Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Oct-2018 i Amateur Gardening

HOW on earth did we manage to run the garden without a greenhouse? It’s something we often wonder, especially at this time of the year when they come into their own. A greenhouse is one of the most useful tools in the gardener’s arsenal. They broaden the range of plants you can grow, from tender ornamentals to more exotic or temperature-dependent crops. More importantly, they allow gardening to become a year-round activity. In spring you can sow your tender seeds and pot on overwintered tender cuttings, and when autumn comes around you have space to store newly taken cuttings and exotics that would otherwise turn up their toes in our less temperate winters. Now we are entering one of the busiest times for greenhouse use. It has been a strange…

A shortage of space and money doesn’t mean you have to go without winter plant protection. Small free-standing greenhouses are relatively affordable and ideal for overwintering tender plants, corms and cuttings. Anchor them down in windy conditions and swaddle them with fleece or bubble wrap in extreme cold, and your plants will be fine. Cold frames are a good investment and can be stationed against a house or garage for shelter. Again, you can insulate using fleece or bubble wrap. Both should be opened on warmer days to improve ventilation around plants and cleaned out at the start and end of autumn and winter.…

Autumn containers need different care to those planted in summer. Don’t add moisture-retaining compounds to the compost as you are unlikely to need them. Although autumn and winter can be dry, there isn’t enough heat to steal the moisture so watering by hand is less arduous. Hard frost can be a problem as it causes water in the compost to freeze and expand, leading to cracked pots. Combat the problem by lining pots with bubble wrap, keeping it clear of the drainage hole, and swaddling them in fleece on frosty nights. Watch out for slugs and snails. Wrap copper tape around pots – it apparently gives these pests an electric shock when they cross it!…

As well as tulips and daffodils, crocus, alliums, Alpine spring bulbs such as chionodoxa and Iris reticulata are now available, but may be in short supply later on. Native bluebells and snowdrops may also be hard to come by as growers are finding it hard going lifting the bulbs from the hard ground. Although suppliers say there will still be some bulbs left in a month’s time, some specialty varieties won’t be able to be restocked. There are also fears that two years of adverse conditions may affect the availability and price of bulbs in years to come.…

I LOVE a bargain and I adore strawberries, so finding a couple of strips of ‘Honeoye’ and ‘Symphony’ plants in the garden centre’s bargain bin made my day. Strawberries are easy to grow and will thrive in containers as well as in the ground. In fact, if you overwinter container plants in a frost-free greenhouse they will crop earlier than those outside, so long as you give pollinators access to get to them. Outside, they do best in a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, free-draining soil. ‘Honeoye’ is an early fruiting variety that produces a generous yield and is often popular with pick-your-own farms. ‘Symphony’ is a flavourful variety, relatively pest and disease-resistant, and grows well in the north. I have put my new plants in a raised bed where…

USE the weeks between now and late winter (just before bud burst) to propagate your favourite climbers, roses, shrubs, trees and fruit bushes via hardwood cuttings. It’s a slow but simple way to increase plant stocks You can root them in the ground or in a clay pot of cuttings compost mixed with sharp sand or perlite, and as long as they don’t dry out or get waterlogged they should be ready to pot on in around 12 months’ time. The cuttings should be grown from healthy lengths of this year’s growth that has had time to mature through summer. If you are rooting your cuttings in the soil, dig a trench in a sheltered spot and fork in some well-rotted organic matter. Line the bottom of the trench with…

ONE of the easiest types of seed to sow are biennials. These are plants that produce leaves the year they are sown and then flower the next, before setting seed and dying back. Many biennials are prolific self-seeders, so if you already grow them it is worth collecting the seeds and sowing where you want the plant to grow, rather than waiting for seedlings to spring up all around the garden. The best way cultivate them is to sow them in a nursery bed if you have space, then move the seedlings in autumn so they can bed into their final flowering positions before they go dormant in winter. Alternatively, sow thinly where you want them to grow, or start the seedlings in the ground before potting them up for…

THERE’S one plant that really sets me alight in autumn and that’s the spindle tree, or Euonymus, because I love the vivid fruits. Each one forms a carousel of bright pink with dangling orange seeds that seem to lean outwards like fairground swings in full pelt. I can still remember the first time I ever saw one as a teenager, for I came from the city. I stood and stared at the spectacle, open-mouthed. I have three of these plants at Spring Cottage and the foliage colours up well, although they do drop their leaves early. In winter, red scrolled buds develop so it’s a lovely thing throughout the year. The most handsome one I grow is Euonymus planipes, an upright Asian spindle with a vase-like habit. The leaves colour…

