Innholdsfortegnelse for 20-Oct-2018 i Amateur Gardening

SO here we are, slap bang in the middle of the season of mists, mellow fruitfulness – and mould. The hot, dry summer has segued into a mild, still and slightly damp autumn, which can provide the perfect nursery for all sorts of garden problems. This summer was brilliant in so many ways, not least because the weather was about as anti-blight as you can get. It has resulted in a glut of soft and tree fruits, courgettes and squashes, and the tomato crop to end all tomato crops. But autumn can be a tricky time – it isn’t yet cold enough for frosts, but it is becoming increasingly damp. This creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases and mould, such as botrytis (which is also known as grey mould), powdery…

Native wildlife that makes itself at home in our gardens needs our help now. Hedgehogs and other hibernating mammals will be feeding up before their winter snooze, so provide them with high-protein food. Never give hedgehogs bread and milk as it makes them poorly. Offer them meaty pet food instead, or specific hedgehog food such as Brambles Meaty Hedgehog Food or kibble. Keep bird baths and feeding tables clean. Provide fresh water regularly, and remove and replace uneaten food to deter rodents, larger animals and diseases.…

TRADITIONAL homemade deterrents for slugs and snails have been damned as largely ineffective by a recent RHS study. Copper tape, grit, bark mulch, wool pellets and crushed eggshells were all tested and found to have a negligible effect on the molluscs’ progress. Instead, the RHS recommends that gardeners deploy beer traps in which the slugs and snails drown, or up-ended orange-peel halves under which they shelter so they can be collected and disposed of. Natural predators, such as hedgehogs, frogs, toads and slow worms, should be encouraged into gardens by creating welcoming wilderness areas. Scientifically proven controls such as nematodes and pellets are also recommended when used in strict accordance with manufacturers’ instructions. Home-made slug and snail deterrents have been used since the Middle Ages by gardeners in the belief…

EVERY year my dad used to buy his bare-root wallflowers from an old gardener who ran a thriving walled nursery tucked away behind some tall gates along a quiet residential street close to where we lived. Sadly, the nursery has long gone, but I still buy my bare-root wallflowers in autumn and look forward to spring, when the air is filled with their heavy, peppery scent. Wallflowers are hardy biennials, germinating and growing leaves one year before flowering, seeding and dying back the next. Save yourself the faff and space needed for growing from seed by buying bare-root plants in the autumn. Soak their roots in water before planting and get them in the ground as soon as you can. They will sit through winter in temperatures well below freezing…

1 The easiest and most attractive way of planting lily bulbs is to dig a large hole and set them around 6in (15cm) apart at three times their own depth. This gives them some protection against harsh weather and also creates a dramatic effect when they flower. 2 If growing them in containers, where they will repeat-flower for several years, use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No3 with added grit to boost drainage. Plant them three times as deep as their own height, but slightly closer together for a ‘massed’ effect – 2in (5cm) between bulbs is ideal.…

All the cultivars mentioned here are listed in the latest Pomona catalogue, along with Apple ‘Tickled Pink’, which has red flesh and makes attractive pink juice. Be sure to remove all rotting fruits from the tree and off the ground. Brown rot spores are carried over from one year to the next on mummified fruits. All fruit trees will need feeding; a rose fertiliser is recommended. Half should be applied now to be taken up by the roots, ready to feed the surge of new spring growth, and the other half in spring. Apple and pear fruits store well, spaced in a single layer, untouching if possible, in wire-based trays or in the mesh plastic trays that mushrooms are delivered in to greengrocers and farm shops.…

I CAN’T have enough cornflowers growing in the garden. I love their easy-going nature and the simplicity of sowing them. I also love the different varieties available, including this week’s free seeds – cornflower ‘Black Ball’, which is in fact a magnificently dark and meaty shade of red. It flowers profusely among and above delicate foliage and creates a field of colourful drama when sown among the vivid fiery shades of calendula, gazania and marigolds. A hardy annual native to Britain, cornflowers are easy to grow – making them ideal for novice gardeners as well as those with more experience – and will bring many bees and butterflies your way. Grown from seed, they are also an economical way of bringing colour to gardens as they happily spread themselves about.…

