Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-Mar-2019 i Amateur Gardening

WHAT’S not to like about summer-flowering bulbs? The majority of them are so easy to grow – simply put them in the ground, mark their spot and they will delight for many seasons, getting bigger and better with each passing year. Even more tender varieties such as gladioli, begonias and dahlias that need lifting each winter are pretty easy to look after. Just store them somewhere frost-free through the coldest months, then restart them in spring in time for the summer. Right now, garden centres, online suppliers and nurseries are splitting at the seams with summer bulbs of all colours and for every situation. You can extend the season further by planting autumn-flowering varieties such as nerines too. Many plants are sold as single varieties, but you can also buy…

Jalapa mirabilis, also known as the ‘tea-time plant’ because they tend to bloom in the early evening, are gorgeous summer perennials. With a fantastic scent, beautiful flowers and an easy-going nature, they get better the longer they are in the ground. I had some in a pot that I wanted to use for other bulbs, so I stored the Jalapa tubers in the greenhouse through winter . They survived and started to sprout, so I have potted them up in multi-purpose compost, with the shoots just sticking out the top, and returned them to the greenhouse. With any luck they will survive so I can pot them on or plant them out again in late spring.…

Garden centres, DIY chains and online retailers are great for bulky items such as compost deals, but don’t always rely on them for plants. Get to know your local nurseries, which will pride themselves on good-quality plants of known provenance at reasonable prices. They will also know local growing conditions and soils, and advise on the best plants for your garden. If you are lucky enough to have a locally owned garden shop on your high street, use it. Such shops may sell loose seed potatoes, peas, beans and onion sets, and will be a great source of information and advice.…

IF you haven’t already done so, this is the ideal time to cut down and dig in any green manures you sowed in the autumn. With the warmer weather and spring dampness, the plants will soon rot down and nourish the soil where they grew. You can speed things up if necessary by cutting down the tops first and either incorporating them with the rest of the plants or adding them to the compost heap. Green manures are a fantastic way of enriching soil. They usually come from the legume family, which means they fix nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil via nodules on their roots. Dig them in now and they should have rotted down in time for sowings and plantings of vegetable seed and plug plants in…

Slime, algae and detritus build up in watering cans and water butts as the year progresses, so they should be cleaned at least once every 12 months. This removes visible grime and debris washed down from roofs and gutters. It also gets rid of smaller, but just as dangerous, pests and their eggs and fungal disease spores. Empty cans and butts (if you didn’t disconnect them in autumn to prevent freezing and splitting in winter) and use warm water and detergent or Jeyes Fluid to clean them out.…

1 Pot feet let excess water escape, so plants don’t perish because their roots have drowned in wet compost emptied of oxygen. 2 A hazel hurdle can be tied into place to protect exposed greenhouses and structures, then stored away afterwards. 3 Keep patios and drives free of slippery debris that is dangerous when wet, blocks drains, and attracts pests and disease. 4 Make sure trees are secure but have enough room to move during storms, as this helps to strengthen trunks and roots.…

IF you like asparagus you really should grow your own, as it’s so much better when truly fresh, and you can nibble really fresh spears raw like green peas. Asparagus is one of the first crops to come in each year, as well as one of the most nutritious, and it is not difficult to grow – only requiring patience. That’s the main drawback: you have to grow the plants for three years before they are strong enough to be cropped. Still, other than weeding, an occasional feeding and a tidying in autumn, nothing else is required. Put in one-year-old crowns this week or next, and in three years’ time you’ll be cutting your own succulent buds. Now, you might be offered older crowns, but these won’t help as they…

IT’S the ultimate indulgence – to invest in a protected, covered area that’s solely dedicated to your precious plants. It’s also incredibly exciting! So, if you’re standing on this horticultural precipice, how do you take the leap? Well, let’s break it down. If you’re going big, a greenhouse is the obvious answer. These used to be a costly investment and, indeed, new types still can be. However, the evolution of online classified ad sites means that you can, with a bit of scouring, pick one up for free (and the same is true of polytunnels). If you’re going to the trouble of dismantling it, which is often compulsory when getting one for free, then opt for a greenhouse. Polythene tunnel sheeting will be less robust from the move, plus it…

