Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Mar-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions for an apple tree to replace the one in my garden that died. I was caught between a traditional variety like Newton Wonder, which many suggested, and trying a modern variety. In the end, reading Lesley Upton’s ‘Grow Something New for 2019Õ article (9 Feb) prompted me to get ‘Eden’ from Pomona Fruits. This is a cooker as well as an eater, and the flesh doesn’t discolour when cut, so it appears to be very versatile. It will be a while before I can let you know how it turns out, but I promise I will. My second ‘thank you’ is to all our subscribers – both regular and more recent members of the AG family, who contributed to a 30 per cent…

1 Make room for this year’s fresh growth by removing old, dead and damaged foliage and any flower heads left from last year, as they won’t mature. 2 Give mature plants a boost with a granular feed such as Growmore, Vitax Q4 or chicken manure pellets. Fork them in around the plant and water well. 3 De-congest your borders. Weed seedlings can be hoed down and left to rot; perennial weeds with sturdy taproots need complete removal. 4 It is easier to place plant supports now than later on in the season, when flowerheads are already starting to grow tall.…

AMATEUR Gardening is marking its 135th anniversary this year – and the Royal Horticultural Society and leading plantswoman Sarah Raven have come on board to join in the celebrations. This year’s milestone events include some very special additions to our weekly free seeds. The first batch, which comes with next week’s magazine, is Mina lobata , supplied by the RHS. This stunning plant, also known as Spanish flag or Fire Vine, is an unusual annual climber with cascading flowers that start off red and slowly melt away to a rich cream colour. Widely regarded as one of the best climbers to grow, and with an RHS Award of Garden Merit to its name for reliability and good performance, it flowers through summer and into autumn and loves a sunny, sheltered…

ROSES have come back to life – and the year’s new green leaves, which start each spring delightfully fringed with scarlet edging, are unfurling again. If you haven’t already given your shrub and climbing roses their winter prune, do so now. Cut out weak, dead and diseased growth back to clean white pith and then shorten plants to a healthy, outward-facing bud. Make clean, sloping cuts so rainwater runs off. After pruning, feed roses with a general purpose or rose fertiliser and mulch with bark chippings or well-rotted compost or farmyard manure. Getting your roses off to a good start now helps them fight back against many common problems, including black spot, aphids, sawfly and balled buds. Healthy plants are less likely to succumb to disease and are more resilient…

BEGONIAS are rapidly becoming some of our most popular summer flowering plants for beds, containers, hanging baskets and windowboxes. The latest introductions have great vigour, so really cover the ground and flow out from containers. Fragrance has been introduced to a number of the double-flowering kinds, and all are pretty weather-resistant, taking heavy rain, sun and semi-shade from early summer to autumn frosts. The numbers of them in my garden are steadily increasing – not just for their flower power, but also because several of the novelties produce tubers, so can be grown on in future years. “These new vigorous bedding types are producing tubers” It used to be easy with two main groups: the fibrous-rooting, single-flowering, compact bedding Begonia semperflorens, and tuber-forming double-flowered kinds. However, now with the introduction…

22-24: Spring Plant Fair: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 01483 224234, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 23: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Sugnall Walled Garden, Eccleshall, Staffs ST21 6NF 23: Orchid Days with Ian Parsons of the British Orchid Council: Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR. 01935 814633, thegardeneronline.co.uk 23: Spring Suspense (Floristry): RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hydehall 23-24: Thriplow Daffodil Weekend & Country Fair: Thriplow, Cambridge SG8 7RD. 01763 208059, thriplowdaffodils.co.uk 23-24: Bonsai Show and Repotting Service: RHS Wisley 24: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Ness Botanic Gardens, Wirral, Cheshire CH64 4AY 27: Success with Seeds and Cuttings: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 28: Success with Seeds and Cuttings: RHS Garden Hyde Hall…

IF you’re going to have a wildlife garden, you must make sure that as much of the ground is covered with plants as possible within your borders. This will encourage insects, like slug-eating ground beetles, to scuttle across the soil. One plant ringed by bare soil will make this an almost impossible task. Your leafy layer will also preserve moisture, rather like a living mulch. Plants enjoy nudging up against each other, and this is how many of them grow in the wild. Covering the ground is never a problem in my woodland garden, because there’s a tapestry of woodlanders and spring bulbs in the second half of March. Scilla siberica self-seeds, especially in shadier areas, and so do celandines. The one in the picture above is ‘Brazen Hussey’, and…

