Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-jul-16 i Amateur Gardening

IT’S STAGGERING how quickly blight can rip through a potato crop. A few spots appeared on my ‘Pentland Javelin’ leaves, and rather more on ‘Red Duke of York’ at the beginning of last week. Two days later the patches had spread significantly, so I dug these first earlies up quickly, and got fair crops from both. Two days after that, the nasty brown patches on leaf and stem had spread to my favourite ‘Charlotte’ second earlies, and maincrop ‘Pink Fir Apple’ and ‘King Edward’. Aargh! I’ve just spent two hours cutting off the haulms (the top growth) of the worst-affected ‘Charlotte’ and ‘King Edward’. Both have a modest crop in the soil – I dug up a plant of each to check. Removing the top growth should stop blight reaching…

1 Dig a hole the same depth as the plant’s rootball, and slightly wider. Add well-rotted manure or garden compost. 2 Slide the plant from its pot, and tease out its roots. Make sure you work free those circling the other roots. 3 Infill around the plant with removed soil. Make sure it falls between the roots. Tread it down to remove air pockets. 4 Water the plant well with at least two watering cans. Keep watering regularly, until it gets established.…

ALL the shrubs in our garden have green leaves, apart from a beautiful, inherited Berberis thunbergii, which produces an eye-catching thicket of deep red foliage. It makes a lovely contrast to the serried ranks of green, and judging by the profusion of lichens growing among its branches, our berberis is quite an old plant. It is also one that I would like to see elsewhere in garden, so I decided to take cuttings of it this summer, which I can grow on in the greenhouse over the winter, and plant out in due course. Mid-summer is the ideal time to take semi-ripe cuttings, which have this year’s soft new growth at their tip, and harder, more mature material at their base. I took ‘mallet cuttings’ – removing a piece of…

“I travelled up to the later new crop in the north-east” READER’S letters have been and are an information lifeline between gardening journalists and fellow gardeners. You tell us your matters of concern, successes and failures and so we get to know what is happening out in gardens across Britain. I was interested to read Maggie Chaplin’s tip (AG 25th June 2016) to buy lettuce seedlings as living salad at the supermarket, so side-stepping the fiddle of raising plants from seed. Jacqueline Daley, Stockton on Tees in the same issue, thanked AG. for the inspiration to: “turn my ordinary garden into a beautiful outdoor home.” It took me back to the time I spent working on Teesside two days a fortnight for over 20 years. One of the perks of…

I’VE been describing a flurry of herb storage methods in the past few weeks, and this issue is no exception. Here I’m detailing the last of my favoured preservation methods for these aromatic plants – freezing. This is ideal for all but the softest of herbs (e.g. basil), so use it for thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, etc. Simply pick a bunch, wash it gently, shake it dry and then pop it straight into a polythene bag in the freezer – ideal for laying over a roast or topping a pizza. Alternatively, as I like to do, you can make herb ice cubes. Every summer I make a big batch of mixed leafy herbs that I can then drop in to soups, casseroles and the like. I’m showing how (right), step-by-step.…

THESE oh-so-generous plants can be incredibly productive given the right conditions – a sunny spot, rich soil and plenty of water. You may well find that the first few fruits to set turn mouldy – don’t be concerned, this is quite common. Often chilly nights or incomplete pollination are to blame and it usually stops as the season goes on. Once in full swing, you can expect one plant to produce a courgette or two every two days or so. I cut mine while they’re small – no more than 1in (2.5cm) in diameter – which allows me to keep on top of production. The flavour is infinitely more intense when they’re small, too. If you neglect to cut them regularly not only will marrow-sized fruits develop but they’ll suppress…

A FEW ants won’t harm the garden, but big nests can undermine plants. They also like to hide under paving slabs, so if you find a substantial nest, it’s worth getting rid of it. Pour boiling water into the nest (but it doesn’t go deep) or dig the nest out (but it’ll ruin your slab laying!) Chemical ant killers include baits and granules such as AntStop or Nippon Ant Killer Liquid. The ants carry these deep into the nest, killing the whole colony. Just add some bait to, or sprinkle granules over, the visible runs, and continue with your slab raising.…

