Innholdsfortegnelse for 29-Jun-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“Where do you stand when it comes to dealing with pests like slugs and blackfly? In the past, gardeners would use the most efficient means to protect their crops without thinking about how it affects the environment. However, many now consider the role ‘pests’ have to play in the ecosystem and whether it is right to be as ruthless as we once were. Conversely, it is not so easy to be moralistic about this when you see the food crops you have nurtured devastated by pests. Ruth has her own pest-prevention thoughts on page 4 and on page 26 we hear from my friend Matthew Appleby, who has some radical ideas on pest control, asking us all to ‘hug a slug’ Enjoy! ”…

1 Grey mould, or botrytis, affects many ornamentals and edibles. There is no chemical control, but improving ventilation around plants and removing dead plant material can help deter it. 2 Hollyhock rust shows as orange leaf spots with pustules underneath. Dispose of affected material and treat with a fungicide. Avoid dense planting and monitor new plants for the disease. 3 Broad bean chocolate spot is a fungal disease that can affect the stem, causing plant collapse. Give plants good ventilation and destroy infected material. There is no chemical control. 4 Powdery mildew is another common fungal problem that causes white patches on leaves. Treat with a chemical and destroy affected material. Watering reduces plant stress and the likelihood of the disease. 5 Blight affects outdoor tomatoes when the weather conditions…

Your compost heap will be filling up with weeds and soft prunings. Turn it regularly so the contents are properly mixed. Decomposition usually stops in hot, dry weather, so add several cans of water every few days. If you have covered the heap with carpet to boost its internal heat, remove the covering if rain is forecast During dry spells, garden wildlife will appreciate saucers of water. Keep birdbaths filled with fresh water and clean them out regularly to reduce the risk of disease.…

Not all plants need the same amount of water to thrive. Established and healthy trees and shrubs should have enough of a root reach to garner sufficient water to stay healthy. An occasional drenching in long-lasting drought conditions can help them maintain growth. Shrubs and trees that are less than five years old will need extra water to combat drought stress, as do all newly planted areas. Herbaceous perennials also require regular watering to perform at their best, and if watering becomes too much of a chore one worthwhile option is to invest in drought-tolerant plants such as sedums, lavenders, rosemary, sea holly and globe thistles.…

A RECENT work visit took me to the manufacturer of black plastic flowerpots, carry trays and bedding-plant cells, which proved both an eye-opener and a mind-opener. For many years the company has used recycled commercial plastic offcuts, receiving it in small chip form, heating it to return it to sheets and then vacuum moulding it to produce new products. “One way to reduce the use of plastic is to sow direct” The firm’s used products are also taken back for recycling, but they have to be thoroughly washed by specialists, which is a costly business. The company is now also manufacturing clear and pale-green bedding-plant cells, but the plastic is more expensive and, again, it has to be thoroughly washed before it can be recycled. The firm believes most of…

Rose black spot is a common disease caused by the fungal infection Diplocarpon rosae. It is the most serious to afflict the plant and is thought to be the cause of the drop in popularity of roses over recent years. It first presents in spring as a dark patch on foliage, which may slowly turn yellow and then drop. In mild cases the leaves remain in place. Scabby lesions also appear on young stems and in the worst cases plants lose almost all their foliage and show a severe decline in vigour. The disease is spread by spores carried by wind and rain and splashed up from the soil by falling water drops. Non-chemical controls include removing affected leaves and, in autumn, removing and burning or burying them under a…

“Our great tits seem to nest just before the apple blossom opens” I USED to be very sceptical about bird and bee boxes because I thought there were lots of natural habitats for birds and bees so we didn’t need them. A few years ago I put three bird boxes and a couple of bee boxes on the eastern side of the summerhouse, away from the prevailing westerly winds. They’ve been very successful and one of the bird boxes is popular with great tits and they’ve used it for several years. It’s badly in need of painting, but we never seem to find the time! This year we cleaned out this box for the first time – something we’ve meant to do every year. Inside there was a perfectly neat…