OUR household mostly eats carrots during the cooler months – diced into casseroles, blitzed into soups or supporting a hearty Sunday roast. If you’re of a similar mindset, then I’m hoping you followed my lead and sowed a few drills back in July or August for winter harvests. Last week, I was showing you how to lift and store beetroot in boxes of sand – this is one method for storing carrots, but there’s an alternative technique if you don’t have space for this (or you can’t be bothered!). You can leave them in the soil until you need them. It can be a tad frustrating if you need to harvest them while the soil is frozen solid, though, so insulating the roots is a nifty way to combat this.…

WHAT is the world’s favourite annual? Got it in one – the sweet pea. That’s because sweet peas have everything: delightful in both the garden and the vase, they provide fragrance, they’re elegant, and they offer colours and colour combinations to suit all tastes. They are tough; they’re climbers so they don’t take up much space; seed is not expensive; and germination is usually good. Need I say more? Even the fact that our sweet peas will come to an end after a couple of months works in their favour, as it means we never tire of them and always look forward to growing them again. Having said that, some varieties are definitely better than others (although an impressive 64 are good enough to have been awarded AGMs). Sweet peas…

Rosa ‘Madame Alfred Carrière’ Introduced in 1879, this climbing rose can easily reach heights of 20ft (6m) or more, with masses of white blooms that pack a fruity scent. It was a firm favourite of legendary gardener Vita Sackville-West. Akebia quinata Palmate, semi-evergreen foliage on this 10ft (3m)-tall scrambling climber from Japan forms an impressive backdrop for masses of purplish flowers in spring that are infused with the scent of cocoa. Pileostegia viburnoides This evergreen climber impresses with its long, leathery leaves and clusters of creamy flowers from late summer. it’s painfully slow to get going, but can eventually hit 20ft (6m). Schizophragma hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’ This hydrangea vine can grow to 20ft (6m), with silver-marbled foliage and large, flattened heads of white flowers. It is more…

Camellia x vernalis ‘Yuletide’ The scarlet flowers of this glossy evergreen will bloom throughout the festive period. Grow in slightly acidic soil against a sheltered, south-facing wall, and prune once a year after flowering. H: 10ft (3m). Jasminum nudiflorum AGM Grow winter jasmine for a waterfall of cheering yellow starry flowers from December to March. It looks wonderful trained over a porch or allowed to ramble over a wall. Plant in sun or semi-shade. H: 10ft (3m). Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Red Dragon’ From January to March the bare branches of this Himalayan shrub are adorned with clusters of red flowers. Grow against a sun-baked wall in cold areas. Sun or semi-shade. H: 5ft (1 ½ m). Hamamelis x…

POSITION WELL Plant colourful winter plants in view of the house, or alongside the path to the front door. SAVE SEEDHEADS Some plants, such as Hylotelephium and phlomis, produce attractive seedheads that adorn the winter borders. DON’T FORGET TO UNDERPLANT Grow Cyclamen coum and aconites beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. CHOOSE A SUNNY SPOT Colourful stems such as Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ produce their best colour when planted in sun. GO WITH GRASSES Many grasses (the likes of Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ and Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, for example) look especially impressive throughout the cold months.…

Colour Camellia Ideal in a large tub of lime-free compost. Glossy evergreen foliage sets off double or single flowers – try double pink ‘Debbie’ (above) and anemone-type ‘Jury’s Yellow’ (white, creamy centres). Needs shelter. H: Varies. Erica Twiggy little plants, varieties of lime-tolerant E. carnea flower from November into spring. Some have colourful evergreen foliage, too. Look for ‘Foxhollow’ (pink flowers, golden leaves, above). H: 1ft (30cm). Viola Dainty but tough; the flowers will bloom right through winter if given a little shelter. Available in a huge range of colours and combinations, the Sorbet Series is a good pick. Try ‘Sorbet Ocean Breeze’ (above). H: 1ft (30cm) Foliage Euphorbia Evergreen bushes full of character. ‘Blackbird’ has deep purple foliage plus limey spring flowers; ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (above) pairs yellow-edged leaves with…

Is autumn good for perennial planting? Q When is the best time to plant an herbaceous border? Also, when and how should I plant lilies? Anne Gibson, Northumberland A The best time to plant shrubs and perennials depends on the prevailing weather conditions and soil structure. If your garden is prone to early frosts and prolonged cold, and if the soil is heavy and likely to sit wet, then you are probably wise to leave planting until spring. However, although we are coming to the time when top growth is slowing towards winter dormancy, root growth often continues well into December. The advantage of planting now is that plants still have six-eight weeks of root growth available when they can start to make themselves at home. Lilies are best planted…