1 Carefully lift your beets by sliding a garden fork underneath them, then check them over for damage. Any with skin wounds or holes are best preserved by pickling, or eaten straightaway. Sound roots are ideal candidates for winter storage. 2 Gently but firmly twist the leaves off your roots (wear gloves to prevent your skin being stained). Try not to leave any little tufts as they can encourage rotting. Wash off any excess soil and leave the roots in the sun to dry for a couple of hours. 3 Fill a sturdy box, such as a plastic storage box, with a 2in (5cm) layer of damp sand. Do not use soil as this can cause rotting. Lay the roots, not touching, on this and then cover them over with…

HOW would you like to eat home-grown blueberries, cranberries, lingonberries and (in sheltered spots) Chilean guavas? It’s easy to create a dedicated bed that these acid-loving crops will be happy in, and now is an ideal time to do so. The method is easier than growing in pots, which need continual watering in dry spells. All three fruits originate from wet soils, and a dedicated bed will be far moister than individual containers. First, identify a site free from perennial weeds (it can be in part but not full shade). Excavate a bed no smaller than 3ft (90cm) wide and a minimum of 18in (46cm) deep. Line the base with weed-control fabric or polythene (pierce this with a garden fork numerous times). Then fill up the bed with a 50:50…

I SPENT a day recently flicking through the pages of Sarah Raven’s autumn catalogue. I was drooling over the bright ‘Orange Princess’ tulips and the bronze wallflower ‘Sunset Bronze Shades’. But do I really have to wait until spring to enjoy these warm fiery colours? The answer, thankfully, is no. With October comes an endless range of possibilities for hot colours that will give the oranges of the seasonal pumpkins a real run for their money. In my own garden I favour the shocking-pink of Nerine bowdenii ‘Zeal Giant’ that sparkles beyond any other pink I know. Elsewhere in the borders in my Herefordshire garden are red hot pokers with their glorious rocket-shaped blooms. Kniphofia rooperi is putting on a show this year and looks impressive with dark-purple dahlias such…

Foliage Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ AGM A top pick for its heart-shaped leaves, which turn an intense deep-purple in autumn. As well as spectacular foliage, there are small pink flowers in spring. Reaches over 25ft (7.5m) eventually, but is slow growing. H&S: 26ft (8m). Acer palmatum ‘Garnet’ AGM This compact variety of maple has attractive thin leaves with jagged, serrated edges and turn a striking shade of scarlet in the autumn. Easy to look after and doesn’t need pruning. HxS: 6 1/2x10ft (2x3m). Cornus kousa var. chinensis Lovely for small gardens, with leaves that are deep-red/purple in the autumn, accompanied by round pink fruit resembling strawberries. In June, it has small green flowers with white bracts that turn pink. HxS: 23x16ft (7x5m).…

PREP The best time to plant a tree is from October to April, although you should avoid doing it in frozen conditions. Before planting, dig over the area to help loosen the soil. PLANTING Dig a square or round hole that is the same height as the tree’s rootball and three times the width. Round holes are often used in lawns as they are easier to mow around. Water or soak your tree before planting; then plant with the top of the rootball at the same level as the soil. For bare-root trees, look for the soil mark on the trunk to guide you. Fill the hole, firming soil around the tree to get rid of any air. STAKING Small trees don’t usually need to be staked, but if your…

Island Minister (‘Shimadaijin’) Bred in Japan in 1953, this floriferous tree peony features large, purplish-red flowers consisting of multiple layers of petals, giving a ruffled appearance. It also has a light spicy-sweet fragrance. Flowers: May. H&S: 3ft (90cm). ‘Shima-nishiki’ A spectacular cultivar, the petals of which are red and white swirled, resembling raspberry-ripple ice cream. The colour variegation will vary from bloom to bloom. Forms a lovely upright, open bush. Flowers: May. H&S: 3ft (90cm). ‘Duchess of Kent’ Generous tulip-like buds slowly open to reveal huge, stunning double flowers that start off a deep rose-pink and take on violet tones as they mature. The blooms are complemented by red stems and leaf stalks. Flowers: May. HxS: 4x3ft (1.2mx90cm). ‘Rinpo’ Later to flower than most tree peonies. The buds seem to…