1 Choose a sunny patch of free-draining soil, weed it and remove stones and debris, then rake to a fine, crumbly tilth. 2 Always water the ground well, ideally with fresh tap water, as this will help soften hard seed cases and promote germination. 3 Scatter the seeds as thinly as possible over the soil. You can thin seedlings later if they are too close together. 4 Carefully rake a thin layer of soil back over the seeds and label the sowing area so you don’t disturb it when gardening.…

Plants tend to take best when in growth and added to warm soils, so plant them between May and August. Find alstroemerias a sheltered, sunny or lightly shaded spot where soil is well conditioned but well drained so their fleshy tubers won’t rot during winter. Water new plants during their first season while establishing. The occasional high-potash (tomato type) liquid feed in summer will encourage better flowering. Taller varieties will need some support. For winter insulation, mulch dormant plants with an 8in (20cm) layer of bark but push back gently in spring. Potted plants are vulnerable to winter cold. Insulate the pot sides or move under glass. Take care when cutting or deadheading, as sap can irritate sensitive skin. To propagate, divide and replant clumps in spring. Autumn-sown seed germinates…

1 Late blight: Strikes tomatoes and potatoes. Grow varieties that show resistance or have tolerance to attack (such as tomato ‘Crimson Crush’, above). Grow under glass to keep foliage dry, and cut back affected potato foliage to prevent tuber damage. 2 Powdery mildew: Attacks many fruit trees, grapes and cucurbits. Mulch and irrigate to avoid drought, and prune off affected foliage immediately. Choose less susceptible varieties (like gooseberry ‘Invicta’). Non-organic and organic sprays are also available. 3 Club root: Affects brassicas (cabbages, cauliflowers). Rotate crops to avoid soil build-up, lime soil to at least pH8, and add organic matter to deter waterlogging. Grow resistant varieties such as Brussels sprout ‘Crispus’ (above) and swede ‘Marian’.…

GARDENERS can run on autopilot, trudging off to the garden centre to buy plastic bottles filled with artificial liquid fertiliser. But did you know you can make your own, for free? Nettles make an organic nitrogen-based feed that is ideal for leafy veg like brassicas, whereas comfrey creates a higher potash brew for tomatoes, peppers and fruit. Simply ram a hessian sack with their soft, sappy leaves, submerge this in a trug filled with water, then leave well alone for six weeks. You’ll return to a rather odorous concoction, but once the sack is removed and its contents composted, things become more pleasant. Homemade feeds vary in their nutrient levels, so dilution rates provide only a rough guide: 20 parts by volume water to one part feed works well, applying…

THINK of a classic, old-fashioned flower and the image that comes to mind is likely to be that of an old shrub rose. The colour, the rich fragrance, the intricate flower form – they all somehow combine in our minds to create a nostalgia for lost times that maybe never were. We are familiar with these roses from Victorian flower paintings and from historic gardens such as Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire and Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. Yet in the first half of the 20th century they were seen as ‘oldfashioned’ in the worst sense of the term, and it was only in the 1960s and ’70s that their fortunes turned. There was a huge revival of interest, largely inspired by legendary rose expert Graham Thomas. It has he who reactivated…

IN a nutshell, an old rose is any in the style of those introduced before the first hybrid tea in 1867. So relatively recent varieties can be called old roses if they’re in the style of those of long ago. Generally, this means that they bear no relation to the China rose, which was used by breeders to create roses that are repeat flowering but have a less elegant flower form. Old roses have been divided into 13 groups, but don’t worry if you can’t tell your Alba from your Rugosa. Ultimately, what matters most is the qualities of the individual varieties, and whether or not they appeal.…

