Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Oct-2017 i Amateur Gardening

WITH good weather days becoming the exception rather than the rule, this is the perfect time to check your shed and greenhouse and make sure they are clean, tidy and ready for winter. I always start out each summer with the tidiest of intentions, but by the time autumn arrives the shed tends to look as though a hurricane has powered its way through. And so I get to spend a day inside it, housekeeping – or shedkeeping if you will. Of course it is nicer to work in an ordered environment where there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place. But it is also important to keep your shed and greenhouse clean to prevent pests and diseases finding somewhere to overwinter and multiply. I also use…

TopTip Don’t confuse hardy annuals with half-hardy seeds that will not survive outside if sown now. Sown indoors they will also fail to thrive, growing weak and leggy, if at all, due to lack of warmth and light AS I write this, on a day of mist, wind and rain, the garden looks bleak and grey and not at all inviting. Yet a few weeks ago it was a blaze of colour and the borders were a riot of different annuals that often clashed colours but looked sensational. Instead of looking back to those days with dismal nostalgia, I’m planning next year’s display and sowing some hardy annuals now. The most popular varieties include sunflowers, gypsophila, calendula and Nigella. The best reason for sowing hardy annuals now is that they…

Foxgloves will survive winter 1 Grown from seed and potted on, these young plants are sturdy enough to survive in a border, and will grow and flower next spring. 2 Water if needed, then carefully slip them from their pots. Check the rootballs for pests and gently tease out their roots. 3 Plant them in holes as deep as their rootballs and slightly wider. Plant them too deep or shallow and they will fail to thrive. 4 Water the plants well to drench the roots and settle and firm the soil. Check them regularly for pests.…

1 Using a sharp, clean serrated knife, cut out the top of the pumpkin so you can reach inside to remove the pips and pith. 2 Scoop out the insides, widening the cavity if necessary using a knife or spoon. Set the flesh and seeds aside for cooking. 3 Carefully carve out the features – eyes, nose and mouth – making sure you keep your fingers away from the knife blade. 4 Light a candle inside your finished spooky carving, but don’t leave it unattended with the candle still flaming.…

1Select raspberry suckers that look healthy. Water the soil beforehand if dry. Gently slide a fork or spade into the earth alongside the sucker and tease it out of the soil with as many roots attached as possible. Replant in a new bed and water in well. 2 Trace along stems of healthy black and hybrid berries to discover those that have rooted at their tip. Again, water the soil if dry and then gently tease the rooted layer out of the earth with as much root attached as possible. Replant in a new bed and water in well. 3 At this time of year you can also encourage plants to tip layer. Take a healthy new shoot of a black or hybrid berry, and peg its tip 2in (5cm)…

TopTip Take hardwood cuttings of fruit bushes now. Select a 12in (30cm) piece of this year’s growth, cut it into sections, dip one end of each into rooting powder and insert into cuttings compost. SOFT fruits are a quintessential summer crop, whether they are grown in your garden or foraged from blackberry-rich hedges. Domesticated currants, gooseberries, raspberries and other cane fruits are pretty easy to grow and are versatile. They should all work well in the ground and in containers. But to keep them cropping well and in good shape, they need regular pruning. Autumn is the key time to do this, though autumn-fruiting raspberries should be left until late winter (February is ideal) and then cut down to ground level. Summer-fruiting raspberries that have been harvested should have already…

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My Amaryllis is all over the place QMy Amaryllis flowered magnificently last year and afterwards, I placed it outside, thinking it would die back. However, now it has five long, sturdy leaves but no sign of the flower stem. Should I cut it back and start from scratch? David Hilton, Stevenage, Herts A I do think Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) can be the most exasperating of plants. They do have a growing and flowering season, but also seem inclined to do entirely their own thing. You are quite correct in your assumption that the bulb should have gone dormant through the summer with the leaves dying back. However, our summer does not resemble the summer of its native habitats in central and southern America – long and hot and dry. In more…

I USE paper bags to store lavender, catmint and culinary herbs in order to speed up the drying process. My local supermarket has started putting fruit and veg in strong paper bags that are ideal for this purpose. I always punch holes in them to let air circulate. Not only that, when making my Christmas cake I use the paper bags cut size to line the outside of the cake tin, tied off with a piece of garden twine! Mrs Angela Keeler, Lowestoft,…

1 Start by getting things off he floor and onto hooks or nails. It instantly makes the shed look tidier and removes dangerous trip hazards. 2 Sort through your pots. Bin those you don’t want (our local garden centre has a pot recycling scheme) and wash those you’ll re-use next year. 3 Keep greenhouse glass clean to optimise the amount of light getting to plants inside. Removing algae and muck also reduces the risk of diseases. 4 We are in peak pruning season, so make sure you keep cutting blades clean and sharp, and mechanisms free of debris and well lubricated. 5 Check stored crops regularly and remove any that are overripe or starting to go off, as they will contaminate the rest of the harvest.…

