Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Apr-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“Do you find garden centres expensive? They can offer a large variety of plants and will stock a lot of specialist tools and nurturing products, but they are often high in price and low on value. I think many of them are more about selling scented candles, tacky bric-a-brac and food. My local centre has a food hall to rival Fortnum & Mason, but good gardening deals are harder to find. This week, Ruth checked out the plant and garden product content of all the major supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and so on, to see what they can offer and she found some real bargains. See her article on page 7. You could save a few pounds, and avoid the scented candles!”…

1 Check all the pieces are present, then start fitting together the container framework using the easy-to-follow instructions. 2 Carefully tap all the pieces firmly into the plastic holders (I used a wooden mallet) – otherwise, the lining won’t fit properly. 3 Unfold the sturdy, re-usable lining and place it in the frame so the corners are all aligned. 4 Fold the liner over the framework to create a double thickness. The finished container is a generous size and ideal for larger ornamentals and veggies.…

WHERE there is enough space to sow first-year flowering perennials, it is well worthwhile doing so – and it is a low-cost way to get a lot of plants carrying plenty of flowers to cut. I am thinking particularly of such subjects as delphiniums, lupins and scabious, both raised indoors and outside. They will flower earlier if sown indoors late winter, but can still be sown now, when the temperatures are warmer and light levels better, and still see flowers in the autumn. I bought one plant of Lupin ‘Pam Ayres’ a number of years ago, and rooted cuttings from it and saved seed. “Cuttings need to be taken when the base of the stem is solid” While seedlings will not come true to the parent plant colours, the beauty…

13: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Sandwell Valley Park, West Bromwich, Birmingham B71 4BG 13: Starting from Scratch – Propagation: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/hydehall 13: Introduction to Growing in Polytunnels: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/rosemoor 13-14: Sweet Pea Workshop: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr 14: 20th Mapperton Gardens Spring Plant Fair: Mapperton, nr Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3NR (10am-4pm). Admission £3 for Dorset Wildlife Trust 14: Hanami Cherry Blossom Festival: Brogdale National Fruit Collection, Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road, Faversham, Kent ME13 8XZ.brogdalecollectors.org 14: Rare Plant Fair: The Old Rectory, Quenington, Cirencester, Glos GL7 5BN. 01278 661352, rareplantfair.co.uk 14: Plant Hunters’ Fair:…

1 Fill a 4in (10cm) pot with seed and cuttings compost with perlite or vermiculite and dampen with fresh tap water. 2 Clear a little soil away from the shoot and cut through it just below ground level using a sharp, clean garden knife. 3 Remove any lover leave so just the main stem remains, and dip the cut end in hormone rooting powder or gel. 4 Insert the cuttings into the compost mixture around the pot so they have enough space to develop roots and grow. 5 Seal the pot in a plastic bag and place it somewhere warm and light. Cuttings should root in a few weeks.…

LAST week ( AG 6 April), I was writing about earthworms and discovered some new research carried out by farmers. They were asked to dig down and look at the different types of earthworm. A healthy field should contain three different types of earthworm. There are the non-burrowing, small branding worms that dwell on the surface. Topsoil worms, those that make horizontal burrows near the surface, should also be present. Finally, there’s our commonest type of earthworm, the large pink one, which makes permanent vertical borrows that go down deeply and aid drainage. Results showed that disturbed fields, those that were often deeply ploughed, had fewer earthworms. It may be that overenthusiastic digging in the garden could have a similar effect on worm numbers. Fewer earthworms basically means less fertile…

1 Liming your soil to pH 7.5 helps to deter clubroot – a destructive fungal disease of brassicas – as does preventing waterlogging, and growing resistant varieties such as Brussels Sprout ‘Crispus’, Cauliflower ‘Clapton’ and Cabbage ‘Kilaton’. 2 Large and small cabbage white caterpillars can ruin the quality of a harvest and strip plants bare of foliage. Prevent egg laying by placing a cage of fine butterfly netting over plants (take care that leaves don’t touch the nets!). This handily stops pigeons, too! 3 Cabbage root fly can attack all brassicas, including winter types. Female flies lay eggs around the base of plants in late spring and summer, but this can easily be prevented by placing root fly collars (available from garden centres) around transplants.…