Q Is this type of apple good for cross-pollination? Gerry Mandeville, Boston, Lincs A This is a crab apple. Trees flower over a long period and are used to cross-pollinate a wide range of dessert and cooking apples. The fruits are edible and can be made into jelly, though some people are allergic to them. Q Can you identify this gorgeous plant? Becky Lafferty, via email A This is the shrub Leycesteria formosa, also called pheasant berry or Himalayan honeysuckle. It is a hardy, vigorous, fast-growing non-evergreen shrub that is easy to grow and self-seeds easily. It is at its best in partial shade. It produces berries in autumn, which are loved by birds. Q Can you tell me what this amazing insect is? It was on my sprouts. Frank…

WITH bird nesting over it’s time to tidy hedges and topiary. Hand shears are fine if you’ve only got short hedges or a few shrubs to tackle. Modern materials provide lightweight and super-sharp blades, so cutting with hand shears is not the long, hard slog it used to be. Shears with long blades will cover a bigger area more quickly and they cut a straight line more easily, but they’re likely to be heavier and not so good for detail work on topiary. Shears should only be used to trim this year’s slim green stems – use secateurs on thicker woody stuff. For straight cuts of hedge top and sides use a taut line stretched along as a guide. Wilkinson Sword Wavy Blade Hedge Shears £19.99 rrp 01869 363635 for…

A sunny position will bring the best stem colours so long as plants are in moist, fertile soil. If the plants could be stressed by dry soil, a lightly shaded position will help them thrive. These plants tolerate some waterlogging. Dogwoods look best when planted in groups. Set them at least 90cm (1m) apart for a thicket and 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) apart to enjoy their shape. They are often left with bare mulched soil underneath, and in between, pools of bulbs, groups of grasses or ground cover. Water young or recently moved plants during dry spells for at least their first year while roots are put down. After pruning, make sure soil is moist, give a general-purpose fertiliser if the soil is poor and mulch over the roots to encourage top-quality…

9 October 1849 William Aiton, English botanist, died. In 1793 he succeeded his father, also William, as Superintendent (today it is Director) of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey. 10 October 1908 The National Chrysanthemum Society finally succumbed to pressure to consider moving its shows from smaller, provincial halls, to the larger RHS Hall at Westminster. 11 October 1880 Alexander Dickson, founder of a plant nursery in Newtownards, Northern Ireland, died. The nursery evolved into Dickson Roses, one of the world’s leading rose nurseries, and one of its top-selling varieties is ‘Grandpa Dickson’ (1966), named after Alexander’s son, George. 12 October 1901 Thomas Rochford died. In the mid-1800s he started a pot-plant nursery in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and by 1900 he had 22 acres of glasshouses and 39 houses for his…

THIS photograph was taken in our community orchard, developed five years ago. It has been enhanced by donations of benches and a picnic area for the benefit of the community. It has now become a centre for a number activities and brings together the young and old sharing a peaceful, pretty haven surrounded by productive trees, which are a wonderful sight in spring and autumn. Judy Berrow Chaddersley Corbett, Worcs Wendy says Readers will be interested to hear about a national charity working with community groups to help them plant new orchards, or bring old ones back to life. For more information, visit theorchardproject.org.uk…

Cut quince into chunks and simmer for a few hours in a pan full of water that contains the juice of two lemons (to stop the flesh from going brown), until soft. Ladle through a fine sieve, then add a smidge less sugar by weight than the collected quince purée mixture (say, nine-tenths) and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. When it has thickened to a jam consistency, pour into hot-washed, sterile plastic food boxes greased with vegetable oil, and allow to cool. Add the lid and serve with a ploughman’s, or dust in sugar and eat like a Turkish delight!…

1 Good ventilation is key for keeping mould and diseases at bay. Keep the door and windows closed on cold nights though. 2 A sheltered greenhouse is a haven for pests and they can hitch a lift in on plants, so check regularly and remove them. 3 Experience has taught me that when gales are forecast, leave the door slightly open so wind can escape, instead of punching its way out through the glass. 4 Throw fleece over cuttings and plants on frosty nights. Remove it as the temperature rises to avoid condensation and mould.…