EXPERIENCED gardeners will tell you that there are garden spades for digging, border spades for tight spaces and light work, and then there are transplanting spades for digging deep and levering out or putting in deeply rooted plants. Those who have a garden with mature shrubs and trees will find such a spade useful. These spades have a long narrow head that allows shrubs to be dug up and lifted, and perennials to be lifted or planted in a tight space. They’re also handy for hedge planting in grassy areas. Most are sharper than a normal spade and some have a longer handle. It’s not unusual for them to be sold as a rabbiting or treaded spade. Once you’re tried one you’ll soon realise how useful it is, and you…

Choose a position of sun or partial shade, and fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Most will grow in improved clay, but won’t tolerate waterlogging. Avoid frost pockets that might damage winter flowers. Make sure the rootball is well moistened and, if in doubt, dunk in a bucket of water for 20 minutes before removing the pot. Dig a generous hole in a well-cultivated planting area, remove the pot, tease out any circling roots and set so that the compost surface is at soil level. Fill in, firm, water in, and during the first year or so, water during droughts. Mulch over moist soil regularly to improve texture.…

16 October 1945 Gardening author and broadcaster Professor Stefan Buczacki was born. He contributed to AG every week for more than 20 years, and spent 12 years as a panellist and then host of Gardeners’ Question Time on the radio. 16 October 1976 An unbroken apple peel 172.2ft (52.49m) long was cut by Kathy Wafler of Wolcott, New York. The apple weighed 20oz (567g). 16 October 1987 A Great Storm raged in southern England. TV weatherman Michael Fish (pictured) had said during a weather bulletin: “A lady phoned in to the BBC to say that there was a hurricane on the way. Well, there isn’t…” 17 October 1922 The first play to be performed on the radio, Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, was broadcast from 2MT Writtle in Essex, an…

I HAVE not grown my own sweet peas for many years, but having the free packet of ‘Old Spice’ ( AG , 22 September) got me motivated. I bought some modules to grow them in and was pleased to see the article on how to soften the seeds before sowing and every other aspect of getting strong plants, so it was an end-of-September start for me. I have also decided to tackle tumbling sweet peas from seed as well as bought plug plants. The plug plants that grew in a hanging basket this summer were very successful, and once flowering dwindled I planted busy Lizzies to add to the display. The thing to remember with sweet peas is to keep deadheading before the pods appear for continual flowering. I am…

1 Keep your patio free from moss, fallen leaves and other debris to reduce the risk of flooding after hard rain. 2 Decking can get dangerously slippery, so pressure-wash it to remove algae and leaves. Adding a non-slip surface is a good solution. 3 Still, cold and damp greenhouse air can cause moulds and fungus, so ventilate well on warmer days, remembering to close doors and vents at night. 4 Preserve wood and metalwork before winter. Brush away dirt and then coat with varnish, paint or a preservative on a still, dry day.…

1 Remove dead and dying foliage and flowers of hardy perennials. Leave penstemons standing to help protect the plant’s crown. 2 Edge your lawns to create neat borders, and remove untidy grass and weeds where pests can shelter. 3 Pull out and compost spent summer annuals to tidy the garden and improve healthy ventilation around remaining plants. 4 Weeds will keep growing year-round and will soon encroach on cultivated plants, so get rid of them, pronto!…

THE Vegan Society is calling for a move towards plant foods and fertilisers that are free of animal products. The society is calling for more producers to work towards Stockfree Organic farming methods, using green manures instead of animal waste to feed their crops. It is also thought to be a more ecologically sustainable method of food production as it has lower water consumption, is a more efficient use of land than animal farming, and reduces methane production and the risk of animal waste polluting water sources. Although plant-based fertilisers and soil improvers such as seaweed-based products and green manures are widely used, the Vegan Society hopes more brands will develop animal-product-free policies. Louise Davies, head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at The Vegan Society, said: “In an ideal world…