WE’RE familiar with basil, tomatoes and olive oil as a Mediterranean threesome, but have you given Thai basil a try? It’s just as easy to grow, yet it bears an altogether spicier flavour. Basil (technically called ‘sweet basil’) is great for pesto and pizza, but it’s lovely to toss some Thai basil leaves into an aromatic aubergine curry, or a hot and sour tom yum soup? The purple-tinged leaves taste of liquorice and aniseed. If you’ve grown sweet basil before then the good news is that Thai basil needs the same treatment. Sow now into well-watered pots of seed compost – ‘Siam Queen’ is the most widely sold Thai variety. Place in a propagator set at 68ºF/20ºC and, once the seedlings are large enough, transfer three or four to a…

WE grow five kinds of marigolds in the UK. Setting aside English marigolds ( Calendula officinalis ), of which only one has an AGM, we’re left with perhaps the most dazzling flowers in the summer garden: African and French marigolds and the hybrids between them, plus the dainty and aromatic ‘tagetes’. If you have a good pair of sunglasses, you might want to fetch them before reading on – you’re going to need them. African marigolds can boast fully double flowers up to 6in (15cm) across, but the stout plants produce relatively few of them at one time. The flowers keep coming all summer, often on tight and not especially elegant plants, although taller varieties with more open growth are now coming into vogue. These include varieties derived from the…

Sow seed indoors at 20ºC/68ºF in March or April in 2-3cm individual cells. Seeds are long, thin and easy to handle. French and hybrid marigolds can also be sown in a cold greenhouse in April. French marigolds can be grown on in their cells; African and hybrid types usually need more space, and should be moved on into 3½in/9cm pots. Harden off before planting out after the last frost – French and hybrid marigolds will take more chills than African ones. French marigolds can also be treated like hardy annuals, and sown direct where they are to flower, in late May.…

Plant into acid-soil borders in autumn or early spring, adding composted pine needles or bracken to a shallow hole. Keep well-watered, and mulch with acid compost every spring. Alternatively, plant in a container filled with ericaceous, soil-based compost. Renew the top layer of compost each spring, and every other year repot your plant into some fresh compost. Deadhead rhododendrons immediately after flowering. If your plant is particularly overgrown, remember that rough-barked types will cope with hard pruning, while smooth-barked varieties will not.…

Q Why are my indoor cyclamen dying? Isabel Liu, via email A There are three possible reasons: the plants are too dry, too wet or too warm. This plant is happiest at around 10ºC (50ºF). Don’t water it too much in winter, as air is driven from the compost and growth suffers. If the compost is too dry, leaves wilt. Q What is this bug on my blueberry plant? Jaroslav Zejman, via email A I am sorry that your plants are infested with small green and growth-chewing caterpillars. The best way to control them is to spray with Vitax PY Bug Killer. There is a seven-day harvest interval so, if necessary, wait a week after spraying before picking fruits. Q What is this plant, please? Brian Silva, London A This…

WATER plants (hydrophytes) clearly get water from their surroundings and without drought to constrain them they tend to be rampant growers, especially where the water is rich in nutrients. They don’t even need to invest in sturdy stalks or trunks as they merely float in or on the water. On the other hand, below the surface light and oxygen (from the air) can be in short supply, and specialist structures are found in aquatic plants to aid collecting oxygen, including aerenchyma, which is a porous air-filled tissue. Yet despite what may be expected to be favourable conditions, few (2%) of flowering plants have adopted the aquatic way of life. However, those aquatic plants that exist tend to be found over broad regions. As aquatic environments are similar, there may be…

1. What level of fertiliser does it contain? If you’re looking for a potting compost will you need to feed it after six weeks? 2. What type of compost is it? There should be a clear name on the bag – multi-purpose or all-purpose, seed and young plant, John Innes No1 are all suitable for seed sowing 3. Is it organic or mineral based? Peat and peat-free are usually organic (plant based – this does not mean free of chemicals), while John Innes is mineral (soil) based – useful if you’re planting a long-term container 4. Does it have additional benefits like slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining gel? 5. How much does the bag contain? Is there enough to fill the containers you’re working on?…