1 Select healthy, non-flowering lengths of this year’s growth, around 4in (10cm) long. 2 Strip away the lowest leaves, leaving a two or three towards the top. Pinch out the fleshy shoot tips. 3 Dip the cut ends in hormone rooting powder or gel to help stimulate healthy root development. 4 Insert into a clay pot of damp cuttings compost and perlite. Clay is porous and lets roots breathe. 5 Seal the cuttings in a plastic bag that is held away from the growing foliage by sticks. Set them somewhere light and frost-free until they start to grow.…

1 If it works for you, line the bottom of your container with a layer of crocks to help drainage. 2 Add compost – I’m using a mix of John Innes No2 and multi-purpose for one season’s growing. 3 Add your central plant, teasing out any circling roots. Plant at the same depth as its rootball. 4 Add the remaining plants around the outside, planting carefully to avoid damaging their roots. 5 Water the plant and raise it on feet so excess moisture drains away. The plants will soon fill the pot.…

Plant your bulbs as soon as possible. If you can’t plant immediately, store them somewhere cool and dry. Plant in a sunny site with free-draining soil at two or three times their own depth, a bulb’s-width apart. Planting too shallow or crowded may result in ‘blindness’ (a lack of flowering). Wait until November to plant tulips. If you plant any earlier they are more prone to the fungal disease tulip fire.…

THIS is the weekend I have, for many years, sown sweet peas out in the open, on well-prepared ground to be covered by cloches through the winter. Old habits die hard, they say, and on my first job in the early 1950s we would sow those in double rows, with winter lettuce cropped in between. The lettuce were Arctic King, a soft butterhead type, which can even be grown outside without protection in milder areas of the country, and upright cos type ‘Winter Density’. Arctic King is still worth growing and Lettuce ‘Winter Gem’ is, in my opinion a better, more recent introduction which should replace Winter Density. “Spring cabbage can grow well in compost bags” Sown this week you will be cutting lovely lettuce next May, removed well before…

Oct 12-14: Chelmsford Art Society Exhibition: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 12-14: Woodfest Festival of Trees: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 13-14: Alpine Show: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 16: Seeds of Italy with Paolo Arrigo (doors 7pm, talk 7.30pm): St Lawrence Church Hall, Bridle Road, Pinner, HA5 2SJ. 01923 451616, ruisliphorticultural.org.uk 17: Tree selection and planting: RHS Garden Rosemoor 17-21: A Taste of Autumn: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 20-28: Room on the Broom Half Term Family Fun: RHS Wisley 21: Apple Day: Cambridge University Botanic Garden, 1 Brookside, Cambridge CB2 1JE. 01223 336265,…

FOR the next six months, the soil will become too cold to grow much outdoors, even with the help of cloches. A greenhouse or tunnel does enable the gardener to manage a bit more, if they’re so lucky. However, it’s surprising just how much you can grow indoors on no more than a sunny windowsill. You see, indoors the temperature is kinder, encouraging growth. The danger here is that without plenty of light, this warmth encourages lank, spindly growth, so it’s important to keep the windows super-clean. However, all this aside, it’s not difficult to grow loads of fresh herbs and salads throughout most of winter, especially if you start them off now. Obviously, space is at a premium so it’s sensible to grow those things you really like most,…

TOSSED in rosemary oil and added to your Sunday roasting tin, blitzed into a vitamin-packed juice or soaked in pickling vinegar for salads and sandwiches, beetroot has its place in most gardeners’ homes. If your beetroot have been gently swelling all summer long, now is the time to lift and store any that you’ve not yet consumed. Given the proper treatment, these flavoursome earthy roots will store well into spring. Such an impressive shelf life can allow you to be self-sufficient in beetroot year-round. With temperatures dipping significantly, little growth will be made now and a harsh frost can affect root quality. It’s best, then, to lift them and store your bounty somewhere frost-free (see right). Next Week: Sow broad beans, cut back asparagus, stake tall winter brassicas and remove…

THE other day I drove past a wild crab apple in full fruit. Left to grow when the trimmer passed through, it stood up above a country hedgerow, its small, greenish-yellow fruits shining in the autumn sun. This is our native wild crab apple, Malus sylvestris. With its clouds of white, bee-friendly spring flowers – followed by a weighty crop of fruits much favoured by blackbirds, thrushes, fieldfares and redwings – it’s an undeniably lovely tree. The many cultivated garden crab apples, often derived from species native to China or Japan, or southern Europe, take us a big step forward from this wild, unimproved form. They bloom more profusely (one is actually called ‘Profusion’), producing April and May flowers not only in white but also in shades of pink or…

