A natural spray treatment to tackle stubborn weeds, made using natural food grade ingredients. Produces visible results after just one hour of application and it’s not temperature reliant so can be used all year round. Dries quickly, leaving the treated ground safe to be seeded or planted 24 hours after application 10m Weedstop Ultimate £10.99 RRP 01406 372227 gardman.co.uk for stockists A great way to tackle weeds is to stop them from getting a foothold in the first place – and that’s where weed control fabric comes in. Gardman’s Weedstop Ultimate is a UV resistant woven fabric and has a 15 year guarantee.…

GARDEN and DIY giant B&Q is to ensure that all plants sold at its stores have not been treated with neonicotinoids – the pesticides that campaigners linked to bee decline. The retailer, which has over 300 UK stores, said its bedding plants are grown without neonic sprays. But from February 2018, its entire plant offering will be neonic-free. B&Q’s Tim Clapp said: “Neonics are fundamentally not good so we have worked with our growers to come up with a plan. We weren’t large users anyway and now we have made a strong statement that we won’t use neonicotinoids at all.” In 2013, B&Q withdrew products containing imidacloprid, thiacloprid and clothianidin – ahead of legislation that saw the three neonic ingredients withdrawn across europe. However, despite repeated calls, B&Q failed to…

FORMER Labour leader ed Miliband had a bit of bother with a hover mower – when an election campaign publicity stunt went wrong. Pictures emerged of suited ed, who is Labour MP for doncaster north, helping a constituent to mow her lawn. But ed’s grass-roots strategy backfired when the home-owner told the press she had to show the MP how to start the Flymo, and then added that she was not a Labour supporter. But a local resident stuckup for ed on social media site Twitter. She Tweeted: “He really did mow the lawn.”…

Write to: Wendy Humphries, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Rd, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Star letter Gardening on the cheap! MY garden is a treasure trove of second-hand finds, all sourced through public classified ad websites. Granite rocks going spare through the freecycle.com scheme were turned into a bird bath feature; terracotta pots were sourced from ebay, Gumtree.com and charity shops, for around £2 each; and my biggest buy, a wooden greenhouse, was spotted for sale on Preloved.com for £130! Imagine my surprise to find the reason it was already dismantled was that it was BRAND NEW. The owner was moving to a flat and had never got round using it, or his coldframe (which he gave me). It felt I’d won the Lottery. Now I…