Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Jan-2019 i Amateur Gardening

THIS year, in celebration of Amateur Gardening’s 135th anniversary, our selection of free seeds from Mr Fothergill’s is better than ever and includes special packs from the RHS and Sarah Raven. Varieties include universal favourites such as sweet peas, sunflowers, wallflowers, poppies and Echinacea, alongside more unusual species such as Mina lobata, Malope ‘Vulcan’ and Chinese lanterns. Each week’s seeds will come with clear, illustrated instructions and I will also show you how to keep your seedlings healthy, taking you through the stages of pricking them out, acclimatising them to outdoor temperatures and finally planting them in their final positions. We start the year with the cheerful climber black-eyed Susan ‘Susie Mixed’, which can be grown up a trellis outdoors, in a conservatory or sunny room or trailing from baskets.…

1 Even large seeds can struggle to germinate against large lumps of growing medium, so sieve your compost into the tray before sowing. 2 Fill the tray to allow room for root growth, then tamp it flat so it is in maximum contact with the largest amount of the seeds’ surface area. 3 Sow seeds thinly so seedlings have plenty of room to grow. Black-eyed Susan seeds are large and easy to place. 4 Once sown, cover your seeds with a thin layer of compost, vermiculite or a combination of the two. 5 Dampen the compost and seeds, using a watering can fitted with a fine rose. Always use fresh tap water as it won’t be contaminated. 6 Label your seeds and cover with a lid or seal them in…

LAST autumn, I raked a thick layer of homemade compost over our borders to feed the soil, which is thin and weak, and nourish and protect the plants through winter. In the intervening weeks, the rain and frost will have broken down the larger lumps and, with help from worms, incorporated the compost into the soil to create a richer mix. (As an aside, I’m always amazed how swiftly several inches of fresh compost is absorbed into the beds.) You can still add mulch now, as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Done when the weather is damp and mild, it will help warm the soil, suppress weeds and make any that subsequently germinate easier to remove. When adding mulch to your borders, leave a small empty area around the…

THEY say there’s no such thing as bad weather – just inappropriate clothing for gardening. Reading an article in a broadsheet newspaper on this subject, I felt their recommendations were expensive and inappropriate. You need plenty of layers to keep out the cold and a fabric that is lightweight and waterproof when it rains. Surely I am not alone in wearing old clothes to garden – especially in the winter, when most things handled are wet, grubby and all too often muddy? Bob Flowerdew is often pictured in a boiler suit, while I prefer bib and brace overalls. Both have plenty of pockets for string, labels, pencil, secateurs, folding measure and the like. “Most things handled are wet, grubby and all too often muddy” A TV cameraman who worked on…

1 Autumn-sown sweet peas should be growing well. Pinch out any leggy tips to create bushier plants with more flowering potential. 2 Make sure seedlings have adequate ventilation – as chill, still conditions in a greenhouse or cold frame will create perfect conditions for botrytis grey mould and other problems. 3 Why not sow a new batch of plants under cover between now and April? Give their roots deep pots to grow in, and they will be ready to plant out when the soil warms up. 4 Toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes are ideal, economic, eco-friendly and deep enough for sweet peas. You can also plant them direct, which avoids disturbing the developing roots.…

IN November 2017, a lottery-funded Back from the Brink campaign was launched at Windsor Castle in Berkshire to rescue species on their way to extinction. The programme, which is being run by Natural England, involves seven wildlife charities and six conservation organisations. They’re pooling their expertise and resources, and they aim to save 20 species from fading away. The scheme, which is funded by The National Lottery, is likely to have wider benefits and improve the habitat for roughly 200 species across Britain. One of the chosen 20 species is a butterfly called the chequered skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon). This golden-spotted brown butterfly became extinct in England in 1976, although it still flies in western Scotland. Its food plant is a grass called false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), and Rockingham Forest in…

IMPROVED soil drainage, increased soil warmth, reduced back pain – there are numerous reasons why installing raised beds is tempting for fruit and vegetable gardeners. You can build them using brickwork, paving slabs or rendered breeze blocks, but the most common and versatile construction material is timber. All fruit, vegetables and herbs will happily grow in raised beds. Due to their larger soil volume, they dry out far less than containers so watering is simpler, and you can still pander to the needs of fussy crops such as blueberries that require specialist ericaceous compost. The fact that you can enrich the pocket of soil with any form of compost, specialist or otherwise, means that your crop’s root health is boosted. It’s a win-win situation! Building them is pretty straightforward; simply…

