Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Jul-2018 i Amateur Gardening

“I never thought I would spend so much time hoping for rain! The weather this year has been awful for UK gardeners. The Beast from the East, followed by weeks of low cloud and no sun, meant it was well past Easter before my spring flowers arose from their slumber. Now it’s a run of dull, overcast, tropical-like days where the heavens appear to be on the verge of opening up… but then nothing. My three water butts are empty and I’ve had to resort to tap water, but I am trying to use it sparingly (see News page 8). Anyone know a good rain dance?”…

1 After watering, apply a thick layer of mulch around your plants. It helps lock the moisture into the soil and has the added benefits of feeding the roots and suppressing weeds. 2 Houseplants need regular watering and feeding now they are in summer growth. Stand them on gravel that will stay damp and create a healthy, humid atmosphere around the leaves. 3 Greenhouse plants need regular watering. Do it in the morning so any splashes on leaves can evaporate before evening, when sitting water may attract moulds and fungal diseases. 4 Containers dry out fast and need a lot of watering. Water-retaining granules help keep compost moist and bottle drippers can be filled to release a steady flow of water and liquid fertiliser. Water cannon: a jet of water…

ORGANIC gardening and houseplants are the current big trends and two leading brands are following suit with their latest product releases. This year, Scotts and Westland have gone big on indoor plants and non-chemical solutions for growing media and lawn care, as well as keeping on top of pests and diseases. The Scotts Company has launched its Origins range, which consists of a liquid plant food, compost, grow bags and lawn food. It also includes an easy-to-use ‘control’ range for protection against weeds, pests and slugs. All the products are Organic Farmers & Growers Certified, and company spokeswoman Eliza Nicholas described them as ‘developed to help gardeners of all levels achieve results and see their gardens flourish’. Westland has also introduced new products, including a houseplants range of potting mix,…

Brilliant and Wild: A Garden From Scratch in a Year By Lucy Bellamy (Pimpernel Press, £20) ALTHOUGH this is an ideal book for novice gardeners, or owners of a new-build home who are starting a garden from rock bottom, there is plenty here for the more experienced who fancy a shake-up in their borders. Brilliant and Wild is broken down into chapters on plants (with varieties divided into ‘spires’, ‘dots’, ‘flatheads’ and so on), planting, looking after wildlife, general maintenance and keeping your plot looking good after its first year. You can read it chapter by chapter, or dip in when you fancy a read or if something needs researching further. The book is beautifully photographed by Jason Ingram. My only quibble is, was it realistic to picture the author…

AT the time of writing we haven’t had rain of any significance for several weeks and the gardens are starting to feel it. Lawns in particular are looking scorched and brown, but don’t worry – a few days of rain will soon see them green up again. The only areas that really need watering are those that were turfed or sown in spring and are still getting established. If you are absolutely sure you want your whole lawn to look lush and green, use a sprinkler once a week. Warm weather encourages weeds. Remove them either by applying a specific lawn weedkiller, or by using a weed puller such as the Fiskars Xact Weed Puller ( AG Tried and Tested ‘Best Buy’, 30 June). Never use a general weedkiller on…

1 Store root vegetables such as new potatoes, carrots and beetroots in a box of slightly damp sand to keep them almost fresh until Christmas. 2 Leeks need to be kept constantly moist, so make a trough alongside them and fill it at least twice a week. 3 Sow biennials now, before it’s too late! Time is ticking for foxgloves, Canterbury bells, stocks, hollyhocks (pictured), wallflowers, honesty, sweet rocket and teasels. 4 Sow spring cabbages, giving them plenty of space and water to ensure you have healthy plants you can plant out later to overwinter.…

