Innholdsfortegnelse for 21-Sep-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“It is interesting to consider how our relationship with flowers has changed over the years. Senior readers may recall when the well-dressed gent would complete his sartorial ensemble with a flower in the buttonhole of his jacket. Ladies, too, would regularly comple their dress with a floral tribute. What a lovely finishing touch, and what a shame that aside from weddings the practice is now moribund. On page 48, we have reprinted AG’s advice on building bottonholes from 13 June 1896 – perhaps we could revive the trend!”…

1 Dig the new hole large enough to take the rootball. Rough up the sides of the hole on claggy clay soils to help the roots spread. Add compost. 2 Then dig deeply around the roots of your tree (use the span of the branches as a rough guide), lifting it from the soil as you go. 3 This is where you need another person opposite you to help lever the tree and its stake. Carefully raise it so the roots are severed from the soil. 4 Water the roots well and wrap them in plastic. This helps prevent dehydration and keeps a coating of protective soil around the roots. 5 Place the rootball and stake in the new hole, making sure it is perpendicular, then start to infill with…

YOU need to look sharpish if you want to sow some hardy annuals to flower early next summer. You can wait until spring to sow, of course, but those that get a head start now will put on an earlier show than those that are sown later. Sowing in two batches – now and after the worst of the winter has passed next year – also means you will get a long show of blooms. September is also traditionally when you should start your sweet peas. The seedlings of these quintessentially English flowers can then be overwintered in a well-ventilated coldframe or greenhouse, grown on and planted out where you want them to perform next spring. This is also your last chance to harvest any seeds from this year’s annuals.…

TWO visits last month to seed trial grounds gave me timely reminders of things to do this month, different approaches to growing crops, and news of very interesting salad and vegetable novelties likely to arrive in the new season catalogues. “We could be cutting fresh salad in four weeks” Mr Fothergill’s had a range of very healthy-looking salad leaf cultivars in growbags, a set-up available to pretty well every householder, even those with no soil. They had cut two squares out of the bags to leave a strap across the centre for support. The second visit saw more salad leaves, this time growing in large pots, half-sown a week earlier than the other to ensure a succession of foliage to cut. Following these leads and sowing now, we could be…

1 Well-rotted manure is an excellent soil food and is cheaply available from farms and stables. 2 Homemade compost should be a mix of green and brown garden waster and kitchen peelings. It is an excellent soil improver. 3 Straw and bark mulches are excellent for protecting plants in winter and help feed the soil at the same time. 4 Leave a few fallen leaves on the soil. They will be pulled into the ground by worms or break down naturally.…

WE make huge efforts to get our ornamental bedding plants going early. We rush to have them potted up, hardened off, planted out and putting on a show as soon as we can – no problem there. But isn’t it odd that we then let them slide away in autumn without making the slightest effort? “Autumns have become milder over recent years” Now if you live in a cold, windswept place this may not apply to you, but for many of us – especially those in towns – the autumns have become milder over recent years. Light frosts may come and go, but for several years we have had fairly tender summer subjects going on into early winter. I’ve had flushes of pelargoniums, lobelias and fuchsias until almost Christmas in…

AS a gardening community, we all want to recycle our prunings, reduce waste going into landfill and generate an invaluable growing medium, so home-composting should definitely be encouraged. But is it only feasible for those of us with larger plots? Not on your nelly! Let’s look at the secrets to creating great compost… Composting basics To make home compost, you need a balance between woody and sappy plant materials, plus adequate warmth and moisture. Tree and shrub prunings, dried-up stems of herbaceous perennials like asters, heleniums and phlox are good woody examples. If anything is brown, brittle and dry, it’s woody. Grass clippings, potato peelings and leafy green hedge trimmings all constitute sappy material; if it’s moist, it’s sappy. Aim for a good blend of these in your compost mix…

ARE you staring at a wheelbarrow’s worth of unripe tomatoes? Have your butternuts yet to develop their peachy tones? Are you frantically Googling ‘green pepper recipes’? You’re not alone! This summer and the last are like chalk and cheese: the heatwave of 2018 is now a distant memory. But while this summer was a washout, there are tricks to help ripen up sun-loving crops. Cut off anything that doesn’t stand a chance of maturing to focus the plant’s energy into ripening what remains. Get heat to the plants – be that by moving potted plants into the sunniest spot you have, cloching crops to retain warmth at night, or cutting off shading foliage to expose fruits to the sun. Exert root stress by part-lifting crops out of the earth and…