1 For large, easy-growing hardy annuals and the like, fill trays or pots with sieved multi-purpose compost. For fine seeds, always use a sieved seed compost. 2 Sow large seeds at generous spacings or in individual cells or pots, about 1in (2½cm) below the surface. Sow fine seeds thinly on the surface – do not cover! 3 Prick out big seedlings into multi-purpose compost. Some fine seeds grow big enough to handle individually, or pot small clumps into fresh seed compost. 4 When setting plants in final containers, use potting, multi-purpose or JI No3. Add slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining granules if not already included.…

Fifty years ago, most British gardeners bought their plants and seeds from FW Woolworth on the high street. Seeds from Bees of Chester were stocked in most branches, along with bulbs in bags and bare-root plants in cardboard containers. On 13th April 1852, Frank Winfield Woolworth was born in Rodman, New York state, USA. His first Woolworth’s store opened in 1879 and, when he died in 1919, his business was worth $65million ($800billion in today’s money). Twenty years ago, Woolworth’s stores were facing severe financial pressures, and its gardening department had all but disappeared. In 2004, the firm sponsored a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, to raise its profile (see picture above). However, it wasn’t enough, and Woolworths closed its final UK store on 6th January 2009.…

Brilliant colour from camellias I HAVE always been a great fan of camellias. They look exotic, but don’t really take a lot of looking after – you just absorb their beauty. This is a new one for me called ‘Anticipation’, and as only a young shrub it still has the most incredible big flowers. They have been amazingly early this year, opening even before Christmas – and considering the dreadful winds, they have held up pretty well, with only the odd bloom being blown off. Sylvia Monk, Hayling Island, Hants Best foot forward I READ Tim Rumball’s article on ‘gardening footwear’ ( AG , 16 March). While I agree with what he says, I sadly have to say that there are those of us that can’t use most of that…

SPADES may well have been the go-to gardening tool for millennia, but like the horse and cart they could be superseded by new technology. After all, we’re living in the era of graphene, silicon and AI, and anything is possible! Take those new gloves, with their plastic claws designed for digging – go on, take them! They might look like they belong to Freddy Krueger, but according to the blurb they’ll ‘save the effort of lugging around heavy tools’ and unlike spades, which can be too short, they’re made from stretchy rubber so one size fits all… what a time to be alive! “Unlike glass or wire designs, this cloche is easily moved” My favourite example of white-hot horticultural innovation was originally made famous by the late, great Geoff Hamilton…

1 Looking after your plants well, from when they go in the ground onwards, keeps them healthy and means you’ll spend less money fighting off pests and disease, and shouldn’t need to buy replacements. 2 Nip pests in the bud before small colonies grow into large infestations that need expensive chemicals to keep them in check. Encourage beneficial natural predators, too, such as ladybirds, wild birds and hedgehogs. 3 Why splash out on expensive perennials when you can take cuttings and make lots of new plants for free? Late spring and summer are key times for softwood cuttings of perennials, climbers and shrubs. 4 Recycle plants such as forced indoor hyacinths. After dying back, they can be set outside in light shade and in future years will produce early scent…

WITH the first bank holiday since the New Year just a week away, excitement is building in the AG offices. I always think that the Easter break is the ‘proper’ start of the gardening year, when things really start to take off as the temperature warms up. Adding to this year’s anticipation is next week’s free seeds – a packet of Sarah Raven’s stunning Malope trifida ‘Vulcan. These rather unusual and eye-catching plants are laid-back and easy-to-grow, and that will add height to borders with their large, silky trumpets of reddish-pink, each one picked out by a zingy green ‘star’ at its base. Malope like a sunny spot and will attract lots of pollinators to the garden. They should also flower throughout the summer. As well as showing you how…

1 Delphinium seed is short-lived and needs to be stored in the vegetable draw of a refrigerator when ripe, and dry in an air-tight tin or jar. Sow within a year. 2 Scabiosa caucasica seed is shuttlecock-like and best sown into an inverted cone-shaped hole, made with a pencil point – the seed gently pushed into the hole. 3 Regular removal of fading flowers will encourage repeat flowering and avoid masses of self seedings when it comes to lupins. 4 Perennial scabious makes a very popular cut flower in shades of blue, mauve and white.…