There seem to be two types of buddleja in this world – the ‘guerilla’ strain that runs wild on railway sidings and unkempt pieces of land, and the more restrained cultivated type in our gardens. We have a thriving bush that is covered with butterflies in summer (hence it’s unofficial name of ‘butterfly bush’). Given free rein it would turn into a space-stealing thug, but we keep it under control with regular pruning. Early each spring it is cut right back to the ground, or ‘stooled’, so that healthy new growth can emerge unencumbered by last year’s rampant stems. In early autumn it gets cut back by around half, removing the dead flowerheads and thinner stems. This helps reduce self-seeding and keeps the plant neat, lessening the risk of root…

Scarlet lily beetles appear from March through summer. They eat all parts of the plant and also attack fritillaries. In extreme cases this weakens the bulb, causing reduced flowering the following season. Their larvae have the lovely habit of hiding under leaves encased in their own poo. To combat lily beetles, pick off and squish adults and larvae as soon as you see them, or use pesticides. Grazers G4 is an effective organic deterrent that is sprayed on lilies every seven to 10 days from when plants first shoot or pests appear. You can also buy ‘Defender Pink’, a widely available variety of lily that is said to be resistant to lily beetle attacks.…

“The soil still has some of summer’s warmth left” NOW is a good time to plant trees and bushes. The soil still has some of summer’s warmth left, and the roots will establish before growth stops for winter. Rather obviously, if you want the best performance from a tree, you need to do a good job here. The trouble is that there’s so much conflicting advice. Some recommend staking, with some saying use tall stakes and others saying use short. Some may recommend including compost or fertiliser, but others don’t. As you can see, it’s a bit confusing! So first, dig a hole that’s deeper and, more importantly, wider than the tree’s rootball. Do this a week beforehand to let air penetrate (roots need air). If it’s at all dry,…

October 17-21: A Taste of Autumn: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley Oct 19-Nov 30: Library Display of Codlings, Costards and Biffins: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 20-21: Autumn Antiques Fair: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 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, enquiries@botanic.cam.ac.uk 21: Conifer Show: RHS Wisley 22: RHS gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 26: Autumn Walk and Talk: RHS Wisley 26-28: London Urban Garden Show: RHS Lindley Hall SW1P 2QW and RHS Lawrence Hall SW1P 2QD. RHS.org.uk 29: RHS Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr Oct 29-Nov 18:…

YOU sowed your winter brassicas way back in April and planted them out in June, and you’ve watched them grow away strongly through the autumn – only for the winter gales to snap them off. Disaster! But this is a scenario that will not happen on your plot under my watchful gaze, I promise. Brussels sprouts, kale and sprouting broccoli, in particular, are top-heavy plants. If your garden is exposed to blustery gusts, then consider staking each plant now, while they’re still relatively small. Insert a bamboo cane or stout stick alongside each plant and tie the main stalk to it; top the cane with an eye-protector, because it’s at that dangerous bend-over height. While you’re at it, remove any yellowing leaves to keep on top of crop hygiene. Job…

WE all know several ornamental plants that provide us with strong autumn colour – maples, Virginia creeper, spindle, to name a few – but what about the occupants of the vegetable plot? In my mind, asparagus wins hands down. This perennial crop transforms into a sea of golden yellow come late autumn, signifying that all the goodness from the leaves or ‘fern’ has travelled back down into the fleshy root system. This blaze of colour is well worth enjoying for the week or so that it appears – after this point it quickly turns brown. It’s at that point you can then jump onto the bed, secateurs in hand, and cut all the stems down to ground level with a definitive snip. This tidies things up and, more importantly, it…

Although the first genuinely dwarf sweet pea (the pink and white ‘Pink Cupid’) dates back to 1898 and still deserves its AGM, some of the most impressive recent breeding developments have been in dwarf varieties, as well as in half-height (3ft/90cm) varieties. Ideal for edging and for containers, including hanging baskets, other AGM-winning dwarf varieties that reach just 6-10in (15-25cm) include ‘Crimson Cherub’ (red), ‘Lady T Cherub’ (cerise and lavender) and the especially pretty ‘Northern Lights Cherub’ (subtle blue and red shades). Going up in scale, to a height of about 3-4ft (90cm-1.2m), the Solway Series boasts seven AGMs, including ‘Solway Classic’ (red and white), ‘Solway Serenade’ (two-tone vivid pink) and ‘Solway Snowflake’ (white with a pink flash). These are tailor-made for low fences and large containers, for tumbling over…