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ Gorgeous orange and red stems that, from a distance, look like flames. A deciduous, hardy shrub for sun or part shade. Height 78in (2m). Nerine bowdenii ‘Zeal Giant’ Large shocking-pink blooms on 20in (50cm)-tall stems are produced by this hardy perennial bulb. Ideal for a sunny spot in a well-drained soil. Fothergilla major A striking shrub that offers a neat shape and a height of 78in (2m) when mature. Small white flowers in spring, but grown for its autumn show. Ideal for partial shade. Acer rubrum ‘Schlesingeri’ An acer recommended by Helen Picton of The Picton Garden. Suitable for a large garden and offering incredible red autumn foliage. Height 49ft (15m). Kniphofia rooperi Orange and yellow flowers in September and…

ONCE you’ve seen a tree peony in full bloom, you’ll instantly covet one for your own garden. One of the most glamorous plants you can grow, tree peonies have an opulent beauty, with huge dinner-plate-sized flowers made up of layers of silky petals surrounding a cluster of golden stamens, and teamed with handsome green foliage. Unlike herbaceous peonies, they have a permanent structure of woody branches and don’t retreat underground in winter. And don’t be fooled by the name: these are not trees; they’re actually small shrubs, which is great news as it means they can be grown in most gardens – or even in a container. However, tree peonies are rare beauties, partly because some are grafted, so they tend to be more expensive than other shrubs. They have…

Why does my hoya not flower? Q I have had my Hoya carnosa for several years, and while it has made plenty of healthy growth trained up canes it will not bloom. My friend’s plant doesn’t look as healthy, but it flowers every summer. Are there any others we can try? Pamela Chancellor, Manchester A A well-grown hoya should bloom every year, and the most important requirement is good but largely indirect light. If you analyse the situation of both plants I bet your friend’s hoya is standing in better light than yours. Too much harsh sun (also inadequate feeding) can cause yellowing leaves, so it is likely that your hoya needs moving into better light and your friend’s needs slightly less. Many hoyas are epiphytic or semiepiphytic, meaning they…

0114 281 4242 for stockists spear-and-jackson.com Features Aluminium handles with non-slip soft grips. Hardened high carbon-steel blades with tension adjuster. Bump-stop buffers. Cutting edge 71/2in (19cm). Overall length 23 1/2in (60cm). Weight 31oz (878g). Ten-year guarantee. Performance Shears are light but feel a little front-heavy. The oval grips are soft and comfy – chunky enough to fill small hands. Long handles give good reach and great control, holding a good line on hedges. The slim, slightly shorter blades cut easily through heavy stems such as holly, while the shears are manoeuvrable enough to tackle detail topiary work. The bump-stop is soft and absorbs shocks well. Value The best all-rounder giving confidence, cutting well and being very manoeuvrable. Worth the higher price.…

Cornus alba ‘Aurea’ In addition to red winter stems, the greenish-yellow leaves of golden dogwood light up the garden and turn gold in autumn. Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’ Purple-black stems and a good show of purple autumn leaf tints add drama to the garden. Underplant and back with bright foliage to avoid a ‘black hole’ in the border. Cornus alba ’Siberian Pearls’ Good for red winter stems, and also a show of blue-tinged white berries and reddish-purple leaf tints in autumn. Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ Vigorous stems of bright yellow-green make a good contrast to red and orange-stemmed dogwoods. For containers, choose shorter C.s. ‘Kelseyi’.…

Aftercut Autumn All-In-One lawn feed and moss killer comes with a re-usable Even-Flo Spreader. It is specially formulated to control moss, and keep your lawn strong and healthy over the winter months. It eradicates moss, prevents discolouring and revitalises autumn lawns by adding key nutrients. We have one 80m2 spreader to give away, 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 Aftercut Autumn Draw (13 October), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@ti-media.com, heading the email Aftercut Autumn Draw (13 October). The closing date is 19 October 2018.…

