Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-Aug-2019 i Amateur Gardening

BY the middle of August, the exuberance of the summer garden can start to flag. Heat and the occasional battering storm take their toll and the effects of a dry spring and summer are plain to see. As with most things in the garden, this isn’t irreversible. Continuing to deadhead, feed and water existing plants and replacing those that have died will all help add new flesh to the body of the garden. An added bonus is that these new and revived plants should continue to flower throughout the rest of summer, merging seamlessly with any autumn-flowering plantings already made. A lot of garden sales are selling off this summer’s stock at reduced prices. The bedding plants may be looking a bit grim, but if you look carefully you can…

1 Feed the soil with chicken manure pellets or blood, fish and bone to add goodness for the new plantings. 2 Dig a hole as deep and slightly wider than each plant’s rootball. If soil is very dry, water it before planting. 3 Fork in some well-rotted manure or compost to add moisture and goodness to the soil and roots. 4 Having stood plants in water to soak the roots, ease it from its pot and tease out any congested roots. 5 Place the plant, infill around it with soil and compost, firm it down and water thoroughly. 6 Finally mulch around the root area with more manure or compost to hold moisture in the soil.…

Raspberries are extremely versatile plants and can grow in most situations, though they prefer a sunny sight with free-draining, slightly acidic soil. They also grow well in large containers, making them ideal for gardeners with small plots. You can buy container-grown plants all year round, though summer isn’t the best time to get them in the ground as the soil will be dry and they’ll need a lot of watering. The best time to plant is winter, when you can buy bare-root canes cheaply. These are smaller than pot-grown plants, but once in the ground they will grow rapidly as long as they are kept well watered and fed.…

THE heat is still on and won’t start to diminish for another few weeks. Plants outside can cope with this thanks to breezes and the occasional rainy day, but those undercover may start to struggle in the concentrated heat. Heat stress in plants presents itself through wilting, scorched leaves and the drying out of young foliage, but you can counter the threat by lowering the temperature around where they are growing. Damping down the floor with water each morning and evening helps cool the air as the moisture evaporates. If you are going away, leave bowls of water around the greenhouse to gradually disperse. Improve ventilation through the greenhouse by opening doors, vents and windows, and if you haven’t done so already shade the glass with blinds, fleece or paint-on…

Appropriate shrubs include evergreen vinca (periwinkle), Cotoneaster horizontalis, Genista hispanica (Spanish gorse) and Potentilla fruticosa ‘Manchu’, or deciduous alternatives such as heathers, hebes and the low-growing yew ‘Repandens’. Spreading herbs include creeping thyme, chamomile and sage. Low-growing alpines are also ideal for the job: houseleeks (sempervivum), gentians, aubrietia and delosperma. Don’t ignore herbaceous perennials – bugle, hardy geraniums, stachys and lady’s mantle will suppress a multitude of weedy sins.…

1 Start by raking the area you want to sow, breaking up the soil and removing weeds, stones and other bits of debris. 2 Give the soil a good soaking before sowing, especially if conditions have been dry. It is also worth watering afterwards too. 3 The seeds of larkspur are quite large so are relatively easy to sow. Scatter them over the soil as thinly as possible. 4 Label your seedbed so you don’t disturb or tread on it while gardening. Protect it with a layer of twigs to keep off cats and hungry birds.…

1 Carefully move pumpkins, melons, marrows and squashes onto pieces of wood, plastic or tile so they ripen off the soil. 2 When lifting potatoes for storing, dry them off in the sun for a couple of hours before bagging in order to harden their skins. 3 Sort your spuds! Store only the perfect, save good tubers for next year’s sets from healthy plants, and eat damaged ones first. 4 Thin out the smallest tomatoes from the heaviest trusses so those left swell bigger; with beefsteak varieties, remove all bar two.…

1 Sweetcorn for popcorn: Look for varieties specifically recommended for popping; these have a suitably hard outer skin to build the pressure which then pops the kernel (such as Sweetcorn ‘Fiesta’, ‘Strawberry and ‘Robust). 2 Pumpkin seeds: When growing for the seeds, look for varieties such as Pumpkin ‘Kakai’ and Pumpkin ‘Baby Bear’ – these will produce fruits with hulless seeds so there is no hard, outer casing to remove. Simply scrape out, and then roast! 3 Sunflower seeds: Large-headed sunflowers such as ‘Russian Giant’ produce large seeds (and therefore, large kernels). Hang heads somewhere dry once the petals fall, and then rub seeds into a bowl (the hard outer husk needs removing).…