PERENNIALS are some of the easiest plants in the garden, but mature plants can be expensive to buy, and growing from seed takes time, space and patience, so the easiest way of making more for free is to take cuttings. Softwood cuttings can be taken in early summer and are a simple way of propagating tender geraniums and penstemons, but at this time of year basal cuttings are the way to go. This method of cuttings is best for plants such as lupins and phlox that have extremely dense crowns or come from one thick taproot. Taken now, the cuttings have time to root and grow, and be planted out in the summer – maybe in time for a second, later flush of flowers. If nothing else, they will hopefully…

THERE are more ways of growing potatoes than the standard ridge and furrow method, and each way has both advantages and drawbacks, and suits different situations. Some are new, because the materials were not available in the past. One such way is growing in woven or plain durable plastic sacks and bags, which were only introduced in recent decades. Growing in bags has several plus points and it is ideal for someone without any spare ground space, since they can be stood anywhere, though preferably in a light, not shady, spot. Crop yields can be similar to those in the ground and can often be had a bit earlier. Also, it involves less labour – particularly when harvesting, as it’s easier to tip the bag out rather than lift the…

BRUSSELS sprouts, kale, purple sprouting, Savoy cabbage, winter cauliflower… these hardy veg are the core of a cool season harvest – but the time to sow is now! Winter brassicas are all part of the same plant species, Brassica oleracea , and they all have distinct juvenile and mature phases, but there the similarity ends. A cauliflower curd is made up of thousands of immature buds on a short stem, while Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting kale have elongated stems. Individual sprout buttons are squat, enlarged leaf buds; those of purple sprouting develop into long flowering sideshoots. Cabbages, like cauliflowers, have a short stem. The ‘head’ is formed by leaves broadening and curving inwards until a tight heart is formed. Although you can sow into outdoor seedbeds for transplanting later,…

1 Pull rhubarb: slide your index finger down to the bases of the stem, then twist it off. Pull no more than one third of the stems each fortnight. 2 As the soil begins to warm, start sowing drills of the hardier veg, such as carrots, radishes, beetroot and turnips. Cover with cloches in exposed plots. 3 Buy plug plants if you missed a key sowing date or if you don’t fancy windowsills full of seed trays. Garden centres now sell an excellent range. 4 Make the most of overwintered leeks, Swiss chard and perpetual spinach – for they’ll quickly run to flower as spring temperatures rise 5 April is renowned for bringing the wet weather . Act now to get water capture and storage organised by installing butts or…

MANY gardeners feel disappointed if their garden is predominantly shady. Well, don’t be! This moist, sheltered, lowlight environment is perfect for growing lush, leafy foliage. Annual and perpetual spinach, spring cabbage, rocket, lettuce, claytonia, lamb’s lettuce… the list of crops that will supply you with verdant pickings from a shady bed is impressive, and all can be sown in April. In sunny, exposed spots, gardeners would be endlessly watering and mulching for such growth: shade gives the low-maintenance option. Fruit, too, can be abundant in shade. Those with tarter (rather than honeyed) flavours can be planted right now. Red, white and pink currants, gooseberries, morello cherries, cane and groundcover raspberries, rhubarb, blackberries and blackcurrants will all yield brilliantly in shady spots (many can be wall-trained). See? Shade should be celebrated!…

DESPITE the name, French marigolds (Tagetes patula) do not come from France; they come from Mexico and Guatemala. Single or double, and mainly dwarf, they have small flowers on well-branched plants, in colours from mahogany to lemon yellow, plus various bicolours. African marigolds (T. erecta) also come from Mexico, and feature much larger, usually densely double flowers in a more limited range of orange, gold and yellow tones, plus the occasional creamy white. The hybrids between the two are the best marigolds of all. Varieties usually called ‘tagetes’ (T. tenuifolia) have small single flowers in orange and yellow, above nicely aromatic foliage. All four are half-hardy annuals, while Calendula officinalis (English marigold) is hardy. Grown here since 995AD, it comes in shades of orange and yellow, plus creams and pinks,…