1 Kiwi fruits and berries need a long season to ripen, but they should start doing so now . Gently squeeze the fruits – if they give slightly , they’re ready to harvest. 2 Autumn-planted garlic gives rise to larger cloves than spring-planted equivalents. With that in mind, now is the time to place your orders for this November task. 3 Do you garden on a clay soil that needs lightening, or do you fancy growing a few autumn/winter crops in pots? Spent growbag compost is perfect for both. 4 Encourage celeriac ‘bulbs ’ to form by regularly removing the lower leaves of each plant. Don ’t overdo it: you just want to expose the creamy shoulders. 5 Fancy sowing something different to speedy salad leaves and summer radishes under…

Bellis perennis Bellissima A daisy with masses of pom-pom flowers in white, pink and red, all with a yellow eye. Plants flower from September to November and February to April. Pansy Matrix This 8in (20cm)-tall gem produces large flowers in a mixture of vibrant shades. The first flowers appear in late autumn and continue until late May. Cyclamen persicum Florist’s cyclamen produce blooms in white, pink and red, above a cluster of silvery marbled leaves. They are hardy to -4°C, so are perfect for mild locations. Primrose Husky Mixed These primroses will flower in the most dismal weather. Ideal in sun or semi-shade, they boast vibrant blooms that are lightly perfumed. Viola x wittrockiana Sweeties A viola that only grows to around…

Wear gloves and keep your sleeves rolled down when working with berberis. Prune evergreen species by lightly trimming off dead heads after flowering, and evening up the shape. If you want berries, shaping up is all you need do. On maturing deciduous varieties, cut about a quarter of the main branches back to the ground after flowering. Trim back shoots that have flowered, taking them to new shoots or bursting buds. Powdery mildew can be a problem in hot, dry summers. To help combat it, soak the roots and apply a weed-free, moisture-retentive mulch. Watch out for berberis sawfly, whose larvae eat the leaves. Use your preferred method of control.…

Work out whether full sun or a cooler, humus-rich semi-shaded position would be best for the anemone you are growing but always plant in well-drained soil. Set tubers 1-2in (2½-5cm) deep and any way up, as they are hard to fathom and will sort themselves out. In colder areas, plant tubers of sun-loving Anemone coronaria cultivars in pots to bring under glass. In borders, protect early growth with fleece or frames. Alternatively, plant in spring. A potting compost of 50:50 John Innes No2 and soilless multi-purpose with a little added grit works well. Water in but carefully thereafter as they gradually come into growth. After flowering, the foliage of tuberous anemones should be left alone to die back naturally at some point during summer.…

Geum ‘Prinses Juliana’ With semi-double tangerine flowers held on slender stems, this geum works well in the front-to-middle of a border. Deadhead to enjoy flowers from June through to September. Sun or semi-shade. H: 2ft (60cm). Kniphofia ‘Nobilis’ AGM A red-hot poker with bold red-orange torches on tall, sturdy stems that will smoulder at the back of the border from July to September. Grow in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in full sun. H: 5-6½ft (1½-2m). Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ AGM Features burnt orange daisies that morph and streak through shades of yellow, bronze and fox red as they age. Flowers from June to October. Needs well-drained soil in sun. H: 39in (1m). Fritillaria imperialis ‘Orange Beauty’ An impressive crown imperial – perfect for…

Centaurea ‘Jordy’ The claret purple blooms of this perennial cornflower are striking from late spring. After flowering, cut back stems and remove leaves to encourage fresh growth and further blooms. Sun or semi-shade. H: 20in (50cm). Salvia microphylla ‘Cerro Potosí’ AGM With aromatic evergreen leaves (which are said to reduce rose sickness) plus months of flowers in a shocking pink shade, this is a fabulous baby sage. Plant in well-drained soil in sun. H: 3ft (90cm). Achillea ‘Terracotta’ Brown, cream and pale bronze flowers work well with bright orange. Mellow yarrow ‘Terracotta’, with flowerheads that morph from rust to cream, is a fine example. Needs well-drained soil and a position in full sun. H: 3ft (90cm).…

Hakonechloa macra AGM Swaying mounds of slender green leaves that make soft, verdant ground cover. Likes cool, moist soil in some shade. H&S: 16in (40cm). Pachysandra terminalis A slow spreader with rosettes of glossy, apple green, serrated-edged leaves, plus fragrant white flowers in late spring. HxS: 8x39in (20cmx1m). Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ AGM The delicate lemon yellow flowers appear just as the acer leaves start to unfurl. Foliage forms a low-growing carpet of heart-shaped leaves. H&S: 1ft (30cm).…