IT used to puzzle me, as a child, why my father would patiently stake his 10 Brussels sprout plants in the family veg plot, yet he grew acres of them on our adjacent smallholding and they never received such preferential treatment. How could those field-grown plants stay upright? Now, I understand: there’s safety in numbers! The peripheral plants of field-grown brassicas are sacrificial, being buffeted by the wind but providing a barrier for the more central crop. Very few of us grow vast numbers of Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli, kale or similar lofty brassicas, so mostly our crops will be vulnerable to wind damage as autumn gales loom and maturing plants become top-heavy. So hammer a 4ft (1.2m) stake or stout cane alongside each plant now, securing it with twine,…

WIDELY known as shiso, Perilla frutescens is a tender annual herb with a unique taste. Imagine mint, basil, cinnamon and citrus all bursting on your tongue: that’s perilla. The green form is more flavourful than the purple, yet the latter is prettier. It’s best germinated in a propagator but first, to synchronise seedling emergence, sow on the surface of a tray of moist seed compost, bag it up and place it in a refrigerator for 10-14 days. Move to a propagator set at 20ºC (68ºF); light is needed for germination), and seedlings will gradually emerge. Transplant out to a sunny, moisture-retentive spot and harvest regularly by pinching out the growing points. Add raw to exotic salads, or chop and mix with plums. Stir-fries and pestos also work really well.…

ALL over Britain (with the exception of The Highlands and the East Midlands), you’ll find crocosmias. And I don’t mean in gardens. Originally from South Africa, these hot-hued flowers have established themselves on roadsides and in ditches over most of the country, bringing unexpected fiery colouring to our summer driving. This tells us two – no, three – things. Firstly, they’re easy to grow. They’ve established themselves in situations where there’s plenty of competition and will happily hold their own against a range of competitive native plants. Secondly, they’re easy to propagate. These roadside plants often originate from clumps thrown out from gardens, but they spread steadily – sometimes quickly – wherever conditions suit them. And finally, they’re so colourful: we notice them as we drive along. Once, I nearly…

CROCOSMIAS are fine plants to grow in fiery summery and autumnal associations. The bronze, purplish or coppery foliage of ricinus, bananas, grasses, bronze fennel and heucheras works very well – as does the golden foliage of Eryngium ‘Neptune’s Gold’. The flowers of achilleas, hemerocallis and kniphofias make good partners, while choosing from the many dahlias and cannas with bronze leaves can provide companions with rich foliage and flowers in similar fiery tones.…

These woodland shrubs and climbers enjoy good, moist but well-drained soil where roots will be cool, perhaps against a north-facing wall or fence. Mulch regularly with some leafmould or well-rotted compost. Where soil is reliably moist, hydrangeas will grow in sun, but if you have dry soil then a semi-shaded position is best. Prune shrubs by thinning out a few older, weaker stems in the spring. Cut close to the base or a healthy side shoot. Deadhead plants in early spring, cutting above the top-most pair of fat buds. In containers, use 50:50 John Innes No2 and a soilless mix, or ericaceous compost for blue-flowering varieties. Keep moist and well fed.…

H. quercifolia ‘Burgundy’ Flowers and foliage – oak-leaved hydrangeas offer a double whammy of interest. ‘Burgundy’ features long white flowers in summer, plus what’s generally seen as the best autumn-coloured foliage. H&S: 6 1/2ft (2m). H. macrophylla ‘Magical Amethyst Blue’ Appearing from July to September, the large balls of greenish-blue flowers will create a real talking point in a mixed border. Can be planted in full sun or part shade. H&S: 5ft (1½m). H. macrophylla ‘Kardinal violet’ Produces large reddish-purple flowers when planted in acid soils (in neutral or alkaline soils, they’ll have pinker tones). The blooms will keep going throughout summer and on into the autumn. H&S: 5ft (1½m). H. paniculata ‘Wim’s Red’ Another colour-changer, with blooms that morph from white…

