Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Jul-2017 i Amateur Gardening

WE all like to have a change of scene in the summer – and houseplants are no different. Many of them originate from warm and tropical regions, which is why they are kept in a stable climate indoors for most of the year. But as the temperature rises in summer, they are able to survive outside and the change of air does them good. Gentle refreshing rain washes accumulated dust and debris from their leaves and keeps their roots hydrated. Higher light levels and natural warmth stimulates healthy growth and summer breezes give plants something to push against, so they grow stronger. The only exceptions that are best left indoors all year are tender orchids, African violets and streptocarpus, and it may not be practical to move larger plants outside.…

▪ Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are robust, ‘entry level’ houseplants that require little care to keep them flourishing. ▪ They are incredibly easy to propagate using the offshoots (or ‘spiderettes’) that grow off stolons (runners) from the main plant. ▪ If left long enough, the spiderettes start to develop roots. All you need to do is press their base, where the roots are, into a pot of fresh, damp multipurpose or houseplant compost. ▪ You can either leave the plant attached to the mother until it roots (this will take a few weeks) or cut it away completely immediately.…

1 Water your azalea well to saturate the rootball. Damp compost also makes it easier to slide from the pot. 2 Place crocks at the base and start adding compost until you get to the depth of the plant’s rootball. 3 Take the plant from its pot and place it in the new one. Infill with fresh compost and firm it down. 4 Stand the pot on feet and water it well to settle the compost. Raising it slightly will allow the excess water to escape.…

Listen to Peter's free podcast every Thursday. Search for 'This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook' on iTunes A MEMBER of the Royal Horticultural Society staff at Wisley confided recently that she always made a point of checking out supermarket plant clearance shelves, especially for moth orchids. Getting them back to good health and flowering freely through the year was too great a challenge to miss, she said. I must admit I’m always reluctant to throw plants out when, with a little care, they can do another turn. Three years back I brought home a new Lilium ‘Winning Joy’ from the Plant of the Year Competition 2014. It had three bulbs/stems potted and was in flower. After feeding and watering it until the leaves yellowed and fell naturally in…

HOPEFULLY, like me, you’ve been strolling down to the plot each day, rummaging among your strawberry foliage and finding hidden treasures that get popped straight into your mouth. Home-grown strawberries taste sublime, and the good news is that at this time of year it’s incredibly easy to bulk up your stock. All you need to do is look for the long ‘runners’ that get produced by summer varieties. These runners produce baby plantlets along their length which are ready and waiting to get their roots into the earth. It’s good practice to throw away old plants once they reach four or five years old and start with new, so this is an ideal way to save cash, meaning you can buy more sugar and cream instead!…

Sorry to mention the ‘W’ word in July, but you’ll thank me later when you’re tucking into home-grown Savoy cabbages, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Now is a good time to check on them to ensure they’re developing well. Keep the area between the plants weed-free, and also keep an eye out for pests such as cabbage white butterflies. Both the small and large species of this pretty insect produce caterpillars with a voracious appetite for greens. If you’ve got a thorough, scrupulous eye you can pick off the bright yellow egg clusters as and when you see them. This will help to control large cabbage white butterflies, but because the smaller species lays its yellow eggs singly, you may miss a few. I rely instead on fine butterfly netting to…

THIS week I have been sorting out my fruited gooseberries and red and white currants. Mature plants need cutting back to allow light and air to get into the heart of the plant and to keep it looking tidy. Pruning techniques vary slightly between goblet-shaped shrubs and trained cordons. However, you should always start by removing wood that is dead, diseased, congested and damaged. This season’s growth on bush plants should be shortened to five leaves, apart from branches being grown out to extend the plant’s main framework. Young side shoots on cordons should be cut back to five leaves and the growing tips tied to a cane to keep them in shape. After autumn leaf fall, prune back shoots to two buds and cut the tips by one-third. If…

AS an indoor plant enthusiast, my major gripe is that I often have to guess what I’m buying. While hardy plants enjoy fairly detailed and comprehensive labelling, at worst we might get ‘foliage plant’ on our label, or at best, a stab at genus, so for goosefoot plant, ‘syngonium’. Still, detective work to uncover the rest is all part of the fun. S. podophyllum is also known as arrowhead plant and originates from tropical woodlands in central and south America. A member of the arum family, it makes a clump of growth and then begins to climb, adhering to trees by stem roots. In the home, we mainly see the small arrow-shaped juvenile leaves but as plants in their native habitat hoist themselves upwards, leaves become larger and more lobed.…