CAST your mind forward to March. The first signs of spring – blossom, the dawn chorus, daffodils – are appearing, the sun’s rays have a tangible heat, and your zest for life is on the up. Wouldn’t a lunch of prawns, chicken or goat’s cheese with homegrown leaves be delightful? If this has whetted your appetite then act now! Sow small pots or trays with hardy salads this week. In good light and gentle warmth, they’ll be ready to pick in five or six weeks. Fill seed trays or shallow pots with multipurpose compost (rubbing away any lumps), water well, and scatter seeds of your chosen salad on top. Rocket, komatsuna, mustard, lettuce, mizuna, radish, sorrel, pea shoots, chard and spinach are all fab hardy leaves to start now. Kept…

1 Keep on pulling stems of perpetual spinach and Swiss chard. Slide your finger down to each stalk’s bases, then gently twist off . 2 Check fruit stores for rodent damage. Set traps and check them daily – sultanas make a particularly alluring bait. 3 Apply winter washes to fruit trees, canes and bushes to kill overwintering pest eggs. Two or three applications through winter will be needed. 4 On wet days, get into the shed and service your tools. Oil blades and moving parts, and create razor-like edges using a sharpening stone or file 5 . Regularly consume stored roots. Beetroot, celeriac and carrots pack ed into boxes of sand will keep until spring.…

An allergy to birch pollen is one of the more common allergic reactions; it can be a problem from March to May when pollen is being shed. Like oak and grass pollen, which can also trigger allergies, birch pollen is carried on the wind, so you may be some distance from the tree and still be affected. People who suffer hay fever-type symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose and watery, red and itchy eyes when exposed to birch pollen may also suffer from pollen food syndrome, a reaction to raw fruits (especially apples and pears) that causes the lips to swell. For more information visit allergycosmos.co.uk/blog/birch-pollen/. Alternatively, consult your GP.…

You’ll need to support your birch tree as it grows. My trusted method is to knock in a stout stake on each side of the rootball. Thread galvanised wire through a short protective length of hosepipe and loop a length from each stake around the trunk, about 1 1/2-2ft (45-60cm) above ground. Tighten well to secure the trunk. Each stem of multi-stemmed specimens can be secured to a separate stake. Do not hammer one tall stake in through the rootball.…

Rosa Gertrude Jekyll (‘Ausbord’) This English shrub rose is candyflosspink. Ideal for a mixed border reaching just 4ft (1.2m). Makes a great cut flower thanks to its powerful scent. Repeat flowering, so ideal for a small garden. Rosa Flower Carpet White (‘Noaschnee’) Offering a height and spread of 20in (50cm), this white, lightly scented rose will cover the ground in style. A repeat flowerer that attracts the bees. Can be grown in a container. Rosa A Shropshire Lad (‘Ausled’) A vigorous climber that will leap up an arch or wall. Has a mature height of 10ft (3m). A soft fruity fragrance is released from its peach-pink blooms. Repeat flowerer, so perfect for around the door. Rosa rugosa ‘Rubra’ A tough rose with…

Eucomis bicolor AGM An exotic-looking plant. Thick stems are smothered in masses of star-like ivory flowers with purple markings and a top knot of foliage – hence the common name: pineapple flower. Borderline hardy; plant in pots with the bulb sitting just below the surface. HxS:1 ½ ftx8in (45x20cm). Galtonia candicans AGM Known as the summer hyacinth because of its fragrant white, bell-shaped flowers, which dangle from towering, upright stems. Surprisingly hardy; plants don’t like heavy, wet soil, so you’ll need to lift them in autumn for replanting in spring. HxS: 4ftx16in (1.2mx40cm). Ixia ‘Mabel’ Tender corms produce wafty, slender stems and dainty deep pink blooms – a bit like delicate gladioli. Loves light, sandy soils; if you don’t have great drainage, grow in…