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris AGM This deciduous climbing type produces its cream lacecap flowers in early summer. A slow starter, it’ vigorous once it gets going. A good choice for shady walls or fences. H: 43x 26ft (13x8m). Hydrangea seemanii Ideal if you’re looking for an evergreen climber. This is a self-clinging plant – it uses aerial roots to attach itself to walls or fences – and has creamy clusters of flowers from midsummer into autumn. HxS: 33x8ft (10x3m).…

An April pruning would have been perfect, but I can catch up by thinning out a stem or two from this young autumn-spring flowering Viburnum farreri. A splayed branch is spoiling the shape of this large snowball tree (Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’). Remove using a pair of loppers. Pruning evergreen thickets is impossible from March to August due to nesting birds. Now’s the time to thin this mass of Christmas box (Sarcococca confusa). Clip evergreens like box and yew, so they have a chance to make some side growths and harden up before the first frosts. Late-clipped box is prone to frost damage.…

RUNNER beans are cropping well now. I reckon they are a Marmite vegetable – you either love them or loathe them. My much older sister loves them, but I don’t. I think that as a child I was given stringy, tasteless, tough beans and told (as kids were in those days) not to leave the table until I’d finished them. My sister’s experience is different: she buys them when she can’t pick her own. And she is not alone, as millions of people grow runner beans for they represent great value for money and keep on cropping, in addition to being an excellent veg dish. Let’s look at some facts about them. Most runner bean plants have vibrant red flowers – which are edible, offering a fresh, light bean flavour.…

TRADITIONALLY, we supported garden peas (close relatives of runner beans) with brushwood inserted in the ground between the plants. Why not do the same for runner beans? Well, with the lengths of the bean vines, and the weights of the bean crops, this brushwood would have to be made from lumps of trees. In the days before cheap bamboo cane imports, runner beans were grown on straight tree branches, or poles, cut from coppices and woods. Poles were perhaps 1in (2½cm) or so in diameter and, once anchored properly, could be secured together tightly against the wind. Unfortunately, old-fashioned bean poles are now uneconomical unless you live in the country, but the pole reference lives on in the saying ‘as slim as a bean-pole’.…

These extracts from AG come from various issues published in 1926 and focus on vegetables that were being talked about at the time: From AG 20 November 1926 Cauliflower note CAULIFLOWERS will keep fresh for weeks if dug up by the roots and hung head downwards in a cool but frost-proof place. When ‘the north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow’, this is the best way of treating good heads of cauliflower. If the weather remains mild, turn in a few of the inner leaves over the curds. This will not only protect the curds, but also retard them a bit. Probably the greatest bother about this excellent vegetable is that too many heads mature at the same time. When they discolour and spread out, they make an…

GOOD news about the parlous state of the environment is as rare as a snowdrop in summer, but there is hope that global warming can be reversed by doing what gardeners have done since the year dot: planting trees. A few years ago, a horticultural hero of mine, professor Tom Crowther, calculated the number of trees on the planet (see the panel opposite), and now that data has been used to work out the total number needed to literally save the planet – a spade-bending one trillion extra trees! This number is big, but it represents just one third of the trees lost since civilisation began. To give some scale to the benefit, one trillion trees have the potential to lock away five times the amount of carbon released by…

1 The Africa violet leaves have rooted and started to throw out leaflets, so they are ready to pot up individually. 2 Fill large modules or 3in (8cm) pots with John Innes No2 compost and dib a root hole in the centre of each. 3 Carefully lift each leaf and its rootball from the compost using a spoon, holding the leaf steady between your fingers. 4 Plant it in the compost, firm in and water well. Place somewhere light and warm to grow on.…

Flowers aren’t the only options for sustained colour and interest in the autumn garden. Sculptural seedheads on alliums, agapanthus, globe thistles and sea hollies look stunning, especially when sprinkled with frosts. Evergreen shrubs, such as variegated euonymus or a stunning Houttuynia cordata ‘Chameleon’ that changes colour with the seasons provide year-long interest. Any shrub that produced bright berries is a must, as are deciduous trees that see out the year with a blaze of autumnal brilliance before their leaves fall. And remember to leave some dead rose blooms in place for their colourful hips, which garden birds will also love.…