Plant in full sun; they can cope with some shade from the side but will not thrive in overhead shade. Taller types can be quite hungry, so it pays to improve the soil before planting. Tall African marigolds may need stout canes for support; use a cane or canes and twine for taller French marigolds. Snip off the flowers of African marigolds if they start to turn brown and mushy, or as they eventually begin to look ragged. Deadhead French marigolds every few days – leaving the flowers to set seed can severely cut short their flowering period.…

‘Cambridge Blue’ This mound-forming lobelia is smothered with pretty sky-blue flowers. It’s a compact annual that reaches 6in (15cm) tall. ‘Mrs Clibran Improved’ Electric blue flowers are marked with contrasting white eyes for a dramatic effect, coupled with rich green foliage. This plant reaches 6in (15cm) tall. ‘Lilac Fountain’ Soft lilac-pink flowers smother the trailing foliage. This plant is excellent in large planters and smaller pots. Reaches 6in (15cm). ‘White Cascade’ Perfect for hanging baskets, producing waterfalls of small white flowers against green foliage that will help to highlight other blooms. Reaches 6in (15cm).…

‘Lady Alice Fitzwilliam’ AGM An attractive bushy hybrid with large pink buds that open to scented white flowers. It loves a sunny spot, but will need to be overwintered in an unheated conservatory or greenhouse. H&S: 6½ft (2m). Elizabeth Red Foliage A reliable choice for smaller gardens, with the added interest of beautiful dark red, textured leaves. The large scarlet flowers appear in April, and sometimes a second time in the autumn. H&S: 39in (1m). ‘Cilpinense’ AGM Another of the ‘smellies’, this early flowering dwarf variety has pale, pinkish flowers and long evergreen leaves. Hardy in milder areas, it needs shelter indoors during harsher winter weather. H&S: 43in (1.1m). ‘Merganser’ AGM Pretty pale yellow, bell-shaped flowers appear in April against a backdrop of dark green leaves. Compact and good for…

THOUSANDS of years ago, the very first plants – algae, seaweed and liverworts – had no roots. They were confined to the sea, aquatic environments and other damp places. The development of roots allowed plants to conquer the world by doing away with the need to have a constant supply of water, as the roots they developed could explore the ground for moisture. With roots came soil – plants and their roots modified the unfriendly planet surface into the 10-40cm (4-16in) thick layer of living soil that covers our planet. Soil therefore keeps you alive (unless you live on seafood). Yet despite this, about 12% of plant species that are not water-based can do without soil and occasionally without roots either. Life on trees and rocks For example, while tree…

PARASITIC plants use other plant’s roots, the host’s roots being replaced by haustoria – a brilliantly effective way for parasitic plants to plug into the tubes that move water and nutrients around their host plant. Haustoria of the native broomrapes (Orobanche), for example, ‘break and enter’ roots, or, like mistletoe, stems. Parasitic plants account for less than 1% of flowering plants, so parasitism appears to be much less effective than covering trees (epiphytes) or rocks (lithophytes).…

Organic based compost: Compost made from plant materials including peat, coir fibre, wood fibre, and green waste. In this context, organic does not mean free from chemicals. Light-weight, soft texture and clean to handle Soil-based compost: Made from loam soil, peat and grit with a high mineral content – the most common are John Innes formulations under several different brand names. Heavy and with a sandy texture Potting compost: Either organic or soil-based (JI No3 is a potting formulation) with a high level of fertiliser, suitable for mature plants. Peat and peat-free composts: Most multi-purpose and potting composts used to be made from Irish moss peat. Some still are, and they work very well. However, extracting peat is very damaging to the environment, so alternatives made from coir fibre, wood…