‘Livingstone’ A novel variety that has been bred to provide stems to pick all summer long, followed by a second flush in autumn. The long, thickish stalks are a lovely pink colour and have a fairly mild flavour. ‘Champagne’ An old and much-loved variety that will provide a crop of long ruby-red stems from May that boast a sweeter taste than many others. Considered by some to be the best type for forcing. ‘Stockbridge Arrow’ Instantly recognisable due to its distinctive arrow-shaped leaves, this modern variety was bred in Yorkshire and has deep-red stalks that will grow up to 24in (60cm) when forced. ‘The Sutton’ Developed by Suttons Seeds and first offered for sale in 1884, this variety boasts an upright habit and provides an early crop of bright red…

Q My carnation cutting has gone floppy – will it be OK? George Speak, via email A Thankfully, your carnation plant is very healthy. Its leaves have curled because it is reacting to a higher temperature than it is happy with, which is around 13°C (55°F). If possible, move it to cooler place where, hopefully, its leaves will develop normally and won’t curl as they are now doing. Q My perennial sweet peas are still growing despite the cold – is this usual? Janine Baker, Tottenham A Your perennial sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius) is hardy and normally resists low winter temperatures. The fact that it has not died back, which it normally does in late autumn, indicates that it is enjoying a microclimate. Q What is the best compost for…

DRIPPING with flowers and foliage, hanging baskets soften harsh walls and fill greenhouse roof spaces with colour. I’ll even suspend them from tree canopies, as they do in tropical gardens. Now’s the time to find those baskets, dust them down and think about ordering some seeds or plants. For hot, sunny kitchen gardens, a selection of herbs works well. Tomato ‘Tumbling Tom’ is specially bred to fill baskets with red or yellow fruits, and strawberries ‘Elan’ and ‘Toscana’ are everbearing varieties that are bred for tumbling and trailing. For the flower garden, options for seed-raised plants include old-fashioned trailing lobelia, Felicia, monkey musk and petunias. Some of the less rampant nasturtiums are fun, and I like maurandya and lophospermum. These sprawling or climbing plants (native to Mexico and southwest USA)…

The iconic snowdrop Everyone recognises a snowdrop. As well as being a cheery, delightful little flower, it’s also the iconic symbol of the re-awakening year. At first glance, you are unlikely to notice many differences between all the snowdrops out there. However, on closer inspection, and when one delves into the snowdrop story, there are some fascinating details to discover; indeed, snowdrop connoisseurs – known as ‘galanthophiles’ – get very excited about them. Let’s look at some of the facts relating to this unassuming flower. Snowdrop anatomy Snowdrops come under the genus name of galanthus – there are 18 species and some 150 commonly available cultivars. Each snowdrop bloom has three inner segments (forming a tube), while the outer segments are essentially an egg-shaped bell, which opens when the sun…

Pests ‘keep out’ FOR years, I’ve grown strawberries with widely varying results, having tried pots, compost bags and of course in the ground. This year, I’m determined to get good results much to the disappointment of the blackbirds, slugs and other unknown predators. As my photo shows, this year they have gone in the ground, planted through holes punctured in some old compost bags stretched over the soil. This should help to keep the fruit clean. I have decided on raised beds and then, using old bits of timber and netting, constructed three mini fruit cages for ultimate protection. I have to say I’m looking forward to the new season with optimism and confidence. I just hope the grandchildren leave the odd one for me! Norman Ainslie, via email Wendy…

1 Biodegradable coir pots are an excellent way of growing from seed as they can be planted directly into the ground, avoiding root disturbance. 2 Another coir alternative is a roll of absorbent pellets, which can be used for germinating seeds and rooting cuttings in spring and summer. 3 Place each pellet in a bowl of lukewarm water, which it will absorb and swell to several times its original size. 4 Place one or two large seeds or a sprinkle of small seeds on the top of an ‘inflated’ pellet, cover with a sprinkle of compost if desired and grow on as you would a tray of seeds. Pot on the whole thing when the seedling is large enough.…