Q Could you recommend some unusual bulbs for me to grow other than the usual daffodils, tulips and hyacinths, along with some tips on how to help them come up every year? Andrea Forsyth, Harrogate, North Yorkshire A Growing plants from bulbs or other storage organs like corms, tubers and rhizomes is magical, and expanding a collection can be addictive. At a rough count, I must have at least 10 fairly unusual hardy genera, and another seven tender types flowering mainly in spring and summer. This autumn, I intend to plant pots of South African corn lily (ixia) corms and bulbs of Calochortus albus to grow under unheated glass. For open situations of sun or partial shade, glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) are easy, hardy and come in white, purple,…

1 Fit the inlet pipe at the top of the butt and the tap at the base, fixing securely with washers and nuts supplied. Position the butt on a stand on solid, level ground with the inlet pipe in easy reach of the downpipe. 2 Use a spirit level to take a line from the bottom edge of the butt inlet pipe to the gutter downpipe. Mark it and make a horizontal cut through the downpipe. Cut a further section if required (read instructions). 3 Loosen the lower downpipe clamp screws. Slide the rain diverter cover onto the top section of downpipe, fit the diverter beneath, then slide the bottom downpipe section onto the base. Pull all together and tighten the downpipe clamp. 4 Measure and cut a suitable length…

YOU may have seen in the press, including last week’s AG, that the UK is in the grip of a cauliflower crisis. June’s heavy rains in Lincolnshire rotted much of this year’s crop. And France, the Netherlands and Italy, from where we import cauliflowers, suffered similar losses following a heatwave. Growers from these countries are demanding £3 a cauliflower, compared with the normal wholesale price of 60p. If you grow cauliflowers at home or on an allotment, you could be sitting on a goldmine! Let’s look at some facts about cauliflowers! The ‘head’ of a cauliflower, containing the ‘florets’ is also called the ‘curd’, as it resembles cheese curd (essentially, cottage cheese). Climate for cauliflowers WHEN it comes to growing cauliflowers, either at home or in a farmer’s field, the…

IT was on this day, nine years ago, that TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh’s fourth autobiographical work, When I was a Nipper, was published. His previous works included Trowel & Error (2002) and Knave of Spades (2009). In at least three of his books, Alan (pictured) credits me as the person responsible for putting him on television – kind of! We were both young, eager garden writers on AG, he a little more senior to me. One day he asked everyone in the office how he could get on TV. I handed him a letter from the BBC that had been sitting on my desk, asking for people to try out for broadcasting. He did it. I didn’t. And, several million pounds later, I am not the slightest bit bitter. Sniff!…

RAMBLERS of various types, also hybrid climbers other than climbing sports, fall into two main groups. The first group, typified by ‘American Pillar’ and ‘Dorothy Perkins’, makes most of its new growth from the base. The second group, typified by ‘Albéric Barbier’ and ‘Paul’s Scarlet Climber’, makes a little basal growth but most new wood from higher up. Both groups are pruned as soon as possible after flowering. 1. Here is a typical example of a rambler rose trained against a pergola fence. With the first group, the old flowering canes are cut right out as near the base of the plant as possible. 2. Here is the rose from the first group after this type of pruning. 3. With the second group, only an occasional old cane is cut…

THE dormant months of autumn and winter are when we can do much to care for our deciduous trees and shrubs. Once the leaves have fallen (and been collected for leafmould) and the sap has retreated down the trunk, we can prune and reshape most trees ready for the following year. (See the panel, right, for varieties that should only be pruned in the summer months). Although it is still a few weeks too early to prune trees and shrubs, there are various tasks you can perform, including harvesting tree and shrub seeds. Another job you can take care of if you live south of the border or have a sheltered garden is to give evergreen shrubs and hedges a final trim before the colder weather arrives. Early autumn is…

1 Cut back and deadhead marginal plants to 6in (15cm) above the water surface. Non-hardy varieties should be removed and stored before the first frosts or wrapped in fleece, if possible. 2 Remove and clean pumps and filters. Do so before any pond fish go to ground in semi-hibernation among the silt at the bottom of the pond to avoid disturbing them. 3 Fish will be preparing to overwinter and gradually become more sluggish and less hungry. Change their feed to a low-protein variety that is easier to digest, and remove any leftovers before they rot. 4 Remove blanket weed and duckweed covering the surface of the pond as it will block light to oxygenating plants. Never use weedkiller as it will kill all the other plants and water creatures,…