1 Check that the stem is worth using (discard if brown and completely wilted) and cut off the flower head. 2 Taking the top 4in (10cm) of stem, remove the large leaves and any that are wilted, leaving smaller, healthy ones. 3 Dip the bottom end of the cutting in hormone rooting powder or gel to boost root development and tap off the excess. 4 Insert the cutting into a small pot containing a dampened mix of seed and cuttings compost and perlite or vermiculite. 5 Seal the pot in a clear plastic bag and place it somewhere warm and light, but away from direct sunlight.…

WEEDS are a constant in every gardener’s life, with most of us choosing either to get them out by hand or turn to weedkillers for speed and convenience. There is also a third, low-maintenance way of countering this perennial problem, one that is particularly useful for hard-to-reach areas of the garden, such as under low-branching trees and in and over rockeries. Ground-cover plants are a simple and easy way of covering the ground, thereby keeping weeds at bay. Whether they are diminutive alpines, shrubby potentillas or large-leaved sprawling perennials such as bergenia and stachys, there is something for every space. We have a low-hanging weeping pear that is hard to reach underneath. We have planted it up with heuchera and cyclamen and it has also been colonised by wild violets.…

EARLIER this year, a wooden framework was constructed in the garden and clad with Enviromesh to use on the vegetable plot. I am pleased to report it has proved very useful, while there are advantages and disadvantages. Rows of vegetables are grown pretty close to make use of every inch available, and lifting off the mesh clad frame to weed and harvest crops is tricky. It really needs two people to do the lifting effectively and I am on my own, but I can see it would be invaluable along one side of an allotment. “Parsnip foliage is a foot higher than those outside” The advantages certainly outweigh the difficulties. First, it was surprising how much earlier seedlings came through and crops were ready to harvest given this wind protection.…

10-11: Meet the Experts – Carnivorous Plants: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr 11: Local Produce Show: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/rosemoor 12: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 16: An Introduction to Handstitched Patchwork: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/ hyde-hall 16-18: RHS Rosemoor Flower Show: RHS Garden Rosemoor 16: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 17: Beekeeping Demonstration: RHS Harlow Carr 17: Natural Dyeing with Kitchen Botanics: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 17: Introduction to Dry Stone Walling: RHS Harlow Carr 18: Classic Car Show: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 19: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow…

Keep planting out your mature seedlings now. Depending on whether they are annuals, biennials or perennials, they will either flower later this summer or sit and develop roots over winter and come back to growth next spring. Plant them at the same depth as their roots and water well. You may have left-over seeds from last year and want to make sure they are still viable for sowing. Place them on damp kitchen paper, somewhere warm, and if they are sound they will shoot in a few days.…

FOR the past few years, the Best Beloved and I have been making a mini-meadow in the middle of the Spring Cottage garden. It’s always swings and roundabouts. This year, my hardy orchids are poor. Last year, I had more than 20 plants and this year I’m down to six. I think it was too hot last year. The orchid foliage shrivelled up early so there wasn’t enough energy put back into their bulbous roots. I’m hoping that they may be having a year off. On the plus side, though, the yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) has never been better. This year we (well, actually, the Best Beloved) discovered a caterpillar on bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). This low-growing legume gets its common name from the claw-shaped seed pods. It’s also called…

Fennel and dill: Both herbs impart an aniseed-like flavour to dishes. Steeped in hot water, they make an excellent tea, too. Poppy seeds: Papaver somniferum often self-seed in the garden; once you start growing them, expect an endless supply! Nigella: Love-in-a-mist flowers (Nigella sativa) quickly form inflated seedheads filled with black seeds that are classically added to naan breads. Coriander: The seeds of this quick-growing herb can be harvested and either used fresh or dried (green seeds taste totally different to dried). Quinoa and amaranth: These ancient grains yield an incredibly heavy return. Thrash off the loose outer husks, and soak your quinoa overnight before cooking. Flax seed: Popular due to multiple health benefits, and easier to grow than other ‘supergrains’ such as buckwheat, which need hulling before consumption.…

