Innholdsfortegnelse for 28-Sep-2019 i Amateur Gardening

“You may recall that I planted 21 containers with four potato varieties: ‘Red Duke of York’, ‘Kestral’, ‘King Edward’ and ‘Pink Fir Apple’. Well, I emptied the last two bags recently and sadly ‘Pink Fir Apple’ were a waste of time: too small, and the harvest was low. The ‘King Edward’ faired better, but the real stars were ‘Kestral’ and ‘Red Duke of York’ – the latter the best eater. I know what I’ll be planting more of next year!”…

EVEN the milder areas of the UK get too cold and waterlogged for most tender perennials to survive, so you need to lift and store them somewhere frost-free. Dig them up keeping plenty of soil around the roots, pot them up in John Innes No2 or multi-purpose compost, water and store in a greenhouse, light porch or cool spare room. Water after lifting and then you shouldn’t need to do so more than once or twice through winter until you want to start them into growth next spring. Don’t feed them during their winter dormancy as this may spur them into regrowth. Throughout winter keep horticultural fleece handy to throw over plants on frosty nights and prolonged periods of cold. Evergreen agapanthus are not as hardy as their deciduous relatives,…

IT’S at this time of year that thoughts turn to the harvest and reaping the rewards of the year’s growing efforts. For the 68 RHS Britain in Bloom UK finalists they’ll also be waiting with bated breath to see whether their dedication will have resulted in a much-coveted gold medal or even a category win. Five very different communities In the running to be crowned Champion of Champions are five very different communities hailing from all four corners of the UK and representing the competition’s cream of the crop. As the judges continue their deliberations, here’s the lowdown on who might take home this much-celebrated community gardening award. The results will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the historic RHS Lindley Hall in London on 25 October. We’ll…

In late September, withhold watering and let the plants gradually dry out. They may die back as a result. Cut any spent flower spikes and yellowed leaves to the base. Keeping them in their pots, place the plants in a cool place, such as a greenhouse or garage (light is not necessary) for one-two months. Start them back into growth by bringing them indoors into the light and resuming watering and feeding. Hippeastrums need repotting every two or three years in January to March after flowering.…

TAKING hardwood cuttings is one of the easiest ways to propagate trees, shrubs and fruit bushes. The cuttings are taken when the plants are dormant and are then left for up to a year to allow root development and growth. You can either strike your cuttings in a sandy trench in a sheltered area of the garden or in a clay pot that is overwintered in a coldframe or greenhouse. Clay pots are preferable as they are slightly porous, which helps promote airflow around the roots and lessens the chance of waterlogging. Your cuttings should develop leaves and grow next spring and summer, which shows they have taken and developed roots. Depending on how robust their root systems are, they can then be potted up in autumn or planted out…

SUNNY calendulas are one of the easiest hardy annuals to grow in the garden. It literally is a case of ‘you sow, they grow’, and despite this simplicity, they bring a wealth of benefits to your borders. Not only do they provide a pop of colour, but they also make excellent cut flowers, and supply nectar and seeds for pollinators and birds. The petals are used to decorate salads, and due to the healing properties of calendula, Gertrude Jekyll grew fields of them to send to field hospitals in France during the First World War. This week’s free seeds are calendula ‘Pot Marigold Nova’, a single-bloom flower with vibrant petals in sunshine hues. Although they share a name, they are not related to French or African marigolds, which are called…

IF we wish to make our gardens more wildlife-friendly, we need to choose more carefully how we fill it. It’s no good just letting it all go berserk and calling that a wildlife area. “It’s no good just letting it all go berserk” Although unkempt gardens are marginally better for wildlife than over-manicured ones, they’re nowhere near ideal. At the other extreme, some neatly trimmed grass sward is not out of place – in moderation, bunnies create nearly the same naturally – and short grass benefits many critters big and small, but not as many as that same area left to become long grass, which would then sustain a larger, different mix of critters. An old-fashioned mixed meadow would be near-ideal, but the problem is that pretty flowering plants soon…