Some plants, such as petunias, have tiny, almost dust-like seeds that can be tricky to sow thinly and evenly. You can make the process easier by mixing seeds with a generous pinch of clean horticultural sand before scattering them. Alternatively, dab and sow a few at a time from a dampened fingertip or the end of a matchstick. The smallest of seeds should remain uncovered by compost or vermiculite after sowing (check packet instructions). Water them with a fine mister rather than a watering can that might wash them away!…

Improve heavy, clay soils by incorporating plenty of grit and well-rotted manure or compost in the weeks before planting. Both help break up the soil’s density, letting air and water move through. They also make clay easier to work and less prone to waterlogging. Well-rotted organic matter also helps thin soils by giving them more body and improving their water retention. The more water soil can retain without waterlogging, the more nutrients it will hold on to.…

1 Mittens are useful to keep the hands warm and fingers free, when gardening gloves get worn, just cut the finger and thumb tips off. 2 A good pair of thin leather gauntlets like Gold Leaf Touch are a joy when pruning in winter and tackling anything with thorns. 3 Polythene capes – often handed out at gardening events – give good protection from rain, but you also need plastic leggings to stop the run-off soaking your legs! 4 We lose heat from the head so some form of hat is essential, as Bob Flowerdew demonstrates here. You’ll soon be toasty warm……

SOMEONE with good gardening knowledge is often said to know their onions. Which seems odd, as onions are not all that difficult. OK, they can be fiddly, as they’re small and you need a lot of them. But they are not actually very tricky, apart from needing fertile soil. Perhaps it’s because there are many ways to grow this valuable crop. You can direct-sow some such as Japanese varieties at the end of August, and these will then grow through the winter to give a very early crop – although they will not store well for long, though. In autumn, you can plant out specially treated sets (tiny onion bulbs), which will also give an earlier crop than those started later. From the new year until Easter, you can sow…

IF the ground is too sodden or frozen to work, use these dry, still winter days to check over, preserve and protect garden structures and stored furniture, as well as slippery paths and patios. Prevention is better (and usually cheaper) than cure and replacement, so it is worth getting on with these practical tasks now, rather than wait until spring when the speed of life picks up pace. Sheds and garages create ready-made workshops for stored furniture. Strip off old, flaking paint or varnish and use filler to mend any cracked or damaged woodwork. Look out for the telltale signs of woodworm, too – small holes in wood, often surrounded by fine powder. Woodworm infestations can travel to floorboards, ceiling joists and wooden window frames if not caught early enough,…

Upcycled timbers These can be incredibly cheap (and frequently free), which is perfect for a quick fix. Durability is questionable, though, so they may not last. Tanalised timber The ideal choice: more costly than other wood, but because it has been impregnated with preservatives, it will last for many years. Woven hazel stems Only viable for those with access to plentiful stems – but boy, does it look good! Hammer short vertical stakes into the ground, then tightly weave in the stems.…

WHILE winter brassicas are notoriously slow to provide a crop, with most sown in March or April, some cabbages are uncharacteristically quick off the blocks! Summer cabbages fall into this category – although I must admit I find the name confusing. Sown now, these quick-to-mature varieties can be ready to cut in May, especially if you decide to sow a vigorous F1 hybrid. So I’m starting off some ‘Excel’ and ‘Hispi’ seeds (both F1 hybrids) in modules now. Sown in the warmth of a heated propagator, you can transplant the young seedlings into a cold frame or unheated greenhouse border in mid to late March, ready to cut during May. Space-strapped plots needn’t be excluded, as you can tightly pack these cabbages together; a 10x10in (25cm2 ) grid spacing is…

THE Latin name ( Citrus australasica ) hints at the origins of this citrus, also known as finger lime due to its shape. When split apart, the fruits reveal pearly, juice-filled sacks that look like caviar. Packed with a citrus punch, these sacks burst in the mouth – an experience so pleasurable, these limes are called gourmet bushfood. As with other citrus, caviar limes aren’t fully hardy and they need the protection of a heated conservatory or greenhouse during winter. This fruit plant favours pot cultivation, so you can easily move it to a sunny patio for summer (being self-fertile, only one plant is needed). Recipe-wise, they partner well with seafood, and can be scattered on pavlovas, tarts and cheesecakes.…