OUR garden plants come from all over the world and our climate allows us to grow a huge range of them. When plants travel they often bring ‘friends’ with them, and this is how the lily beetle (Lilioceris lilii) arrived in the UK in 1939, with lily bulbs. The lily beetle was first noticed in a private garden in Chobham, Surrey – an area that used to be a hotspot for nurseries. By the late 1950s, the beetle had become widespread in Surrey and was also found in Berkshire. By 1990 the beetle’s range had extended into Hampshire, Middlesex, Wiltshire, Dorset, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. In 2002, the beetle was reported for the first time in Glasgow and Belfast, and by 2006 this pest had been found in almost every English…

1 Wash out a large plastic bottle (minimum volume two litres). Remove the screw-top lid and then, using sharp scissors, carefully cut off the neck of the bottle. Turn the neck upside down and push it into the bottom half of the bottle. Seal the neck in place with sticky tape. 2 Make a hanging handle for your wasp trap using scissors. Carefully pierce two holes on opposite sides of the bottle, 2cm down from the top. Thread some strong twine or wire through the holes to make a loop – this can then be hung on a strong branch of vulnerable fruit trees. 3 Fill the bottom of the trap with a fruity liquid lure. Fruit juice works well, as does watered-down red wine or a mixture of fruit…

I don’t know about you, but since planting my pumpkins outside back in early June, they’ve launched a major takeover bid of my vegetable beds! These plants, along with other trailing squashes (such as butternuts and spaghetti types) are impressively rampant. Their stems can grow over one foot in just a couple of days, so how do you keep them within bounds? I’ve found the easiest way is to train the stems as they grow. If you’ve room, curve them into an ever-increasing spiral. Peg the stems down as you go, because they have the ability to root along their length (thereby providing the plant with more sustenance). Small-fruited varieties like ‘Munchkin’ and ‘Baby Bear’ can even be trained up a tripod of stout beanpoles or over a wooden archway.…

Almost 90,000 different daylilies have been developed over the years. And as each new variety is introduced, the task of coming up with a unique name for it becomes increasingly difficult. The internationally agreed botanical rules that govern these things forbid the use of the same name for different plants in the same genus, so you can see the problem. The result, of course, is that daylily names have become more and more unusual. So step forward varieties named ‘How Beautiful Heaven Must Be’, ‘A Lady Named Hank’, ‘Slipping into the Abyss’, ‘Romeo is Bleeding’ and even ‘Spoons for Escargot’!…

PASSPORTS, tickets and bags packed. You’re nearly ready to go. But before you get to the stage of heading off for your summer break, there’s one more thing to do – plan your holiday watering. Unless you want to come back to faded perennials and lifeless pots of annuals, you need to consider how your plants will be watered while you lie in the sun. It was once the case that nothing could replace the daily watering that you give your plants. However, with advancements in technology you can pretty much put your watering can down for good if you invest in an automatic watering system. You’ll find products that you can control from anywhere in the world. With so many components within watering systems you can install seep hoses,…

Helianthus annuus The ultimate daisy, annual sunflowers come in a range of colours, from sunny yellow to dark red (like ‘Prado Red’, above). They vary in size from giant to average, with both multi-headed and single flower varieties. H&S: Varies. Argyranthemum ‘Petite Pink’ AGM A classic marguerite daisy, this dwarf, shrubby variety makes a dome of grey-green foliage. From spring through to autumn it will be smothered with the prettiest pale-pink flowers. H&S: 1ft (30cm). Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ AGM Large, dark-centred, coppery-red flower heads make this perennial a popular choice for a late summer hot border. Each bold bloom features a pronounced centre and slightly recurved petals. HxS: 39x20in (100x50cm). Zinnia elegans ‘Benary’s Giant Lime’ Zinnias need heat to thrive, so they won’t suit…

Daisies generally prefer fertile, well-drained soil and full sun. Plants should be watered regularly during dry spells. If you are growing annual daisies such as sunflowers, protect seedlings from slugs and snails. For perennial varieties, deadhead regularly to prolong flowering, cut right back in autumn, and mulch over winter and in early spring for protection against frosts. Divide any congested clumps in spring or late summer. Leave some seedheads of inula and sunflowers as winter food for birds.…

Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ AGM Delicate pale-lemon spring flowers on wiry stems. The foliage turns from green to bronze and lasts all winter before you need to cut it back in early spring. H: 1 -1½ft (30-45cm) Geranium macrorrhizum ‘Ingwersen’s Variety’ AGM G. macrorrhizum is a tough, spreading aromatic plant that produces its flowers in spring. This one has pale lilac-pink blooms in April and May. H: 1½ft (45cm) Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora The elegant white foxglove lights up dark areas with towers of ivory hoods that bees love. Cut off the main flowering stem for the vase and get even more blooms. H: 3-4ft (90cm-1.2m) Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ AGM…

Can I combat white rot? Q A growing number of gardeners I know are having trouble with white rot that has stopped them from growing onions and garlic. Are there any steps I can take to avoid this disease, and does watering onions during dry spells increase the risk? Sheila Macreith, Salisbury, Wiltshire A Onion white rot is indeed a horrible and depressing disease of the onion tribe. Once the sclerotia or resting spores are in the ground, they can persist for 15 years or more, even if no onions are grown! These dormant spores resemble tiny black poppy seeds and slumber on until plants from the onion tribe (Alliaceae) are detected. Alliums give off volatile chemicals and the spores respond by germinating to infect the roots. Whether from seeds…

Salad days! When I grew up I thought salads were the most boring of meals: bitter lettuce, insipid beetroot and chunks of dull tomato with lumps of cold meat and blobs of Heinz Salad Cream (which I never actually liked). Today, however, a tastefully constructed salad featuring home-grown greenery, with tangy dressing and exotic accompaniments, is a joy to behold. And it is from now onwards that our salad veggies are coming into their own, so let’s look at some of the surprising facts surrounding them. Salads in shade Anybody can grow salad plants, but if your garden is shady, you are limited. With light shade you can get away with growing the following: angelica, chicory (grumolo, red and sugar loaf), chives, chrysanthemum greens*, endive, garlic mustard, lemon balm, lovage,…

It’s a record…1 The world record for the heaviest lettuce was broken in 1974. Colin Bowcock of Merseyside (pictured) grew and exhibited a specimen of the variety ‘Salad Bowl’ that weighed 25lb (11.34kg). Colin’s other heaviest salad veg achievements included: ■ Celery plant – 35lb (15.875kg). ■ Indoor cucumber – 11lb 6oz (5.15kg). This was surpassed in 2015 by David Thomas of Cornwall with a cucumber weighing 28.5lb (12.89kg). ■ Outdoor cucumber – 8lb 4oz (3.74kg). ■ Tomato truss – 20lb 4oz (9.175kg). However, Colin’s world records were not confined to salads. He also broke records for cabbages (see above), dwarf beans, leeks, parsnips and shallots. In 1979 he wrote the best-selling book How To Grow Giant Vegetables. It’s a record…2 According to Guinness World Records, the largest ready-made salad…

“More than any flower, stingers help butterflies” TO think that we thought Megan and Harry made a beautiful couple! But their nuptials are as nothing compared to the current Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump bromance! The Love between these two gentle souls has not only lowered the simmering tension on the Korean peninsula, it has also warmed hearts and inspired me to end a phoney war of my own – the one in my garden. I’ve been battling the weeds that grow in the corner of my garden for over a decade, and every summer after I’ve dug up the grass and nettles they grow back to be as big as they were before. This has made me realise that perhaps it’s time to bury the hatchet or, rather, hide…

THE past few weeks have been incredibly dry, and even if you experienced torrential heavy thunderstorms back in May that water will have long since been used up. So what is the best and easiest way to keep your garden well irrigated? In this issue of AG we look at different aspects of watering, from the best hoses to buy to choosing plants for dry conditions. On these two pages I try to distill the many practical elements of watering – the how, the when, and why stopping your plants dehydrating need not be a chore. Installing at least one water butt is a good start. It is easy to do, and if your water supply is metered it will save you money. Attach the butts to drainpipes on the…