1 Certain perennial weeds are straightforward to dig out, giving total removal if you’re thorough (nettles and ground elder are two examples). Deeper-rooted species like bindweed and horsetail can be weakened by scrupulous, repeated removal: tenacity is key! 2 Flame guns are a great way to quickly control a rash of annual weed seedlings – perfect for those of us who get bad backs while hoeing. They can be costly, but blow torches are just as effective. Simply wave over the weeds for a second or two; there’s no need to cremate them! 3 When clearing your plot in the autumn, or if leaving certain beds bare in the spring, sow a smothering green manure such as alfalfa, clover or grazing rye (pictured above). Annual weeds won’t be able to…

1 Greenhouses are invaluable for vegetable growers in spring – just remember to open up the doors and vents on hot, sunny days in order to regulate temperatures. 2 Slugs and snails will become more active as spring arrives, so get your controls in place , ready to protect seedlings from their slimy advances 3 Give potted perennial herbs such as rosemary and sage a liquid feed and water , ready to kick -start them into spring growth . 4 Cooking apples are hungry feeders, as are plums and pears. T op-dress them with a high-nitrogen feed to sustain their new growth. 5 It’s your last chance to sow slow-to-mature veg such as chillies, sweet peppers, aubergines, celery and celeriac – so step to it!…

CRICKET bats, basket weaving, aspirin, pussy willow in the hedgerows, flower arranging… Willows have different associations for different people, and for gardeners they bring us an equally wide variety of features. There are the tall and elegant weeping willows, far better suited to the public park than the back garden. There are shrubby species with catkins that open in winter and spring, giving us floral interest in a unique style. Then there are the low-growing, creeping varieties, suitable for the rock garden, plus types pruned hard for their coloured stems (in the same way as dogwoods). There are even varieties grown for their variegated foliage or their twisted stems – which look lovely sprayed silver for Christmas. In fact, altogether there are around 450 species of willow ( Salix ).…

Set the plants 12in (30cm) apart in a sunny position, where soil is fertile but well drained. Gaillardias are happiest in slightly poorer, sandy soil, rather than heavy, wetter types. Support the taller varieties with twiggy sticks to stop them from flopping over. Remove spent flowers in order to encourage more and to clear them from the foliage. Slugs and snails may home in on soft leaves and stems, so watch for them and set traps or barriers, or place a few ferric phosphate pellets under a pot between their daytime resting places and the plants. Alternatively, drench the soil with a nematode solution.…

YOU never know what you’re going to come across in the garden – thorns, cat poo, mud, splinters… not to mention handling fertiliser, compost and other gardening products. So gloves make sense, protecting your hands from cuts and contamination, and hopefully keeping them warm and dry on cold or wet days, while not getting sweaty inside when it’s hot. That’s some ask! They can be an encumbrance, making fiddly detail jobs more difficult. The best offer a balance between protection and feel. Also, dirty gloves aren’t nice to use – if they’re washable, you’ll probably hang on to them for longer. For some, looks are important, too. Here, I’m comparing six sets of general gardening gloves for women that offer slightly different benefits. Hansons Garden Ladies padded gloves £9.99 from…

1 Avocados will withstand mild winters outdoors, but the foliage will usually blacken and the plants require spring pruning. 2 Loquats are your best bet (these are planted to grow as one in a greenhouse border), making handsome evergreens. 3 Peaches and nectarines tend to come true from seed. This plant from Peach ‘Bonanza’ is as dwarf as its parent. 4 Mangoes will make attractive short-term foliage houseplants – just bear in mind that even indoors, they tend to suffer under 50ºF/10ºC.…

STUDIES show that foods high in vitamins, minerals and flavonoids help the body to protect itself against i) damaged cells, ii) cancer-causing chemicals, and iii) even tumours. Eating the following, several times a week, may lower the risk of cancer. Other health benefits include: Blackberries (high levels of ellagic acid, which is both anti-bacterial and anti-viral). Broccoli (seen to reduce some tumour growth; high in fibre so good for the digestion; said to be good for the heart and cognitive functioning). Garlic (used in the treatment of psoriasis, cold sores, acne and the common cold, and is thought to improve hair health). Spinach (strengthens bones; helps to protect against eye disease; contains omega-3 fatty acids to boost brain power). Tomatoes (said to improve sleep and memory; high in potassium, which…