WHO doesn’t like daisies, with their cheery open faces and determination to thrive wherever possible? One of my favourite varieties is Shasta, a hearty, clump-forming perennial resembling large ox-eye daisies. We have a large stand of unusually fringed Shasta daisies growing in the garden. Their blooms have delicatelysnipped petals and provide flowers for the garden and indoor arrangements throughout the summer months. I’d love more, so am delighted with this week’s free seeds from Mr Fothergill’s – Shasta daisy ‘Alaska’. These are the most popular variety of Shastas and plants produce pristine white petals radiating out from an egg yolk-yellow centre. They like a sunny, well-drained site and are relatively low-maintenance, though you may need to check the plants for lurking slugs and snails. ▪ As well as sowing my…

THIS is the month when our patios are in full use. It’s also the time when you realise that your paving needs replacing, fixing, or cleaning. My patio is made up of a selection of different paving slabs and between them the weeds thrive. This got me thinking. If the weeds can thrive, then so can plants. To spruce up the paving I’ve weeded the cracks and invested in some lowgrowing plants to fill the gaps. Not only will the plants create a cared for and attractive look, they will add scent underfoot and go some way to preventing trip hazards. There’s a healthy list of plants that cope well when planted in paving. My favourite is Alchemilla mollis. Another gem is the Erigeron karvinskianus, which has tiny white daisy…

Are you ready? Most schools break up this week and our gardens will quickly become a vital outdoor space for play. If you’re worried about how to fill the holidays, don’t panic as I’ve come up with some ideas with the help of my son Herbie. ▪ Children love creepy crawlies. Get them to track down as many garden insects as possible. Arm them with a camera or iPad so that they don’t have to touch the insects and then once indoors see if they can identify them. ▪ Collect stones from the garden and transform them into little or large ladybirds. Simply clean and dry the stones and then paint your ladybird. Once dry varnish them. either place them in the garden, use them as paperweights or just enjoy…

▪ Terracotta – Is heavier, so less likely to be stolen or topple. It’s also porous so you’ll need to water more often. However, this allows air and moisture to penetrate the side of the pot, which is beneficial to plants. It’s ideal for herbs and Mediterranean plants that require a well-drained growing environment and enjoy the warmth provided by the terracotta. Thick terracotta pots will protect plants from rapid changes in temperature. But not all terracotta is frost proof. ▪ Plastic – Lightweight, so suitable for roof gardens and easy to lift. Plastic holds water well, so is ideal for moisture loving plants. Cheap to buy and comes in a wide range of colours. Black plastic pots will heat up in a hot spot, which can cause damage to…

Allium sikkimense Himalayan alpine with clusters of blue flowers above narrow green foliage. Semi-shade or sun. H: 4in/20cm. Armeria maritima ‘In the Red’ (‘Rubrifolia’) Can be found on coastal cliffs. ‘In the Red’ has burgundy leaves and pink flowers. Sun. H: 6in/15cm. Crepis incana AGM Known as the ‘pink dandelion’, it won’t seed itself. Pretty pink flowers above grey leaves. Sun. H: 12in/30cm. Lithodora diffusa ‘Heavenly Blue’ AGM A prostrate evergreen that produces a non-stop show of cobalt-blue flowers. Sun. HxW: 8in/20cm x 24in/60cm. Dianthus carthusianorum the German pink has raspberry-magenta flowers atop wiry grasslike stems all summer. Sun. H: 12in/30cm. Erigeron karvinskianus AGM For months of massed pink and white daisy flowers, try the selfsowing Mexican fleabane. Sun. H: 10in/25cm.…

Plant some late summer sparklers WHILE much of gardening is about looking forward, in midsummer we can be forgiven for swimming in the moment, gleefully letting waves of colour wash over us. It’s tempting to think that the season will take care of itself, no planning required. After all, garden centres are brimming with plants designed as a quick fix to fill any late-summer gaps. But what are your options if you want to keep the interest going for months, not weeks? Plants to take us through July and August and into September come in two main types: hardy perennials and half-hardy perennials. Nurseries sometimes plan their propagation in such a way that hardy perennials that would naturally begin flowering in June, actually start a little later. Hardy geraniums, coreopsis…