The soil close to walls, fences and other structures tends to be on the dry side, so plant climbers about 12in (30cm) away from supports. Dig a hole the same depth as the rootball and twice as wide. Prick the sides and base of the excavation with a fork so roots can penetrate the surrounding soil. To help the climbers establish, mix the earth you have removed with some organic matter, such as garden compost. Take the plant out of its pot and tease out some of the roots if they are congested. Place the climber in the centre of hole, making sure the top of the rootball is level with the surface. Lean the plant at 45° towards its supports and backfill the hole with soil, firming as you…

Eranthis hyemalis AGM One of the highlights of winter is a carpet of sunny yellow aconites blooming in February. Grow in humus-rich, neutral-to-alkaline soil – ideally, beneath deciduous shrubs and trees. H: 3in (8cm). Helleborus Penny’s Pink This floriferous new hellebore has charming large pink flowers, dark stems and silver-green foliage that emerges pink. Another one for planting in humus-rich, neutral-to-alkaline soil, beneath deciduous trees and shrubs. H: 2ft (60cm).…

How do I cultivate a meadow? Q This year, we left some grass to grow long as a small meadow area, but we forgot to cut it. Should we do this now or wait until next year, and how do we cut it? I’d also like to increase the diversity of plants in this spot – any suggestions would be welcome! Jackie Fairhurst, Boston, Lincolnshire A Meadow areas are a great idea, making attractive contours, cutting down on mowing and creating habitats for wildlife. However, at some point they do need cutting – otherwise, thick clumps of grass thrive at the expense of flowering plants. I would catch up by cutting now, scarifying the soil and sowing for a wider range of native meadow plants. Since the 1930s we’ve lost…

RHS-endorsed Transplanting Spade £42.99 plus £4.99 delivery 0114 233 8262 burgonandball.com Features Head is mirror-polished stainless steel, which is rust resistant. Head dimension are 11in long x 5½in wide (28x14cm) and comes with foot treads. Overall length is 41in (104cm) with a weight of 4lb 2oz (1.86kg). The handle is made of FSC-certified ash and comes with a ‘Y’ grip. Performance An attractive tool with traditional looks. It sits in the middle of the group when it comes to overall length and weight, making it ideal for most gardeners. A good all rounder that could double up as a border spade. The tool is comfortable and well balanced to use, and having a head that is slightly depressed in the middle allows you to move soil quite…

V . x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’ One of the showiest winter flowerers, with generous clusters of scented, bright pink flowers that are open from November to March. Reaches 10ft (3m). V. davidii Well grown, plants elevate themselves from ground cover to fine specimens with impressive leaves. When males and females are grown together, turquoise berries follow white flowers. Reaches 4-6ft (1.2-1.8m). V. x carlcephalum This rounded deciduous shrub produces generous corymbs of fragrant white flowers from pink buds in late spring – and later, there are red autumn tints. Reaches 10ft (3m). V. plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’ The tiered branches, decorated by flat cymes of white lacecap flowers in April and May, produce a horizontal layered effect. Can reach…

Peckish Complete Seed & Nut Mix has been created to bring more birds, colour and song to your garden. The 12-seed blend can be used in feeders, on bird tables and ground-feeding trays, and the no-mess mix means that the seeds have had their husks removed to prevent waste. Each ingredient has been specifically chosen for its high energy content and to encourage the widest variety of birds into your garden. Ingredients include red millet, oats, peanuts, oystershell grit and kibbled wheat. We have three 2kg (4lb 4oz) packs to give away, each worth £4.99. 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 Peckish Complete Draw (20 October), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2,…

ALL I know about ghosts is that they have a very limited wardrobe, which explains why they’re invariably dressed as Victorians or headless horsemen. This means that if there’s something strange in your neighbourhood – or shed, for that matter – then it’s unlikely to be an apparition of an astronaut! I’ve never seen a ghost, but I’ve had many encounters with poltergeist-plants that possess the ability to materialise in unlikely places. Giant sunflowers are famous for this trick, but my favourite floral phantom is the knee-high Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’ honeywort. My original plant faded away in the close company and rich soil of a border, but thankfully not before setting seeds (its ‘last will and testament’) and now its ethereal blue leaves haunt the free-draining earth next to the…