NOW the weather is improving and the soil is warming up and drying out, it is time to pay attention to perennials. Most of these border mainstays will have died back in autumn and lain dormant through winter. This can take its toll, especially if the weather has been extremely cold or wet, and mature plants will need some TLC before they really spring back to life. Check more tender varieties, such as evergreen agapanthus, that you mulched in autumn. Their old foliage may be looking woebegone, but fresh new shoots should be coming through. Some plants may have succumbed during winter, making spring a good time to re-think your border layouts, buy new plants or divide old and overgrown ones. Before buying perennials, take into account the space you…

Some varieties self-seed freely too close to the parent plant. On the one hand, this can create a attractive clump of colour, but it can also lead to congestion and under-performance. Use a trowel to carefully lift the offsets from the ground, making sure their roots are undamaged. If there is a runner attaching the rooted juvenile to the parent, cut it using clean secateurs. Re-plant the offsets at the same depth as before, making sure their roots are all accommodated. Firm in and water well, and keep free of pests and weeds.…

AS well as toasting the magazine’s landmark anniversary, AG staff members have been raising a glass to you, our cherished readers both new and well-established, whose support has seen AG’s magazine subscriptions rise by 30 per cent from last year. Editor Garry Coward-Williams said: “I’d like to thank all of our current subscribers for their faith and trust in our work, and I welcome the legion of new subscribers to the burgeoning AG family. “Together, we will continue in our aims to make Britain a greener, more colourful and more wildlife-friendly place – to benefit us and the planet as a whole.”…

GOOD news at last for the world’s beleaguered bee population – a pollinating giant thought to be extinct has emerged after an absence of 38 years. Wallace’s giant bee (Megachile pluto) is four times larger than a honeybee, as long as an adult thumb and has jaws like a stag beetle. After ‘going missing’ for 38 years, the world’s largest bee has been rediscovered on the Indonesian islands of the North Moluccas. The giant bee was discovered on the tropical Indonesian island of Bacan in 1858 by renowned British explorer and naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. Clay Bolt, a specialist photographer who obtained the first images of the species alive, said: “To see how beautiful and big the species is, and to hear its wings thrumming as it flew past my…

1 Young leaves are susceptible to attack by aphids that suck sap from plants. In large numbers, they can weaken plants and distort leaves and flowers. Aphids also excrete a sticky substance called honeydew that attracts sooty mould. Small colonies of the insect can be squashed and larger infestations carefully treated with chemicals. 2 Rose black spot is a serious fungal disease, the spores of which can live in the soil from one year to the next and re-infect new growth. It shows as dark blotches on foliage, and leaves may also fall. Combat it by clearing away dead leaves each autumn, or burying them deep in the soil so disease spores can’t be splashed on to new growth by heavy rain.…

1 Vigorous growing begonias do need regular feeding to get the maximum number of flowers, so add slow-release fertiliser granules to potting composts. 2 Large begonia tubers can be cut up to increase plant numbers. Cut so there is a pink shoot on each piece and leave the cut edge to dry before potting up. 3 Very small begonia seed is sown on the surface of seed compost. Hold sown pans up at eye level and look across the surface to see the first signs of emerging seedlings. 4 It is often going to be cheaper to buy seedlings, rather than growing your own from seed, which can be tricky.…

IT’S an easy mistake to make, sowing seeds a tad hurriedly just to get the job done. Yet this is the most important part. If sowing is a little rushed, then the plants don’t come up – and the game is over. Perhaps we might hurry because we have so many to sow and in spring everything is such a rush. Also, seeds have become relatively inexpensive, with a packet costing less than a cup of coffee. Just imagine if every seed cost a pound – think how we’d treat them then. We might even read the instructions on the packet, or is that asking too much? Anyway, whether you blame climate warming or not, our spring weather is definitely becoming more erratic and sowing direct in situ in the…