1 Add some shade. Positioning large plants like dahlias in full blazing sunshine in the middle of summer can stress them significantly. If necessary, shade them with fleece, greenhouse shade netting or even old sheets you use in spring for frost protection. 2 Give plants a thorough watering the day before planting. Large two- or three-litre containers that are dried out will first need a good soak. Then treat to a liquid feed before planting, water in well once in the ground and keep moist until the roots have grown out. 3 De-head for better blooms. If you can bear it, snip off all the flowers immediately after planting. Although it feels wrong, this will not only help the plants put energy into new roots but also ensures that when…

Hydrangea colour conundrum QAny idea why my hydrangea produces pink and blue flowers every year? Phil Bywaters (via email) AThe colour of hydrangea flowers is influenced by the pH of the soil. Those with blue or pink flowers tend to be blue in acid soil conditions, mauve in acid to neutral soil conditions and pink in alkaline conditions. I wonder what the natural pH of your soil is and whether it is actually quite varied, even in the localised region around the roots of your hydrangea? If it supposed to be a blue hydrangea you can keep the flowers blue by acidifying the soil. In the short-term, mulch with organic matter apart from mushroom compost, which is more alkaline. Sulphur is also a common acidifying material, though it can take…

▪ Grow scented plants in a sunny spot. Heat will build up during the day and this will encourage plants to release their fragrant essential oils. ▪ Choose a sheltered location as scent lingers in still air. ▪ Plant aromatic flowers and foliage near windows and doors to allow the scent to drift indoors and to provide a fragrant welcome. ▪ Bring scent to nose-height by adding fragrant blooms to hanging baskets. Grow scented climbers too. Plant these against walls and fences and allow them to scramble over arches and pergolas.…

IT’S a question that plagues gardeners when a beloved old tree has to be cut down – what should be done with the stump? Granddad Neil Rafis, 57, came up with a solution, turning his stump into an attraction he’s called emily’s House. Boasting a pitched roof, mini doors and windows, startled passers-by often stop to take photos. Neil, who lives near Norwich, said: “I had a 70ft (21m) oak tree outside and a big branch fell off. It had a tree preservation order on it, but it had a disease and had to be cut down. I was left with a 10ft (3m) stump. I put a little roof on it and it’s grown from there.” Neil dedicated it to emily Rush, who died of a rare type of…

▪ Butterfly Dome – a dome filled with exotic butterflies (above) from South America and Indonesia. Visitors can wander among the coloured creatures and learn about their life. ▪ Bus Stop Boulevard – stroll down a ‘city street’ with upcycled bus stops and a double decker bus. Numerous bus shelters will be covered in plants, decorated by local communities and designers from the Greater Manchester area. ▪ Garden Hideaways – this year’s theme is all about turning the humble garden shed into a custom made, up-cycled, beautiful and innovatively decorated hideaway.…

▪ Plants should be gradually acclimatised to outdoor life to reduce their stress levels. ▪ Start them off somewhere shaded, as bright sunlight can scorch leaves at first. Gradually move them into a brighter area of the garden where they can stay for the summer. ▪ Watch the weather and be prepared to move them undercover if heavy storms are forecast. ▪ Light rain and a breeze are good for houseplants, but a downpour and heavy winds can be damaging. ▪ Before moving your plants back indoors, spend a few days reversing the acclimatisation process so that they get used to the different light and humidity levels inside.…

Cover the seed tray and place it somewhere warm and light. You should spot signs of germination after a couple of weeks. 1 Seeds are ready for sowing when the white flower hood and the seedpod it contains have turned dry and brown. 2 Fill a clean seed tray or pot with fresh seed and cutting compost. Water it well and leave it to drain. 3 Rub the seed pod firmly but carefully between your fingers to release the dried seeds into the palm of your hand. 4 Scatter the seeds thinly over the compost and cover with a layer of compost, vermiculite, or a mix of both.…

IN theory, our lawns should be at their finest in high-summer: lush, green and maybe even sporting bowling green stripes. The reality, however, may appear a little different. The dry spring, followed by periods of excessive rainfall during storms, has put a strain on turf. Heavy wear over summer takes its toll, too, compacting soil and weakening the grass. Clay soils can bake solid during hot spells, leading to sparse, yellow growth. Sandy soils present challenges as well, as nutrients leach during downpours, resulting in patchy, weak growth. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune or embark on a backbreaking maintenance programme to give your lawn a quick makeover in July. For small areas of grass, I’ve had great results from Miracle-Gro Lawn Food. This…