1 Make sure water goes straight to the roots of the plants. A good soaking twice a week is much better than a light watering every day, as this can cause roots to move to the surface, destabilising the plant, rather than questing down for water and nutrients. 2 Avoid watering flowers and foliage. Moisture that stays on the plant can attract fungal disease and moulds, and sunlight reflecting through the liquid can cause plant material to scorch.…

“Washing-up liquid helps re-wet very dry compost” THE Environment Agency is urging gardeners to be more water aware as we head into the height of summer. Its recent report State of the Environment: Water Resources highlights the fact that the demand from the population – we each use on average 140 litres a day – and industries is leading to an unsustainable demand. There is also an estimated daily wastage of 3 billion litres nationwide through leakages. The warning comes after a dry May and one of the driest Junes on record. The fear is that the current level of abstraction from natural water sources may damage local ecologies and wildlife. EA chairwoman Emma Howard Boyd said: “We need to change our attitude to water use. It is the most…

TIME may be up for the scarlet lily beetle ( Lilioceris lilii ), a common pest that is a voracious predator of lilies and fritillaries, destroying their leaves and flowers. The beetle larvae hide underneath plant leaves and cover themselves in their own poo for protection. Researchers at BASF’s nematode facility in West Sussex believe that Nemasys Fruit and Veg Protection treatment may kill off the damaging pest. Scientists think that the nematodes (parasitic worms) in the product kill the lily beetle larvae and pupae. A Nemasys spokeswoman said: “A single treatment may be sufficient to control the pest throughout the season, but as the mature larvae and pupae are found in the top few inches of soil it is best to re-treat, ensuring the soil remains moist in summer.”…

“Cordon sweet peas left untied get into a right tangle” GARDENING is easy when we stay ahead of the game. For example, slicing through the surface soil on a vegetable patch each week before seedling weeds become established takes very little time. Let the surface set hard and those same weeds will get a foothold, then it is a tough job clearing the land. It’s a similar case with the lawn. Mowing every seven days is easy, even with my Ransomes Ajax push mower. Leave the turf uncut for two weeks or more, when growth is rapid, and a powered rotary mower is needed to regain control. Cutting overgrown grass down to size is better done in stages. First, cut with the blade set high and then lower slowly over…

1 Support flower heads so they are less likely to be damaged or snapped off during summer storms. 2 Watch out for black spot, a fungal problem. Remove and destroy affected leaves, including those that have fallen. 3 Keep on top of aphids. Squish small clusters with your fingers to reduce the need for chemicals if the colony gets bigger. 4 Pull suckers (which originate from the plant’s rootstock) from the ground. Never cut the suckers as this encourages them to come back stronger.…

I’M not usually a big fan of pansies, preferring their little cousins the violas that are more subtle and less likely to be ruined by bad weather. However, I will make an exception for the gorgeous Mr Fothergill’s ‘Blackjack’ variety, which has dark, voluptuous, almost-black petals gathered around a brilliant yellow centre. They don’t grow particularly high – 6in (15cm) is about their limit – but what they lack in stature they more than make up for in impact. Plant them at the front of borders or in patio pots to make the most of their eye-catching opulence. There are two ways of sowing ‘Blackjack’ now – either outdoors, thinly, in a well-prepared seedbed, or undercover in trays. Those growing outside can be grown on and moved to their final…

NOTHING ruins a good spell picking fruit in the garden more than a nuisance wasp or two. For some folk, the mere buzz of their wings can send them into a tizzy, and even if you’re more matter of fact, it’s a sad reality that they can sting you. For the first half of the summer, wasps prefer to feed their larvae protein-rich foods such as caterpillars, which makes them a gardener’s friend. However, come mid-July that friendship turns sour, because their adult tastes turn to sugar instead. This high-energy diet makes them angry, aggressive and more likely to sting – not good news! If you’ve already gathered in your fruit harvest then you can live and let live. But if you’ve got plenty of picking to do, why not…