1 Wait until your garden compost has fully rotted down (so it bears no distinguishable green bits and is dark brown). It’s then ready to process. 2 Fork it into a homemade riddle of chicken wire, held over a wheelbarrow. With gloved hands, work it through the wire, breaking down or discarding lumps. 3 This fine sieved material can now be added to a potting compost mix, laid onto beds as a mulch or dug in to problem soils as a texture-boosting soil improver.…

THE familiar traditional lettuces – the likes of cos, iceberg and butterhead – all develop tight hearts. On their way to maturity we cut and eat the leafy seedlings as we thin them out, but they should be harvested when the hearts are at their largest and most densely packed – that’s the whole point. However, there are also varieties that just keep producing more and more leaves – sort of like perpetual seedlings that never mature. We pick a few leaves and the plant obliges by producing more. But there’s no heart; or, if there is, it’s only a small one. These looseleaf lettuces are great, not only because they offer lots of fresh and tasty leaves, but also because they are often very attractive plants. Many have bright…

Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ Introduced by Alan Bloom in 1970, this montbretia remains popular thanks to its 4ft (1.2m)-tall sprays of red flowers that stand above ribbed, spear-shaped leaves in late summer. Eucomis comosa ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ The dark-purple, strap-shaped leaves produced by this pineapple lily in early summer make the perfect foil for its 20in (50cm)-tall, pink flower spikes. Dahlia ‘Chat Noir’ Bred in France during the 1970s, this semi-cactus type will light up gardens from July to October with its 43in (1.1m) stems that carry 8in (20cm), blowsy, blackish-red flowers. Gladiolus ‘Green Star’ Developed for the floristry industry, this gladiolus has 3ft (91cm)-tall stems laden with acid-green flowers that appear from mid-summer until the beginning of autumn. Galtonia viridiflora Rising above clumps of…

‘Pangbourne Pink’ AGM A rambling, long-flowering variety that makes good ground cover and will work well with more upright plants in a container. The blooms are beautiful – pink and bell-shaped. Flowers: Jun-Sep. HxS: 2ftx8in (60x20cm). ‘Fujimusume’ AGM Large flowers come in a true blue and have attractive contrasting yellow stamens. Once flowering is over, you can look forward to striking golden autumn seedheads. Flowers: May-Jun and Aug-Sep. HxS: 10ftx39in (3x1m). ‘Piilu’ Generous, vibrant pink flowers give an instant boost to patios in late spring, then reappear in late summer. The first flush are double or semi-double, the second single, and a paler pink. Flowers: May-Jun and Aug-Sep. HxS: 6ftx39in (1.8x1m). ‘Hania’ Deep pink and red flowers make this a real standout variety. It’s a good option for a partially…

SPRING Plant corms during March or April in a sunny position. Gladioli like well-drained, moisture-retentive soil, so dig in organic matter (such as compost) before planting. Follow the supplier’s instructions regarding planting depth; as a rough guide, the corms ought to go in 3-6in (8-15cm) deep. SUMMER Taller cultivars will require staking as they grow, especially in windy sites. All forms can be given a regular dose of tomato food during summer, and must be watered well in hot weather. AUTUMN Mulch generously before the frosts. Corms grown in pots can be brought inside for winter, during which they won’t require watering.…

When do I divide herbaceous plants? Q I’m confused as to whether autumn, spring or any period when they are dormant is the best time to divide herbaceous perennials. Please can you clarify? Also, do I need to borrow a fork to split them, or are there other ways? Susan Penderghast, Shrewsbury, Shropshire A Herbaceous perennials are hardy, non-woody plants that die back for winter but grow again in spring. After several years, the clumps tend to lose vigour and are best lifted, divided into smaller portions and replanted. Timing varies according to climate and soil, nature of plant and who is dishing out the advice! Some say any time from autumn to winter – others claim that moving them in summer is fine as long as you water well.…

1 Line the inside of the base with newspaper and moisten it. Stand the propagator on battens on a bright windowsill. 2 Plug in using a circuit breaker, and let the propagator warm up for a few hours before introducing seeds or cuttings. 3 On very bright days, open vents or prop the lid open to prevent overheating. Check compost moisture levels. 4 As soon as seedlings are out of the compost, take the pot out of the propagator and stand it on top for 24 hours.…