This week it’s: Fabulous fritillaries Fritillaries are fantastic spring-flowering bulbs UNQUESTIONABLY the most spectacular member of the fritillary clan is Fritillaria imperialis – known by its common name of crown imperial. A large group of these fritillaries in all their glory is a magnificent sight, and with their stout stems and sizable bell-shaped blooms they make a real statement in the border. They are flowering now, so let’s take a look at these and their cousins in the wider fritillary genus. F. imperialis is native to an area of the planet stretching from Turkey through northern Iran, to Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, it is known to have been grown in British gardens at least since 1575, having been brought into Europe from Turkey, via Vienna in Austria. Imperial splendour…

Q I have a hot, sunny border with some shrubs, and last year planted bedding in the gaps. However, keeping them going in last summer’s drought was difficult. Can you recommend some long-lasting, drought-tolerant plants to keep this border interesting? Tina Newsom, Ledbury, Herefordshire A I’m going to look on the bright side and assume that your soil is light, sandy and likely to be a good home for drought-tolerant Mediterranean style plants. I would aim to fill some of the spaces with groups of permanent plants and leave smaller areas for hardy annuals and biennials. A visit to the alpine section of the garden centre often comes up trumps, because they sell the likes of sun roses (Helianthemum hybrids) and lithodora in small pots, and you can often select…

Just as nature intended I DO wish people would stop going on about slugs. I’ve always had slugs and snails, and I’ve also won several prizes for my garden (without entering), and I’ve never used slug pellets, sprays or pesticides. Over the years, I’ve learned that slugs love certain plants – so I don’t grow them! I have a hedgehog house and encourage them to visit – they love the dried worms I leave for them. They also love slugs and snails – as do the birds, especially thrushes. I have a pond for frogs and toads, grow flowers for bees and butterflies, and feed the birds twice a day. That’s the way I’ve looked after my patch. Everything works together in balance and harmony, and nature will establish its…

YOU need a cordless drill, tape measure and wood-saw. Cut four lengths of treated timber for the base; mine is 8ft (2.4m) long and 2.3ft (70cm) wide. Pin them together with screws in the corners. Bend a test section of alkathene pipe over the top to give an idea of hoop length – mine are 1½m (5ft) long – and cut with the saw. Use this first hoop as a template to cut the rest. Fix to the base, 2ft (60cm) apart, with screws. Screw a length of timber batten to the underside of the tops of the hoops to lock them together.…

SUPERMARKETS are increasingly catering for the gardening market, selling own-brand composts and fertilisers alongside seeds, bedding plants, bulbs, trees and shrubs. Sure, it’s convenient, and it’s usually competitively priced – but do supermarkets really provide quality goods at accessible prices, or are they offering a false economy? My own experiences have been positive; three years ago, I bought a ‘Jonagold’ apple tree, ‘Conference’ pear and a honeysuckle from Lidl, and all are thriving. Recently, I visited my local supermarkets to see what they offer, checking out Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Wilko. Waitrose was the only store I saw selling plants in recyclable taupe pots. Tesco had the widest range of plants, from bedding and summer bulbs (around £3) to fruit trees and shrubs (£6-£12), and Wilko came…

WE’RE getting close to the deadline for sowing this year’s tomatoes now. Although plug and mature plants are readily available in garden centres, starting the from seed is easy to do and much more economical. I have sown three batches this year. ‘Shirley’ are reliable croppers and grow well in an unheated greenhouse, and yellow bite-sized ‘Sungold’ explode in little mouthfuls of sweetness. The third variety is ‘Sunchocola’, a new one to me that produce trusses of sweet, reddish-brown fruits. They all germinated, and are now growing well on a warm windowsill, and will soon be ready for pricking out and growing on. Some will grow in the garden against a sunny fence, the rest will live in the greenhouse. Tomatoes are easy to grow. Simply sow the seeds thinly…

HOLLYHOCKS are a traditional cottage garden favourite, but because they usually grow so large they are not always ideal for smaller plots. Step forward Mr Fothergill’s ‘Majorette Mixed’ hollyhocks, a dwarf ‘powder-puff’ variety that often produces delightful double blooms in pink, blue and white. Perfect for the front of borders, if sown undercover now they should flower this year. Alternatively, sow in autumn and be rewarded with earlier blooms next year. Hollyhocks are relatively easy to grow but are prone to a rust disease that marks plants with orange pustules on lower leaves and the stem that rapidly spread up the whole plant. If your plants have succumbed to this problem in recent seasons, grow this year’s plants elsewhere in the garden. Hollyhocks are hardy perennials, but if you repeatedly…