1 Perennial garden plants that have finished flowering for the season are often marked down in garden centres. Carefully check the roots and if they are healthy such offers can provide real value for money. 2 Avoid all plants with signs of pest and/or disease attack, for example day lilies with swollen and distorted flower buds, symptoms of Hemerocallis Gall Midge. Purchasing plants bare root in the winter reduces the chances of introducing this pest into your garden. 3 Woody plants with brown edges to leaves indicates damage by drought. In the case of this bay lack of water is indicated by the browned leaf tips.…

LAST week I was explaining how to sow in dry weather, so with your newfound skills you can now dream of pak choi stir-fries, crunchy cos lettuce Caesar salads, plus peppery rocket and mizuna-filled wraps. All these salad crops and more revel in the warm yet moist conditions that autumn brings. Sown now, your salad days will continue well into October, long after any spring sowings have faded. Because salads are quick to mature, regular sowing is key to continued cropping. However, in the heat of summer, growth will be rapid and therefore regular watering is essential. Reach for seed packets such as komatsuna, broccoli raab, leaf radish, turnip tops and baby kale. Then just stand by and wait for harvest.…

I KNOW we’re in the middle of the summer, but it’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas! This is a good week to plant potatoes for your festive feast. Cold-stored seed tubers are available from suppliers and online. (You can do this yourself by storing seed tubers somewhere light and cool. They will grow shoots which should be regularly checked for aphids.) The best seed potatoes are early varieties such as ‘Charlotte’, ‘Nicola’ and ‘Maris Peer’. They can go straight into warm soil without being chitted first. There will be roughly 12 weeks between planting and harvesting. Keep earthing up growing plants to insulate the tubers against frost damage and protect them from the light. If grown undercover in sacks, keep the compost damp and feed with a…

▪ Position with filtered light – no direct sun will ensure good growth and no scorching. ▪ Normal room temperatures are ideal, with a minimum of 15oC (59oF). In hot, dry air, group with other plants or on trays of moist gravel to raise humidity. ▪ Allow the compost surface to begin drying out before watering. Empty excess from saucers after half an hour. ▪ Add a general purpose liquid feed every three to four weeks when growing actively. ▪ Propagate by stem cuttings in spring and summer. Sometimes what looks like one plant is three or four originally rooted into the same pot and these can be prised apart.…

▪ You can sow your seeds into a prepared seedbed outside and move them to their final place later on, but you will have better results now if you sow them undercover. ▪ Fill a clean pot or tray with fresh seed compost. Water it and leave it to drain. ▪ Then scatter the seeds thinly on to the compost and cover them with a thin layer of vermiculite or more compost. ▪ Seal the pot in a clear plastic bag or stretch cling film over the top. Remove any coverings when the seeds start to germinate. ▪ Place the seeds on a warm, light windowsill and wait for germination.…

GARDEN ponds add another dimension to our plots. They encourage wildlife, allow us to grow water-loving plants, then give us reflections, movement, and sound to enjoy on a hot day. If well planted the early summer pond is a wealth of foliage and flowers thanks to primulas, Caltha palustris, Mentha aquatica and more. By mid-July many of the flowers have faded, the foliage has become oversized and is hanging into the pond. In some cases, the surface and edges of ponds are completely disguised. It’s now that you need to remove unwanted or boisterous foliage to reveal the shape of the pond again. Leave the foliage in place and the water will turn murky as the foliage rots under the surface. Plus, ponds crowded in foliage are dangerous; visitors and…

PICKING the scented Lathyrus odoratus is a highlight of summer but we mustn’t forget the sweet peas of March and April and those that continue into July. In my garden we have an incredible show of the non-climbing Lathyrus vernus in flower as early as March. A low growing perennial, it thrives under deciduous shrubs and goes on well into April. Soon after are the vintage red blooms of vigorous perennial pea Lathyrus rotundifolius (Persian everlasting pea); perfect for climbing an old tree stump. After this the golden blooms of nonclimber Lathyrus aureus add sparkle to the front of the borders and last of all to flower is Lathyrus latifolia ‘White Pearl’. Treat yourself to a few more sweet peas – you might not get the scent of the annual types…

Coleus Prized for their foliage, coleus are available as large or small specimens, in a vast variety of colours and colour combinations. Ideal for a late-planted summer container. For best results, pinch out any flower spikes. Frost tender. H: 16-29in (40-75cm). Pennisetum Summer and autumn grasses work well with most perennials and look lovely in pots. Many follow their tawny, white, pink or purple bristly bottlebrush flowers with golden autumn foliage tints. Mostly hardy perennial. H: 20-39in (50-100cm). Crocosmia Upright, sword-shaped foliage topped by fiery flowers in reds, oranges and yellows on long stems. Look for large pots with lots of budding stems and the first flowers. They like moisture but not waterlogging. Hardy perennial. H: 24-48in (60-120cm). Penstemon Flamboyant and prolific, in a huge range of colours and bicolours.…