Ground cover Alchemilla mollis AGM Yellow-green flowers combined with lovely softly hairy foliage – it all adds up to the perfect weed-smothering partner for roses in any colour. To spark fresh new foliage, cut the entire plant back hard and water well after flowering. H: 16in (40cm). Geranium Blue-flowered hardy geraniums, such as ‘Orion’ (28in/70cm, above), provide the one colour that roses do not, while those with white flowers, like ‘Kashmir White’ (16in/40cm), will complement all roses. Their dense cover ensures that weeds find it hard to establish. H: Varies. Vinca The smaller-leaved and less vigorous Vinca minor (V. major is too aggressive) makes a low textured carpet between and around roses. Choose one of the delicately variegated varieties such as cream-edged ‘Argenteovariegata’ (above). H: 8in (20cm). A…

Which herbs grow best on balcony? QI have recently moved into a fourth-floor flat with a south-facing balcony. Do you think that I could grow herbs? I tried supermarket parsley, but this did not last very long. What can you suggest in terms of plants and care tips? Joyce Winstanley, Sheffield, South Yorkshire A This is a brilliant plan, because herbs will bring colour, aromas, bees and butterflies, as well as extra ingredients for food and drinks! Soon, visitors will be queuing up to drink fresh herbal teas from your balcony. There are two basic sorts of herbs: green herbs (parsley, basil, dill and coriander) need regular sowing and prefer a little shade. Longer-lasting, mainly shrubby sun-loving Mediterranean kinds (rosemary, thyme, sage and marjoram) will thrive on a sunny balcony.…

Moss killer: A chemical (usually ferrous sulphate) that kills moss without affecting other plants. Weedkiller: One of a range of chemicals that kill broadleaved weeds (ones with wide leaves) but don’t kill grass. Feed: A high-nitrogen fertiliser with small amounts of phosphorus and potassium to stimulate rapid growth of grass. Spreader pack: A plastic pack filed with treatment product, with a flip-out spout on top and a mechanism to control the flow of product. Calibrated wheeled drop spreader: A wheeled tub with an adjustable mechanism for distributing dry, granular products evenly over the lawn by dropping it through holes in the base.…

ORCHIDS are a great way to add spring colours to any living space. To ensure your orchids flourish, Miracle-Gro is giving AG readers the chance to win an indoor gardening bundle comprising Miracle-Gro Orchid Mist, Miracle-Gro Orchid Concentrate and Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food Concentrate. Miracle-Gro Orchid Mist encourages strong growth and heavy flowering by creating a hydration layer around the plant. Combined with Miracle-Gro Orchid Concentrate’s mix of nine nutrients, your flowers will blossom beautifully. For your other plants, Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food concentrate guarantees beautiful, healthy and strong plants with greener leaves. We have three bundles to give away, each worth £12.99 How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Miracle-Gro Indoor Gardening Bundle Draw (29 June), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst…

ONE thing I would never do is name-drop. Not only is it a shameless form of boasting, but it’s also extremely tiresome. Indeed, I said as much to Mary Berry when I caught up with her recently at the Chelsea Flower Show… Truth be told, Mary and I talked quite a bit about gardening and her big plant passion of the moment – the hydrangea. Being the type of capable person who is good at whatever she turns her hand to, she naturally had some tips on growing them both in the garden and indoors. “They give you lots of bloom for your buck” Mary, a self-confessed ‘snipper’, grows the classy white Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ in the garden, and every spring she prunes the tops to the highest, strongest buds.…

ON the whole I like to think I’m a pretty tranquil gardener until, that is, I discover that my watering-can spout is blocked by a snail. There you are, busily watering, when the flow drops right away thanks to some pesky mollusc wedged in the spout. They get everywhere and summer is their time for peak activity. The summer garden is a bonanza for all pests, but there is no reason why they should become a major problem. Get it right and your garden will come through it relatively unscathed. I appreciate that organic gardening isn’t everyone’s solution, but if you want to use chemical sprays and drenches, keep them as a last resort. If you choose to travel the non-chemical route you need to work from the ground up.…