THEY steal root space, light, water and nutrients from your fruit and veg. Not only that, they can also harbour pests, diseases and viruses. No wonder we’re constantly waging a war on weeds! If you want to ditch chemicals for environmentally sound controls, how do you get results? First, know your enemy. There are two main types of weed: those that attack from above ground, and those that strike from beneath. Annual weeds These fecund plants thrive due to their ability to produce masses of seeds, and their short life cycles. One fat hen plant can yield 60,000 seeds – and these can sit dormant in the soil for 20 years. These weeds are often called ‘ephemeral’, which means they can complete more than one life cycle (germinate, grow, set…

FORGET the fortress that is leylandii – high boundaries aren’t the only place for garden hedges! Anyone who has been to Villandry, France, will have been lucky enough to have witnessed one of the best parterres in the world – low, hedges sculpted and trimmed into the most intricate twists and turns. Now is the perfect time to recreate this slice of French heaven in your own vegetable plot. Herb hedges are harvestable as well as decorative. Imagine a row of chives, oregano, thyme, hyssop, sage or lavender in full bloom, and buzzing with bees all summer! If you own a clump of chives or oregano, take a spade to the rootstock, chopping it into clumps and replanting them on the edge of a sunny vegetable bed. Lavender, sage, thyme…

1 Those fried egg-coloured flowers will need pollinating before fruit can set. Gently brush your hands over open bloom clusters to transfer pollen between them. 2 As fruits start to set, it’s time to switch from a general-purpose feed to one that’s high in potash. Liquid tomato fertiliser works well. Keep plants well watered, too. 3 Plant health is key – sprinkle a few organic slug pellets around your plants. Squish any aphid colonies by hand, and mist leaves with water to deter red spider mites.…

THE classic lakeside weeping willow of parks, now known as Salix x sepulcralis var. chrysocoma, is an elegant beauty in the right situation but a menace in most gardens. It grows to a huge size, looks ugly if pruned and its roots will block drains and undermine foundations. A more manageable alternative is S. purpurea ‘Pendula’, which has long, weeping purplish shoots but needs its main stem supporting so that it develops into a standard. Catkins line the branches in spring. Like its monster cousin, ‘Pendula’ has an AGM – but one that didn’t quite make it is S. caprea ‘Kilmarnock’. The weeping form is often grafted on to a vertical stem of the non-weeping type and the branches – lined with large yellow male catkins in early spring –…

Feathery bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’) provides a contrast in texture and softens the strong shape of phormiums. Artemisia ludoviciana ‘Silver Queen’ is ideal for adding a touch of light to dark-leaved varieties. The near-black leaves and orange flowers of Dahlia ‘Happy Single First Love’ will really stand out against variegated forms. Phormiums’ architectural outlines also make them good border companions for hardy Japanese banana (Musa basjoo) and other equally leafy exotics.…

Cucamelon Resembling baby watermelons, but with a cucumber flavour sparked by a hint of lemon, the delightful bite-sized fruits liven up salads and look very pretty on the plant. As featured on Radio 4’s The Archers ! Fruits: Jul-Sept. HHA. H: 6½ft (2m). Thunbergia ‘Sunny Susy’ Series Black-eyed Susans twine well, and this collection comes in a far wider range of subtle colours than the traditional bright orange or yellow. All are modest in growth, and will flower throughout summer (from July to October). HHP. H: 5ft (1½m).…

G. x grandiflora ‘Dazzler’ With their yellow-tipped, orange-red ray florets and maroon disk florets at the centre, these plants reach 24-30in (61-76cm). G. aristata ‘Maxima Aurea’ These large, rich yellow daisies reach to 4in (10cm) across, held up to 30in (76cm) high. They flower from June to September. G. x grandiflora ‘Burgunder’ Wine-red ray petals surround a prominent disk of yellow, changing to a contrasting rich burgundy as the bloom ages over summer. G. x grandiflora ‘Kobold’ Sometimes called ‘Goblin’, these semi-double blooms are a cheery red and yellow on neat, compact dwarf plants, reaching 12in (30cm).…