Creating an indoor garden oasis is set to be a big trend for 2019, and to ensure your houseplants continue to flourish Miracle-Gro is giving six lucky readers the chance to win a bottle of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Concentrate. Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Concentrate guarantees beautiful, healthy and strong plants, plus its high nitrogen formula will also result in greener leaves. The plant food can be used to feed all indoor plants, including cactus, citrus and bonsai plants. We have six bottles of Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Concentrate to give away, each worth £5.99. 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 Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Concentrate Draw (2 March), Amateur…

Place or plant in a sheltered spot as full sun might scorch foliage. For containers, use 50:50 John Innes and multi-purpose compost with 10% added grit and 10% composted bark. Avoid deep pots with empty compost below the roots. Houseplants outdoors usually shrug off indoor pests such as greenfly, spider mites and mealy-bugs, but might fall prey to slugs and vine weevils. Make sure the plants receive enough water during droughts and give them a fortnightly general-purpose liquid feed, except when soils are dry or saturated. Take cuttings or divisions to create some spares for overwintering indoors, then experiment by leaving tougher sorts out. Some, such as aspidistra, might prove hardier than you think. If in doubt, bring tender plants back indoors before the wind, rain and chill nights of…

I WONDER, after reading Tony Venison’s delightful article on old gardening books (AG, 11 May), whether he has ever come across Every Lady – Her Own Flower Gardener, written in 1840 by Louisa Johnson? Much of the practical advice she gives could well be found in any 1974 gardening book, but her general observations make delightfully dated reading. Gravel walks, for instance, she suggests instead of grass paths (so wet and melancholy in winter). “They will require only an old woman’s or a child’s assistance in keeping them free from weeds,” she tells us, “and a lady has not the same fears of taking cold or getting wet in her feet during the rains of autumn and spring”. Plants may be grown in raised containers, for “many females are unequal…

WE’RE heading into a time of shortages, logistical log-jams and panic-buying – and that’s just in my greenhouse! Therefore, I’ve taken the words of our Prime Minister at face value and thoroughly brushed the potting bench so that, for the sowing season at least, it’s ‘absolutely clear’ right from the start. It’s also ‘absolutely clear’ that I’ve ordered more seeds than I’ve got room for and more compost than I can use. But then these are uncertain times, and who knows when French fishermen might blockade the garden centre? Whether you believe Brexit chaos is coming or not, what’s irrefutable is that during spring, inside sowing and growing space is always at a premium. No matter how big your polytunnel/windowsill/ orangery (delete as appropriate) may be, there’s never enough room.…

FOUR different fungi are responsible for ‘damping off’ – a disease that affects seedlings grown in pots. Kernels sprout but before they develop true leaves, the stems topple as if skittled over by a bowling ball. To prevent it, use fresh potting compost, clean pots and tap water rather than collected rainwater, and don’t sow too thickly. While mixing good garden soil or compost from your heap is OK when potting on established plants, indoors the disease spreads faster than seedlings can grow. Seeds sown in soil outdoors aren’t affected.…

1 Whether your dahlias tubers are new or saved from last year, check that they are firm and healthy and discard any soft ones. 2 Open out the tuberous ‘fingers’ and pot them up in multi-purpose compost, making sure they have ample room. 3 Cover them with compost, water and place in a frost-free greenhouse. When shoots develop, you can select some for cuttings. 4 Begonia tubers should be placed in pots of dampened fresh multi-purpose compost, ‘hollow’ side up, and kept in a light warm room to shoot.…

1 Dig a hole or trench roughly two-three times as deep as the bulbs, and mix in lots of well-rotted organic matter. 2 When planting a mix of bulbs, scatter them and make sure there is enough space between each one so they will grow well. 3 Cover the bulbs with a mix of soil and compost and lightly firm it down with your heel or the flat head of a rake. 4 Mark where the bulbs are so they are not disturbed, and water well to soak and firm the soil, even if rain is forecast.…

1 Clear away a little soil from around the plant, then remove strong, 4in (10cm) cuttings from the base using a sharp knife. 2 Cut away foliage lower down the stem and dip the ends in hormone rooting compound to help root development. 3 Insert the cuttings around the edge of a 4in (10cm) clay pot filled with dampened seed and cuttings compost mixed with perlite. 4 Cover with an inflated plastic bag, keeping it off the foliage, and stand it somewhere light and warm to root.…