Plant container-grown young birch trees at any time when the soil is not frozen, parched or soggy – spring and autumn are the best seasons. Plant bare-root trees between November and March. Birch roots spread widely, so don’t create a deep but narrow planting hole. Prepare the ground by forking plenty of weed-free organic matter in to a wide planting area. Water containers thoroughly before planting; afterwards, be sure to keep the roots from drying out – at least until the tree is established. Support is crucial, especially for larger specimens. Check regularly that supports have not worked loose. Mulch with weed-free soil improver in the autumn. Generally, little pruning is necessary, except to correct crossing and rubbing branches and to ensure that one main leader develops, rather than two…

CAST your mind back to the garden at the height of summer. Which flowers spring to mind? For me, it is the roses. Cupping a rose in your hand and sinking your nose into the bloom must be one of life’s greatest pleasures. In the winter garden some roses offer attractive hips, but others sink into the background until they sparkle again in summer. So, why am I turning your attention to roses now? The reason is that the best time to plant roses is in winter, as this allows plants time to put down roots before the spring. Avoid planting when the soil is frozen and choose a mild winter’s day. Bare-root plants are available in the dormant season between November and March, and these ‘light-to-post’ plants are perfect…

Winter basket Violas, crocuses, winter aconites and Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ tie in beautifully with the gold and green variegated foliage of Euonymus fortunei and a trailing ivy. If you didn’t have time to plant bulbs in the autumn, cheat and buy them now in pots. Black and white Pure white hardy snowdrops and hellebores provide a stark contrast to the black foliage of Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’. As simple as it is stylish, this contemporary combination will really pack a punch in a zinc pot. Tall order Ranging in colour from golden yellow through to deep scarlet, dogwood stems add useful vertical interest to a display. For a striking contrast, underplant Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ with the pure white blooms of Erica carnea f. alba ‘Winter Snow’. Fabulous foliage Evergreen grasses look…

Gladiolus ‘Flevo Disco’ This new purple gladiolus is shorter, with daintier flowers than traditional varieties. Plant in succession from May to July – flowers appear about 12 weeks after planting. Tender; treat as an annual or lift and store. HxS: 28x8in (70x20cm). Lilium regale AGM Huge trumpet-shaped white flowers, flushed pink and with yellow centres, on tall stems. The heady perfume is at its best on warm evenings. Needs sun and acid-neutral soil. Watch out for lily beetle. HxS: 5x1ft (1 ½ mx30cm). Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Emily McKenzie’ Frost-hardy corms (mulch in cold areas) produce star-like green foliage and pendulous bright orange flowers that are dotted with darker orange-red markings. HxS: 2ftx32in (60x80cm). Dahlia ‘David Howard’ AGM Every garden needs…

For a colour clash team Dahlia ‘Honka Pink’ with the crimson bottlebrush blooms of Persicaria ‘Firetail’ and the upright purple moor-grass Molinia ‘Moorhexe’. Mix red-flowered Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ with the orange tones of Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’ and Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ in a hot border. Try an elegant combination of Lilium regale, the lavender-purple flowers of Nepeta ‘Six Hill’s Giant’ and the white blooms of Campanula lactiflora. Purple Gladiolus ‘Flevo Disco’ and Verbena hastate look great with the fluffy blonde grass Stipa tenuissima.…

■ Clear the top growth when the plants start to die back in autumn, as exposing the crown to frost will ensure plants produce a good crop the following year. ■ Mulch plants annually in early spring, spreading a thick layer of garden compost or well-rotted manure over the crown. ■ Feed plants in spring – scatter a balanced general fertiliser over the crown and keep well watered in summer. ■ Any flowering stems that appear should be snipped off so plants put all their energy into producing more stems. ■ If you are growing rhubarb in the open, rather than forcing, finish cropping by June to avoid weakening plants. ■ Plants will eventually run out of steam, so keep them productive by dividing every five years or so. Lift…

How do I prune rose tangle? QWe’ve moved into a garden with lots of roses. They flowered well but are now a tangle of stems, and while pruning is the obvious answer we have no idea when or where to start and are scared of cutting the wrong bits. Please can you specify good basic technique? Adele Nielson, Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands A You can’t replace maturity in a hurry, and I would view these roses as an asset. The first step is to work out roughly what sort of rose they all are, prune them as soon as they start into growth (usually in February, but avoid freezing weather) and design around them. The top of our previous garden was dominated by a massive climbing rose sprawled in a heap.…