Town & Country Master Gardener £5.99 (plus £3.50 delivery) ✆ 01869 363674 for stockists townandco.com Features Textured rubberised fabric on fingers, palms and backs of hands. Elasticated fabric cuffs. Offers protection against thorns and excellent grip, wet or dry. Also offers good touch, snug wrist and good fit. Sizes: small, medium, large. Performance A good fit for ladies with larger hands (medium). Small hands may find them a bit generous. Long fingers allow excellent flexibility. There’s no discomfort from internal seams. The textured rubberised fingers and palms give excellent grip and keep hands dry when handling wet material. Strong enough to keep out most thorns, and thin enough to give good feel for fiddly jobs. Long, snug cuffs keep out dirt, they are very comfortable, and they keep hands warm…

THIS week, we’re looking at the superfoods you can grow at home. In many cases now is the right time to sow, take cuttings of, set out or prune the plants that give us these health-giving fruits, roots, leaves and seeds. And, of course, you can eat them when they’re fresh, or after they’ve been preserved and stored. From brain health and disease prevention to managing weight, adding the right foods to your daily diet can make a huge difference to your life. If you’ve not really thought about growing your own superfoods, give them a try. Most superfoods are recognised as being good for certain aspects of the body, but blueberries, broccoli and kale benefit the entire body. I found my thrill… … on blueberry hill! Yes, I can…

YES, kale is regarded as a leader among superfoods, bringing benefits to the entire body. High in vitamin C, it boosts natural collagen, so increasing skin elasticity. It is also high in copper, which helps to protect skin from exposure and inflammation. Other benefits include vitamin A, which promotes cell growth, while high carotenoid levels increase heart health. Kale is a brassica (a member of the cabbage family) and requires a soil that is reasonably fertile. If you have a very sandy or chalky soil, this is regarded as ‘thin’ and you’ll need to apply fertiliser possibly two times during the life of a crop of kale.…

ROBINS are known for making nests in unusual places – like behind a water-butt or amongst the clutter of a potting bench – but the domed creation under the wheel arch of my truck (yes, you read that right), I think this one’s the work of a wren. Male wrens are prolific builders, making up to half a dozen des-res to impress their lady-loves. Females, you see, are fussy birds that rate potential partners on the creativity and camouflage of their building work. The more obscure the nest is, the better, as this makes it harder for predators to find. Clearly, the construction under my wheel arch has taken this concept too far – hence the lack of eggs. But while this mobile home was dismissed as ‘no place to…

1 Dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate your plant, then stand it in water for at least 30 minutes. 2 Carefully slide the plant out and check its roots are healthy, teasing out any that are circling or congested. 3 Get the plant in and then infill around it using soil mixed with compost, firming down as you go. 4 Water, then add a layer of well-rotted compost or manure around the roots to feed them and keep weeds at bay.…

1 Dig right round the plant, wider than the roots, and carefully lever it out of the ground and onto a board, tarpaulin or bin liner. 2 Chop the plant into segments using a spade or sharp knife. Make sure each piece has healthy roots and top growth. 3 Dig your planting holes and also enrich them with well-rotted organic matter and a handful of Growmore or a proprietary feed. 4 Settle the plant in the hole at the same depth as before. Infill with soil and compost, firming the soil to knock out air pockets. 5 Water generously, even if rain is due. If the forecast is set to be dry, make sure the plants don’t dry out while they get established. 6 Mulch around the plant to keep…

CHRISTINE Walkden, the ever-popular stalwart of Gardener’s Question Time and The One Show , is giving a talk on her life and times. The event is in aid of The Beth Chatto Education Trust, a charity set up by celebrated plantswoman Beth Chatto, to carry forward her passion for plants and her ‘right plant in the right place’ ethos. Beth, who won 10 gold medals at Chelsea, died in 2018. Her knowledge and philosophy are being passed on to a new generation through her educational trust, of which Christine is a patron. Christine, who has been gardening since the age of 10, said: “I’m thrilled to be speaking at this event. Beth was a dear friend of mine, and we could talk plants and ecology for hours on end. She…

Charles Dowding’s Veg Journal Expert no-dig advice, month by month (Frances Lincoln, £9.99) CHARLES Dowding has been an advocate of no-dig organic growing since 1983, and this book is distilled from his experience of ‘30 bountiful years’. Charles’s month-by-month guide to growing vegetables is fairly comprehensive for paperback, providing details of how to grow more than 35 vegetables and herbs. There are also tips on weeds, how to use green manures, making your own compost, taking on an allotment and saving seeds. Each month, Charles chooses a task and/or a selection of vegetables to grow, and concludes with a list of ‘jobs for the month’. There are also blank pages where you can make your own notes to keep a record of the vegetables/herbs you have sown, varieties chosen and…