YOU want a greenhouse, but which model would suit you best? There are so many options out there, it’s hard to know where to start. The first thing to say is go for as large a structure as you can afford or fit in your garden – and remember that even then it will never seem big enough! Look at your budget and consider what frame you want. Aluminium, either natural or painted, is a traditionally popular option and is light, easy to fit and casts little shade. Wood is attractively ‘rustic’, but needs more upkeep, takes up valuable glass space and is more expensive. When it comes to glazing materials, glass is the best as it lets in 90% of available light, reflects heat and doesn’t lessen the quality…

ONE of my favourite autumn gardening jobs is planting up containers and hanging baskets. Over the coming months the weather is more likely to confine you to barracks or close quarters, so a few bright pots on the patio are great for raising the spirits. There’s no shortage of plants, either, including gem-hued cyclamen and dianthus, plus the colour-popping flowers of pansies and violas. More unusual plants include quirky ornamental brassicas, perennial grasses, small shrubs and conifers. I have opted for perennials that I can plant out next spring if I need to re-use the container for a summer display. My pot will include cyclamen and dianthus, a trailing ivy, a berry bush and a couple of foliage plants. Stand your plants in water for at least 30 minutes before…

SPRING bulb suppliers are warning of a dire shortage following this year’s unusual weather patterns. Although British daffodil growers are renowned for the quality of their bulbs, this year is being hailed a disaster by the trade’s major retailers. Adam Taylor of Taylor’s Bulbs says it’s the worst season he can remember, and Gary Huggins, MD of Boston Bulbs, says they are also experiencing “severe problems” with stock. The shortfall has been caused by the Beast from the East and a dry spring, which prevented bulbs reaching their optimum size. Mr Taylor said: “The growing year has not been the best. It isn’t the long hot summer that has caused the problems, though that is fresh in people’s minds, but the Beast from the East. “That caused the bulbs to…

ALPINES hate UK winters because their low-growing habit makes them susceptible to smothering by fallen leaves. These get wet and start to rot, leaving alpines vulnerable to rots and mould. Nor are alpines happy in our typically damp conditions, when wet soil stays in close contact with their leaves – again, increasing the likelihood of rotting, which can spread to the whole plant. Prevent both these potential problems by removing leaves as they fall and mulching under alpines with a generous layer of gravel. Also, weed regularly, as these fast-growing interlopers have the potential to rapidly outstrip and smother slower-growing, smaller alpines. Autumn is the best time to add a rockery to your garden as the ground is soft and not yet frozen. Site it away from deciduous trees and…

1 While flea beetles are no problem on brassicas in cool, damp autumn conditions, precaution will need to be taken to control slugs. 2 Glass and plastics covering crops need to be sparkling clean to let in all available light. 3 Land cress is a good alternative to watercress. Let one plant flower and self-seed next summer, and plants like this will crop up for a number of years. 4 Autumn planted, spring cabbage grows well in containers – here are four in a 20-litre compost bag.…

HOT dry summers are good for almost all the garden – except the compost heap. Too much heat and not enough rain dries the material and halts the composting process, so it comes as a relief when cooler, wetter weather returns. We are lucky enough to have room for a two-bin composting system. One bin is left to rot down while we add green material, chipped woody material, shredded paper and green kitchen peelings to the other. We also add a little wood ash for extra potassium, but not too much as it can alter the pH level of the finished compost. After a few months, the rotting bin will have produced a pile of lush, crumbly goodness that we either spread on beds or bag up until needed. Then…

1 Leave some clippings and shredded leaves to feed worms, and put clippings over leaves as mulch to ‘glue’ in place. 2 Make compost with all the dying-back foliage, weeds and crop residues you can collect, before they have withered away their goodness. 3 Protect overwintering brassicas against dastardly wood pigeons; an empty wire hanging basket works, or make similar from wire netting. 4 Get on with winter pruning by thinning out blackcurrant bushes ruthlessly, and cutting back side shoots on gooseberries (pictured) and currants.…

I’VE just picked one of my last ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ apples to inspire me for this feature. Sinking my teeth into the crisp, juicy flesh, I’m bowled over by how sweet and sour this variety is. But that’s just my take on things – you might hate it! What someone might describe as ‘superb and aromatic’ another might call it ‘bland and insipid’. So if you’re looking for an apple to suit your tastes, my advice is to visit one of the many apple-tasting events now held at larger gardens and fruit nurseries (an online search will help you locate them). There, you’ll be able to taste dozens of different varieties, side by side. Meandering between the tables, nibbling on slice after slice of apple, you’ll love some and be…