WIN Worth £600 A STAr-studded line-up of Britain’s brightest gardening talents awaits you at the 2017 Southport Flower Show and we have £600 worth of tickets to give away in our exclusive competition. Broadcasters and experts from the nation’s favourite gardening shows on radio and TV will be sharing their expertise with visitors in talks and presentations. Amongst them TV gardener and AG writer Christine Walkden; Gardeners’ World presenter Carol Klein; and David Domoney, resident gardening guru on ITV’s This Morning and Love Your Garden. Garden pest specialist Pippa Greenwood also joins this year’s line-up on the final day. And there’ll be appearances from broadcasters Professor Stefan Buczacki and Matthew Wilson, both regulars on BBC radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. Southport has been a fun-filled fixture in the summer calendar…

Write to: Wendy Humphries, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Rd, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Share your stories, tips and pictures with us and if your letter is published you will receive a new book. When you write, please indicate your special area of interest! Star letter Bounty from the sea is magic IENJOYED reading your summer fertilisers article (AG, 24 June). I do use pelleted chicken manure and a sprinkling of Growmore around my borders and crops. An allotment pal had told me about liquid seaweed and I can understand why – it’s amazing stuff and I can’t recommend highly enough to other readers. I’ve seen a positive impact on different types of veg and fruit trees and it’s so satisfying to see the plants flourish.…

deSPITe carrots usually failing to form worthwhile roots when transplanted, they are commonly offered in garden centres in ‘multi-plant packs,’ writes Guy Barter, RHS chief horticultural advisor. I have tried these, despite my severe misgivings, and failed to produce a worthwhile crop. As carrots sown direct are so easy, I feel such pains are more trouble than they are worth. An exception might be the round or Paris Market carrots which come in packs, or stump-rooted Amsterdam types in 7-8cm pots. Sowing seed direct is the best way of growing carrots. Open pollinated carrot seed is very cheap, while hybrid seed offers advantages. Gardeners are also offered carrot seed tapes – I have tried these too and found them successful.…

THe average Brit mows their lawn 26 times a year – the equivalent of mowing the turf at wembley Stadium every 12 months. So says a new calculator by interiors firm Hillarys, which based its claims on gardeners mowing their lawn every fortnight. The firm said that people who have lived in their home for 10 years will have trimmed their turf 260 times (the equivalent of mowing wembley Stadium 10 times). And residents who spend 20 years at their home will have cut their grass 530 times – the equivalent of mowing wembley 20 times. Go to hillarys.co.uk/yourlife- at-home/ to try the online tool for various household tasks.…

We try before you buy SPREAD the rug on the ground and tuck into your favourite foods alfresco. There’s no better way to celebrate summer than a picnic in a garden, park or perhaps at an outdoor concert. But if you don’t want sandwiches that are curling at the edges, sweating cheeses and wilting lettuce, you’ll need to pack your edibles into an insulated container. Most supermarkets, discount and department stores offer a choice of hampers, bags and boxes – insulated to keep the contents cool and fresh. Select one of a size to suit your needs as the insulation properties tend to work best when the container is full. Some come with a strap or pocket to hold bottles, some will fold for easy storage, but these days few…

There will be 15 feature gardens, divided into ‘Back to Back Gardens’, ‘Future Spaces Gardens’, ‘Show Gardens’ and ‘Young Designer Gardens’. Three Young Designer Gardens, which will offer garden ideas for visitors who work from home, will be: ▪ Studio Unwired – Ula Maria will create a contemporary outdoor hotdesk office for an urban setting. ▪ Business & Pleasure – Jake Curley has come up with an office garden (pictured) that has naturalistic prairiestyle contemporary design. It features three seating areas. ▪ Prospect & Refuge – Anca Panait’s design addresses the environmental requirements of an outdoor working space. A sunken central area is surrounded by lush, calming perennials, while woodland planting creates a sense of escape from the outside world.…

Sweet peas: Don’t miss next week’s AG when I show you how to get the best from your sweet peas! 1 Keep on top of pests to prevent infestations. Main culprits are aphids, scale and glasshouse red spider mites. 2 Remove dead foliage to keep plants looking smart and remove potential entry points for pests and disease. 3 Spent flowers look messy and go soggy, potentially attracting mould and rotting. Remove them quickly. 4 Stand plants on gravel, which holds on to moisture after watering and keeps the atmosphere cool and humid.…