Helpful friend: Worms help improve the soil’s structure and nutrients by pulling fallen leaves into their burrows, so they rot down underground. TopTip If you live near a busy road, sift through leaves carefully before adding them to the bin or bag to remove litter. Check they are not contaminated with fungal disease or mixed up with weed seeds. Free stuff gets my vote every time, especially when it comes to things that will benefit the health of my garden. One of the best freebies that only requires a bit of elbow grease to stock up on is leaf mould, the gorgeous, crumbly residue of rotted foliage that is absolute manna for the garden. It is obviously in plentiful supply at this time of year, and all you need to…

“Just simple tidying makes a garden much neater” OK, let’s admit it: no matter how much climate change helps warm things up we’re still heading into winter. A few little tweaks now and your garden will be in much better shape to get through the next four or five months. First of all go round collecting up the tools, pots, saucers, cans, toys, litter and bric-a-brac that’s accumulated around the garden through the warmer months. Just simple tidying makes a garden much neater. Next, make sure all the crops are gathered in, and check their stores are well insulated and rodent proof. Finish all the pruning while the days are brighter and titivate anything in view of your main windows. Trim back herbaceous growth – but not right to the…

“Amelanchier is a fine example” THE garden was more colourful at the end of September and into October than at any other time of year. Summer bedding, especially the begonias, were still full of flower and roses had yet another flush of flowers to go with rich red, purple and yellow shades as deciduous shrubs and trees prepared to shed their leaves. Foliage fall colour is of course transient and where possible trees and shrubs that are also ornamental at other times of year should be selected. Amelanchier is a fine example with young copper foliage to go with the white spring flowers, soft green through the summer and then red turning to black fruits that the birds soon strip. Berberis, with orange flowers in spring and copper coloured leaves…

“The harlequin will eat adult ladybirds” A FEW years ago the Best Beloved and I were enjoying a wellearned rest and a cup of tea after some strenuous hours in the garden. It was late October 2008, but the weather was warm and the sky was blue with ne’er a cloud in view. As we looked up we saw a black haze coming towards us and then veering off towards our cottage. It was a swarm of harlequin ladybirds – hundreds of them – many of which landed on the warm stone of our cottage and headed for two old metal sheds on either side. These harlequins (Harmonia axyridis) are well-named because they come in all sorts of mixtures of red and black and a hundred different colour patterns have…

▄ Lots of roses are grafted, but you can take cuttings and grow them on their own roots – it’s relatively simple and November is the optimum time to do it. Choose this season’s growth, making sure that the selected stems are pencil thick and firm to the touch. ▄ Ideally, your cuttings should measure 10-12in (4-5cm). Make a diagonal cut to increase the surface area of exposed wood. Remove all the lower leaves and dip in hormone rooting powder – make sure this is fresh as stored rooting powder can go off once it’s been opened. ▄ Dig a slit trench in a shady position, line with sharp sand and submerge two thirds of the cutting in the ground. Cover with soil and heel in. They should root by…

Watch out for wildlife Never burn a stack of woody material built up over weeks – it will be difficult to light and may have wildlife sheltering inside. Instead, build dry stacks near your planned burn site, later moving these piecemeal onto your fire once it is blazing. Alternatively, transfer material over on the day it’s to be burnt. Safeguard your garden and house Prior to lighting a bonfire (or fireworks), use a hose with a fine spray to wet all valued plants nearby and downwind. Give a good soaking to any flammable materials such as dead leaves and evergreens, and dampen wooden fences and gutters that may be full of dry moss. Start your fire safely Ideally, begin by lighting a small fire, using the driest material you have.…

A BLAZING fire on a cool autumn or chilly winter evening can bring a warm glow to even the chilliest garden or patio. And then there’s the evocative smell of the woodsmoke… But not everyone wants or has space for a bonfire – which is where fire bowls, pits or baskets come into their own. However, beware descriptions on websites – some fire bowls claiming to be cast iron are really pressed steel. This is not a problem if the steel is a decent thickness, but thin steel warps easily under intense heat and won’t last nearly as long. Compare weights – if it’s heavy it’s likely to be more robust. Don’t forget fire bowls radiate heat down as well as up – they’ll scorch wooden decks, lawns and other…

I’m trying to grow lettuce and other leaves in my unheated greenhouse but they have greenfly. What can I do? Ken Higham, Hambleton, Lancs ASpray them with BugClear Fruit & Veg. Based on rapeseed oil, which clogs the greenflies’ breathing pores. Treated plants can be eaten the day they are sprayed. Alternatively, use Provado Ultimate Fruit & Vegetable Bug Killer. QMy kiwi ‘Jenny’ is in my greenhouse. It has plenty of leaves, but no fruit or flowers. Why? Bruce Roach, Hayle, Cornwall AIdeally, espalier-train branches, bending them down to supporting wires to ensure that they are horizontal. Flowers should then appear. A pollinating partner is not required and fruits should form in abundance. You may be over-feeding it, which would cause lush foliage, while flowers would be reluctant to form.…