IS your fruit garden bursting with produce? Thanks to this year’s wetter summer, many of us are faced with gluts galore, so what should you do with all this abundance? The simple answer is to preserve it. A chest freezer can only hold so much produce, and invariably becomes an abyss of plastic bags containing plums from 2015, raspberries picked in 2012, and various containers of unidentifiable ‘brown’. By comparison, glistening jars and bottles of peaches, pears and figs whet the appetite and make great gifts, too. Good hygiene is key (see the panel below) as is having the right equipment (see right). Use high-quality jars that haven’t been tainted by strong-smelling chutneys; inexpensive new jars are available online. Raw juicing has undergone a recent revival, thanks to advocates such…

LADYBIRDS and lacewings, along with tortoiseshell, brimstone and peacock butterflies, are all looking for places to hunker down for winter. They’re not alone: solitary bees, toads, earwigs and a multitude of other beneficial insects also need shelter on the plot. Fruit and vegetable growers are especially wanting to encourage pollinators and predators, so how best to do it? Essentially, remember that different ‘hotel’ designs attract different species. Those placed in full sun will lure solitary bees and hibernating butterflies, while others placed in moist shade are ideal for toads, woodlice and beetles. Don’t try to please them all with one des res – moulds could rot overwintering pupae. Use porous materials such as seedpods, hollow plant stems and clay pots, lay a roof-tile lid on top to stop rain entering,…

1 With temperatures getting chillier , now’s a good time to stock up on horticultural fleece or old blankets to protect vulnerable plants from frost. 2 Golden yellow asparagus fern is a glorious sight. Enjoy its autumn colours, then cut all stems to the base and burn to thwart asparagus beetles. 3 Some plants are too tender to spend winter outside; lemongrass and lemon verbena are just two examples in my Essex garden. Bring them under cover now. 4 Are your autumn-planted potatoes romping away ? Ensure that they get to grace your Christmas dinner plate by moving them to a frost-free spot this week. 5 It’s sad, but true – the sun doesn ’t hold as much heat now summer has passed. Greenhouse vents can be closed, and shade…

Passiflora quadrangularis A stunning frost-tender climber with shaggy purple and deep-red fragrant flowers. Ideal for a pot. Produces the largest of all the passion-flower fruits. Plumbago auriculata An evergreen climber that would cover a wall in a permanent frost-free lean-to greenhouse. Ideal for pots. Stunning blue summer flowers. Reaches 6 1/2ft (2m) in height. Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ An evergreen succulent with impressive black/purple rosettes. Can reach up to 2 1/2ft (80cm). If given a frost-free place to live in winter, it provides a full 12 months of interest. Carnivorous plants Carnivorous plants, such as Venus’s fly trap (Dionaea muscipula, pictured) adore a sunny spot. Keep them moist and water only with distilled or filtered water. Alpines Alpines thrive in a greenhouse as the delicate flowers will remain undamaged by…

In April, dig a hole at each planting site and work in plenty of organic matter such as compost before refilling the hole with improved soil. Sow the large, flat seeds in April, at a temperature of about 21ºC. Seedlings resent root disturbance so sow individually in modules. Alternatively, sow two or three seeds in a 7cm pot and thin down to the strongest seedling. Grow on in good light at about 15ºC, then harden off carefully before planting out in a sunny, sheltered position after the last frost. Seed can also be sown where the plants are to grow, in mid or late June.…

Convallaria majalis ‘Albostriata’ A beautifully scented lily of the valley with variegated leaves and white flowers. Resents disturbance and takes time to establish, but will spread once settled. Grow in humus-rich dappled shade. Flowers: May. H: 10in (25cm). Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Anastasia’ Arguably more elegant and garden-worthy than the usual chunky blue hyacinths, the richly fragranced ‘Anastasia’ has widely spaced lavender-blue flowers on dark stems. Ideal for borders or containers in sun. H: 8in (20cm). Narcissus ‘Martinette’ Fill a vase with blooms of this tazetta daffodil and they will perfume an entire room. Plant generously beside paths, or in pots by the door. Likes well-drained, neutral-to-alkaline soil in sun or semi-shade. H: 16in (40cm). Lilium candidum Unlike its close relatives, the iconic Madonna lily should…

When can I plant out a container shrub? Q When is the best time to move potted shrubs into a border? I have some hydrangeas I wish to relocate. Mr C Mace, Rotherham, S. Yorks A In general, potted plants can be planted out at any time of year, though the best time is mid to late autumn. Your plants will have entered winter dormancy, so any disturbance to their growth will be minimal. The soil will be moist and still warm from summer, which will encourage the roots to settle and grow. The roots still have time to put on this growth before top growth begins again in spring, facilitating good establishment. Below is a step-by-step to show you what to do. Next spring, top dress your shrubs with…