THERE are few more cheery summer sights than a row of tall sunflowers nodding over a garden fence or towering over a flowerbed. This week’s free seeds are for sunflowers with a difference; instead of the traditional yellow, they come in burnished tones of copper, red and bronze. Growing to a height of 6ft (1.8m), they will smile down on your garden like benevolent rising suns. As well as being fun and easy for children to grow, sunflowers are good for pollinators and, if left standing after summer, their seeds will feed birds through the thin days of winter. The seeds from mature plants can also be used in cookery, although the packet seeds used for sowing are not edible. Between now and May, sow in a sunny spot in…

MOTHER’S Day falls on 31st March this year. In the world of gardening, this is perfect timing because if you want to give something plant-centred you are spoilt for choice. A planted container that works indoors and out is a great idea – they are relativity easy to create, last longer than cut flowers and can be tailored to the recipient’s likes and dislikes. When planting, choose varieties with staggered flowering periods, different heights and contrasting foliage to add depth and interest and create a long-flowering gift. I have used a small basket with a waterproof liner and planted it up with dwarf daffodils, scented hyacinth, violas and variegated trailing ivy. I used proprietary container compost, as it gives good drainage and holds enough nutrients to keep plants going for…

1 With fewer bees about, it’s well worth hand-pollinating any fruit flowers you can reach, using a tiny brush. 2 Paint the exterior of your greenhouse watering can black – this will pre-warm the water when left sitting in the sun. 3 Deadhead spring-flowering shrubs, and dig and divide the clumps of bulbs of both as soon as their flowers fade. 4 Inspect all plants under cover – especially in the propagator – for aphids, slugs, woodlice and other pests, before they multiply.…

✓ Keep veggie beds narrow, so you can easily access them with a hoe from all sides. Hoeing is an great way to get rid of annual weeds – do this while they are still tiny (before seeds set), on a sunny day with a slight breeze. ✓ Plant crops through sheet mulches (polythene or weed control fabric) or lay 1.2in (3cm)-thick organic mulches. These make it difficult for weeds to establish. Sheet mulches also provide a physical barrier to stop most perennial weeds emerging. ✓ Grow rosette-like crops such as lettuces, chicory and endive in tight grids. This allows them to quickly form a weed-suppressing carpet of leaves, stopping annual weeds from taking hold. Potatoes and trailing squashes also make excellent cover.…

DOES this sound rather grand? Surely a vinery is huge and costs a small fortune, right? Wrong! A ground vinery doesn’t take up much space and is a doddle to make. It’s ideal for growing dessert grapes, so if you fancy growing some beautiful bunches yourself, here’s how. Find a nice sunny spot in your garden, grab some bricks or old wooden boards, and make a bed 2ft/30cm high, 3ft/90cm wide and 8ft/2½m long. Buy an early-maturing dessert grape such as ‘Venus’ or ‘Vanessa’ (both are seedless, which is ideal for table grapes). Plant it at one end of the vinery, and top the bed with glass or rigid plastic to make a cold frame. As your vine grows, train one central stem along the middle of the bed on…

NOT all varieties of aubergine (also known as eggplant) are large and dark. Some are white, green or orange, and their size can range from that of a carrot to a tiny pea. Often used whole or diced into green and red curries, the fruits can be used raw in salads, blitzed into dips and pastes, or fried in oil. If you’ve grown conventional aubergines, you’re in luck – the cultivation needs of Thai aubergines are much the same. Seeds can be sown now in a heated propagator, ready to plant out into a pot or greenhouse border come May. Kept well watered and fed with a high-potash liquid feed through summer, fruits can be harvested as soon as they have reached full size. Specialist mail-order nurseries such as Nicky’s…