• Blossom end rot is common, and shows as a blackened area at the end of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines. • It doesn’t spread, although if one plant produces affected fruits, others probably will too. • It is caused by a lack of calcium, and occurs when plants are not watered regularly enough to provide a steady supply of the mineral. Plants in growbags or containers are at most risk. • The easiest way of preventing it is to keep compost constantly moist, and use a liquid tomato feed once a week. Never add feed directly to dry compost.…

• 24 July: Hilles House, Painswick, Stroud, Gloucs GL6 6NN. Open Garden in aid of the British Red Cross, 3-5pm. redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Events/ Open-Gardens • 24 July: Terston, Longstock, Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 6DW in aid of the NGS, 2-6pm. ngs.org.uk • 24 July: Glenmere, Finchampstead, Wokingham RG40 3PA. Open Garden in aid of the British Red Cross, 2-5pm. redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Events/ Open-Gardens • 24 July: Oak Cottage, Finchampstead, Wokingham RG40 3PA. Open Garden in aid of the British Red Cross, 2-5pm. redcross.org.uk/Get-involved/Events/ Open-Gardens • 24 July: Bardsey, 11 Derby Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1BS. Open in aid of NGS, 11am-5pm. ngs.org.uk • 27 July: Thrive Open Gardens, Beech Hill, near Reading, Berkshire RG7 2AT, 2-4pm, in aid of Thrive. thrive.org.uk • 30 July: Swanmore Open Gardens, Patterson Centre, Church Road, Swanmore, Southampton S032 2PA,…

THE 18-month re-approval of glyphosate is simply a “stay of execution” say greens, who vowed to get the weedkiller banned. Earlier this month, the EU granted glyphosate an 18-month permit, following months of wrangling between member states (AG, 16 July). Maker Monsanto wanted a 15-year licence. Glyphosate is an ingredient in Roundup, as well as dozens of other weedkillers on sale to gardeners. Friends of the Earth (FoE) said there is “mounting evidence of harmful impacts on our health and environment”. Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said: “Despite the Brexit vote, the government must now see that glyphosate’s days are numbered and produce a phase-out plan.” She added: “Local authorities should follow the lead of Hammersmith and Fulham council and stop using Roundup and other glyphosate weedkillers in its parks, gardens and…

ENJOY a hummer of a summer if a rare moth colonises your garden. Large influxes of the orange-and-brown humming bird hawk-moth came in 2006 and 2011, and high numbers are expected this year. Richard Fox of the wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation said hawk-moths are some of the largest, fastest and most glamorous moths in the UK. “From the bat-like privet hawk-moth with its 5in (12cm) wingspan to the spell-binding aerobatics of the hummingbird hawk-moth and the punk-pink of the small elephant hawk-moth, these moths have the wow factor,” he said. The charity has reported sightings of the hummingbird hawk-moth but would welcome others. They can be spotted into September. Go to butterfly-conservation.org.…

ONE of Britain’s rarest wildflowers, yellow whitlow grass, has been saved from being wiped out by an invasive, non-native garden species. For the last three years the wild plant charity Plantlife has been fighting to control fast-growing shrubs of cotoneaster. They have spread from gardens or through bird-sown seed to invade large areas of pristine natural habitat on the South Gower cliffs, near Swansea. Cotoneaster, of which there are 85 different varieties grown in Britain, was brought from Asia two centuries ago. The seven types on Gower had smothered wildflowers and almost eradicated rare lichens, liverworts and mosses. Threatened plants included yellow whitlow grass, which only grows on the cliffs. Colin Cheesman, of Plantlife, which cleared ten hectares of cotoneaster, said: “If we hadn’t stepped in, some wild plants would…

Tomatoes Select very ripe fruit, scoop out seeds and soak in water for a few days to remove the surrounding gel. Runner beans Leave large pods on the plant until they dry and go yellow. Remove and continue drying indoors. Peppers Select ripe fruits and carefully cut them in half so that the central cone is exposed. Pick off the seeds. Courgettes/marrows Allow one or two courgettes to grow particularly big. Scoop out the flesh and pick out the largest seeds. Peas Make sure peas are fully mature and, as with beans, wait for pods to go brown and dry before bringing them inside. Radishes Cut stalks when seed heads have turned brown. Place upside down in a paper bag so that the seeds fall out. Where to buy storage…