AG readers are being asked to help prevent a deadly bug-carried disease from entering the UK. Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium that results in the death of many plants. So far it is only found on mainland Europe and the Royal Horticultural Society hopes gardeners will help prevent it reaching our shores. To this end, volunteers are needed to create a map showing the distribution of spittlebugs, one of the chief carriers of Xylella, that are found in gardens and woods from April to late June. Also known as ‘froghoppers’, they can transmit the disease as they move between plants feasting on the sap. There are ten froghopper species in the UK and the young, called nymphs, produce whitish, frothy blobs (often called cuckoo spit) on leaves and branches. Xylella…

1 Fill 3in (7cm) pots or large modules with John Innes No1 compost and dampen with fresh tap water. 2 Dib holes in each pot or module, making sure they go deep to create enough space for all the roots. 3 Using an old spoon or plant label, and holding the seedling by its leaves, carefully dig it free of the compost. 4 Lower it into a hole so all the roots are contained. If you bury some of the lower stem, that will develop roots too. 5 Gently firm the compost around the roots and move the seedlings to a coldframe so they can harden off.…

OUR container lemon tree is now out on the patio and thriving in the warmth. It had started to look a little under par during the last few weeks of its greenhouse confinement, but with feeding, watering and vine weevil treatment it is now bouncing back. Luckily, citruses are robust plants, and with light, warmth and care they usually recover well from any setbacks, even when they look almost dead. Summer is when citruses come into their own. They are self-fertile and produce their first flush of flowers in May, with repeat bloomings throughout the summer that can potentially set fruit each time. They are easy to keep in shape by simply pinching out fast-developing shoots growing at the wrong angle. Lemons in particular will fruit heavily, and you may…

1 All empty plastic pots and containers are best stored out of direct sunlight to extend their life. 2 It will take three years to rot down most leaves into a condition suitable for use in potting compost. Have one bin for this purpose and keep topping it up each autumn. 3 Sweet peas, sown in situ in the autumn and supported on pea sticks, offer a sustainable source of colour, fragrance and cut flowers (Molli has these at Hyde Hall). 4 Carefully cut open polythene bags along their tops so they can be used again, or cut down a side and base to give a strong polythene sheet for a car-boot lining.…

SEVERAL of our most beautiful flowering herbaceous plants – including such exquisite glories as foxgloves, Canterbury bells, hollyhocks, dame’s violet, wallflowers and sweet Williams – are known as biennials. This means they need over a year to grow large enough to bloom well. Some are actually perennial, but their first flowering is so much better that we find these are usually best replaced with new plants each year. This is further complicated because breeders have produced some varieties of these flowers that bloom in their first year if started early enough. However, by far the most impressive displays come from the plants that are sown now and moved in autumn to their flowering positions ready for next year. “It’s safer if you sow right now” I find that in East…

I AM sure we used to see many more butterflies around the garden than we do today. Even pestilential cabbage white butterflies seemed more numerous, while red admirals, tortoiseshells and peacocks were numerous enough not to cause comment when they flew by. You can do your bit to help buck this depressing trend by sowing your free packet of Mr Fothergill’s ‘Butterfly Attracting Mixed Annuals’ seeds. The seeds included in the mix are for nectar-rich, colourful annuals that are quick to germinate, so you should have flowers within a few weeks. The tallest reach 36in (90cm) and will look stunning scattered among perennials growing in your borders. Sow them somewhere sheltered and sunny, and once the seeds start to germinate thin out any that are growing on top of others.…

GREY water – what’s that? Well, it’s the term applied to household water that comes from your kitchen or bathroom tap, along with any water from plumbed-in appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. You can use some of this on your garden in times of drought and water restrictions – and it could just save your fruit and vegetable plot from disaster should any hosepipe bans be enforced this summer. Dishwasher salts and strong washing-machine cleaning agents are harmful to plants, so focus instead on collecting water from kitchen sinks, baths, showers, dehumidifiers and tumble driers. Stick to these key rules: use collected grey water within 24 hours (bacteria can build up otherwise), avoid using it directly on edibles eaten raw (like salads, but you can add it to the…