1 Cut 2.4in (6cm)-long sections off healthy box from this year’s growth. Remove the lower leaves taking care not to damage the stem. Fill a pot with potting compost and water. 2 Once the cuttings are prepared, gently insert into the compost, so the lowest leaves sit just above the surface. Place pot in a cool, shady spot and keep the compost just moist. 3 The cuttings will slowly root, and should be well rooted by the autumn. Then separate and pot up into individual containers. Grow these on until large enough to plant out.…

Buy plants growing in pots at any time – though spring is preferable to summer. Make sure the plants don’t dry out after planting, as this restricts growth and encourages red spider mite. Crocosmias are also available in winter as dried corms for planting in early spring. Although more economical, the range available is quite restricted compared to live plants, and they can be slow to establish. Choose a sunny site in soil that retains moisture but is not waterlogged. Make sure that new plants are not overshadowed by neighbours in the early days. Once established, they’ll usually surge through any competition.…

THE number one pest – often the only pest – of crocosmias is red spider mite. These tiny, sap-sucking insects cause distinctive silver mottling on the foliage and white strands like cobwebs. Most prevalent in hot and dry conditions, they can kill most of the foliage, and although more of a danger in the greenhouse and conservatory, they often attack crocosmias growing outside, too. Moist soil and high humidity are the best deterrents – which is why crocosmias grow so well in the west of England and west of Ireland. Biological control can be very successful in the greenhouse, but is less so outside. There are few chemical controls; Scotts Bug Clear Extra can be effective, although this broad spectrum spray should be used with great care.…

Carpenteria californica A distinctive sun-loving evergreen, Its glossy, dark-green leaves act as a great foil in midsummer to fragrant white flowers 3in (8cm) across, each one lit by a boss of bright yellow stamens. Will reach 6ft (1.8m) high. Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ This cultivar of deciduous American ‘Sevenbark’ (so-called because peeling bark reveals several colours) bears spherical heads of white sterile flowers capable of reaching 10in (25cm) across. Blooms open during summer on plants 5-8ft (1½-2.4m) tall. Hibiscus syriacus White Chiffon This vigorous deciduous shrub puts on a luxuriant display of white blooms to 4in (10cm) across. These appear double but consist of five outer petals around central petaloid stamens. Reaches to 8ft (2.4m). Rosa Flower Carpet White ‘Noaschnee’ This groundcover rose may not…

What is the best bin for making compost? Q I’ve just built a compost bin using old pallets to make the wooden frame. Should I cover the sides to stop the grass growing or leave them open? Also, can I compost turf? Trevor Martins, Oldham, Lancs A An unlined compost bin will allow air into the heap, which is beneficial to the organisms that are actively decomposing the plant material. However, leaving the sides slatted can increase the amount of water that is lost from the heap and keep the material at the edges cooler. Decomposition slows down if the material gets too dry or cold. A lined heap will maintain higher temperatures, which encourages speedier decomposition, helps maintain moisture levels and prevents light reaching the material to stop it…

FROM late spring to early autumn vine weevils are active. The adults cause some unsightly damage to foliage by nibbling leaf edges, but it’s what’s going on underground that causes the real problem. Through this period vine weevil grubs munch a wide range of plant roots, from fuchsia and cyclamen to strawberries and blueberries. Plants grown in pots are most susceptible and affected plants are often killed. I’ve looked at six treatments designed to deal with the grubs or the adults, or both. There are two barriers, one chemical and three biological options. September and October are good times to apply biological nematodes to rid containers of vine weevil grubs. Treat plants or pots with any of these products as a preventative measure – if you wait until the damage…

WEEDS can creep into even the most well-maintained gardens and can be a nuisance to remove. To help you reclaim your garden from pesky weeds, Roundup is giving AG readers the chance to win a Roundup Telescopic Wand, plus Total and Path gels. The Roundup Gel Wand extends up to 86cm, meaning you can get to weeds no matter where they are, leaving your garden beautifully weed-free. Total Gel is ideal for treating weeds in hard-to-reach areas, killing the root so weeds don’t come back. For weeds that grow on hard surfaces, such as paths, drives and patios, Path Gel weedkiller gets to the root of the problem. We have one bundle to give away, worth £32.50. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a…