Our penstemon plants survived the winter with their top growth cut back by just a third to protect their vulnerable crowns and prevent wind rock in stormy weather. Now that things are starting to warm up, it is time to cut back last year’s straggly growth to make room for new. You can do the same with other more tender perennials such as gaura. Using a sharp, clean pair of secateurs, cut back the growth to just above the lowest new shoots, cutting at an angle so rainwater runs off. Mulch after pruning and check for pests.…

1 Cleanse the bird table, feeders and bath. Don’t just use water – scrub with disinfectant to prevent birds cross-infecting each other. 2 Don’t put lush weeds straight on to the compost heap – rot first in a bucket of water to make free liquid feed for plants. 3 Liming rough, non-bowling green turf encourages grasses and clovers; this disadvantages many weeds, especially those troublesome Veronica speedwells and buttercups. 4 The sun can get hot this month, so ensure that greenhouses and cold frames are well ventilated so your seedlings don’t cook.…

Kale ‘Buttonhole Starmaker’ Liven up your plate with this colourful kale! Bred for its mild, sweet flavour, it’s winter-hardy and early to mature. Steaming means you retain colour. Kalette ‘Mixed’ A cross between a sprout and a kale, also known as the ‘flower sprout’. Loose frilly buds have a mild, nutty flavour. Very good winter hardiness and F1 hybrid vigour give impressive yields. Cauliflower ‘Veronica’ This F1 hybrid bears spiralled lime-green curds. With a nuttier taste and firmer texture than white types, it matures earlier in the year, giving autumn and early winter harvests.…

PINEAPPLE guavas, pomegranates, loquats, persimmons – all can be grown outdoors with winter protection. Here’s how to check plant health: 1 To get these fruits through a UK winter if they are permanently outside, you’ll have wrapped them up with insulation – so remove this now. 2 You’ll also need to remove any rotten or dead foliage, then work over your plants with secateurs and prune out any dieback, well into healthy wood. 3 Gradually increase watering and adding high-potash liquid feed as the weather continues to warm. Throw fleece on overnight if a cold snap is forecast.…

WHAT this technique lacks in scientific evidence, it makes up for with feel-good factor! Companion planting helps thwart pests, attract pollinators, suppress weeds and maximise your growing space – not a bad list of credentials! Plant pungent-smelling garlic cloves alongside drills of carrots to confuse root fly females, and strong-smelling tagetes (French marigolds) at the base of your glasshouse tomatoes to deter whitefly. Sweet peas climbing amongst your runner beans, and calendula (pot marigolds) nestled amongst courgettes and squashes, will lure in pollinators to help set a better crop. Scattering ‘cut-and-come-again’ salad seeds in between winter brassica plants will suppress weeds, and growing tall sweetcorn or climbing French beans will offer respite for shade-loving leafy veg (see above). To top it all, the diversity of planting helps create an attractive…

ALL marigolds have very bright flowers, so when it comes to using them in the garden we need to take a moment to think about positioning. Taller African marigolds can go in the middle or back of the border, planted among dahlias and cannas, or in large containers. Shorter types are best given a place of their own where they can dazzle. Alternatively, I find they look great interplanted with curly parsley, which softens the whole look but will not clash with those bold colours. Curly parsley is also good with shorter French and hybrid marigolds. Other low partners include the creeping and trailing ipomoeas grown for their limey or bronzed foliage, such as those in the Sweet Caroline Series. In fact, purple and bronze foliage generally partners well with…

R. stenopetalum ‘Linearifolium’ With its pointed leaves and candy pink, long-petalled blooms (in April and May), the spider azalea is very distinctive. Stems can break easily so it is best planted in a sheltered spot, away from a path. H&S: 2ft (60cm). ‘Berryrose’ A hardy, deciduous cultivar with lovely coppery new foliage that develops good autumn colour. The large, tubular pink and peach flowers are almost lily-like in appearance. Has an upright, spreading habit. H&S: 5ft (1½m). R. luteum AGM A hardy, deciduous azalea. Good in a mixed shady border, it will tolerate some sunshine. The generous yellow flowers appear in May and June and have a fantastic scent, while the autumn leaf colour is stunning. H&S: 13ft (4m).…