1 Rake a weed-free bed to be rid of stones. Water if necessary. Then pull the top ½in (1cm) of soil away in opposite directions to create a small ridge on either side of a flat bed. 2 Broadcast the seed thinly and evenly over the flat, moist area of soil. I generally take pinches of seed between finger and thumb for the best control. 3 Using the rake, flick a light covering of fine soil back over the seeds, so they are at or just under the surface. Keep them moist and thin to one every 6in (15cm) gradually after germination.…

QI want to move four fully-grown fuchsias to a better position. Can you tell me when it is OK to move them please? James Thornton (via email) A The best time to move the four fuchsias, presumably hardy varieties that are growing outdoors, is in October or November when the soil is still warm from summer. Your charges will recover well before winter. Start by shortening stems to within 1-2ft (30-60cm) of the base, to reduce water loss. Then lift each bush with as large a root ball as possible. Reset them in generous planting holes enriched with compost, and water them in. If severe weather ensues, protect your fuchsias from hard frost by erecting a framework of canes around each plant, and draping it with several layers of fibre…

Q My ‘Alicante’ tomatoes (see pic) are rotting on the vine. Please can you tell me what it is? John Copeland, West Sussex. A The tomato is showing the symptoms of blossom end rot, which is caused by lack of calcium. For calcium to reach the fruits (furthest parts from the roots), there needs to be a good flow of water through the plant. Tomatoes with limited root space (growing bags or pots) are most at risk of irregular water supply, leading to calcium deficiency. Those in border soil, inside or out, are less affected.…

Q What is this plant, please? Nicky Hart (via email) A The pink-flowered plant is pink sorrel. The Latin name is Oxalis articulata. This is a perennial native wildflower, usually found growing in shady places in woodlands and on rocks. However, it seems quite adapted to living in gardens, too. Q We saw this flower growing while on holiday in Skiathos, and I wondered if it can be grown in the UK. Mrs Dorothy Giblin, Gorton, Manchester A It is shrubby verbena (Lantana camara ‘Chelsea Gem’), and hails from warmer parts of the Americas and Southern Africa. Best grown as a summer bedding perennial, and overwintered in a frost-free greenhouse, tip prune it to encourage side shoots. Q This plant is growing in my garden. Can you tell me what…

WATERING from a can is all well and good, but if you have a lot of pots on a patio then a hosepipe and spray gun can save a lot of toing and froing to the water butt or indoors to the kitchen. Plus, it gives you more control, allowing different rates of water to be delivered according to the type of plants you’re dealing with. You can pay over £20 for an all-singing, all-dancing multifunction spray gun, but would one at less than half that do the job as well? We tested six, at well under a tenner, to find out. All come ready to click-fit onto a standard male hosepipe fitting and have a choice of spray patterns – some more than others. Charlie Dimmock 7 Function Sprayer…

The Eden Project Cornwall PL24 2SG USING the discovery trail map, we let the children lead us on our adventure through Eden, stopping to enjoy the interactive displays along the way. We loved the canopy walkway in the rainforest biome with the nest platform high above the treetops. For the adventure seekers, Eden is also home to the UK’s longest and fastest zip wire. We witnessed the terrifying dinosaurs (led by park rangers) rampaging through the gardens, creating havoc among the visitors and guzzling goodies from a kiosk. It was a spectacle of creative costuming and puppetry, with realistic sound effects. Robbie and Joe also enjoyed activities including archaeology and giant jigsaws. Dinosaur Uprising is an event which is not to be missed. See our video of the monsters in…

1 Alnwick Garden Northumberland NE66 1YU Don’t miss the enchanting band of fairy tale characters in an exciting quest through the gardens throughout the summer holidays (in optional fancy dress). Take trunks and a towel to enjoy the water fun! alnwickgarden.com 2 Mirehouse and Gardens Hertfordshire SG1 2AX Featuring four woodland adventure playgrounds, from toddler areas to assault courses for 12 to 16-year-olds. There’s a family nature trail, bee garden and maze. mirehouse.co.uk 3 Arley Arboretum Worcestershire DY12 1SQ Set in grounds with views over the River Severn you’ll find a maze and a play area as well as fairy, dinosaur and mini beast trails. Pond dipping sessions also available. arleyarboretum.co.uk 4 Knebworth House and Gardens Hertfordshire SG1 2AX 28 acres now include a maze, adventure playground and a dinosaur…