AZALEAS will thrive in the ground or containers with one proviso: they need acidic soil or compost. Because my garden soil is so chalky and alkaline, I don’t have a hope in hell of cultivating border azaleas, so I am growing an evergreen one with white flowers in a container. Evergreen azaleas do not grow too large, reaching around 3ft (1m) tall after a decade, so they are ideal for growing on a patio or decking. Deciduous varieties are larger and take around five years to reach 5ft (1.5m). My azalea had been in the same compost for a couple of years and needed re-potting. Beforehand, I checked it over for pests and disease and deadheaded its spent flowers. Evergreen azaleas only need an annual tidy up after flowering and…

1 Smart mowing: Close-cut mowing can weaken a lawn, leading to shallow rooting and making grass susceptible to drought. In hot spells, raise the height of the mower’s blades slightly. Mow fortnightly, not weekly. 2 Tackle ants’ nests: Ants excavate soil as they build nests under lawns. Most ant powders are intended for use in homes or on paths; not on lawns. On a dry day, use a dustpan and brush to sweep-up excavated soil, before mowing. 3 Green-up turf: Granular feeds can green-up a lawn in just three days. Apply before rain is due. Do not apply quick-fix lawn feeds after August, as their high nitrogen content encourages growth at the wrong time of year. 4 Treat weeds: Use a lawn weedkiller to spot-treat troublesome weeds such as dandelions…

BLACKCURRANTS are one of the most reliable and heavy cropping soft fruits, and most often they’re made into jam, or better still jelly. The jelly is most gorgeous as it features no seeds or skins – which also means you can pick the crop quickly without fiddling about. The little hanging bunches can be plucked off all as one because any tiny sprigs (the stems to each currant) will be strained out with the seeds and skins during the jelly-making process. For maximum sweetness and flavour you need to let blackcurrants ripen fully. The trouble is they don’t hang well and once they start dropping they’ll be lost if not gathered straight away. So place newspaper or sheets under your bushes: this helps you spot the fruits as soon as…

Clear a space around your plants, removing any weeds and forking over the soil. Bend lengths of wire into little hoops and use these to peg down individual runners into the soil, at the point where a young plantlet appears. Water in well. You can alternatively sink small pots of a 50:50 soil and compost mix around your main strawberry plants and peg the runners into these. This has the advantage of minimising the root disturbance of young plants once they’ve rooted. Keep the rooting runners well watered and weed-free all summer to ensure they remain healthy and robust. In late September or October, the runners can be lifted from the soil, cut off from the parent plants and moved to a new strawberry bed.…

IT’S time to net your raspberries. Summer raspberries are a prime target for blackbirds so as much as we love their evensong, it’s time to haul out the nets. Erecting netting really is a twoperson job, so to keep things polite, choose a non-breezy day to avoid those frustrating tangles. If you have a fruit cage, I envy you. If not, I’ve found that inserting tall bamboo canes and placing upturned flower pots at their tips acts as a good netting support. Carefully unfurl your netting and then, between the two of you, gently carry the net over the canes and then lower it in place. Peg the bottom down tightly and then celebrate. Job done.…

New series! I TOOK this picture last year (inset) of aphids on a centaurea. I wanted to record the large oval egg, but when I downloaded it I could actually see two cream eggs and another creature below them that I couldn’t identify. I often find more in my pictures than I bargained for, proving that there’s a lot going on in a natural garden - although you do have to search for it. “They often look like small wasps” The pale white eggs are hoverfly eggs and this species must have larvae that consume aphids and other small pests. These eggs eventually hatched out, five days later, and matured into a pale maggot-like larvae that fed during the day. However there are some larvae that feed at night, including…

1 Roots can fill the pot and it will dry out frequently. Make sure the rootball is moist, before teasing out roots prior to planting. 2 Place crocks over the drainage hole, add some good potting compost to the base and add the syngonium. 3 Position it with other shadeloving plants. I’ve used Asplenium nidus (bird’s nest fern) and Scindapsus pictus (satin pothos). 4 Fill-in between rootballs with compost, firming gently and then water in before positioning safely away from direct sunlight.…

1 Water plants first, then dig a hole for them as deep as their rootballs. Add a handful of slow-release feed if you have poor soil. 2 Slide plants from their pot, tease out any congested roots and place them in their hole, infilling and firming down the soil. 3 Drench the soil around the plants to settle and hydrate their roots. Carefully remove any battered or yellowing leaves. 4 Protect the young, tender plants with slug repellent. Either use pellets or a barrier deterrent such as wool pellets, grit or egg shells.…