RUNNER beans originate from the near-tropical parts of Central America. But eating them is a peculiarly British thing. If you were to go to parts of the Americas, or even northern Europe, and tell people to eat them, they would think you were mad. In the US, they are known as ‘English runner beans’ (and sometimes ‘pole beans’, see below). They were brought to Britain in the 1600s (possibly by John Tradescant the Younger, see picture above) and were grown purely as ornamental vines until about 200 years ago. The lush green foliage and red flowers are still grown just for decoration in some parts of Europe.…

Greetings from Brazil MY name is Marcio, and I am writing because I saw that you want to know how long readers have been reading this wonderful magazine. It is five years for me, but it is very difficult to find. I live in the country and I need to go to São Paulo to have it – 250km from my city! Even living in Brazil, I use your knowledge to discover new plants and I am always learning more. Here, it’s hot, with temperatures reaching 38ºC (100ºF) in summer, so it is a big challenge for me, especially as I have more than 250 plants in containers: flowers, edibles, fruit... My avocado is very happy in its pot! I would like to suggest that you publish tips about high-temperature…

MY cats are called Nev (she’s the tortoiseshell and white) and Buster, a ginger stray who seems to have moved in. Nev usually hates other cats but she’s taken a real shine to Buster and they often lie together in the sunshine. They love the nepeta and the shade under the hebe. They often watch our evening visitors, too. We also have two hedgehogs that come every night for the leftover cat food! We are so lucky that all the wildlife enjoys our garden. Barbara Badland, via email…

AS trees grow, they remove the carbon that contributes to the warming of the planet, locking it away in their trunks and roots, and provide habits where wildlife can thrive. Birds and insects enjoy the diversity of our gardens, as every planting scheme on every street is different, with something in flower through 12 months of the year. They also like that our gardens contain plants of different ages, with younger trees carrying blossom and berries, and older trees providing dead wood that supports a feast of insects for the birds. Our feathered friends can be reluctant to colonise new-build estates, and the lack of mature trees explains why.…

LOOKING at our borders in late summer I see a mass of colour, life and contrast but also several plants that are past their best. The sweet rockets have become straggly and are threatening to self-seed everywhere and some nicotianas have gone over and aren’t worth saving. A massive purple scabious is full of spent flowerheads that need to be removed and the sweet peas have developed a few well-hidden pods that must go to create more flowers. The remaining bedding nicotianas and antirrhinums are also deadheaded and should keep producing new buds for as long as the weather stays warm enough. I want to add more plants to add colour into late summer and autumn but I need to make space, so it’s time to be ruthless. Out come…

IT has been an excellent year for raspberries, and going out into the garden first thing to harvest berries for the day’s breakfasts, or to freeze for winter crumbles, has become a morning tradition. Now the summer canes are almost all spent and are looking tired and ragged, though the autumn-fruiting varieties look promising for a few weeks’ time. The fruited stems need to be cut back right down to the ground to make room for new growth, and also for this year’s juvenile canes that will mature and fruit next summer. Simply work your way along the row, cutting back old stems with sharp secateurs, taking care that you don’t nick any healthy new growth. Remember to wear gloves to avoid injury from thorns. Once the old canes have…

1 Use a sharp garden knife to cut a cross through the membrane, then open it up to show the soil underneath. 2 Create a planting hole, clearing away stones and debris, and then scatter in a little slow-release fertiliser. 3 Add the plant, teasing out its rootball, infilling with removed soil and firming it down well. Water generously. 4 Fold the opened membrane back over around the plant’s stem, then cover it with soil so the fabric is hidden.…

1 Enviromesh protects beetroot, spinach beet and Swiss chard from mangold fly maggots that cause blisters in the leaves. 2 If used to control carrot fly, only lift the screen off when the wind is blowing strongly because carrot flies are less likely to be on the wing in rough weather. 3 Keep the supply of lettuce coming by changing autumn sowing to Lettuce ‘Winter Gem’. Enviromesh will provide protection for this winter crop. 4 Hot, dry weather encourages attack by flea beetles on all brassica seedlings. Either keep seedlings wet or cover with mesh to prevent damage to crops including radish.…