1 Summer strawberries will be throwing out lots of runners – peg down those from healthy plants, ready to dig up and transplant elsewhere in autumn. 2 As hard as it is, it’s time to stop cutting asparagus. This perennial crop needs time to recover before next year’s season, so let the ferns grow from now on. 3 Glasshouse tomatoes will be maturing in their dozens! S tarting from the bottom up , remove leaves around ripening trusses to get sunlight to the fruits. 4 Pots can dry out in a flash in summer Grouping containers of veg together to shade their bases will ease the pressure – but still check them daily. 5 Winter brassicas need planting out at wide spacings – sow quick -cropping radishes and salads in…

Old roses enjoy full sun, while many are happy in shade cast from the side – although not in overhead shade. You can plant container-grown plants at any time of year, but mid-to-late spring is probably ideal. Bare-root roses should be planted in late autumn or early winter. Prepare an area wider than just the planting hole, by incorporating plenty of weed-free organic matter plus a little general fertiliser. Mulch in autumn with compost. Prune established plants by removing one or two of the oldest branches, low down, each winter. Deadhead regularly.…

Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ AGM This evergreen shrub has collars of glossy leaves, and in late autumn and winter it produces wands of yellow flowers that smell of lily of the valley and attract foraging bees. Happy in shade or semi-shade. H: 16ft (5m). Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna ‘Purple Stem’ AGM A useful small evergreen that grows in shade, sweet box is dotted with tiny white flowers in winter – they’ll fill the chilly air with their high-pitched fragrance. H: 32in (80cm). Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’ In late winter, the pale-pink flowers of this evergreen release an intoxicating scent, while the glossy, gold-rimmed leaves add extra seasonal interest. Grow in sheltered sun or semi-shade; avoid pruning.…

Clematis rehderiana AGM A gorgeous lesser-known clematis that will delight with its mass of fragrant primrose-yellow bells – they appear in late summer and will keep blooming into October. Grow on a west or south-facing wall or trellis. H: 16ft (5m). Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ AGM Allow this late-flowering honeysuckle to scramble through trellis or along a fence and it will repay you with raspberry, gold and cream flowers that perfume the air from July to October. Sun or semi-shade. H: 20ft (6m).…

LAWN weed, feed and moss killer treatments rank alongside the self-winding hose reel and the electric rotary lawn mower as one of the best-ever labour-saving gardening inventions. For around a tenner, and the expenditure of a little gentle exercise, you can turn an average-sized patch of weedy, stunted and moss-riddled grass into a lawn to be proud of within a few weeks. Combined weed and feed treatments contain chemicals that kill broadleaved weeds like clover, dandelions and daisies without harming the grass. They also contain a chemical to kill moss, and a fertiliser to boost grass growth. All three components work at the same time, and you’ll often see results within a week. For gardeners who don’t like using chemicals there are organic combined treatments such as Westlands SafeLawn, but…

Do ✓ Buy a pack big enough to cover your lawn, pace out the length and width with large strides, then multiply strides together for a rough square yards/metres measure ✓ Mow on a high cut before treating the lawn to remove . leaves and other debris that can affect the distribution of granules. ✓ Walk slowly and steadily at an even pace when using a spreader pack, covering the lawn in parallel passes without overlapping to distribute granules evenly . Don’t ✗ Buy a refill pack and try to guess the amount of granules to spread if you don ’t own a calibrated spreader or spreader pack. ✗ Spread the granules more thickly , or more often than recommended, or let them fall into ponds or flowerbeds. ✗ Use…

CHRISTOPHER Brickell was born on this day. He studied botany at Reading University in Berkshire, and over time became head botanist at the RHS. In 1969 he was appointed Director of the RHS Garden Wisley, and during his tenure he interviewed me for a place as a student there – and I passed! He also became the first Director General of the RHS. An eminent plantsman, he has also travelled widely to study plants in their native habitats. Chris has published many botanical and horticultural papers, and has edited dozens of those big RHS gardening books we have on our shelves. In 2014 he was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Garden Media Guild.…