Tip: If eating out on areas of decking this summer don’t be tempted to sweep the crumbs from your feast under the decking – this will certainly encourage rats! A few weeks ago, a tile fell off my roof. My first thought was not of the hole in the roof but of a wonderful display I saw at rHS Chelsea flower Show in 2016! An alpine nursery had planted up pots of alpine succulents and inserted broken slate and clay tiles to add a contrasting texture to the pot. with this in mind I decided to give my roof tile a new home this week. Putting an old blue glazed pot into use, I planted Sedum ‘Cape Blanco’ and a sempervivum. The pot was a deep one but I could…

IF you didn’t apply a feed to your potted fuchsias in March or April then treat your plants to one that can be watered on now such as Vitax Fuchsia Feed or Baby Bio Pour and Feed. Watering in July and August is obviously essential as if allowed to dry out they will quickly drop their blooms. Water in the morning or evening and if growing in a greenhouse water the floor as well to raise the humidity. Deadhead and sweep up the faded blooms as this will encourage further flowering and prevent the old fallen flowers from encouraging the spread of pests and diseases.…

▪ on receiving small plug plants, pot them up into 3.5in (9cm) pots of good compost (50:50 John innes No 2 and a soilless multi-purpose with a little extra grit works well). ▪ Plant into containers of compost or borders of good soil in the autumn. ▪ Polyanthus destined for a long life in the garden require careful siting. look for a spot offering good winter light while they are in active growth but cool and lightly shaded for summer. ▪ soil should be humus-rich and moist but well-drained. avoid situations where plants will dry out during summer. ▪ Divide long-lived clumps every three years before they become too fleshy. Replant the sections in groups, spacing them 9in (21cm) apart. ▪ Potted polyanthus sometimes attract vine weevils (circled), whereas those…

It is thought that the earliest rock gardens were found in Japan in the 8th century, and even today rockeries still dominate garden design in the Far East. In the traditional Zen garden (also known as a ‘Japanese rock garden’ or ‘dry landscape garden’), rocks symbolise mountains. Gravel or sand is often raked around the rocks to represent valleys or flowing water; sometimes there is no greenery, or it is provided by moss, or by a few plants. the simplicity of these Zen rockeries is designed to facilitate meditation. Our British rockeries were not inspired by these mysterious Far Eastern gardens, however. Instead, they arose from the travel boom of the 18th and 19th centuries, which took explorers into the mountainous regions of Europe, where they found exotic miniature plants.…

On top of a wall Garden walls are ideal for growing alpines, especially dry stone walls that are topped with a raised gravel bed. Alpines (Campanula, Dianthus, Erodium and Saxifraga) will flourish in the well-drained, sunbaked conditions. Many plants, such as Erigeron karvinskianus, will grow in any cracks and crevices – forming hanging waterfalls of flowers. In modern containers “The small stature of alpines means that a selection, with a long flowering period, can be grown in a small container,” says Slack Top’s Michael Mitchell. Grow little plants such as thyme, Sedum and houseleeks (Sempervivum) in troughs made of terracotta or corten steel. Ensure adequate drainage via drainage holes and the use of gritty compost.…

QWe’ve moved into a house with a garden full of weeds, including bindweed and ground elder. What’s the best way to get rid of them? Jack Thorncroft, Chesterfield A Persistent perennial weeds are a pain – ruining summer displays while competing with plants for moisture and nutrients. Control is a priority. In areas where no plants are in situ, cover the soil with thick black polythene or several sheets of newspaper. On top of this, place old carpet or a deep layer of organic matter as a mulch. This should be at least (10-15cm) deep. It may take two to three seasons of excluding light before you eliminate the weed problem. Alternatively, forking through the soil and removing all weed roots can be successful. Leaving just a small piece of…

Border phlox – Classic cottage garden plant with a sweet perfume. They like a partially-shaded location in soil that doesn’t dry out. Look for pink ‘Franz Schubert’ (above) or ‘Blue Paradise’ with has violet-blue blooms. Height up to 4ft (1.2m), spread 12-18in (30-45cm). Pinks – Clove-scented pinks are great for pots and the edge of cottage garden borders. Dianthus ‘Memories’ (pictured) has a long flowering season producing white blooms from May to the first frosts. Height 20in (50cm), spread 16in (40cm). Lavender – Mounds of grey-green foliage with slender stems, covered in fragrant purple flowers. ‘Grosso’ is said to have the strongest fragrance. ‘Hidcote’ (above) and ‘Munstead’ are more compact plants. Height 24-39in (60cm to 1m), spread 29-39in (75cm to 1m). Jasmine – A deciduous, twining climber with clusters of…