Q We have a garden full of apples, and sadly most go to waste every year. Please can you advise on the best methods for picking and storing them? Joanna Milkner, Camberwell, London A Inheriting part of an old orchard or the plantings of previous owners is a real bonus. Trees are wreathed in spring blossom, deliver fruit, and are great for wildlife – attracting many insects, which in turn are food for birds. In years of plenty, we will happily leave fruit under our trees for pheasants, blackbirds, fieldfares and redwings to feast on all winter. Wasps and late butterflies will sip the rotting juices, too. So in many ways, the fruit is never wasted – but of course, we want to enjoy our fair share. Apple varieties can…

Do ✓ Wear suitable safety gear, at least eye protectors and gloves, sturdy boots or shoes, a long-sleeved shirt or jacket and thick trousers or jeans. ✓ Use a circuit breaker between the plug and socket when using mains-powered trimmers. ✓ Cut thick stems secateurs or using loppers. Cut them back an 1-2in (2.5-5cm) deeper into the hedge than the main face of the cut. Don’t ✗ Trim hedges when birds are nesting in them. Check carefully to see if any birds are nesting. If they are, wait until autumn when most broods will have fledged. ✗ Let debris build up along the base of the hedge. Clear it up regularly so you don’t trip over it. ✗ Just carry on regardless. Stop regularly, step well back and get an…

A CULINARY apple is used primarily for cooking, as opposed to a dessert apple (or ‘eater’), which may be eaten straight from the tree. Culinary apples are generally larger, and are invariably tarter than the eaters. Some varieties have a firm flesh that does not break down much when cooked, whereas others break down and make a better purée. Types with a high acid content produce froth when cooked which, for some recipes, is desirable. While most countries opt to grow dual-purpose apples (for both cooking and eating raw), here in the UK we grow a large range of culinary types. Let’s look at some of them. ‘Bramley’s Seeding’ THE Bramley apple is probably our most famous culinary variety. Once cooked, the flesh turns golden and fluffy. The first Bramley…

IN the UK, Apple Day (21 October) was launched in 1990, by Common Ground. The idea was to celebrate the timing of the apple harvest, but also to highlight the varieties we are in danger of losing (not just of apples, but of the diversity of landscape, ecology and wider culture). Over the years it has also raised awareness of the provenance and traceability of food. The first Apple Day celebrations, held in the old Apple Market in London’s Covent Garden, brought fruit to the market after 16 years’ absence. Today, celebrations take place nationwide. For more information on Apple Day activities, visit the National Trust ( nationaltrust.org.uk), and for more background on the concept visit commonground.org.uk.…

Botanically, culinary apples are exactly the same as dessert apples. It is just that they are varieties with taste and flesh characteristics that are better suited to cooking. It is often said that eating a culinary apple raw will make you sick. Actually, it is harmless raw; it is simply that its tart taste suggests the possibility of it not sitting well in the stomach. Fancy growing a little bit of history! We all know the story of the apple that fell on Sir Isaac Newton’s head in his garden at Woolsthorpe Manor, near Grantham, Lincolnshire, and which inspired him to develop his Universal Law of Gravitation. Well, the tree is thought to be the cooking apple ‘Flower of Kent’. Grafts have been taken from it, and young trees from…

SOURCE wood for a log pile from neighbours or tree surgeons – never take it from the wild. Build in a sunny spot, as this will encourage more insects, stacking larger logs together at the base. On sloping ground, bury them into the soil or hold in place with timber stakes driven into the soil. Add smaller twigs in decreasing sizes to shade the logs below and lock moisture in. To blend a pile into the garden, plant ferns, wood anemones and spring-flowering bulbs around the outside, and as the pile decomposes, top up with fresh logs every couple of years.…

THE garden is slowly starting to turn in on itself and die back for another year. While many plants are still thriving (nerines and dahlias are in their autumnal element) more soft-stemmed tender perennials will not be taking kindly to the colder, damper weather. Half-hardy pelargoniums, gazanias, chocolate cosmos and tuberous begonias should all be lifted before night temperatures fall below freezing. Pot them up, cut them back and store in a greenhouse or cool room. I also use the offcuts as cuttings for new plants as an insurance policy in case any don’t survive the winter. Lift, dry and store gladioli corms in sandy compost before the first frosts and place them somewhere frost-free (a greenhouse or porch is deal). Cannas can be cut back when their top growth…