TopTip Once the covers are on, bury or weigh down the edges of the mesh, to make sure the carrot fly can’t get in. Beware of the growing crop pushing up and taking the mesh with it. QCARROT root fly have ruined my carrots. This is so dispiriting after all the effort I’ve put into them. How can I stop this from happening in future? Derek StHolmes, Wiltshire A Adult carrot flies are so insignificant one hardly notices them, but sadly the third of an inch (9mm) long maggots and their damage are all too common. The first signs of trouble are yellow and then bronze leaves in an otherwise healthy row, caused by the afflicted carrots struggling under the burden of an attack. Pulling a carrot or two soon…

SOME years ago, Amateur Gardening gave away amaranthus seeds (love lies bleeding). I planted them and saved the seed to sow the following year. Each year since, we have had these lovely plants. I dot them around the garden and they make a lovely display when other flowers are over. This year they have been brighter and longer than ever, up to 32in (80cm) long. Thank you for the free seeds – this week, I’m busy planting out the Canterbury Bell plants for next year. Sheila Martin, Malvern, Worcs…

Tulip fever: November is peak tulip-planting time, and next week in AG I show you how and why Correct storage and disposal of garden chemicals is essential ▄ Garden chemicals should be treated with care, and always used for their correct purpose. ▄ Proper storage and disposal is crucial, otherwise you may damage your health and that of the people, plants and animals around you. ▄ Make sure chemicals are stored somewhere cool and dry and out of the reach of children. ▄ Always store granular items above liquid ones to avoid contamination via leakage, which could cause a dangerous reaction. ▄ Never decant chemicals into other bottles. ▄ Gardeners may have excess stock due to chemicals being withdrawn. Never pour down a drain as they will contaminate the watercourse.…

TopTip If you garden on heavy clay soils that hold onto water for a long time, delay any planting out until spring. Improve the soil over winter by digging in well-rotted manure, compost or composted bark. I ALWAYS think of the last week of October as a time for battening down the hatches. Looking around, there are still things I need to do before everything goes dormant. I have several plants that need getting in, including a few young foxgloves grown from seed this year. They are the white variety ‘Alba’ and will look stunning against the fresh green foliage of early summer. Most of ones in the garden are the traditional pink variety, so these will make a lovely contrast. This is still a good time for planting here…

TopTip If stored properly, pumpkins and winter squashes should last for up to six months. However, courgettes and marrows need eating much sooner as they deteriorate more rapidly. IT never fails to impress me how a tiny seed pushed into a pot of compost in spring produces massive fruits months later. Fat orange pumpkins and varieties of squashes in many shapes, sizes and colours are some of the most visually arresting of all of autumn’s bounty. This week, supermarkets are stacked high with pumpkins ripe for Halloween carving, and many exotic-looking squashes and decorative gourds are available too. If you have grown your own, you will be thinking about harvesting, storing and cooking them. Leave them on the plant for as long as you can, so the fruits accumulate as…

SOME fruits are so obliging – you turn your back and hey presto, they propagate themselves! This is true of cane fruits, which includes the rigid-stemmed raspberries and their lax, bendy blackberry and tayberry relatives. Both summer and autumn raspberries readily throw up suckers a little too far away from the main row, and these are ideal candidates for starting a new patch. Black and other hybrid berries on the other hand, tip-layer. This means they grow a new stem, it bends over to the ground, and then roots where the tip hits the earth. Now is the ideal time to dig up these rooted plantlets and move them to establish new crops elsewhere – or pot them up to give to friends. Here’s how: Lift Jerusalem artichokes AT this…

FROM fences to pergolas, sheds, raised beds. border edging and furniture, timber is one of the most widely used materials in our gardens. Yet, there’s a down side to this natural material. Over time, exposure to sun, rain, snow, frost and salt-laden winds can spoil the appearance and stability of wooden structures. Without care, the lifespan of anything made of wood is dramatically reduced, especially over winter when moisture penetrating unprotected wood can lead to rotting and mould, along with moss growing on the surface. Ultimately, structures that are weakened by weather damage are also vulnerable to being blown down by a gusty blast. To increase the lifespan of wooden structures, it’s important to give them some attention before the weather takes a turn for the worse. Treat wooden surfaces…