THIS is being written while the rain pours down outside and the garden is shrouded in dank mist – a far cry from the glorious heat of the summer. It will be back with us soon enough, though, which is why it pays to carry out contingency plans now and prepare for any dry spells and droughts that may come our way. Water butts are an easy way to collect rainwater, and they can be attached to out-of-the-way downpipes running off garages, sheds and greenhouses without ruining your garden views. The more butts you site in convenient areas of the garden, the easier it is to water your plants and, if you are on a meter, the more money they will save. It’s also worth remembering that rainwater is better…

IMPATIENS were a very popular summer bedding plant up to 2012, and then downy mildew disease became a major problem where summer conditions were cool and moist. Plant breeders have been working to get resistance to this mildew into Impatiens walleriana hybrids. Last year, we saw the first of these – namely, Impatiens ‘Imara’. This was introduced in six different colours and showed very good disease resistance, even after rain. This year, a second resistant series will be available in limited numbers, named ‘Beacon’ – again, in six colours, and two mixtures. “Seek out these two downy mildewresistent series” I saw a trial last summer with ‘Imara’ growing alongside ‘Beacon’. The trial was planted quite late, and growth on both was healthy well into the autumn, until ground frost wiped…

TOUGH and cheerful, gazanias are an excellent addition to every garden. I say ‘tough’, because although they are half-hardy perennials and dislike the UK’s cold wet winters, they will thrive in even the poorest soil. Their bright, daisy-like petals unfurl each day as it gets light and then follow the sun as it crosses the garden, before closing protectively again in the evening. This week’s free seeds are for Mr Fothergill’s Gazania ‘Sunshine Mix’, which will give you lots of bold, sunny colours above deeply lobed, dark-green foliage with silver undersides. Plant your seedlings in full sun – they won’t perform well in shady areas – to brighten areas where the soil is free draining but may not be at its best. Sow the seeds this month and next, and…

1 Unless you have an exceptionally warm dry soil and are blessed with a micro-climate, don’t sow much outdoors yet save broad beans (pictured) or grass seed. 2 Cover overwintered green manures with perforated black plastic – or dig them in, or strip off the top growth and compost. 3 Don’t kill with kindness indoors and under cover! Avoid over-watering young tender crops and most other plants this early. 4 Destroy stinging nettles now as they come back to life – pull the furthest nettle shoots first before approaching the centre of the clump.…

Ventilation: Too much will reduce temperatures, yet too little encourage stagnant air, which can lead to rots. Aim to have an easy way to modify the ventilation – ideally, not just open or shut, but varying levels in between. Heat: Electric and paraffin heaters, along with insulation materials, can provide heat when needed. Your limits will be the thermal insulation properties of your structure, and whether or not it is flammable! Light: The ideal is 100% transparency (glass), with the option to add shade wash or blinds should summer light get too much. Milky polytunnels and rigid plastics omit the need for shading, but can give leggy growth in early spring.…

1 Keep a close eye on weather forecasts at this changeable time of year. Be ready with fleece for chills and ventilate on hotter , sunny days. 2 Continue harvesting kale and sprouting broccoli – the warming spring weather helps plants produce a flush of tender shoots and leaves. 3 Ensure maximum light levels can reach seedlings and cuttings in the greenhouse – wash algae off the glass and prune overhanging shrubs. 4 Turnips are well-known for their roots, but mak e a sowing under cover now for their leaves – these are excellent in stir fries, and ready in a matter of weeks! 5 You can do a lot of damage to your soil if you try to dig it over when it’ s waterlogged, so sit tight for…

Lettuce (looseleaf in particular) is now available in some wonderfully attractive shapes and colours. And because modern varieties hold for so long before running up to bolt, they make superb ornamental plants. Think about it: many hostas lose their attractive variegation after a few months; looseleaf lettuce will be colourful for just as long – so they really are worth growing solely for their leafy good looks. Raise plants in modules, even if you have no greenhouse and need to start them off in a cosy corner outside. This allows you to plant good-sized specimens exactly where you want them – much like you would use bedding plants. You can pick a few outer leaves without destroying the overall look of the lettuce. Then, as it threatens to bolt, simply…