‘Nothing without a flower’ I’VE got a bee in my bonnet! The gardeners on TV and in magazines keep on and on about how important it is to encourage bees. Well, my garden is thronging with bees – honey bees, bumble bees and solitary bees. It’s absolutely alive with them on a sunny day. Do you know what I grow in my garden? Flowers! Yes, amazing. Many and varied, and for as long a season as possible. There isn’t a day of the year when there isn’t a flower out in my garden. I have one tiny patch of ‘grasses’ mostly because someone gave them to me. Do you know how many bees there are on this bit? That’s right, zero. And yet all the fashionable gardeners recommend swathes of…

THERE are 23 species of hydrangea, and ‘Annabelle’ is from the American arborescens branch of the family tree. Unusually, ‘Annabelle’ wasn’t bred, but discovered growing near the town of Anna in Ohio. Although its cool-white flowers look delicate, this plant is anything but, coping with drier soils than other hydrangeas. In moist soil, the flowers can be as as dustbin lids – so need staking to stay upright. Pruning also affects flower size; a light trim gives lots of flowers, each the size of a hand-tied bouquet, while snipping to waist-height doubles the final size, but delays their arrival.…

1 Glasshouse red spider mites thrive in a hot, dry greenhouse. Raise humidity by damping the floor to keep them at bay. 2 Check bedding plants before planting out – the compost may be infested with snail eggs (any I find go straight on the bird table). 3 Woolly aphids create a furry protective coat. They have plenty of predators, but can be treated with an organic insecticide. 4 Black bean aphid is a common problem. Pinch out the tips of plants to reduce infestations, squish them by hand or use an organic spray.…

BY this point in the season most of the ornamental garden should be ticking over nicely. So what else can you be getting on with now? Apart from watering and feeding containers, and making sure you keep on top of weeding and deadheading, there are a few other ‘regular’ jobs to do. Early flowering clematis may have finished blooming, but they will be growing fast and can start to spread outside their allotted space so keep them in check by simply cutting off wayward tendrils. Always clean and sharpen your tools after use, as young growth is full of sap that makes blades sticky and can attract diseases if left. Keep an eye on greenhouse temperatures and protect plants by attaching fleece to the inner frame or putting a shading…

OUR wildflower meadow is getting more magnificent and interesting with each passing year, and attracting an increasing number of insects that in turn bring in birds, bats and other wildlife. This spring the unmowed area was transformed into a dazzling splash of golden buttercups. These are almost over now and are being replaced by ox-eye daisies, red and white clover, and pretty pink wild peas. Later in the summer the long grasses will be dotted with wild geraniums and scabious, and the area will be a haven for many types of butterflies, moths, beetles and grasshoppers. There are several ways to create a meadow in your garden. The easiest is to simply choose a patch somewhere sunny and stop mowing it. It will soon start to look a little untidy,…

1 Nip pests in the bud before using chemicals. Leaf notches are often caused by leafcutter bees taking material for their nests, and the loss is cosmetic rather than destructive. 2 Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers. Suckers growing from rootstock under the soil should be pulled away before they weaken the plant. 3 Feed with a granular fertiliser for a slow feed and then water it in. Soluble and liquid feeds are good for container-grown roses as they give an instant hit of nutrients. 4 Tie in heavy-bloomed shrub roses so they remain stable, and secure climbers and ramblers to keep them in place. Cut away brown ‘balled’ buds that are rotting. TopTip Avoid using systemic weedkillers such as Roundup around roses as their roots grow close to…