Running wild! MY husband Frank and I have always had our differences over my style of gardening. We live in sheltered accommodation and have been allowed to make two small gardens here. He doesn’t know why I can’t have lines of flowers neatly in order with plenty of black soil in between. If anything overhangs the path, he cuts through it, even if it’s lovely hosta leaves. This time of year, when everything is romping away, he panics and can’t wait for the rambler and climbing roses, and the clematis, to finish flowering so he can cut them back! Frank says they’re out of control and running wild, but I say they’re abundant. I love my garden, plants and wildlife and have learnt so much over the years from Amateur…

“I’ve settled on making a smaller water feature” AFTER watching Versailles on BBC2 and seeing the magnificent fountains and lakes, it occurred to me that Chez Buckland would benefit from a water feature with a little more sophistication than our frog-filled naturalistic pond. I’ve been to Versailles and was blown away by its scale and in particular Louis XIV’s mile-long formal pond which, as it stretches towards the horizon, widens to create the sparkling illusion of a ramp leading to the heavens. Fitting a replica into my modest sloping garden would be a squeeze and without Louis’ army to help do the digging, I’ve settled on making a smaller formal feature in what was a terrace next to the patio. When designing a pond, knowing the proportions is important both…

FEW sights are sadder than a rotting wooden stump where a tree once stood. I needed to remove the remains of a dead cherry tree in a front lawn, and replace it with something new, attractive and low maintenance. If the rotten stump had been larger than a few inches in diameter, I would have called a tree surgeon, or sawed it to ground level, drilled holes into it to be filled with a strong poison, such as Roundup Tree Stump and Root Killer, and then nailed a plant saucer over it and left it to rot. Luckily, it was fairly small and thoroughly rotten, which made its removal easier. Removing a stump is a two-person job, and you will also require a mattock (similar to a pickaxe), spade and…

• Young trees can suffer from drought stress even in cool, damp weather, as rain may not penetrate to the roots. Water regularly if the ground is dry. • However, don’t over-water, especially on poorly draining soil, as this will cause the roots to drown and rot. If unsure, dig down around the roots with a trowel to check the soil. • Keep the surrounding area free from weeds, and support new trees with a stake and tie. Ensure the tree has room to move, and that the tie isn’t cutting into the bark.…

• Blackcurrants, which produce fruit on young growth each season, should be left alone until the winter months, when they become dormant. • Until they are around four years old, you only need to remove the weak and spindly branches, leaving a developing framework of 6-10 healthy shoots. • In later years, cut back one-third of mature growth right down to the base, to create an open, goblet-shaped plant. • Repeat this every year, removing the oldest wood to encourage new growth to develop strongly.…

• You can boost your chances of success by following a few simple rules. • Take cuttings in the morning, when it is cool and the plants are turgid (full of water) from the night before. Importantly, always use sharp, clean tools to avoid transferring diseases. • Choose healthy, non-flowering growth around 4in (10cm) long. If you aren’t using it immediately, help it retain moisture by keeping it in a plastic bag, or in the fridge, until required.…

WHETHER you have mature borders or a new flower bed, obelisks add instant height. Willow obelisks are cheap at under £20 but deteriorate after a few years. Metal-framed obelisks last longer but are more expensive. Chunkier wooden obelisks are usually pricier but look attractive. I opted for willow obelisks. Most climbers like full or part-sun, so I’ve sited both in bright positions. Avoid exposed sites though, as heavy winds can topple an obelisk once it’s laden with foliage. Before planting I dug the soil thoroughly, incorporating well-rotted organic matter, later adding root-boosting mycorrhizal fungi in planting holes. I planted one obelisk with Passiflora ‘Constance Eliott,’ an RHS Award of Garden Merit passion flower that has beautiful, exotic, white flowers. My second obelisk is now home to a white-flowering Lathyrus latifolius…

IF any of you grow a vigorous grapevine, chances are you’re looking at a tangled mess of stems right now. Grapes are perfect for cloaking unsightly walls and buildings because of their rampant rate of growth, but the flip side is that they need showing who’s boss now and again! The time to do this is mid-summer – long, fruitless new growth that is waving about in the air can be cut back to two or three leaves from its base. New shoots that do bear bunches can be cut back to a leaf or so beyond the bunch. This hard pruning helps to keep your vine in shape and allows sunlight to easily reach the ripening bunches. If you own a new vine your focus should instead be on…