DAYLILIES are America’s favourite perennial, and it’s not hard to see why. Tough but exotic-looking, they need little looking after, and the vast variety of their summer flowers is astonishing – some are scented, and you can even eat them! What more could you ask for? Ranging in height from 1ft to more than 3ft (30-90cm), Hemerocallis produce flowers measuring anything from 1in to 1ft (2.5-30cm). The flowers can be singles or doubles, and they include bicolours that can be quietly harmonious or boldly dramatic. So why aren’t they our favourite flower too? After all, those fans of fresh green foliage are elegant even before and after the summer flowering season, and the blooms are undeniably colourful. Some people are put off by the fact that (as the name implies)…

Many modern daylily varieties have been developed in the US – where they have a taste for the dramatic. Although these can be very prolific, the disproportionately large flowers and brash colours of many American varieties sometimes look a little out of place in British gardens. So choose carefully, perhaps sticking to taller varieties. Look out, especially, for AGM winners such as ‘Serena Sunburst’ and ‘Tuxedo Junction’, which have flowers in softer, more harmonious colours.…

Cistus populifolius – also known as the rock rose, this hardy shrub is ideal for a sunny spot. Single pure-white flowers with a bright-yellow centre in July and August. Copes well in a poor soil. H&S: 4ft (1.2m). Dierama pulcherrimum – also known as angel’s fishing rod, this plant has arching flower stems with pink bell-shaped flowers in August. This bulbous perennial can have stems over 3ft (1m) long. Ideal for a gravel garden. Eryngium bourgatii – there are several different types of sea holly, all enjoying the same conditions. This stunner flowers from July to September and reaches 2ft (60cm) in height. Ideal for full sun. A rabbit-resistant plant. Osteospermum – also known as the African or Cape daisy. Perfect for pots. Only overwinters outside in…

IT’S a basic rule of biology that most plants require sunlight and moisture, so getting things to grow in places that lack both seems to go against science. However, nature never ceases to amaze and – lo and behold! – there are plants that will not only survive but actually thrive in the gloomy, parched ground underneath hedges, shrubs, trees, walls and trellis. In my last garden, the border in dry shade – nestled under honeysuckle-consumed trellis and a high fence – became a favourite of mine. I shovelled in organic compost and a verdant corner burgeoned. Male ferns (Dryopteris filixmas) grew fat and green beside the lime bracts of Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae, which mingled with pink Geranium macrorrhizum in spring. As spring turned to summer, foxgloves and angelica…

What can be grown in dry shade depends on the level of light (which is most scant under dense evergreens), rather than on moisture levels, as these can be improved. To enhance moisture, dig in organic compost, which will boost humus levels in the soil. You don’t need vast quantities – a few handfuls forked into the soil beneath each plant as it goes in is sufficient. You can also mulch once or twice a year with compost, leaf mould or woodchip; do this in mid to late spring and/or autumn.…

IT is very important to buy the right length of hose for your garden. Of course, it needs to reach all around the plot, but be careful because lots of unnecessary length can get in the way, kink and tangle, be hard work to pull out and put away, and be bulky to store. If you have a small garden, measure it from tap to the furthest corner, and buy a hose that’s just a little bit longer. All of the fittings need to work well and easily, too. Drips and dribbles, connectors that are tight to use or spring off unexpectedly, and spray heads that don’t deliver good patterns are all annoying. For small gardens storage space is also at a premium, so a hose that is compact and…

10 July 1860 Queen Victoria, who was called the ‘Queen of Flowers’, visited the National Rose Show at Crystal Palace, London. 10 July 1908 H.J. Heinz, chairman of the food-tinning firm, was born. Despite his canned-food empire, he said he preferred fresh veg! 10 July 1951 Anagallis tenella ‘Studland’ (right) received an RHS AGM on this date. The plant was discovered by Ken Aslet, who worked at RHS Wisley in Surrey, when he was on holiday in Dorset. 11 July 1925 E.C. Buxton died. A famous plantsman of his day, Geranium ‘Buxton’s Blue’ (left) is named after him. 12 July 1961 Green peaches fell in a cloudburst over Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. Weathermen blamed a violent updraft causing the peaches to be transported over land – but no one knows where…