EVERY year UK’s largest horticultural brands attend Glee, the Garden and Outdoor Living Trade Show. For three days, the show showcases new products and innovations for the coming year. AG editor Garry Coward-Williams and gardening news editor Ruth Hayes went along – and this is their Top 11 for 2019. Roundup Speed Ultra weedkiller There has been a lot in the news about the weedkilling chemical glyphosate and now Evergreen, which manufactures glyphosate-based market leader Roundup, has released a glyphosate-free version. It delivers results within an hour of application and allows for next-day replanting. It is available in one-litre and three-litre bottles. Gardena Textile Hose Liano After this summer’s drought, a garden hose that doesn’t snag, perish or kink must be high on many gardener’s shopping lists. Gardena’s new lightweight…

THE RSPB is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its Big Garden Birdwatch next year. Since the world’s largest garden wildlife survey began in 1979, more than 130 million birds have been counted. As well as being fun, the survey also has a vital role in charting the rise and fall in native bird species. It has shown the decline in song thrush, starling and house sparrow numbers and increases in collared doves and wood pigeons. Participants are also being asked to log other wildlife seen throughout the year, including hedgehogs, foxes, squirrels, muntjac and roe deer, and frogs and toads. The 2019 Great Garden Birdwatch takes place on 26-28 January and can be done in your garden or local park. It takes an hour, and you should only count birds…

ASIATIC and Oriental lilies are not plants inclined to hide their light under a bushel. Whether cultivated in containers or a border, their exotic glamour shines out in summer and early autumn, yet without throwing shade on other plants growing nearby. There are many varieties to choose from, including dwarf lilies grown for windowboxes and ground cover, to giant tree lilies that look amazing at the back and centre of borders. Asiatic lilies flower earlier than Orientals and have little scent, whereas Oriental varieties are renowned for their sweet, heavy fragrance. Late autumn is the ideal time to get them in the ground, as it gives the bulbs plenty of time to bulk up before they shoot in spring. They do best in a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, free-draining…

EVERY garden should have several apple trees, and where space is limited, a Family Tree is the answer – one trunk with three cultivars grafted on to it. I’ve reached the point where we have no more space for top fruit and need to graft newcomers onto established trees, all growing on dwarfing and semi-dwarfing roots. Apples on dwarfing M27 (Malling 27) can be grown in a square metre, but need secure staking for their whole life. While M26 and MM 106 (Malling Merton) are semi-dwarfing, they have a stronger root system, making them a good choice to grow in containers where root restriction reduces size, and in open gardens to get a more supportive root spread. “Apple ‘Tickled Pink’ has red flesh and makes pink juice” My largest collection…

1 Buy some point-of-lay pullets, not older birds, as they will start to produce eggs once they have settled down. 2 Keep an eye out for end-of-season ‘sale’ barbecue charcoal, as it keeps – and it always costs more next year. 3 Empty old packets of flower seeds onto bare soil. If these grow, they’ll make green manure. If they don’t, it saves wasted sowing next year. 4 Admit that an Indian summer is now unlikely, so put away the garden furniture after wiping it down, waxing or oiling where appropriate.…

“We need these tiny creatures” IT’S been strange old year. Winter lasted far too long, spring was late and summer seemed to go on forever. However, autumn came early at Spring Cottage, and when I drove down the lane in early September it looked more like late October, judging by the faded foliage in the hedgerows. Luckily, my own garden has plenty of evergreen and wintergreen plants and they really stand out now. These cheer me up on drab days, like a friendly green man, and they also provide shelter for all sorts of insects and mini beasts. We need these tiny creatures, because they underpin all the rest of our wildlife. The most obvious insect in the garden is the ladybird, and these creatures hibernate in winter and wake…

1 Cut the foliage off your carrots using a sharp knife or pair of secateurs, taking care not to damage the root itself. Then cover them with a thick layer of insulating material; this can be straw, bracken, or even layers of newspaper if that’s all you have to hand. 2 To keep your insulating material in place, peg it down with netting, or weigh it down with bricks or planks of wood. This will ensure that even if there is a hard and prolonged ground frost, you’ll be able to gain access to and lift your carrots. 3 Whenever you need to harvest the carrots, simply peel back the insulating layer and then lay it back in place when finished. Your roots can remain in the soil right through…