THE best way of getting your border to look its best is to include plants of varying heights – creeping or dwarf varieties at the front, medium-height in the middle, maybe with some ornamental grasses, then a statuesque, colourful presence towards the middle or back. Mr Fothergill’s Larkspur ‘Giant Mixed’ grow to a stately 3ft (90cm) tall and will provide beautiful spires of pinks, purples and blues in the middle and towards the back of your borders. Hardy annuals, you can sow them now or next spring and they will flower from June through to September, though those sown now may flower before next year’s batch. Sow them in a well-prepared seedbed of raked, crumbly soil that has already been watered. Scatter the seeds in swirls and drifts, rather than…

THEY’RE nutritional powerhouses that bring us proven health benefits, and yet we repeatedly walk on autopilot to health food stores and supermarkets to buy bags of pumpkin, flax and quinoa, Stop! You can have fun growing your own, and here I’ll give you details of those that are easy to grow and simple to source and, most importantly, they taste delicious! Best-kept secrets Growing seeds for eating is nothing new. After all, what’s a pea if it’s not a seed? We walk or drive past acres of wheat, barley, oats, flax, borage and oilseed rape. It seems we’re finally latching on to what farmers have known for years –seeds are a cinch. While field crops often require fiddly processing for their oils or flour, many others can be eaten whole…

IT’S frequently labelled the world’s most expensive spice, but did you know you can grow your own saffron in the UK? As I write this, I’m sitting less than 50 miles from Saffron Walden, the UK’s predominant saffron-growing town in Medieval times! Saffron bulbs ( Crocus sativus ) are planted in late summer, and the flowers appear a month or so later. Each purple bloom bears three deep orange stigmas, and it is these that are harvested for their delicate flavour and deep yellow dye. The bulbs are freely available in garden centres now, and all they need is a sunny, well-drained site. Using a trowel, bury them 4in (10cm) deep. Then wait, and harvest the consequent stigmas with tweezers. Dry them on kitchen paper for a few days (out…

1 Keep young leek beds regularly hoed, taking care not to damage the plants themselves. These upright veg absolutely hate weed competition. 2 Make generous sowings of carrots, covering over drills with compost if you garden on clay soil. This will give you baby roots right up until April. 3 With fewer fruits on the plants now , tomatoes are vulnerable to fruit splitting. K eep them watered little and often to deter fluctuations. 4 Glasshouse aubergines mature quickly in hot, sunny weather . Pick them while their skins are still shiny and plump – not dull, wrinkled and over-ripe! 5 If you spot notching on the outside edge of leaves of potted fruit, this could be vine weevil attack. Now is the ideal time to drench pots with a…

Broad Bean ‘The Sutton’ This dwarf variety only grows to around 12in (30cm), making it perfect for smaller gardens and pots. Each 5in (12cm)-long pod contains five or six delicious beans. Spring Cabbage ‘Duncan’ AGM Pop young plants of this pointed variety in the ground in September and you’ll have spring greens in March, or leave to develop into full-size cabbages in June. Kale ‘Hungry Gap’ Growing up to 3ft (90cm), this kale’s leaves turn blue with red and purple hues as the weather turns colder. Its leaves are full of vitamins and antioxidants. Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ A vibrant mixture of different varieties, producing plants with red, white, yellow, orange and pink stems, topped with huge green, bronze or burgundy leaves. Mustard ‘Giant Red’ Add some spice to early…

Try to keep the plants moist, as this discourages red spider mite and encourages more prolific flowering. Mulch in spring with weed-free organic matter; feed with a general fertiliser in spring if necessary. To prevent self seeding, deadhead all those not grown for their seedheads. Plants can be allowed to develop into fat clumps, but eventually flowering will decline and division is advised. When necessary, lift and divide clumps in early spring, then replant the fattest corms. Beware red spider mite (see panel, right); there are few other problems except, sometimes, excessive vigour.…

H. paniculata Little Spooky Very small and compact, but what it lacks in stature it more than makes up for in longevity. The domed clusters of greenish-white flowers last from July to October, and pack a powerful punch on the patio. HxS: 20x16in (50x40cm). H. macrophylla ‘Ami Pasquier’ AGM The dark stems of this classic mophead are topped with large flowers in a deep, dark shade of pink. The leaves will colour up impressively in autumn. Can cope with sun as well as partial shade. H&S: 39in (1m). H. quercifolia ‘Munchkin’ This dwarf oak-leaved variety has good flower and foliage colour. Large blooms open white and turn dark pink, while the leaves glow a brilliant red in autumn; the peeling brown bark gives useful…