WITH everything growing at such a strong pace, it’s easy to neglect more mundane yet essential tasks. Tree ties, for example, don’t evoke as much excitement as new potatoes or freshly picked cherries, but nonetheless they need your attention. Fruit trees, especially young ones, can increase the girth of their main trunk rapidly during summer. Many that we grow are on dwarfing rootstocks, which demand a stake, and if you secured your tree to this support with any form of tie, check it now. All it takes is two minutes to loosen it if it’s becoming too tight, and your tree can continue to grow unhindered. Overlook this job, though, and if the tie cuts into the trunk significantly it could weaken or even kill it.…

CULTIVATING tomatoes is not always straightforward. Plants require a lot of watering, and are open to a wide range of insect infestations, as well as blight. This year, ours are growing in the greenhouse, where hopefully they will be less likely to be wiped out by blight. We are keeping the plants as pest-free as possible with frequent checks, and by using parasitic wasps (Encarsia formosa) against whitefly. As well as regular watering, I’m also pinching out unwanted shoots so that the plants’ energy goes into producing fruits. Top Tip   When plants have produced seven trusses of fruits (four for those grown outdoors), pinch out the growing point of the stem.…

“Most plants are happiest watered with rainwater” UNLESS we have a wet summer our water butts soon run dry, and we are forced to rely on the mains or other sources, such as grey water. The trouble is, when it comes to watering plants, these types of water are not of equal value and have to be used carefully. Most plants are happiest with rainwater; it’s not full of salts or chlorine and, although not sterile, rarely causes problems with mature plants. However there is usually just not enough, so it should be saved for those plants that need it most. Houseplants and any that are growing long-term in containers need rainwater as these are most susceptible to the build-up of salts. Likewise rhododendrons, heathers and other acid-loving and ericaceous…

ON the farm the job of haymaking is complete, but now the task is to cut back the long grass in the garden. We have small areas of meadow that are left uncut until now. It’s important to do this as, if left all year, we would lose the diversity of plants in the meadow and these areas would eventually turn to scrub and be taken over by strong perennial weeds, such as docks and nettles. It is thought that mid-July until the beginning of August is the perfect time to cut, as this allows for good seed dispersion of the wildflowers and grasses. My uncle shared a rhyme with me the other day, which holds a lot of truth – “Cut in June and thistles will be back soon,…

1. Rosa ‘Scent from Heaven’ Rose of the Year 2017. A climber with orange-salmon blooms. Rich, fruity fragrance. Due to be available bare-root from UK rose suppliers this autumn. 2. Rosa ‘Lightning Strike’ Lightly scented floribunda bearing red flowers that have a flash of white down the central spine of each petal. Repeat flowers throughout the season.styleroses.co.uk. 3. Lavandula ‘Anniversary Bouquet’ Blue-purple flowers are large, conical and densely packed. Grows to a height of 30-35in (75-90cm). Needs sun. downderry-nursery.co.uk downderrynursery.co.uk. 4. Rosa ‘Charles Dickens’ Hybrid tea with bright-red blooms from mid-June until late-autumn. Selected by Marion Dickens, the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens.styleroses.co.uk.…

Flooding-friendly garden The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s Working Wetlands Garden won gold and best-in-show at RHS Hampton Court on 5-10 July. Cat lovers Cats Protection plans to show how to create the purrfect feline-friendly garden at the Southport Flower Show on 18-21 August. Jeremy Corbyn Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn came under fire from Alan Titchmarsh for failing to tie roses back in his garden, says the Daily Telegraph. Allotment disputes Allotment committee members in Berkshire were accused of ‘baring their backsides’ in a bizarre row over an under-used plot.…

Pot marigold ( Calendula officinalis ) Develops seed heads as flowers fade. Wait for the spiny C-shaped seeds to turn brown and for petals to disappear – pull off any stragglers. Seeds will come away easily when brushed with a thumb. Love-in-a-mist ( Nigella damascena ) The pretty seed heads are ready to pick when they become pale and papery in appearance. Cut a long-length stem, place in a paper bag, hang upside down for a few days and let gravity get to work. Sweet pea ( Lathyrus odoratus ) Watch for green pods that will swell over time and gradually turn brown and papery. Pick pod and leave to dry for a few days before gently encouraging it to open so that the…