In May, prop the basket on a shallow flowerpot for stability and line the interior. Place a little compost in the base, and here and there feed plants through from inside to out. For this process, some are going to need wrapping first in a tube of paper or polythene to prevent damage. On reaching the top, set five or six plants in place and fill in around them with compost. Remember to water in well. Ideally, leave under glass for a few days to settle in, before hanging in position after danger of frost has passed.…

Peckish Complete Seed & Nut Mix is a unique blend that’s packed with nutrition. It contains 12 ingredients, including kibbled wheat, red millet, sunflower hearts and oyster shell grit, and each ingredient has been specifically chosen for its high energy content and to encourage the widest variety of birds into your garden. The mix contains Calvita, a natural nutrient supplement containing calcium and vitamins to help improve the overall health of birds. We have two 2kg packs of Peckish Complete Seed & Nut Mix 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 Seed & Nut Mix Draw (26 January), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst…

DIFFERENT varieties of seeds have different germination times, though the average is two-four weeks. Check the instructions on the packets and keep a close eye on your seed trays. Once seedlings start to shoot, remove the tray lid or open the plastic bag around the pot. This lets fresh air get to the young plants, which boosts ventilation and helps prevent them succumbing to fungal diseases such as damping off. This is a complaint caused by soil-borne fungi that causes the seedlings to collapse and rot, and they may also be lost among a mass of pale fungal growth. Damping off is most commonly found on seeds that are sown early indoors, where there is little light and heat and seedlings grow more slowly. It is also more prevalent where…

The Almanac: A Season Guide to 2019 By Lia Leendertz (Octopus Books, £10) THIS pocket-sized book is a great read for anyone who is interested in nature. Each month contains information about the moon’s phases, the sky at night, weather, tides and notes about nature. There are also recipes, seasonal cheeses and a flower of the month. You can dip into this book and read a snippet, or follow the monthly guide to things to look out for during the year. There are short stories relating to each month from across all cultures and religions, and gems such as what is happening in the beehive each month and what to look for in the sky at night. Gardeners aren’t neglected, as there are tips on planting by the moon, how…

1 Anchor cardboard or black plastic onto the soil to block weeds and start to raise the temperature before sowing and planting. 2 Run a sharpened hoe through your soil each week to cut off weed seedlings. Leave them on the soil to rot down. 3 Dig out deeply rooted weeds and break up large clumps of soil with a fork to let light and air into the soil. 4 Stand on a plank or board when working wet soil to prevent compaction. Even better, delay work until it has dried out.…

ORNAMENTAL grasses add a light, airy touch to borders and, in summer, provide a beautiful foil for more colourful and vivacious plants. Many can be left alone when winter comes, as their elegant fronds and seedheads give interest when there is little else about, and they also look wonderful when touched by frost on clear, freezing mornings. However, by now they will be starting to look a bit bedraggled and battered by winter weather, and will need cutting back in order to grow well and look their best this summer. Remove the seeded stems with sharp, clean secateurs, taking care not to damage any new growth. Then cut the rest back to a few centimetres from the ground, leaving just a hairy tuft. Weed around the clump, and mulch well…

1 You can still plant fruit trees, bushes, herbaceous plants, ornamentals and even biennials, just as long as the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged. 2 Spread garden compost around fruit trees and bushes in thick doughnut-shaped rings, to break down and weather more slowly. 3 Attach bottle caps or carton tops onto your garden canes to help keep water out and prevent them poking you in the eye. 4 Go through your stored fruit and vegetables, removing any rotters before they spread, and processing any fading ones before they go over.…

26: The Ultimate Snowdrop Sale: Myddleton House Gardens, Bulls Cross, Enfield, Mddsx. 03000 030 610; visitleevalley.org.uk/myddleton 31: Get the Best from Your Roses: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hydehall 31: Pruning and Training Climbers and Wall Shrubs: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor February 1: What Now: Gardening in February: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr 1: Sympathy Flowers: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 2: Close-up Photography: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 0845 6121 253, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 2-3: Family Scarecrow-Making: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 2: Beginner’s Gardening – Basic Skills: RHS Garden Rosemoor ■ Send details and images of events to ruth.hayes@ti-media.com or What’s…