1 Pick up and bury or burn the little apples and pears that have fallen from the trees, as these are often infested with grubs. 2 Place a few wasp traps under ripening fruit. Use jars of jammy (not honey) water with pencil-sized holes made in the lids. 3 Regularly water everything, especially plants in pots. Soak the soil around sweetcorn, beans and potatoes, and be sure to drench leeks, celery and celeriac. 4 Dig up garlic before all the leaves fade, wither and disappear, otherwise it’s likely that you won’t find your crop!…

29: Beekeeping demonstration: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/ harlow-carr 30: Rare Plant Fair, Sculpture By The Lakes, Pallington Lakes, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8QU. ✆ 07720 637808, rareplantfair.co.uk 30: Plant Hunters’ Fair: Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Cheshire SY11 4JH. ✆ 01829 720383, planthuntersfairs.co.uk July 1: Free gardening advice for RHS members: RHS Harlow Carr 2-7: Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival: Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk 3: Creating beautiful borders: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 3: Little Acorns children’s gardening: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 3: Garden walk – gardening for bees, butterflies and birds: RHS Harlow Carr 4: Late-night opening (live music, bring a picnic):…

‘Apollo’ Eye-catching white flowers from June to November are lit by golden yellow centres and handsome markings. Reaches 3ft (90cm). ‘Duke William’ Blooms of soft pink and white are prettily spotted and speckled on plants 28in (70cm) tall. Flowers from June to September. ‘Bonanza’ Blooms of rich pink with flashes of yellow on upper petals and generous markings open from June to November on plants 3ft (90cm) tall. ‘Summer Breeze’ Orange blooms with yellow highlights and dark dashes shine against dark bronze-red foliage all summer long. Reaches 24in (60cm).…

Grow resistant varieties if diseases are a problem, such as Tomato ‘Losetto’ and Potato ‘Sarpo Shona’. Break the life cycle (use peach leaf curl covers, for instance) and avoid any weaknesses (keep courgettes well watered). If you plan to use fungicides, do so at the earliest signs of infection by monitoring crops for symptoms. Rotate susceptible crops wherever soil-borne diseases are a known problem (onion white rot, club root). Reduce humidity and stagnant air by wider crop spacings, removing surplus foliage and avoiding shade. Remove and dispose of all signs of infected crop debris to prevent problem fungi overwintering on your plot.…

Melon plants are monoecious, so they bear separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Here’s how to keep on top of pollination… 1 If you’re growing your melons in a sunny, sheltered spot outside, then pollination should be taken care of by visiting bees and other insects. 2 If you’re growing melons under glass, you can leave the doors and vents open so that pollinating insects have access. Remember to close them on windy days! 3 A more thorough option is to hand-pollinate. Press open male flowers into the centre of open female blooms (which have a fruitlet behind them).…

AS half-hardy shrubs go, lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) is pretty captivating. But it’s not the lance-shaped leaves or tufts of tiny pink flowers that stop you in your tracks when you walk by, but the deliciously overpowering lemon scent. This comes from the leaves as you brush past (so site this plant on a path’s edge so you can brush on a daily basis) and is reminiscent of lemonade ice-lollies, rather than being acidic. Whether it is made into a cocktail syrup, infused in caster sugar or lining the bottom of a Victoria sponge cake tin, this plant will result in something delicious. Grow it in a pot of John Innes No3 compost, placing it in full sun. Either cloak in bubblewrap or move somewhere frost-free for winter.…

ALTHOUGH gardeners tend to associate old roses with fine fragrance, not all of them are scented. Those with the strongest and most pervasive perfumes are probably, in general, the musks and rugosa roses, but both poets and horticulturists have struggled to find language to describe their aromas, usually resorting to comparisons with the scents of other plants. As well as the classic, much-loved old rose fragrance, there are fruity, tea, myrrh and musky scents, plus blends of these elements. The fragrances of many other flowers, such as lilac and lily of the valley, are also found among roses. It’s a very subjective thing, but along with my ‘six of the best’ picks, for fragrance I’d also suggest the Gallica rose ‘Madame Hardy’, ‘Roseraie de l’Hay’ (Rugosa), the Damask ‘Ispahan’, the…