WHILE there are a few winter crops occupying our veggie beds, the majority of space is now redundant until spring. Now is the ideal time, then, to carry out some horticultural housekeeping. Tidy up any crop debris, and if it’s pests or disease-ridden, incinerate or put it out for your green waste collection. Healthy material can be consigned to the compost heap. Chop up larger items with shears (passing it through a garden shredder is ideal) to make it rot down more quickly by increasing its surface area. Once you’re left with bare earth, consider covering it over with cardboard sheeting or even an old tarpaulin (one with holes in is great because it allows the rain through). This covering stops weed seeds from germinating, leaving your beds in pristine…

A feature of crab apples that’s often overlooked is their role in pollinating eating and cooking apples. To set a good crop, most eaters and cookers need to be pollinated with pollen from a different variety that flowers at the same time. Crab apples, meanwhile, not only need no pollinator themselves, but also flower for much longer than culinary apples and can produce up to 10 times as much pollen. So your crab apple tree (or that of your neighbour) will pollinate most of your culinary apples. In fact, some commercial fruit growers plant a crab apple at the end of each row of trees. You may only need one crab to pollinate all your culinary apples. Even if you have a range of eaters and cookers, an early flowering…

‘Golden Thunder’ Vigorous once established, this cultivar has pretty flowers in lemon-yellow with hints of apricot. Because the blooms are smaller than those of many other tree peonies, they are more resistant to the weather. Flowers: May-Jun. HxS: 4x3ft (1.2mx90cm). ‘High Noon’ AGM Said to be one of the easiest tree peonies to grow, with buttery-yellow flowers that have pale-red blotches at the base of each petal, plus a strong lemony fragrance. Plants are compact enough for container growing. Flowers: May. H&S: 5ft (1.5m). ‘Akashigata’ Stunning pink flowers have a hint of lavender-blue and a delicate pale-magenta stripe running through the centre of each petal. Individual petals curve beautifully to create a goblet-shaped bloom. Flowers: Apr-May. HxS: 4x3ft (1.2mx90cm). Flight of Cranes (‘Renkaku’) Pure white, feather-like petals have delicately cut…

How can I protect my hydrangea? Q I transplanted a hydrangea from my nan’s garden. How should I care for it through winter? I have also taken some cuttings from it. Grant Rivers, via email A Hydrangea buds are sensitive to cold, and one way to protect them is to leave the old flower heads until late winter or early spring to keep the buds below protected. You only really need to protect the buds as they start to open and show green, as it is the new soft leaf growth that is most vulnerable. However, if we have a hard winter then I think it will be worth using fleece over the plant any time that frost is forecast. In March or April, cut back the dead flower heads…

Hoya multiflora The shooting-star hoya from Thailand and Malaysia needs careful watering so it is never dry or saturated. Aim for a winter minimum of 55°F (13°C). Hoya linearis This Himalayan species looks great in a hanging basket, enjoys humidity and growing in a small container for its size. Winter minimum 55°F (13°C). Hoya calycina From Papua New Guinea, this climbing large-flowered hoya has loose umbels of maroon-centred flowers. Needs a minimum of 55°F (13°C).…

Highs and lows GARDENING this year has had its ups and downs! I have a small London garden which has flowers, herbs, soft fruit, a few fruit trees and some veg. The ‘highs’ have been gooseberries, tomatoes and plums, and since the rain the flowers and lawn have grown well. The ‘lows’ have been the runner beans and climbing courgettes; the heat was too much for a bumper harvest. Against all odds, a plant appeared and grew so prolifically that I had to trim off 2ft (60cm) long growths three-four times a week to prevent the whole garden becoming a tangle. My efforts produced this butternut squash, which weighs 2.2lb (1kg). As it was grown attached to a pole, the skin has no blemishes. I can only surmise a seed…

WHEN an apple fell on Isaac Newton’s head, he came up with his seminal theory of universal gravitation, invented calculus and give birth to the principles of modern physics. When I banged my head on a quince, I came up in a bruise… However, as with the father of modern science, the experience made me see the world in a whole new light. Until the unfortunate collision, I didn’t know the crop of hefty fruits were even there – surprising, looking at the laden branches now. And from what seemed like a barren year, I have a barrowload, which explains why the boughs had bent so low over the garden path. “They’re as easy to grow as a bramble” My quince is a Cydonia – not to be confused with…