1 Using a set point (we used our fence’s kick board), establish the desired soil level. With a string line, hammered-in pegs, spirit level and spade, skim off humps and fill in dips. 2 Mark out your chosen bed design using string and pegs. Lay the edging timbers in place and then secure with screws using square timber peg or angle iron. 3 As you build your beds, you can skim off pathway soil and use it to infill the beds. Leave paths bare, turf them or peg down weed-control fabric. Finally, lay bark chips or gravel.…

1 Fill a garden trug or washing-up bowl with a mild solution of Jeyes Fluid or household bleach; one part disinfectant to 10 parts water. 2 Dunk plastic plant labels, seed trays and modules in the solution for 10 minutes, then allow to drain and wash them down with water. 3 Submerge other kit such as dibbers or pot tampers that are used for propagation in the solution. This will kill any residual damping off diseases.…

CHOOSING a tree for a small garden is always a challenge. Getting it right is doubly important when you only have room for a single specimen, and it’s tempting to pack all your needs into a single variety. However there’s one factor that is sometimes overlooked: shade. Or, rather, the amount of shade. As our summers become hotter and sunnier, a little shade in which to stretch out on a summer’s day can be very appealing; the problem is that shade restricts our planting options. And while crab apples, hawthorns and other small garden trees have a host of valuable features, the shade they cast is dense. Birches, however, combine elegant growth with a rather thin canopy of foliage that casts only light and dappled shade, making them suitable for…

Most birches are sold in containers, although native species in particular are sometimes sold bare root. Container-grown specimens are available as 39in/1m plants in 1½-litre pots and up to 16ft/5m trees in 55-litre pots. Some nurseries offer the same variety in a range of sizes and prices. Large, mature specimens are costly but give instant effect, while small plants are good value. (Remember, too, that the bigger the plant, the harder it will be to manoeuvre into place.) Birches are sometimes sold as a group of three in a single, large pot, for an instant multi-stemmed effect.…

Invest in a rose that holds childhood memories for you, as this will always give you that feel-good factor. Buy from specialist nurseries whose experts will be on hand to offer advice. Pick the right rose for the right spot – for example, choose shade-tolerant roses for gloomy corners. Not all climbers will climb up trees. A safe bet is ‘Rambling Rector’. Climbers tend to offer repeat flowers, but ramblers mostly flower once. Make sure your rose offers weeks of flowers. For hedging and to attract bees, opt for species roses with single flowers. Some roses offer winter interest from their stems and hips – consider these for a winter garden. Look for roses that offer a level of disease resistance.…

Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ Add blazing colour to your container with the winter stems of a cornus. Dogwoods are at their most striking in the winter months, when the stems take on fiery shades. H&S: 6½ft (2m). Helleborus niger Despite its name, the Christmas rose flowers in January and February, its white blooms lighting up the gloom. And there’s evergreen foliage for year-round interest. HxS: 1ftx16in (30x40cm). Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ AGM Soften container edges with a low-maintenance trailing ivy – it will fit in with most planting schemes for windowboxes and doorstep pots. Choose a variegated form like ‘Glacier’. H&S: 6 ½ ft (2m). Erica x darleyensis f. albiflora ‘White Perfection’ AGM A hardy winter heather…

Choose hardy plants that can cope with bad weather. Make sure containers have adequate drainage holes. Use pot feet to lift pots off the ground – this will help ensure compost doesn’t get waterlogged. Don’t add fertiliser; plants are not growing at this time of year. If you’re planting large shrubs, use the biggest container you can fit into your available space. Check what type of compost your plants require – bear in mind that some, such as azaleas, will need ericaceous compost. If temperatures plummet, protect more tender plants by fixing some bubble wrap around their pots.…