Camellia The single and double flowers of C. x williamsii come in reds, pinks, creams or pure white, and are set against glossy evergreen leaves. Best on a west-facing fence, they prefer neutral or acid soil, but thrive in containers. H: 31⁄4 -61⁄2ft/1-2m. Clematis Some evergreen winter clematis will be starting to bloom – look for ‘Freckles’ (above). Meanwhile late summer varieties like bright yellow ‘Bill McKenzie’ and large-flowered ‘John Paul II’ will still be flowering. H: 61⁄2-20ft/2-6m. Cherry Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ is the one to look for, a small and wellbranched tree featuring frilly white flowers opening from pink buds. It is at its peak about now, and twigs cut in bud will open indoors. H: 161⁄2ft/5m. Erica Dainty-looking but very tough, winter heathers are starting to come in…

‘Scent from Heaven’ (Chewbabaluv) Chris Warner’s repeat-flowering healthy climber not only won Rose of the Year 2017, but also gained a fragrance prize in the Paris International Rose Trials. Pointed buds unfurl to fruitily fragrant flowers in sunset shades. H: 12ft/ 3.5m. ‘James L. Austin’ (Auspike) Another 2017 launch, with weather defying, fruity scented large blooms – almost like rosettes – in a vibrant cerise pink. Named after the son of David Austin Sr, this neat rose is ideal for a mixed flower border. H: 3.5ft/1.1m. ‘ Simple Yellow’ ( Harsonnet) New this year, this easily grown, wildlife-friendly rose from Harkness has clusters of semi-double lemon yellow flowers that don’t fade. It forms a dense bush and the bees really adore it. H: 4ft/1.2m. ‘Mary Berry’ (Harupon) Unveiled by the…

Helping hands for the new season Pond netting From £1.95 p&p £4.95 0333 4001500 harrod horticultural.com Stop autumn leaf fall from getting to your pond with strong, high density polyethylene netting. With a heavy duty 45mm mesh it’s ideal for keeping larger leaves out and also helps deter predators, like herons, from reaching fish. Available by the square metre and in extra value saver packs. Water Butt Treatment £8.53 diy.com click and collect Ensure your water butt is clean and ready for the autumn rains. Hozelock’s treatment stops the build up of algae, slime and nasty smells. Made from natural plant extracts it’s non-toxic and incorporates a dosing system so you can pour the exact amount directly into the tank. One bottle can treat up to 6,400 ltrs of water.…

From Guaranteed to flower in the first year from planting With a beautiful shade of magenta-pink funnelshaped flowers, Nerine bowdenii ‘Pink’ is bound to brighten up any autumn border. it makes stunning cut flowers at a time when other blooms are scarce. Perfect for a greenhouse, in pots outdoors or in well drained borders and rockeries. Bulb size 12/14. Height: 18in (45cm). Spread: 3in (8cm). ▄ Buy 5 for £9.99 ▄ Buy 10 for £14.98 – Save £5 ▄ Buy 20 for £19.98 – Save Half Price How to order TELEPHONE ORDER LINE 0844 573 2021 please quote AGT334Z. Subscribers quote AGT335Z and your subscriber number to claim your 10% discount All orders will be acknowledged by letter or email, advising you of the expected despatch date. This offer is…

Write to: Wendy Humphries, Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Star letter THIS is a photo of my neighbour, Roy, navigating his garden on a zimmer frame. His mobility might be limited these days, but he doesn’t let it slow him down because every pot and basket seen in this picture (plus many more) have been planted by his own hands, not to mention the numerous tomato plants. It may take him a little longer to do jobs these days and he may require more frequent rests, but I bet you don’t know anyone else who can manage all this at the age of 101! Happy Birthday, Roy. Jane Brockbank-Smith, Luton, Beds Wendy says: Roy is an inspiration. He must have such a…

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“Her mutiny was unexpected” I’M always keen to try any novel gardening tool, so having stumbled across a flatner boat at Watchet Boat Museum while holidaying in Somerset I asked them to bring one along to my Harvest Festival at Forde Abbey. As if you didn’t know, a flatner is a small vessel traditionally used to gather reeds and peat from the Somerset Levels – in short, a boat built for gardening and the perfect place to explain autumn pond care to festival visitors. With Charlie Dimmock on hand to help, I envisaged a unique ‘floating theatre’. However, my plans unravelled faster than a Jolly Roger in force 10. While the boat looked wonderful bobbing by the banks of Forde’s lake, Charlie took me amidships by refusing to come aboard.…

NOW that aquatic life is less active it’s the ideal time to clean out a pond. First, create a tank to hold your plants, a bucket or two of silt from the base and as much pond water as possible. Divide plants that you want to keep and empty the pond using a pump, netting any missed fish as you go. Scoop out the last debris with a bucket and scrub the plastic sides clean. Leave unwanted sludge on the side where wildlife can find its way to safety before adding it to the compost the next day. Refill (ideally with rainwater) and reintroduce plants etc. from the holding tank.…