How do I tame my smoke bush? Q My smoke bush is overgrown and the branches are touching the floor. Could I prune it now or could I take cuttings? Bobbie Williams, via email A By all means, prune your smoke bush (Cotinus) during a mild spell. Thin congested shoots and shorten stems carefully to ensure that you keep its natural symmetry. Use sharp secateurs to avoid torn cuts that might attract diseases, and reduce to well-placed shoots and limbs that are growing too low or sweeping the ground. There are three methods of propagating Cotinus: 1 Semi-ripe cuttings: In August, tug side shoots from the main stems and shorten them to 3in (8cm). Shorten the tag of bark to within ½in (6mm) from the base and dip the cuttings…

1 Cut away last year’s stems and remove all the debris from around the plant. 2 Fork around the roots and then underneath. The roots are usually shallow and won’t put up much of a struggle. 3 Take the clump to a space, look at the structure and decide how best to divide it. This aster has a solid heart, so I have cut it into four sections using a knife. Each section is 4-5in (10-13cm) across with plenty of roots. 4 Replant by setting each new division in its own generously dug hole. Any extra-long roots are better trimmed than curled around. Keep at the same depth as before.…

Do ✓ Choose a windowsill or position with bright, even light. ✓ Fit a circuit break er between the plug and sock for safety . et ✓ Ventilate the propagator in bright sunlight. ✓ Remove seedlings from propagator promptly when germinated. Don’t ✗ Let the compost in pots and trays dry out. ✗ Worry if different seeds germinate at different speeds – because it’s natural. ✗ Move germinated seedlings to a cooler environment immediately – stand the pots on the lid for 24 hours. ✗ Start lots of seedlings off early if you don ’t have enough space with good light in a frost-free position to grow them on. Only grow what you have room for! ✗ Let the clear plastic lid get mucky – clean it regularly .…

Sweet lavender IN the mists of my memory is a picture of a lady walking down a London street armed with a basket of lavender. I think she figured on a box of Taylor’s Old English Lavender Soap used by one of my grandmothers for storing buttons. I can still see her consumptive complexion and wistful gaze (the lady on the box, not my grandmother) as she tried to sell her wares in the metropolitan thoroughfare. The box revealed its aromatic odour even after years of being relegated to buttons, and I grew up with a love of lavender that refuses to be dinted. Bushes keep being pushed in all over my garden, and while I try to restrain myself it’s not easy to avoid growing a plant that has…

Chlorophytum comosum ‘Vittatum’ Spider plants propagate easily, so root plantlets for use as summer foliage. Sun can scorch variegated leaf markings, so use in light shade. Fleshy roots help them withstand droughts. Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’ Once known as Setcreasea purpurea, the purple heart plant makes a wandering mass of purple stems and leaves – ideal for ground cover. Try with white velvet (Tradescantia sillamontana), covered in silvery hairs and pink flowers. Cyperus alternifolius The moisture-loving Madagascan umbrella plant will rise to 3ft (1m), its tall narrow stems topped by whorls of leafy bracts and pale flower clusters. Tolerates temperatures down to 40 ° F (4 ° C). Tradescantia spathacea Once known as Rhoeo discolor, these glossy rosettes of leaves that are green above and purple below…

1 Alstroemeria ‘Duke Edouard’ is one of this year’s three new hardy varieties from Woolman ( ✆ 0845 658 9137, woolmans.com). 2 Who doesn’t like a dahlia? They give months of colour in a mad variety of styles and colours – and are popular with pollinators, too. 3 Glorious crocosmia, or montbretia, such as flame-red ‘Lucifer’, are dramatic, easy-going plants that flower for weeks, coming back year after year. 4 Voluptuous tuberous begonias have a blowsy habit, but are pretty resilient to most conditions and grow well in pots and baskets. 5 One for later in the year when everything else is quietening down, the lovely pink-hued trumpets of nerines are an autumn treat. 6 You can’t call lilies shy and retiring, but they do well in pots and…

GARDENING can be an expensive pastime and in times of financial uncertainty it pays to save money where you can. A lot of the steps you can take are common sense – washing and re-using pots, buying compost in bulk on special offer, and taking care of your tools. But there are lots of smaller things that you can do to stretch out those pounds. Growing from seed is an economical way of creating plants, and it becomes even thriftier if you team up with members of your local gardening club or allotment. Collecting seeds and taking cuttings is another worthwhile economy, as is setting up a ‘barter’ system. Our neighbours grow excessive amounts of produce on their allotment, which they share with us in return for jars of homemade…