Perennials that flowered this summer now need cutting back. This keeps them tidy and removes broken, dead and dying material that can be an entry point for pests and diseases. Leave emerging new growth as it will keep some interest in borders for the next few weeks. If it is badly battered by autumn storms, or blackened by frosts in winter, cut it right back and mulch the root area with bark chips, compost, manure or straw. Leave the crown uncovered to stop it rotting. The plant will rejuvenate next spring.…

Sowing hardy annuals seeds is one of the easiest ways to create a wash of colour next year. Start by preparing your soil, removing stones and weeds and then raking it one way, then the other, until you have created a fine, crumbly tilth that’s free of clumps. Scatter your seeds as thinly as possible in natural arcs and curves. If you are sowing for cut flowers, you will find it easier to harvest them if you sow in straight lines or drills. Cover the seeds with a fine covering of soil or compost. You can water the seedbed before or after sowing using a can fitted with a fine rose.…

1 Sweet Corn ‘Picasso’ F1, from New York State breeding, has red tassels and outer husk to give an edible ornamental. Cob kernels are yellow and white. 2 A Czech long-torpedo shallot from seed, called ‘Karminka’, is dark red, almost black. It is an ideal long oval shape for slicing. 3 Sugar snap peas with succulent edible pods such as ‘Sugar Lace’ are replacing shelling garden peas. 4 Early ripening bush tomato ‘Losetto’ F1 with blight resistance has good flavour (widely available).…

1 Plant out garlic cloves and autumn-planting shallots (and daffodils, too) so they can start into growth before the soil cools any more. 2 Take hardwood cuttings (1ft/ 30cm shoots) of currants, gooseberries, roses and most shrubs now before their leaves fall. 3 As you prune, tie bundles of offcuts into neat cylinders to hide inside evergreens and make insect hotels. 4 Spike balding patches of turf with a fork, over-sow with grass seed, brush in and then brush in some spent potting compost.…

1 ‘Dalek’ bin: This standard plastic compost bin is small enough to fit on most plots – if you have room for two side by side (one empty and one filled), turning becomes a cinch. Insulate it to ensure sufficient heat. 2 Wormery: While some composting does occur in a wormery, users also rely on the action of tiger worms to devour garden waste. This allows the designs to be more compact as sufficient heat isn’t essential. 3 Bokashi: Ideal for gardeners who have no garden! This super-compact method relies on fermentation and pickling your green waste, rather than composting. Designs are available to fit on to your kitchen worktop.…

WITH packets of vegetable seeds readily available in garden centres, you may question the idea of saving your own. Let’s explore two schools of thought. If you want to grow a named variety with set characteristics, buy packet seeds or save seed from simple-to-collect veg. But if you fancy a bit of trial and error, breeding your own locally tuned-in veg selection, why not try it? Flower type is key: some vegetable blooms self-pollinate readily (such as French beans and tomatoes), so saving a named variety is easy. Others readily cross-pollinate (such as carrots and onions), so either leave these to the seed merchants or have a bit of fun collecting homegrown seed and see what you end up with. You might accidentally breed a real winner!…

WHY on earth is this little bulb given such a strange name? Let me explain. This onion (Allium cepa Proliferum Group) is rather unusual in that it produces clumps of beautiful shallot-sized bulbs at its base but then, when most other alliums throw up a flower spike in late spring, the walking onion spike is topped with tiny little bulbils. As these swell, the top-heavy spike eventually topples over, and the bulbils root where they fall. Give plants a couple of years to do this (they’re fully hardy so can be left alone) and they might just walk straight off your plot! Another common name for this bulb, the tree onion, arose because the bulbil spike often throws out a secondary branch topped with yet more bulbils. A talking point…

IF you’ve ever had a run-in with berberis you’ll already know that they are thorny plants. But their prickly nature, as it turns out, is actually quite a good thing, and although you need gloves when pruning, those thorns have two distinct advantages. First, they ensure that a berberis is a safe place for a bird to make a nest. Cats – not to mention magpies and jays – are too smart to risk trying to get into a berberis to prey on nestlings, and small birds can sneak in unharmed. Second, if you live on a busy street and want to deter people from detouring through your garden on the way home from an overindulgent night out… well, a berberis hedge will definitely do that! Spring flowers Fortunately, there’s…