Helping hands for little ones MY friend Elaine and I have produced this little book for our future gardeners, the intention being to make them aware that nature will look after its own, with a little help. We’ve sent copies of the book to charities, wildlife habitats, famous people who care, and even to Prince Charles for his grandchildren. I would love to see our young people being taught how to garden, starting at school, after school or weekends. I’m sure there are a lot of older, experienced gardeners out there who would love to help. Apart from the pleasure of creating something beautiful, the children would be out in the fresh air, interested in something other than phones or tablets. They’d be making friends and enjoying life. We all…

Plants prefer rainwater to tap water because it contains less chlorine, fluoride and water softener. Rain also collects elements as it falls through the atmosphere – rain becomes richer in nitrogen when it falls during thunderstorms. The only time tap water is preferable to water from a butt is when sowing seeds, as it shouldn’t contain impurities that can transmit disease or pests. You can remove most of the chlorine in tap water by filling watering cans and letting them stand overnight before use.…

1 Mediterranean plants such as lavender and rosemary, as well as globe thistle and sea holly (pictured), will happily grow in poor, dry soils. 2 Plants with silver or hairy leaves, such as Stachys (lamb’s ear), reflect the sun and are more drought tolerant so aren’t bothered by long, dry spells. 3 Alpines and rockery plants including helianthemum (pictured), thrift and aubrieta need little water and will grow well in harsh, dry conditions. 4 Many shrubs will also tolerate dry conditions, including cistus (pictured), hebe and climbers including passionflower and campsis.…

GARDENING is a labour of love for 90-year-old Dorothy Hadwell who, for the past 25 years, has taken part in Kidderminster Open Gardens. The event in the Worcestershire town is run by Kidderminster Horticultural Society and Dorothy has never missed a year. Her open garden has helped the town’s gardens and allotments raise over £70,000 for charities. Last year Kidderminster Open Gardens raised £4,000 and organisers hope that this year’s event (held on 1 July) will beat that, with proceeds to Acorns Children’s Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society.…

AG has spoken to the family of British botanists Rodney and Rachel Saunders, who disappeared in South Africa in February and were later found murdered. The couple ran Silverhill Seeds in Cape Town, and were known worldwide for finding new varieties of plants. Their work was highlighted in an article about diascias by Graham Rice in AG 2 June. Described as ‘wonderful, kind and inspiring’ by their family, the couple’s great-niece, Maria Perry, said: “Rod and Rachel were loved by everyone. They were the older family members that everyone and looks up to.” Maria spent time with the couple in 2016 to learn about running a business. She said: “They were so inspiring. We climbed Table Mountain and Rod was ahead of me. At the top he gave me his…

Summer flowers that do not set seed save the job of dead heading. So-called self-cleaning plants with dying flowers that just drop off, such as interspecific cross Pelargonium Calliope, are great job savers. Soil under perennial plants, when freed of weeds, can be well watered and then mulched with compost to reduce weeding and retain moisture. Lawn mowings make a good weed-smothering mulch, for example around raspberries and under shrubs. Leave some air between the mowings and the stems of plants. When trimming hedges and box balls, be sure to put a sheet on the ground first to collect the trimmings and make clearing up much easier.…

“I find cocoa shell the most effective defence” BY now, slugs and snails will have been breeding and multiplying for months and their numbers can reach epidemic proportions. How can you stop them doing even more damage to your plants without resorting to slug pellets? One of the most effective methods is handpicking. You’ll know which plants are being attacked – after all, you can see the holes! Go out at night with a torch and a container to put the pests in. A warm, damp night just after dark is the best time. Having collected as many as you can, take a break and try again an hour or so later; by then, more will have appeared. Disposal is up to you, but don’t throw them over the fence,…