1 Place the butt on its stand and use a spirit level to work out where it will be attached to the downpipe. 2 Mark the pipe and cut cleanly through it. Cut straight otherwise the diverter may not fit on properly. 3 Attach the diverter to the pipe and slot in the hose that will link it to the butt. Make sure it is long enough! 4 Make a hole where the hose will join the water butt. The area to drill should already be marked out. 5 The kit will contain a spout that fits into the new hole. Also add the tap to the base of the butt. 6 Attach the hose from the diverter to the water butt. Make sure it is secure, and wait for…

EXACTLY a year ago, The Beast from the East gripped the country. Even areas that are usually snow-free – such as here on the balmy south coast – were brought to a standstill by inches of snow. At the time of writing, this spring’s weather forecast remains uncertain, but we have just experienced 48 hours of relatively heavy snow swiftly followed by gales and torrential rain, so it pays to be prepared for anything. Snow is a logistic nuisance, but as long as you brush it off delicate plants and the greenhouse roof, it doesn’t always do a lot of damage. It can trap a protective layer of warm air around low-lying plants, while those that bend under its weight usually spring back during the thaw. The danger then, as…

2-3 March: Snowdrop Weekend: Colesbourne Park, Colesbourne, Cheltenham Glos GL53 9NP. 01242 870264/01242 870567, colesbournegardens.org.uk 4: Shrub Pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 5: Improving Your Soil: Brimsmore Garden Centre, Tintinhull Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 3NU. 01935 411000, thegardeneronline.co.uk 6: Improving Your Soil: Poundbury Gardens, Peverell Avenue, Poundbury, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 3RT. 01305 257250, thegardeneronline.co.uk 7: What Now: Your Garden in Spring: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 7: Improving Your Soil: Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR. 01935 814633, thegardeneronline.co.uk 9: Starting from Scratch with AG’s Lucy Chamberlain: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 9-17: Science Week, with activities, workshops and…

IF you’re an organic gardener you can’t help but notice the insects in your garden, and I’ve been interested in watching them for more than 25 years. I began with ladybirds and ground beetles, simply because I knew what they were, and I ordered books written by entomologists. I found these rather disappointing because the text was all about naming them according to various, often minuscule differences. Other than this, there was very little information about what these insects actually did. I started with seven-spot ladybirds and began observing them and finding out where they laid their eggs, which was always near aphids, and about where they pupated. I put forward the idea, to an entomologist I knew, that my seven-spots preferred to pupate on silver, woolly foliage. I was…

✓Aluminium is the best type of frame for greenhouses. Wood might look nicer but it needs maintaining, is more expensive, and casts more shade. ✓ Twin-walled polycarbonate offers the best thermal insulation. You can source it second-hand (it’s used on carports and conservatory roofs). ✓Optional mesh sides and doors are useful for polytunnels. They boost air circulation and eliminate hotspots, and also keep insect pests out. ✓ Frames are great for hardening off seedlings, so opt for one if you have an allotment or big veg plot and somewhere to propagate indoors. ✓ Throw heavy-duty (30g/m2 ) horticultural fleece or an old blanket over mini-greenhouses at night to protect against cold.…

THESE delightful semi-hardy annuals (forms of Tropaeolum majus) don’t just pack a punch in the visual stakes – they’re a lively addition to salads! Sown under cover now in pots, the resulting seedlings can be planted outside in mid-May to ramble up and over your flowerbeds. They’re happy in sun or shade, and flower colours range from pale cream through to deep scarlet. And why stop there? Sow a couple of dozen extra seeds and enjoy the taste of the tiny seedlings in salads – they pack a peppery punch! The flowers are edible, too. Scattering them among mild lettuce and spinach leaves brings about a transformation (a few sky-blue borage blooms work wonderfully against orange nasturtiums).…

DOES your garden erupt into life in summer with a breathtaking show of blooms, or is there such a feeble display of colour that it fails to turn a single head? Well, if it’s in dire need of a pick-me-up, don’t despair. All you need to do is plant some summer-flowering bulbs now, and, in a few months’ time you’ll have a dazzling spectacle. Summer-flowering bulbs are the showgirls of the garden, with exotic blooms in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes. They are ideal for pots, windowboxes, hanging baskets or tucked into gaps alongside herbaceous perennials, grasses and shrubs. Head to a good garden centre, nursery or DIY store, and you’ll find a decent range of the most popular types. Among them are likely to be gladioli,…