GEOFF Hamilton once told me that the best way to stop the postman taking a shortcut across your front garden was to plant a berberis, either as a specimen in a crucial spot, or as a hedge. Just remember that those thorns cut both ways, so to speak. You need stout gloves when clipping and, more to the point, if young children use the garden they can be scratched badly if they fall into a berberis hedge. Evergreen B. x stenophylla is one of the best of all hedging plants, with dense, twiggy growth and arching branches lined with small deep-green leaves and golden April flowers. Other good bets include purple-leaved ‘Concorde’ – dwarf and deciduous, it can be clipped into a low flowering hedge – or upright varieties like…

Anemone blanda Perfect for woodland or rock garden-style ground cover, this easy-going anemone blooms in spring at 6in (15cm) with blue, pink or white flowers. Anemone coronaria ‘The Bride’ This sun-loving species and its cultivars are known as poppy-flowered anemones. This one bears single, pure white blooms with green centres and bright orange stamens at 10in (25cm) high. Anemone coronaria ‘Bordeaux’ Large blooms are wine red with dark centres and make sumptuous cut flowers. Grows to 10in (25cm) high. Anemone nemorosa ‘Robinsoniana’ A cultivar of the native wood anemone. Its blooms are lavender blue on stems rising to 8in (10cm) tall, opening against delicate-looking purple-tinged foliage.…

Get these beauties in the ground now: Grow orange California poppies (Eschscholzia californica ‘Orange King’) through gravel for stunning effect. Sow now for flowers next year. Combine orange tulips (such as ‘Brown Sugar’, ‘Prinses Irene’ and ‘Hermitage’) with lime-gold spurges like Euphorbia epithymoides, for zingy colour in April and May. Plant swathes of orange wallflowers (try ‘Apricot Twist’) with graceful grasses such as Stipa tenuissima and Anemanthele lessoniana.…

Plant now, in moist but well-drained, fertile and (ideally) slightly acidic soil. When choosing your site, remember that acers need some shelter from cold winds and midday sun. Mulch in spring with compost or leafmould, keeping the mulch away from the stems to avoid rot. Avoid pruning as it can spoil their natural shape. Only prune out crossing/damaged branches, or any plain green shoots on variegated cultivars. If you prune, November to January is the only time to do so – prune outside these months and cuts will bleed sap, which can weaken the tree.…

How do I care for my unknown plants? Q We just moved house and these pretty plants are growing in our new garden. What are they and how do we care for them? Jenny Reville, Sidcup, Kent A These popular plants are called Liatris spicata, and the common name is blazing star or gayfeather. Liatris is a tuberous perennial that dies down completely during the winter. The spikes of flowers are produced in late summer. Unfortunately, they only flower once, but it is a good idea to remove the flower spikes as they start to fade to discourage the energy-using task of producing seed. Taking the flowerheads off encourages the plant to put all its energies into the leaves and roots for strong growth the following year. However, remember to…

Erythronium ‘Kondo’: A hybrid dog’s-tooth violet that has yellow flowers with backswept petals open over slightly marbled leaves in spring. Plant bulbs 3in (8cm) deep in humus-rich, well-drained soil. Reaches 8in (20cm) tall. Fritillaria imperialis: The crown imperial from Turkey and Kashmir grows from a large, foxy-smelling bulb. Plant 6in (15cm) deep in well-drained soil. Stems reach to 4ft (1.2m). Watch for lily beetle. Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’: A vigorous reticulata type, its intricately shaded flowers open at 5in (13cm) high. Lovely in a container to brighten a doorway in late winter. Plant bulbs 2-3in (5-8cm) deep. Ipheion uniflorum: From Argentina and Uruguay. Plant bulbs 2in (5cm) deep in sun and well-drained soil, for starry white, pink, blue or mauve flowers at 8in (20cm) high in spring. Leaves appear in autumn.…

Water butt: Large receptacle, usually plastic and barrel-shaped, for collecting rainwater. Rain diverter: A mechanism fitted in line with a gutter downpipe to automatically channel water to a butt until it is full, then divert water back into the downpipe. Water-butt stand: Platform designed to raise the water butt to a suitable height so you can get a watering can under the butt tap. Downpipe: Pipe taking rainwater from the roof gutters on the eves of a house or shed to a drain or soakaway at ground level.…

CAULIFLOWERS are an excellent source of vitamin C and folate, and a good source of fibre and vitamin K. T They are a also rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, both thought to play a role in preventing chronic diseases. But, like most vegetables, cauliflower is most nutritious when eaten raw. If you overcook it, especially as we Brits often do – to a mush – those nutrients are lost. How some experts cook cauliflower: add a little lemon juice to just over 1in (3cm) of water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add the cauliflower so the stalks (not the florets) are submerged. Replace the lid and boil for 8-10 minutes; don’t stir. The cooked florets should be slightly crisp. Drain thoroughly before serving.…