*just pay £5.65 postage Worth £27.60 SpecTacUlaR allium bulbs will produce an explosion of colour from spring to mid-summer, followed by architectural seedheads that create a magnificent autumn display. Undemanding and easy to grow, these magnificent allium flowers range in height from 6in (15cm) to 36in (90cm). as well as providing a sunny display for the garden they’re also excellent for cutting so you can bring their splendour indoors. Collection comprises the following bulb varieties: ▪ 3 x Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ ▪ 21 x Allium neopolitanum ▪ 25 x Allium roseum ▪ 43 x Allium sphaerocephalon ▪ 5 x Allium caeruleum ▪ 3 x Allium ‘Mount Everest’ Other special offers: Great for cutting OFFER 1 Allium ‘Big Impact Mixed’ Undemanding and easy to grow, Allium ‘Big Impact Mixed’ will give a wonderful assortment of flower shapes, sizes and…

▪ Orange GM petunia alert Orange genetically-modified petunias, which entered the UK illegally this spring, have been reported as far afield as New Zealand, according to reports in the trade. ▪ Towering echiums It has been a bumper year for echiums, with gardeners reporting monster flower spikes that climbed up to 20ft (6m), almost double the usual height. A New white blackberry that’s said to be perfect for growing on patios and in small spaces is being described as an “incredible breakthrough”. The Polarberry produces green stems in its first year if planted in autumn, followed by novel white fruits from July or August in its second year of growth. Marshalls, which claims it will be first to offer the Polarberry, said plants will be productive for eight to 10…

▪ 15 July: Introduction to Scything, RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. & 0203 176 5830 or visit rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr ▪ 15-16 July: ArtsFest, RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. Call & 0845 6121 253 or visit the website at: rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley ▪ 19-23 July: RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, Tatton Park, Cheshire WA16 6QN. rhs.org.uk/showsevents/rhs-flower-show-tattonpark (see full preview on p56) ▪ 19 July: Roses floristry demonstrations: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. & 0203 176 5830; ??rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor ▪ 20 July: Thursday Late-Night Opening, RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. & 0203 176 5830, ??rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr ▪ Please check that the event is still going ahead before leaving home. If you have an event that you would like us…

Gooseberry ‘Nibbling’ £15.90 (5ltr pot) 0845 527 1658 lubera.co.uk Years of breeding work has proved fruitful at Lubera. The result is gooseberry ‘Nibbling’ with improved mildew resistance, quality of fruit and less thorns. The rounded habit also makes it great for pot growing. Fruits are said to hardly ever get overripe, leaving you free to snack regularly on them as the name suggests. Narrow Spade Hoe £19.99 01753 547790 for stockists darlac.com Often referred to as a ‘spud hoe’ this vintage style hoe has been brought bang up to date with handles made of strong, eco-friendly, lightweight bamboo. With a 5mm blade its ideal for weeding out overcrowded flower beds and veg plots as well as getting in amongst tight rows of potatoes. Waltons Wooden Greenhouse £849.99 FREE DELIVERY 0800…

Nurseryman and former Gardeners’ World host IS it just me or have you noticed how roses are more fragrant this year? The ‘Seagull’ rose which rambles over the path to my door has never smelt so sweet and spicy, and I – perhaps fancifully – have put this extra scent down to spring sunshine filling the buds with fragrance before they burst. “The trick is to dead-head” What’s for certain though, is that the perfume has made me want more roses in my garden. Roses like sun, and deep clay soils which stick not only to your boots, but also stick to the nutrients needed for flowers and healthy, luxuriant growth. The soil in my garden is the opposite, in places thin and lacking in organic matter. Where I’ve piled…

CHOOSE a container that’s at least 18in (45cm) wide and deep and plant into a 50/50 mix of John Innes No3 and multi-purpose potting compost. Although all roses are fine for a few years in a container, the bigger climbers and shrubs soon start to sulk and need potting on or planting out. Floribunda roses, especially those shorter than 2.5ft (75cm) do well and bloom through summer. I had a ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ floribunda in a tub for 10 years, kept happy with regular water and a twice yearly feed.…