Choose Select veg plants you want to grow again next year and mark with a tag so they aren’t picked for eating while they are growing and making large seeds. Keep watch Start cutting stems of seed pods that look like they’re about to spill their contents, such as love-in-a-mist, aquilegia and Welsh poppies (above), and hang in bags. Clear out Go through packets of seeds saved in previous years and check for signs of mould or infestations. Discard any that are more than three years old. Share Don’t be greedy. Leave a few seed heads as overwintering spots for insects and winter food for birds. Love-in-a-mist, sunflowers and mullein are favourites.…

Q Please can you tell me the best way to improve my allotment’s heavy clay soil? I need advice about growing veg on a clay soil, too. What crops will do well, and what should I avoid? Terry Davies (via email) A Many gardeners hate clay soil, when in practice, if managed correctly, it can be productive. Unlike lighter soils, clay retains moisture in summer; it also holds plant nutrients better than a sandy soil. Clay can be slow to warm-up in spring due to the high water content, making early crops difficult to achieve unless the soil’s structure has been improved. Dig the soil over in the early winter, leaving it looking rough with large lumps exposed. This will allow winter rain and frost to weather the soil, breaking…

Q Please can you tell me the name of this beautiful fungus that appeared in my garden last year? So far it has not returned this year. Mrs J Treacher, Luton AI am sure the fungus is Lactarius helvus – it doesn’t have a common name – whose wavy-rimmed cap splits into segments. Its botanical name alludes to the droplets of ‘milk’ that the buff gills exude. Usually seen in scattered groups, often in association with conifers, it has a stock-cube aroma when the cap is withered and drying. This fungus is inedible and possibly poisonous. It is locally common, and tends to appear between late summer and autumn.…

Highgrove Wooden Trug £24.95 (p&p £5.95) 0333 222 4555 highgrovegardens.com Fetch and carry gardening bits and bobs with elegance and style. Made in the UK from white poplar, this trug design is exclusive to The Royal Gardens at Highgrove and features the distinctive feather insignia of HRH The Prince of Wales. H. 6in (15cm); W. (top) 8 1/2in (21cm); L. (top) 12in (31cm). Gardenia ‘Crown Jewels’ £10.99 (p&p £4.99) 0844 326 2200 suttons.co.uk A shining example of a gardenia with lots of heady fragrance, and a dwarf habit. Flowers from late May to Julywith fully double blooms and is hardy to -10°C. Let its glossy evergreen foliage reign over your garden throughout the year, where it will reach a height of 24in (60cm) and spread of 4ft (120cm).…

• 35 acres of formal gardens, plus meet and feed a wide range of animals at Kingston Maurward Gardens and Animal Park, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8PX kmc.ac.uk • Navigate the cherry laurel maze and find the rock pools where the gardens meet the sea at Glendurgan Gardens, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5JZ nationaltrust.org.uk/glendurgangarden • Bowood House & Gardens, Wiltshire SN11 0LZ boasts one of the best adventure playgrounds in the South with on-site petting zoo. bowood.org…

ALLIUMS, or ornamental onions, are one of the most popular bulbs around and have become one of the main features in the late spring garden, bringing their colour and reliability to waking borders. The emerging spring foliage is a feature in its own right, and is followed by the striking flowers. Alliums give extra impact to the early summer garden and can be dried for winter decoration. They come in a wonderful range of colours and styles plus they don’t need pampering, being really easy to grow. All these fully hardy bulbs need is a place in full sun and average, free-draining soil. They do not like cold, exposed or waterlogged conditions. Buy all 135 bulbs for just £20.75 (saving £15), or select individual offers Allium rosenbachianum This always features…

THE thought of pruning can be a daunting prospect – are you taking off too much, or too little, and what if you accidentally kill the plant? Probably best leave it alone then… But once you have established what requires pruning and when, and the reasons for doing so, it becomes an enjoyable task because you know that the plants you are cutting back will benefit from it. While most pruning is done in the winter when plants are dormant, certain groups of shrubs should be cut back now, in mid-summer, to boost their productivity next year. Included in this group are those that flowered in early summer, such as weigela and philadelphus, as well as gooseberries and red and white currants. This is because they produce their flowers and…