Pyracantha Saphyr Rouge AGM A useful evergreen wall shrub. The solid mass of shiny leaves is paired with blossom in May and June, and scarlet berries in autumn. Sun or semi-shade. H: 6½ft (2m). Gaultheria mucronata ‘Mulberry Wine’ AGM Shrub whose dense mass of small evergreen leaves provides the perfect backdrop to white flowers in May and June, and magenta-purple autumn fruit. Shade or semi-shade. H: 2½ft (75cm). Leycesteria formosa ‘Purple Rain’ The arching stems of this Himalayan honeysuckle are weighed down by long clusters of white flowers and purple bracts in summer and autumn, with purple berries taking over as the blooms fade. Deciduous. H: 6½ft (2m). Sorbus cashmiriana Hedl. AGM The Kashmir rowan is an open-branched, spreading tree with blush-white…

What do I prune in the summer? QI have heard about summer pruning in the garden. What is it, and what should I be cutting back? Annabelle Kewliss, Darlington, County Durham A The art of gardening is to have healthy, attractive plants that sit well together in the landscape of your plot. Some are star performers or grow in well-staged groups, while others fill in and paint a backdrop. Getting this right from initial planting is tricky, especially as gardens are often small and we tend to plant closely for a mature look. This, plus a tendency to carry on buying plants after the garden is full, makes regular pruning a must. A good spring encourages heavy growth, and by late summer a garden often feels crowded. There is a…

Neudorff Vine Weevil Free Nematodes £14.99 (treats 12sqm/up to 160 small pots) ✆ 0121 7671821 for stockists neudorff.co.uk Features No need to refrigerate Neudorff nematodes, they will last for up to six months. Apply April to June, or September to October when soil/ compost is moist, and between 10°C and 30°C, not in bright sunshine. Child/pet safe. Spray applicator available. Also treats asparagus beetle and flea beetle. Compostable globe packaging. Performance Easy to prepare: just pop one of the two ‘teabags’ in the globe into 1½ litres of tepid water in a bucket, squidge it around until the water turns milky, then mix 500ml of the solution with 4½ litres of water in a can. Water the solution across the moist soil or onto moist compost in pots. No indication…

ELEVEN days after England’s historic World Cup win in 1966, Charlotte (‘Charlie’) Eloise Dimmock was born in Southampton, Hampshire. After school, Charlie studied horticulture at Cannington College in Somerset, and became an expert in water gardening. She first became famous when Ground Force appeared on BBC1 in 1997. Teaming up with Alan Titchmarsh and Tommy Walsh, she inadvertently became best known for not wearing a bra (coincidentally, if you typed ‘Dimmock’ into a Word document and spell-checked it, it came up with the word ‘Gimmick’)! Over the years, Charlie has had a weekly column in AG, and presented The Joy of Gardening and Charlie’s Garden Army, as well as Chelsea Flower Show coverage. She is currently a member of the team presenting BBC’s Garden Rescue, a series on garden transformations.…

A well-grown runner bean can yield 1-2.3lb (0.5-1kg) of beans in a season. A single wigwam of six canes in a 2ft (60cm) circle, with two plants per cane, would be plenty for a small household over summer and early autumn. Halo blight (pictured) is a seed-borne disease that produces circular lesions on the leaves. Plants are weakened, and leaves turn yellow and drop. There’s no cure, so you need to destroy affected plants. Fifty years ago, in the 1969 Oxford Book of Food Plants, runner beans were described as ‘by far the most popular green bean in Britain’.…

FINDING myself glued to your magazine with great interest, I felt the need to show you what I have created in my garden. Apart from being a newbie gardener, my other passion is sewing and making dresses. So here’s a picture of my combined hobbies. I’ve named her ‘Helen and the beanskirt’ – constructed using my old mannequin and by growing the beans from scratch. I’m really proud! I am so looking forward to picking and eat the beans… Helen Cutting, Norfolk…