13-15: Henley Garden Show: Stonor Park, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 6HF. Henleygardenshow.co.uk 14-15: NEW Belvoir Flower and Garden Festival: Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire NG32 1PE. 01476 871 001, belvoircastle.com 14-15: British cactus and Succulent Society Show: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hydehall 14-15: Sweet Pea Weekend: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 15: Medieval Garden History Day: Barnsdale Gardens, The Avenue, Exton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8AH. 01572 813200; barnsdalegardens.co.uk 18: Ideas for Beautiful Containers: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 18-22: RHS Tatton Park Show: Tatton Park Gardens, Mereheath Drive, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6QN. 01625 374400; tattonpark.org.uk 19: Grasses and Perennials: The Heritage and Learning Centre,…

Squished into jam, nestled alongside a poached peach or scattered across the summit of a pavlova, these easy-to-grow cane fruits are a must. While autumn varieties like ‘Polka’ and ‘Fallgold’ won’t be colouring up for another month, summer raspberries such as ‘Glen Ample’ and ‘Malling Minerva’ have been ripening on my patch since mid-June. I try to pick over the plants daily, but avoid harvesting fruits when weather conditions are wet because damp fruits don’t store well. Colour is the best indicator for ripeness, and so is a gentle tug – the raspberry should come away easily in your hand. If there’s resistance, it’s not quite ripe. Patience is your pathway to perfectly ripe raspberries.…

I’ve worked out that our sandy soil requires at least 20mm of rainfall every fortnight for plants in the ground not to need extra watering. If you’re the owner of plants in pots, you’re probably watering daily in dry spells. In spring, frequent showers help top up soil moisture levels but in summer deluges are pretty rare. This can mean that I’m eyeing up the rain gauge after three or four days of hot, dry weather, praying for a thunderstorm to hit rather than bypass us. So what else can we do to ease the responsibility of the chief garden waterer? Luckily, there are plenty of tricks up my green sleeves. Watering in the evening and adding organic matter to the soil are common practice for boosting soil water levels.…

Depending on the source, the variety and the time of year, your daylilies may be supplied bare root or in pots. Soak bare-root plants overnight in a seaweed tonic such as Maxicrop or Seasol, then plant promptly. Choose a site in full sun – less than four hours sun per day and they sulk. They grow well in most soils, but prefer their soil loose and open. So prior to planting, fork in some well-rotted compost or soil improver. And don’t tread in – gentle firming is fine. Plant with the crown of the plant at, or just below, the soil surface. Work the soil in among the roots, firm well (but gently) and water in with more seaweed tonic. Daylilies in pots can be planted at any time of…

There is no need to stake Hemerocallis as almost all are self-supporting, despite their large flowers. The faded blooms will sometimes drop off cleanly, but it pays to deadhead as this helps prevent gall midge. The main daylily pest, the gall midge, has only been around for 30 years. They munch away inside the flower buds, which then fail to open. Picking off and destroying infected buds helps, and late-flowering varieties such as ‘Burning Daylight’ and ‘Pink Damask’ are less likely to be attacked.…

Osteospermum ‘Stardust’ South African daisies offer a wonderful range of colours. Evergreen perennial ‘Stardust’ has purple flowers with dark centres. It can be overwintered in situ in sheltered gardens, or moved into a cool greenhouse. H&S: 1ft (30cm). Calendula PowerDaisy ‘Tango’ Bred by Kerley & Co, this cascading marigold caused a stir at Chelsea. Disease-resistant, it flowers from March to November – longer if there are no frosts. A winner for hanging baskets and containers. H&S: 16in (40cm). Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Dwarf Sensation White’ The perfect height for containers, half-hardy annual cosmos ‘Dwarf Sensation White’ is easy to grow from seed. Good for cutting, the flowers have a vase life of 7-10 days. HxS: 1 1/2x2ft (45x60cm).…