The word ‘cauliflower’ comes from the Latin words caulis (cabbage) and flōs (flower). The reputation cauliflower has had for alleviating arthritis was one reason why Catherine de Medici introduced it to France in 1533, its first real breakout from Italy, which was the first European country to establish cauliflower in its haute cuisine. Cauliflower is highly versatile, often used as couscous, rice, pizza bases, macaroni and cheese, mashed potato and gnocchi, as well as in curries and pickles. Romanesco varieties of cauliflower – aren’t! They are more accurately forms of broccoli as they are edible flower buds, while true cauliflower curds are swollen flower stems. When compared to a traditional cauli, the texture of Romanesco (see above) is far more crunchy, and more delicate and nutty in flavour. This extract…

I HAD to write to you regarding a question by a lady in Kent, who asked John Negus, “Can I grow hardy bananas outside?” (AG, 24 August). I live in Greater Manchester and the bananas in my garden are 10-12ft (3-3½m) tall, and about 10 years old. The hardy green one [Musa basjoo], at the back of my border, is in the ground and protected in the winter with wrapping, but my pride and joy is the red-leaved Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’. It comes under cover every winter, breaking my heart when I have to trim all but the growing tip to get it in the greenhouse, but it soon perks up the following year after the frosts, and races away for another season. Patricia Johnston, Bury, Lancs Ragwort rules I…

BACK when I worked in a botanic garden, a friend took on the unenviable job of pruning a rare specimen varnish tree. With its fern-like foliage, Toxicodendron vernicifluum is as beautiful as it is useful, as in its native China the sticky sap is applied to pots and furniture as a lacquer. But woe betide the luckless tree surgeon who traps the sticky sap in his Kevlar trousers! Pete did just that, and spent the next week ‘legs akimbo’ in the rare diseases ward of the hospital, prodded by an endless stream of medical students. Varnish trees aren’t widely planted outside of botanic gardens, but there is a clan of sap-oozers that are, and they can bring you out in a similar rash. “Long-sleeved clothes and gloves are a must”…

Plums, apricots, almonds, cherries and their families should only be pruned in high summer to avoid infection by silver leaf disease. The disease is caused by the fungal spores of Chondrostereum purpureum that are active between September and May. Symptoms include a silvery sheen on leaves followed by dying branches that reveal dark interior stains when cut. You can control the problem by only pruning vulnerable species in summer when spores are inactive and disinfecting cutting equipment after each job. If it is a recurring problem, using protective paint such as Neudorff Prune and Seal on pruning wounds may help.…

Rotting leaves cause a silt build-up Lay netting over your pond to collect fallen deciduous leaves, or lift them out each day and then add them to the compost heap. If left in the water they will rot down and become silt at the bottom of the pond. If your pond starts to pong it means there is not enough oxygen in the water. This means the rotting process (called the nitrogen cycle) can’t compete with the production of methane and hydrogen sulphide, which are poisonous to fish and other pond inhabitants. If this happens, dredge out some of the collected silt using a flat-edged dipping net. Do this early in autumn before any fish or invertebrates and their nymphs go into hibernation, taking care to put any creatures and…

1 The perennial that’s being moved should be watered first, soaking the roots and making it easier to lift. 2 Cut a large ‘X’ in the fabric, peel it back, dig a planting hole and add some slow-release fertiliser. 3 Dig widely and deeply around the plant’s root area and lift it from the ground with as much soil as possible. 4 Place the plant in its new home and water the rootball and surrounding hole generously. 5 Infill around the roots with removed soil and added compost. Replace the membrane and cover with more soil. 6 Water well once again and make sure your plant doesn’t dry out while it gets established.…

1 Start sweet peas in Rootrainers of dampened seed compost. Or sow several in a large pot or the cardboard insides of loo rolls. 2 Cover the seeds and put them in a coldframe or greenhouse. Keep the soil damp and remove the lid after germination. 3 When the seedlings have developed two pairs of leaves, pinch out the top pair to create bushier plants with more flowers. 4 Keep seedlings well ventilated to avoid botrytis grey mould. Cover with fleece when a hard freeze is forecast.…