Most summer-flowering bulbs need well-drained soil in a sunny spot – you can improve drainage by adding grit and compost. If you have heavy clay soil, grow bulbs in pots; then, when the flower buds appear, sink the containers into gaps in borders. Most should be planted at three times the depth of the bulb. Spacing varies, but aim to allow two to three times the width of the bulb. When growing in pots, use John Innes No3 for hungry bulbs and No2 for the rest.…

SEVERAL years ago I travelled to West Yorkshire to visit one of the UK’s biggest growers of rhubarb. The crop wasn’t growing in the open ground, but was instead planted in serried rows within long, low, windowless buildings that are known as sheds. A few candles mounted on metal stakes provided the only light to lift the gloom. The lack of natural light is key to the production of forced rhubarb – a highly prized delicacy that is generally available in shops between January and March. Remarkably, it currently has EU protected status, placing it alongside other British foods such as Cornish pasties and Melton Mowbray pork pies. Forced stems are lighter in colour, way more tender and have a better flavour than those of outdoor rhubarb, which are not…

How should I care for hyacinths? Q How should I look after my late mother’s hyacinths through the year? Philip Pearce, via email A Hyacinths are hardy bulbs so it is best to grow them in cold temperatures, only bringing them into the house when flowering starts. If they are grown in warm conditions they tend to be very soft, leggy and prone to toppling over. The bulbs can survive if planted out in the garden but can also be grown in pots. In pots, they are best placed somewhere protected from the most extreme winter cold. This is because the compost in pots freezes more quickly (and stays frozen for longer) than garden soil and this can cause harm, particularly once the bulbs have started to grow. Pots are…

1 Cut the older stems of rambling roses to the base, but leave newer stems unpruned as these will flower in summer. 2 Tie the stems of ramblers and climbers to their supports – go down and around, horizontally or in a V-shape to steady sap flow for better flowering. 3 This shrub rose is best pruned by cutting just above a bud. 4 After pruning, weed around the base, apply a handful of rose fertiliser and mulch over the roots but not up around the stems.…

Bacopa ‘Abunda Colossal Pink’ From this durable bacopa, expect a tumbling mass of five-petalled, clear-pink flowers all summer long. Suits sun or partial shade. Begonia ‘Million Kisses Honeymoon’ Lemon and apricot blooms shine against pointed, deep green leaves. Good heat and drought tolerance, and no need for deadheading. Enjoys sun or light shade. Scaevola ‘Blue Print’ Structural heads of fan-like flowers in a luminous lilac stand out on trailing plants all summer. Good heat tolerance, and loves a sunny position. Verbena ‘Sparkle Purple Blues’ A semi-trailing habit is great for covering basket sides with heads of jewel-like flowers in white, lilac and pinkish purple. Suits sun or partial shade.…

On this day, diarist and horticultural writer John Evelyn recorded that the sea and the Thames at London were frozen, with ‘The fowls, fish and birds and all our exotic plants and greens universally perishing’. The severely cold weather began in the previous December, and ended in March. Over three months, the Thames was frozen, as were areas of the North Sea, even out from land as far as 2 miles (3.2km). Evelyn himself was a prolific author, and produced books on subjects as diverse as gardening, theology, numismatics, politics, architecture and even (as one of its early advocates) vegetarianism.…

Rising damp What do you do when the ground is soggy? Toby looks at how to be productive when it seems too wet to plant GARDENING comes with lots of contradictions: hard-prune an unruly shrub and it’ll grow more vigorously; over-feed a flower and instead of fattening up it dies; and throw a snail over the garden fence and the chances are it’ll be back in no time. Science has shown that molluscs can slide home from several metres away, although I suspect mine are returned by the neighbours who are probably as generous with their snails as I am! The biggest contradiction, though, involves the soil. On the one hand, digging it over improves drainage – but if the soil is sodden when turned, the problem just gets worse.…

Plan vegetable beds according to your soil type. On sticky clay and silt, rake the earth up into raised 3-4ft (1-1.2)-wide ‘canal’ beds that sit a few inches above the surrounding soil. The excess water will run away from roots, and being drier the soil will warm up ready for sowing earlier in spring. Avoid walking in clay soil, using a plank to spread your weight. On sandy and free-draining chalk types, keep beds at the same level as the surrounding soil, so water from the paths and surrounds ‘wicks’ in to the roots of the veggies.…