1 Fill a clean tray, or pot, with a cuttings compost and perlite, then water and allow to drain. 2 Remove the leaflets at the base of the cuttings, and pinch out the leafy tips to help reduce water loss. 3 Dip the ‘mallets’ in rooting powder or gel to help root development, and insert the cuttings in the compost. 4 Cover the tray and set it somewhere light and warm. The roots will develop in 4-6 weeks.…

• Fremontodendron ‘California Glory’ Bright-yellow flowers from spring to early-autumn. Prefers full-sun and a sheltered site. Its leaves, however, can cause skin irritation, so take care. • Fuchsia ‘Pink Fizz’ A climbing fuchsia with huge flower power, it reaches 5-6ft (1.5-1.8m). Plants bloom from May to November. Cut back hard in late-autumn. • Jasminum officinale A climbing shrub noted for its star-shaped fragrant flowers, so grow it by the back door for maximum enjoyment on a summer’s evening. • Hydrangea petiolaris This deciduous climbing hydrangea is best grown in partial shade. It bears white flower heads in late-spring and summer. • Akebia quinata The chocolate vine is a vigorous, semi-evergreen with fragrant red-purple flowers. It likes sun or partial shade, with its roots in well-drained soil.…

THERE is charm in a garden where all the edges are growing over – a cottagey, ancient, environmentally friendly look that speaks of rich growth and a relaxed approach to maintenance. But it has its drawbacks. Untidy edges harbour pests and weeds, they can make a garden look shabby rather than charming and, after rain, overgrown paths can make shoes muddy and legs wet! Paths are a feature of a garden’s design, and as with lawns it pays to keep the edges crisp. With this in mind, I decided to rescue a semicircle of heavy paving slabs set into the lawn around the bed under our holly tree. They’d sunk at least a couple of inches into the soil, and earth was encroaching, threatening to engulf them completely. It’s a…

1 Don’t throw away the unwanted tomato shoots that you pinched out from between the branches of plants. 2 Dip the end of the shoot in hormone rooting gel or powder. This will help strong root systems to develop. 3 Set the cuttings in a clean tray, or pot, filled with cuttings compost and perlite that has been dampened and left to drain. 4 Pinch off the ends of larger leaves to help reduce moisture loss. It also makes it easier to fit the lid on!…

THE wren is commonly regarded as our smallest wild bird…but in reality it isn’t! This distinction actually goes to the goldcrest, an altogether prettier and much more interesting creature. It is really tiny, just over 1/ 5oz (6g) in weight when fully grown; that’s about as much as a 10p coin, and half that of an adult wren. The goldcrest is olive green on the back, whitish below, with darker wings displaying white bars, and an orange or yellow crown stripe, from which its common name is taken. It also has a thin beak, ideal for picking insects out from between pine needles. And herein lies the key to why not all gardeners get to see goldcrests – these birds like conifers, particularly pine, spruce and fir. If you have…

WE have a large collection of traditional, antique tools here that were used on the farm and garden many moons ago. The scythes are still in good working order so I’ve had a go and now I’m hooked. How wonderful to cut grass in complete silence, hear the birds and not have your vision impaired by splattered googles. No wonder lots of people say scything is therapeutic. There’s a knack to using a scythe though. You have to perfect the swishing technique and keep the handle fairly close to your body. You should be standing upright with your feet close together. The most important thing is to make sure the scythe is the right size for you. I can confirm that if you get it right and keep your scythe…

I SPENT time this week investigating the old collection of tools that we treasure - all of which were used in the garden in the past. Many gardeners go out of their way to hunt down old tools, so I am keen to put ours into action. On a work bench we have a terracotta pot grinder (well that’s what I’m calling it!) used to grind broken pieces of terracotta pot into a fine mulch. This was traditionally used as drainage material for the bottom of pots, but I am keen to try it next spring as a mulch in pots to deter slugs. I also found a mistletoe hook, numerous digging implements and pruning knives. What became very clear to me when studying them all is how few different…