SOIL that has been used to grow crops over the summer will be depleted of many essential nutrients now, and in need of some rest and recuperation before the next growing season. There are several ways of revitalising the earth, but one of the easiest is sowing green manures. These are largely members of the legume family (alfalfa, clover, fenugreek and bitter lupin), plus tansy and grasses such as grazing rye and buckwheat. The widely available seeds are sown and left to grow, and they will mop up and store nutrients in the soil. They also provide thick ground cover, preventing weeds from gaining a foothold, and their roots stop soil being washed away in periods of bad weather. They are fast-growing and you can either leave them to mature…

21: Photography Morning: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 22: Rare Plant Fair: Llanover House, Llanover, near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 9EF. ✆ 01278 661352, rareplantfair.co.uk 23: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr 24: Garden Tours with the Friends of Harlow Carr: RHS Harlow Carr 27: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr 28: Understanding the Garden Environment: RHS Wisley 30: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr October  1: Autumn Free Day: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/hyde-hall 1: Autumn Free Day: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor…

I WAS lucky enough to bump into the wildlife expert, conservationist and TV presenter Chris Packham at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in Surrey because BBC’s Springwatch programme had a wildlife garden there. I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to him, because he was either having his picture taken with groups of heat-stressed schoolchildren, or he was being interviewed on his phone. I’m a great fan of his and I was very honoured that Chris wrote a foreword for my book, The Living Jigsaw. It began, “At last a gardening book that gets it.” “Insects are in decline, and that’s bad news” When the book came out I discovered that Chris – and I hope he won’t mind me saying this – is a…

A high-nitrogen liquid feed makes a good supplement if your compost materials look too dry and woody. Wood shavings (pet litter) and scrunched-up newspaper are handy materials to soak up any excess moisture. Keep smaller compost heaps sufficiently warm by placing them in full sun and insulating with an old woollen blanket. Rotting is optimised by using materials with a large surface area – passing them through a shredder works wonders. Regularly turn materials over so that all will experience some time in the central, hottest part of the pile. Rodents can be deterred from invading your heap if you cover any access points over with some fine chicken wire.…

1 As apples become ready to pick, the joint between the stalk and spur (a cluster of cells known as the abscission layer) weakens. Cup and twist the fruit to see if it parts from the tree. 2 If you see windfalls on the ground under the tree, a weak abscission layer is developing. Carry out step 1 as a priority; not all the apples on one tree will be ready at once, so test each fruit individually. 3 When you pick, the apple will either readily part from the tree or show resistance. Don’t tug on stubborn fruits – this can cause the whole twig or spur to come away, along with next year’s fruit buds.…

A MILD start to autumn will extend the life of summer bedding plants, but it won’t be long until those tender so-and-sos call it a day. Don’t mourn the loss of colour, though – simply replace it with some fresh seasonal plants that have a more robust constitution and you can enjoy a cracking show over the cooler months ahead. At this time of year, garden centres and nurseries are chock-a-block with young bedding plants that will provide interest from autumn into spring, depending on the variety. These can be combined in containers or in the ground with shrubs, conifers and grasses sold in small pots, along with evergreen trailing plants. Pansies, primroses, polyanthus, cyclamen and violas are among the autumn and winter-flowering bedding stalwarts, while forget-me-nots, large-flowered bedding daisies…

Plant deciduous varieties at almost any time of year; plant evergreen types in autumn or spring. Choose a site in sun or partial shade; flowering and fruiting are usually more prolific in full sun. Although most berberis will cope well with poor soils, improving conditions by digging in some weed-free organic soil improver (such as manure) is advisable. Cut back all berberis by a third to a half immediately after planting – this will encourage bushy growth. Ensure that spring-planted berberis are watered well during any dry spells in their first summer.…

Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ AGM An alum root with evergreen leaves that blush shades of rose bronze and amber on the upper surface, while the undersides glow pink. Pink-stemmed brownish flowers appear in June. Sun or semi-shade. H: 10in (25cm). Anemanthele lessoniana AGM New Zealand wind grass forms an arching clump of slender leaves, the foliage warming to copper in summer and autumn, when it’s joined by pink flowerheads. Grow in well-drained soil, in sun or semi-shade. H: 21/2ft (75cm). Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’ More than living up to its name, this sedge has slender, arching orange-flushed evergreen leaves that burn red and gold in autumn and winter. Good for well-drained pots or borders, in sun or semi-shade. H: 20in (50cm). Dryopteris erythrosora AGM…