Why do bees avoid spring bulbs? Q Could you tell me why bees seem to avoid my daffodils and tulips? Mrs M Warne, Swindon, Wilts A Bees visit flowers to harvest nectar and pollen to take back to the hive and turn it into honey to feed their developing larvae. They have to be very efficient at this and will target flowers that are rich in their sources of food. For example, they will avoid double-flowered varieties as the nectar and pollen-producing organs have been significantly diminished in the breeding process to create more petals. This may also explain why bees aren’t visiting your daffodils and tulips. Species types – those that might be found in the wild – could be a good source of food, but many cultivated types…

MANY plants, such as fuchsias, have root initials (spots of cells capable of dividing and forming roots) in their stems. A section of stem or cutting of these plants, placed in reasonably well-aerated water, will root, and after potting it make a new plant. Less confident gardeners often favour ‘water propagation’, but all is not as it seems. That mass of roots mostly die soon after potting, being replaced by different roots that are more suited to the much more demanding soil environment. Experienced gardeners prefer to strike cuttings directly into well drained, and thus aerated, soil or potting compost.…

TO get the best from proprietary composts you must understand the different types on offer, so you can buy the right one. Multi-purpose compost The most popular is multi-purpose. This is claimed to be suitable for a wide range of jobs, from sowing seeds and potting-up seedlings to growing mature plants for a full season in hanging baskets and containers. Modern multi-purpose composts are very good, but they have their limitations. Because they must maintain strong growth in more mature plants, they have fertiliser mixed in. However, fertiliser can inhibit the germination of some seeds and burn the roots of tiny seedlings, so it is not always a good choice for sowing. Generally, larger seeds will do well in multi-purpose (sunflower, sweet pea, squash, bean) while small, delicate seeds (petunia,…

Do ✓ Pick the right compost for the job you’re tackling, and buy fresh every year. Old compost can dry out and become contaminated. ✓ Sieve compost before use. Sieving introduces air, which is an important element in plant root growth. ✓ Water compost before sowing seeds in it. Watering afterwards can wash seeds into clumps. Use tap water because rain water can carry mould or disease. Don’t ✗ Use the same compost for every job – choosing one which suits the plant’s needs, such as ericaceous for acid-loving plants, will bring greater success, saving time and money. ✗ Always go for the cheapest compost – cheaper composts may contain cheaper ingredients, leading to inconsistency in performance. ✗ Re-use compost for sowing seeds and raising young plants – it will…

Hanging baskets are a traditional yet timeless way to make a centrepiece of your front door, and to ensure that your baskets flourish all season, Miracle-Gro is giving eight lucky readers the chance to win a pot of Miracle-Gro All Purpose Pot Shots. Miracle-Gro Pot Shots are pre-measured and ergonomically designed to push easily into the soil and feed your plants, without any product waste or overfeeding. This makes them ideal for your hanging baskets or pots, plus one feed will last for up to six months and will give you beautiful, healthy and strong plants. We have eight Miracle-Gro Pot Shots to give away, each worth £4.29. See below for details of how to enter the prize draw. How to enter Send your name and address on the back…

1 Helianthemum ‘Wisley White’ This sun rose makes a mound of growth, covered from late spring to summer with creamy-white flowers centred with sunny yellow. Reaches 12in (30cm) high, 18in (45cm) across. 2 Lavandula stoechas French lavender is hard to grow on heavier, wetter soils but thrives on light types, making a show of purplebracted flower heads from late spring. Reaches 24in (60cm) high. 3 Linaria triornithophora Perennial three birds toadflax from Spain and Portugal thrives on light soils, producing spurred, pale-pink blooms from early summer to autumn on plants to 3ft (90cm) tall. 4 Penstemon ‘Sour Grapes’ Penstemons are drought-tolerant on both light and heavy soils, reaching around 24in (60cm) tall. Cut back in late winter/early spring,…