Dryopteris filix-mas ‘Cristata’ AGM A crested form of the male fern that creates a wonderland of green fronds when planted in a dry shady border. It provides the perfect backdrop for flowering plants. H: 20-39in (50cm-1m). Carex ‘Ice Dance’ Evergreen, this sedge forms a mound of narrow glossy green leaves that are edged with a thin strip of white, causing it to shimmer in deep shade. Tough, reliable and spreading. H: 1ft (30cm). Liriope muscari ‘Okina’ A ghostly lilyturf whose white strappy foliage gradually morphs to green, and is teamed with spikes of purple autumn flowers. Looks good with Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’. H: 26in (35cm). Pulmonaria ‘Sissinghurst White’ AGM A dry shade must-have, this lungwort illuminates with its ice-white flowers in…

How to make more viola plants QI want to propagate my ‘Hannah May’ violas because that was my mother’s name. How should I do it? Mary May, Newcastle upon Tyne. A The best way to propagate Viola ‘Hannah May’ is to take 2-3in (5-7cm) shoot-tip cuttings in early August. Remove any leaves that might be buried and insert cuttings to half their depth, 2-3in (5-7cm) apart, around the edge of a 4in (10cm) pot filled with proprietary rooting compost. Water in the cuttings and cover the pot with an inflated plastic bag to keep them perky. Position them on a sunny windowsill. When new shoots indicate that roots have formed, set them singly into 3in pots of John Innes No 2, adding a quarter part grit, by volume, to ensure…

Tulipa ‘Dordogne’ Large May blooms are a silky wash of pink blushing to apricot orange at the margins, on stems 26in (65cm) tall. T. ‘Purple Prince’ Purple hues sit well in the spring garden and this mid-April single is subtly two-toned, on stems 15in (38cm) tall. T. ‘Hamilton’ Fabulous filigree fringing decorates the clear yellow blooms of this May-flowering tulip, rising to 20in (50cm). T. ‘Sorbet’ I really want this tulip for the white flowers with rosy stripes and green tips. Will flower in May on stems 24in (60cm) tall.…

£49.99 plus £3.99 delivery from espares.co.uk 0344 844 4558 or visit gardena.com Features Kink-resistant 32ft (10m) long hose on a plastic compact reel with folding winding handle, folding carry handle and storage lugs for 5ft (1.5m) long reel-to-tap connector. Variable pattern spray nozzle and three sizes of tap fittings. Fittings compatible with all standard connectors. Performance Fittings snapped on easily with a gentle push. Hose unwinds smoothly. No leaks from fittings. Spray nozzle is light to operate. Twist end to change pattern from ‘off’ to fine spray through to narrow jet. Good, strong delivery. Hose is light to move about. Once finished, tap connector disconnects easily. Reel-to-tap hose stores on lugs on side of reel. Hose winds in easily without guiding. Very compact reel with folding…

Westland Gro-Sure Smart Patch mix is designed to repair any patch in any lawn quickly and easily. It can be used in high-traffic areas where the lawn is worn away, in patches caused by pet urine damage, in shady conditions such as under trees, and in and around children’s play areas. The 1.2kg pack will treat 15 patches of 45cm diameter using approximately 75g per patch. We have three 1.2kg packs to give away, each worth £9.99. See below for details of how to enter the prize draw. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Westland Gro-Sure Smart Patch Mix Draw (14 July), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@ti-media.com, heading…

Butterflies are attracted to plants that are rich in nectar, favouring blooms with long tubular petals like buddleia and lantana, which are harder for shorter-tongued bees to access and so provide exclusive eating. They also like flowers with clusters of blooms such as sea holly and verbena, so they can walk and sup at the same time. Shelter and sun are key, as is regular watering – hydrated plants produce more of the nectar that butterflies need. As they’re not the most accurate of fliers, they also favour flowers that provide wide landing pads such as sedums and achillea.…