VEGAN gardening is probably harder work than using readymade solutions to gardening problems. This means that rather than being a mindful gardener on my allotment or in my back yard, being a busy person like much of the population, I have to manage my time and get on with what needs doing on the plot. If I have five minutes, I water, fertilise with a bucket of liquid comfrey fertiliser, pull a few weeds and put them on the compost, pick something and eat it and probably take a picture, preferably of a passing bird or animal, for posting on social media. I’ll then make more liquid fertiliser by steeping comfrey in a bucket of water. If I have half an hour, I will do all the above and also…

Galanthus ‘S. Arnott’ AGM A fabulous snowdrop with large honey-scented flowers in February and March. Grow in neutral-to-alkaline soil (or in pots of compost), in semi-shade or shade. H: 8in (20cm). Cyclamen persicum In the shelter of a walled patio or porch, the sweet scent of cyclamen will hang in the air – it can be surprisingly strong. Protect from frost; plant in free-draining pots, in sun or semi-shade. H: 10in (25cm). Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ AGM The aromatic silver-blue evergreen foliage of this dwarf juniper grows in a spiky bun shape. Likes well-drained soil or a free-draining pot, in sun or semi-shade. H: 1 ½ ft (45cm). Lonicera periclymenum ‘Strawberries and Cream’ A useful dwarf honeysuckle that produces scented pink-and-white flowers in late…

When is the best time to lift border plants? Q Our border is overcrowded. When is the best time to lift and separate plants without damaging them? Angela and Steve Pare, via email A There isn’t a right time to clear the bed without some risk to the plants, though the probable worst case is that you will lose the flowers for a year. Ideally, tackle the bed in the autumn when plants are approaching dormancy. This will be perfect for the shrubs and many perennials. However, irises would be better replanted now, or September at the latest, and you may find the tulips have started into growth, though they can be replanted in November. Autumn is also a good time to tackle improving the soil. Dig in well-rotted organic…

1 Buy a pack big enough to treat your whole lawn area. If you don’t own a calibrated spreader, buy a flip-top spreader pack. 2 On a dry day when the soil is still moist, give the lawn a light mow on a high to middle cut to pick up any debris. 3 Remove the seal if necessary, flip out the spreader, tip the pack forward and walk slowly forward from one corner of the lawn, covering the area in parallel passes. 4 After two days, water the lawn thoroughly if it hasn’t rained. After two weeks rake dead moss and debris out of the lawn and bin it.…

FROM 8-14 July we can bask in the glory of Great British Pea Week. Launched by the Yes Peas! campaign ( peas.org) and the British pea-vining industry, the celebration is now in its third year. For many of us, the best moment of early summer is eating our first young home-grown peas. So tender and sweet, they can be eaten straight from the pod. So let’s take a timely look at this great vegetable. In 2005, a survey of 2,000 people (conducted by Dolmio Foods) found that the garden pea was the UK’s seventh most popular vegetable, after garlic and before spinach! Three top heirloom peas HERE are three wonderful heirloom pea varieties, each with a rich history and pedigree. Even better, they have all received the Award of Garden…

The views, information and opinions expressed during this series of extracts from past issues of AG are solely those of the individuals involved, at the time they were written, and are not necessarily relevant or even legal today. Please treat these pages as a look back at how things were done in the past and not necessarily how they are done today. AG accepts no responsibility if readers follow advice given in these articles from past issues.…

MY friend and I were stunned by the architectural beauty of these newly opened Phacelia tanacetifolia flowers in the late afternoon sunshine. We noticed that the unfurling florets form a Fibonacci sequence. Maths, botanical science and architecture amalgamate to create such simple and stunning beauty. Lyn Haynes, Harold Wood, Essex Wendy says Lovely close-up shots, Lyn. Phacelia is ideal for dry spots and is used as a green manure to cover patches of bare soil.…