SALIX lanata is not the only AGM dwarf willow suitable for rock gardens. You could also plant grey-leaved (but catkin-free) ‘Boydii’ (3ft/90cm), which makes small, bushy specimens that develop character relatively young and are happy in dryish soil once established. For silvery catkins try grey-leaved S. helvetica (2ft/60cm). Or there’s S. reticulata (4in/10cm) with its dense, low, creeping mat-like growth, from which the catkins stand up in spring.…

Phormiums prefer a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and need planting at ground level to prevent water collecting at the crown, causing rotting. They are hardy to about -12ºC/10ºF, but protect roots from frost by mulching in autumn. If a cold snap is forecast, bind the leaves with twine and wrap with fleece. Remove tatty leaves in spring, and spread fish, blood and bone fertiliser over the soil to promote new growth. More compact varieties like ‘Jack Spratt’, ‘Surfer’ and ‘Bronze Baby’ are suitable for generous pots. Start off with a 1ft (30cm) container filled with John Innes No3, and transplant into a slightly larger one annually.…

When do I prune my penstemons? QI have several penstemons dotted around the garden. I didn’t get round to cutting them back in the autumn but they seem to have survived winter successfully. Should I let them grow on and flower or cut them back? Tracey McDonald, Doncaster, S. Yorks A Penstemons are usually borderline hardy, so they can be lightly trimmed in autumn to protect root damage through wind-rock in stormy weather and then cut back hard in April. Simply shorten the stems to within 6in (15cm) of the base, then feed with a balanced organic fertiliser, such as fish, blood and bone meal. Water it in if the soil is dry, then apply further dressings at monthly intervals until September. Within a fortnight or so, new shoots will…

How do I grow from pips and pits? QWe’ve germinated a small forest of avocados and loquats, mangoes and other plants from stones and seeds. If temperatures are rising, could I risk planting some out in the south-east? Jenny Sergeant, Horley, Surrey AI have read that the top 10 warmest years in the UK all happened in this century, and that 2018 was the seventh hottest year on record, despite the Beast from the East! Thanks to last summer’s heatwave, 2018 had an average temperature of 49ºF/9.4ºC. Still, our weather is so variable, I can’t see us plucking avocados and mangoes from our plots just yet! The urge to plant pips and stones from fruit is tempting. Shortly after our son returned from a trip to Portugal last year, pots…

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 (23 March), Amateur…

Goji berries (pictured) are high in protein, and suppress hunger pangs. They boost the immune and nervous systems, and help to increase brain and muscle functionality. Introduced from Asia in the 1730s by the Duke of Argyll, goji berries were mostly used for hedging and ornamental planting before the benefits of the berries were realised. Parsley is regarded more as a garnish than an actual ‘food’ – but juicing it can help correct problems with your urinary tract, kidneys and bladder.…

Poppy appears in a mild winter HERE is a photo of my Oriental poppy. Nothing spectacular about it, you might think – but the mild winter encouraged an early flowering. This was 9th February! Christine Travis, via email Spread the love REALLY enjoyed reading about auriculas (AG, 19 February) and the theatres they can be displayed in so well. Louise Curley’s article was a mine of information on my favourite little plant, which I have been quite passionate about for two decades. I don’t have anything as grand as an auricula theatre, but the garden bench has still made a colourful display. Here’s one of my best-loved photos from 2008 showing the many auriculas I owned when I had more outside space. I have encouraged friends to enjoy them by…

I RECYCLED the magazine wrapper and filled it ready for my compost heap. I shall let you know if I cannot find the bag in a few months’ time! Alan Camsell, via email I AM very happy to use the compostable bags in my bin for kerbside recycling, as this keeps it clean and also makes less work. I would have used it in my compost, but at this time of year the local rats are looking for food. This is not a problem later in the year, however, so I would then use this bag in my heap, which I only feed from springtime. Keep up the good work for the planet! Hazel, via email I USED a potato starch wrapper to cover a pot of cuttings. Slugs or…

EVERY bird species has its own favourite nest-building material. Blackbirds use grass, straw, twigs and mud, while wrens build from leaves and moss. Robins like to utilise hair in their construction. If, when out on country walks, you collect wool or bunch up pet groomings and place them outside, they’ll soon swoop in for it. Female robins take charge of nest building, while males hunt for food. So strong is a male robin’s desire to feed chicks, he’ll even deliver worms and grubs to the nests of nearby blackbirds and thrushes!…