THERE aren’t many crops that are happy to be sown in late autumn, but broad beans are one of them. I love this job, because it’s full of promise and is a positive step towards 2019. Autumn sowings have advantages, too. As well as being super-early to mature in spring (expect pickings in May), the plants also provide you with a huge yield due to a supremely advanced root system. Being a broad-bean addict, I’ve carried out numerous trials of ‘autumn versus spring’ sowings. Autumn sowings, if successful, give bigger yields. To be successful, it’s important to choose suitable varieties with sufficient winter hardiness, such as the stalwart ‘Aquadulce Claudia’. This variety is a longpod, giving six or seven seeds per pod as opposed to the usual four or five.…

IN an ideal world, the fences running down either side of my garden would be hidden by a tapestry of trumpet vines, Californian lilacs, jasmines and other sun-loving climbers and wall shrubs. Alas, that’s never going to happen, because my small north-facing back plot is almost entirely in shade. I’ve tried to flout convention by trying many plants over the years that weren’t suited to the aspect of my garden. However, the results were just as expected – plants lacked vigour, put on a poor display and looked unhealthy. In the end, they were dumped in the green-waste bin. However, just because you have a shady garden, or walls in a dimly lit part of your patch, doesn’t mean you have to resort to boring old ivies. There are plenty…

Prunus serrula ‘Branklyn’ AGM The glossy peeling brown bark of this Tibetan cherry is as smooth and shiny as polished mahogany. A real joy during the cold months, when the leaves have disappeared and its beauty is fully exposed. H: 13ft (4m). Betula utilis var. jacquemontii ‘Doorenbos’ AGM The queen of the winter garden with its bone-white bare branches (it has golden leaves in autumn, too). A bit of a monster; limit its size by growing as a multi-stemmed tree. H: Up to 39ft (12m). Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ An aptly named dogwood, the bare stems of which will blaze incredible shades of coral, gold and orange, lighting up winter like a burning bush. Grow in full sun for the…

MATERIALS Always choose containers that are labelled ‘frostproof’; in particular, avoid urn-shaped terracotta pots where the top is narrower than the middle of the pot. These are the most likely to crack during colder weather. DRAINAGE Good drainage is vital. Use fresh John Innes-based compost, and stand your container on pot feet so any excess moisture can easily drain away. If you use multi-purpose compost, only firm gently. Windowboxes can be placed on top of low wooden blocks.…

1 Cut a meadow fairly short, but so that good growth points are still in place on the grasses and perennial wild flowers. 2 Rake up the cuttings and remove them to compost down. Left in place, they would rot and nourish the soil, benefitting grasses over wild flowers. 3 Use a metal-tined rake to scarify the moist soil into a tilth, ready to accept wildflower seed. 4 Sow seed, ideally from a local supplier (I use goren.co.uk). Scarify again, and press it into the ground to mimic the hooves of grazing cattle.…

Daffodil splendour For many of us, daffodils are the highlight of our gardens between March and May (depending on the variety, and the relative warmth or cold of the season). Most varieties should clump up from being planted about 4in (10cm) apart; a little further than this and the planting would look ‘casual’, but much more than this and it would look sparse and thin. We are in the middle of the daffodil planting season, so let’s look at some of the fascinating stories about them. Daff divisions There are thousands of styles and varieties of narcissus and ‘daffodil’ (large-flowered narcissus) – estimates vary, but you could be talking a five-figure sum. In 1950, to make identification easier, a group of botanists, breeders and specialists classified them all into distinct…

Winning ways with shoo-fly I WAS interested to read the question about the shoo-fly plant, or apple of Peru, ( AG , 29 September). I thought readers might like to see a photo of the plant that I grew from seed. I bought a packet from a local nursery two years ago and the lady mentioned how to collect the seed. So I thought I would give it a try and it is just beautiful. I found that it needs deadheading, otherwise it can spread seed. If you want to collect the seed, leave one of the lanterns and then remove the seed when ripe and keep frost-free. Sow the following spring and plant out after the last frost. Evelyn Fordyce, Elgin, Moray Melons galore I TRIED growing melons last…

A sure-fire way of establishing self-sowers is to mix their seed with well-rotted compost or leaf mould, then lightly spread where you want the flowers to grow. Because the kernels are anchored in compost, they’re less vulnerable to drying out in sunny or windy weather. If you’re growing one for the first time, it pays to sow a short row or potful and then label – that way, you can differentiate between their juvenile seedlings and weeds in the garden. Good flowers to try include aquilegias, dill, cosmos, ammi and breadseed, Welsh and common poppies.…