GARDENERS love to moan about the weather – so now we are being urged to help the Met Office get its forecasts right. The Met Office launched its new Weather Observations Website (WOW) at the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition earlier this month. It enables anyone to get involved, by submitting and sharing their weather observations on the free site. Keen weather-watchers can install mini weather stations in their gardens, while those who don’t wish to go to any expense can simply upload weather observations and pictures to the website. The Met Office, which has super-computers to help make its forecasts, is keen to attract more ‘data’ from weather enthusiasts nationwide.wow.metoffice.gov.uk.…

VILLAGERS in Upper Hopton can dial B for bloom now they have their own phone box. Since the red kiosk was bought for just £1 by the community, it has become the centerpiece for floral and plant spectaculars. It is run by Hopton-in-Bloom, a 23-strong gardening group that tends borders and flower beds around the village near Huddersfield. They hope to win gold in the small village category of Yorkshire-in-Bloom this summer.…

WITH petals like silk, California poppies are among the most beautiful of hardy annuals and they’ll grow almost anywhere as long as there is plenty of sunshine and well draining soil. Usually sown direct, they make short plants up to 12in (30cm) high, of blue-green foliage, acting as a great foil to the 3in (8cm) wide, saucer-shaped flowers. In the species, these are bright-orange but numerous varieties give us a range of singles and doubles, in shades of orange, pink and peach. Our pink-flowered variety is double or semi-double, with darker pink and white lines leading to a paler centre. Curved seed pods develop and, left to dry on the plants, will disburse seed which, on undisturbed soil, germinates well in a non-invasive way. Use California poppies for cutting, although…

• Improve growing conditions by creating raised beds above clay soil. They only need to be about 12in (30cm) deep. Fill with quality soil. They will be better drained and soil will warm-up faster in spring, so earlier crops can be produced. • Stay off clay soil veg patches and allotments when soil is wet. Walking on soggy clay soil will compact its surface, adding to drainage problems. If you must walk on wet soil, lay a plank of wood and walk or work while standing on it.…

Q We have a thornless blackberry, about 10 years old, that is increasingly suffering with a loss of fruit. The flowers open and start to produce fruit, but they then wither and die. Any suggestions? Andy McIlvenna (Via email) AI am wondering if raspberry beetle, which also attacks loganberries and blackberries, is the cause of your blackberry fruits withering and dying. Adult beetles, up to 4mm long, overwinter in earthen cells in the soil close to the host plant. They emerge from hibernation in April and May and, initially, feed on hawthorn, apple and a few other blooms before moving on to the flowers of cane fruits. In June and July, females lay eggs on stamens and other floral parts, and larvae hatch about two weeks later. They tunnel into…

Radicchio ‘Palla Rossa’ This ‘red ball’ matures in 14 to 16 weeks and develops its rich colour as the days shorten. It should survive at 3-4°C and can be covered with cloches to protect against possible frost. Chinese cabbage Ready for cutting in six or seven weeks. Sow the last week in July for a good heart in the last week in October. Likes lots of moisture. Grow under mesh to deter caterpillars. Mustard ‘Red Frills’ Spice up your life with these attractive and colourful leaves, which are milder than ‘Green in the Snow’. Spinach A soft-flavoured leaf that can be enjoyed over autumn and will return in spring for a bonus crop. Salad rocket Enjoy the peppery flavour of this pretty leaf, which is ready to harvest in about…

• Inverewe Garden and Estate, Scotland IV22 2LG Become a Digital Ranger and look for the virtual animals, flora and fauna.nts.org.uk/Inverewe • Craigtoun Country Park, Fife KY16 8NX friendsofcraigtoun.org.uk Free entrance to beautiful landscaped parkland with additional ticketed attractions for kids. • Seaforde Gardens, Northern Ireland BT30 8PG seafordegardens.com Home to Ireland’s oldest maze, the historic gardens include a butterfly house and a children’s playground. • The Forbidden Corner - North Yorkshire DL8 4TJ A strange and spooky trail recommended for families without buggies. Booking required.theforbiddencorner.co.uk • Yorkshire Sculpture Park - South Yorkshire WF4 4LG ysp.co.uk 500 acres of family friendly parkland with 60 artworks and hidden sculptures to find. Free entry. • Lake Vyrnwy, Wales SY10 0LZ Find two new children’s puzzle trails set in the spectacular surroundings of…