‘Bi Ho’ The leaves of this relative newcomer blaze orange in autumn. Its neat, upright habit is well suited to containers or small spaces, and in winter the fabulous orange-yellow bark makes it one of the best small trees for year-round interest. H&S: 6 1/2ft (2m). ‘Red Pygmy’ AGM One of the smallest acers, featuring wispy, finger-like leaves that are deep purple in summer before morphing into a fiery combination of orange, yellow and scarlet as the weather turns colder. H&S: 5ft (1½m). ‘Chiyo-hime’ Sometimes sold as ‘Little Princess’, which is the English translation of its Japanese name. Claret-coloured leaves unfurl in spring, fade to green and then transform again in autumn, becoming yellow and orange. H&S: 5ft (1½m). ‘Garnet’ AGM An acer with an especially attractive yet compact, rounded…

Q What is this plant, please? Mrs L Mills, Southend-on-Sea, Essex A It is a British native called white bryony (Bryonia dioica). Its sculpted leaves are a joy and green berries follow the flowers, turning red. Although poisonous, it was once used medicinally and is worth having for autumn and winter colour. Q Can I store potatoes in their compost? Esme Reid, via email A So long as the foliage was healthy and free from blight disease, potato tubers can be left buried until you are ready to use them, though dig them up them before November when frosts threaten. Q What is this stunning plant? Emma Broughton, via email A The plant is an evening primrose (Oenothera). There are several species and varieties, but yours are probably O. biennis,…

DROUGHTS in spring, floods in summer – the weather in the UK is becoming more extreme and unpredictable each year, which means saving rainwater when it falls can be a lifesaver for your garden. Most traditionally built houses have gutters and downpipes to channel rainwater into soakaways or drains. Catching this water for use on your garden in dry spells will take pressure off the drain network, helping to ease the flood risk, and save money on your water bill. Diverting the rain Simply sticking the end of a downpipe from the roof gutter into a water butt might seem like a good idea, but it’s not as you’ll risk a flood when it overflows. Fit a cheap and simple rain diverter instead. When fitted correctly, this will automatically direct…

Do ✓ Buy the biggest butt you can accommodate . Small butts will quickly run dry . ✓ Buy a water butt with a cover , and keep it covered to prevent debris blocking the tap and mosquitoes breeding . ✓ Loosen the on the lower section after clamp sawing through the downpipe before trying to fit the diverter . Don’t ✗ Cut or drill without first anything reading the instructions provided with your water butt and diverter kit. They all vary ✗ Install a butt without it on a stand . mounting – you must be able to get a watering can under the tap . ✗ Forget to turn the tap to the ‘off ’ ’ position when you ve finished installing the butt.…

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 (34in), meaning you can get to weeds no matter where they are, leaving your garden beautifully weed-free. Using just one hand, and at the click of a button, you can release the precise amount of gel needed to target the weeds without risk to other nearby plants. We have one bundle to give away, worth £32.50. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Roundup Draw (21 September), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2,…

FASHION in gentlemen’s buttonholes inclines towards size and the use of one predominant flower. Little finicking arrangements of several small flowers look unfashionable and paltry. To make buttonholes well, extreme neatness is necessary, every bit of superfluous greenery must be stripped off the stalks of the flowers used, and they must then be wired together very tightly. When the stalks are of a sticky or juicy nature, a little lead paper wound round under the wire will save the coat from harm. The buttonholes composed of one flower only, such as violets, lily of the valley and rosebuds, require no explanation; they are best made up with their own green. Carnations are great favourites for buttonholes, and last longer than most flowers; one ordinary-sized carnation is not sufficient, three of…

I WAS interested in the article that appeared in the 135 years AG special. I think a great debt is owed to the first editor, Shirley Hibberd. He had vision and a belief that practical advice would help create a new breed of gardener, one willing to absorb knowledge and develop skills to help the household budget by growing food for the table and an absorbing hobby to focus on during two World Wars, when morale was at its lowest. He made getting your hands dirty fashionable at a time when ridicule on the subject was rife. But, like all gardeners, he had perseverance and his legacy continues today. Mrs Gloria Wilding, Prescot, Merseyside I DO hope you are interested in my late mother’s printed copies of AG. Each Saturday,…

IF left unpruned, garden spurges such as Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii and E. x pasteuri topple over. They have two types of growth – fresh stems that rise from the base every summer that will flower next year, and spent stems that have already bloomed, and it’s these that should be removed. Cover up your arms, and saw or snip the older stems as near to the ground as you can. After pruning, clean saws by cutting into an old piece of timber. Clean secateurs after the sap has dried with WD40 and a wire brush, followed by a cloth to polish up the blades.…