Plant in moisture-retentive soil in full sun – or partial shade for some varieties. Clematis generally like to have cool roots, so keep them in the shade of other plants, or place flat stones at their base once planted. Plant with the top of the root ball level with the top of your planting hole – or 2-3in/5-8cm deeper for large-flowered summer varieties. When planting in containers use large, deep pots (measuring around 18in/45cm in diameter). Pruning clematis sounds complicated but it’s actually simple. Group 1 (early flowering) need no major pruning, just a quick tidy up after flowering. Group 2 (early summer-flowering varieties) should be pruned in February to remove weak growth, cutting back to a pair of strong buds. And Group 3 (late summer-flowering) need hard pruning, also…

G. papilio The weird and wonderful butterfly sword lily is enchanting, producing dusky purple, cream and soft green hooded flowers on arching stems in late summer and early autumn. If they are happy, the plants will spread. H: 3ft (90cm). G. murielae AGM Loved by the Victorians, this late-flowering beauty has generous scented white blooms with port-coloured throats, plus slender foliage. Fantastic in the border, in containers and in the vase. H: 2½ft (75cm). G. tristis At dusk, the dreamy evening gladiolus releases a heady perfume from its pale primrose-green flowers, which bloom among thin, rush-like leaves. Grow in sheltered sun, and either lift or mulch thickly in cold areas. H: 3ft (90cm). ‘Evergreen’ Deemed to be superior in colour to the commonly grown ‘Green Star’. Those green…

Q What is this beauty? Lorrie Keynes, Shrewsbury, Shropshire A It is kaffir lily (Schizostylis coccinea). Happiest in full sun or light shade in soil that stays damp in summer, it grows to around 2ft (60cm). Feed it monthly, from April to September, with fish, blood and bone meal or Vitax Q4. Mulch it, too, with composted manure to conserve moisture in dry spells. Q A comfrey keeps re-growing in my garden. What can I do? Jenny Taylor, Halesowen, West Midlands A Constantly slicing off any green leaves that pop up will eventually exhaust the plant and no more leaves will appear, but it takes time. Alternatively, use a glyphosate weedkiller such as Roundup, which travels down to the roots killing the whole plant. Unfortunately, glyphosate kills most plants so…

THE growing year realistically starts in late March if you don’t own a propagator. But if you own one, seed sowing can be started as early as January. That means you have more time to grow a wider range of plants from seed, and they will mature earlier, giving you a longer flowering season or earlier crops. At its simplest, a heated propagator is a plastic tray about the size of a standard seed tray. It has a heating unit built into the base, a clear plastic cover with adjustable air vents, and a plug to connect it to mains electricity. Fixed temperature propagators like this give continuous heat in a fixed range of around 8˚C/46˚F above indoor room temperature, which is fine for germinating seeds of most half-hardy and…

The crocus is a most welcome February and March garden resident, often giving us our first bit of vibrant colour of the year. Crocuses – and yes, that is the plural, as opposed to ‘croci’ – belong to the iris family. There are more than 80 different species, and mostly they originate from southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and China. Their natural habitats are rocky alpine slopes and mountain meadows, as well as woodland edges and scrublands. We’re right in the middle of the crocus-flowering season, so there is no better a time to look at some of the facts surrounding them. The name ‘crocus’ comes from the Greek krokos , first used in Homer’s famous work The Iliad . It means ‘saffron yellow’. Crocus plates from…

Hellebores get my vote! I ENJOYED reading the article ‘Top 6 ice-proof flowers’ (AG, 19 January), which included the lovely hellebores. It was such an interesting article of what will suit our gardens in freezing winters and survive – thankfully, we don’t get such lengthy minus temperatures on the south coast, and rarely do my hellebores have a covering of snow (touching wood, while I say this). The pleasure they give as their perfect colourful heads pop open is so welcome at this time of year. They will always have my vote, and I’m building up on different colours now, bringing on small plug plants for flowering in a couple of year’s time. Sylvia Monk, Hayling Island, Hants Old remedies are the best FURTHER to the letter ‘Pests keep out!’…