1 Mix seed compost and perlite or vermiculite in a 4in (10cm) clay pot and water well, drain and water again. 2 Remove 4in (10cm) lengths of nonflowering growth from a perennial using sharp, clean secateurs. 3 Strip away all the larger leaves so just a small cluster remains at the top of the cutting. 4 Dip the cut end in hormone rooting compound to promote a strong, healthy root system. 5 Insert your cuttings in the gritty compost mix around the edge of the pot and gently firm them in. 6 Seal in a clear plastic bag and place somewhere light and warm. The cuttings will soon start to grow.…

Plant parenting By Leslie F. Halleck Timber Press Books, (£18.99) THE title of this book, Plant Parenting, may sound like a guide on how to care for your plants, but it is actually about making more plants for free. The first chapter looks at how plants multiply, including basic plant reproduction and understanding plant names. Tools and materials are also covered, such as growing media, propagators and lighting. Then it’s down to the propagation, explaining how to start annuals, perennials and edibles from seed. Chapters on division, root cuttings, tubers, leaf cuttings and layering follow. There are details about pest and disease problems, with a handy table on signs and symptoms. The author is American, so there are a few slight differences in the terminology used, but most of the…

1 Place a layer of bulb fibre or compost in the bottom of your container and wet it with clean tap water. 2 Set the bulbs, pointed end up, on the fibre, making sure they are close but not touching. 3 Add more bulb fibre or compost until the bulbs are buried to their necks, with just the tips poking out. 4 Either seal the bulbs in a black bin liner of place in a drawer somewhere dark and cool. Check occasionally and water lightly if dry.…

1 Dig a trench, one side more sloping than the other, and line the base with horticultural sand. 2 Cut 12in (30cm) lengths of this year’s healthy growth. Trim the top end at an angle so rainwater will run off. 3 Dip the bottom end in hormone rooting powder or gel to promote the development of strong roots. 4 Set the cuttings in the trench 4in (10cm) apart. The sand helps prevent waterlogging and helps rooting. 5 Infill the trench and water well. If the soil cracks and lifts after frosts, carefully heel it down again.…

1 Clear the area of stones and weed it well. Rake to remove any clumps of soil until you create a fine tilth. 2 Water the soil well as this, combined with the residual warmth from summer’s sun, will promote robust germination. 3 Calendula seeds are large, curled and spiny, and easy to scatter thinly onto the soil. Overcrowded seedlings can be thinned out later. 4 Cover the seeds with a fine layer of soil, firming it lightly, and add a label so the seeds aren’t accidentally disturbed while gardening.…

1 Pick sweetcorn cobs that have gone over, then shuck and dry these to give to chickens or wild birds in winter. 2 Place mouse traps and rat bait in storage areas before they appear; a slug pub or two is also sensible. 3 Check all your tree stakes, ties, wires and other supports, as the coming months are likely to have high winds and gales. 4 When cutting back stems with seeds, bash these against a post to liberate the seed for birds and other critters.…

Fruit press: These impressive pieces of kit are becoming more affordable, but you may still find the price prohibitive. Club together with friends or, if you’re processing smaller quantities, a domestic juicer or food processor will be perfectly sufficient. Demijohn: Available new and in abundance secondhand. The vessel is ultimately fitted with an airlock, which allows carbon dioxide (a by-product of fermentation) to escape, while harmful microorganisms are kept out. Pasteuriser: This process is key for juices or bottled whole fruits (peaches or figs) in syrup, to prevent fermentation. Pasteurisers hold a steady temperature of 75ºC, (167ºF) which should be maintained for 20 minutes. Preserves can then be stored for two years.…

THESE sizeable tender tubers are fast becoming a plot staple, with improved variety selection (such as ‘Georgia Jet’) making decent yields more of a certainty in our cooler climate. Most tuber bulk is achieved at the end of the growing season, so don’t be tempted to lift your tubers too early or you’ll be disappointed. By now, you should be looking at a vast patch of heart-shaped leaves; if they’re yellowing or have turned brown-black then harvesting can begin (leave until just before the first frosts if foliage is green). Bigger tubers are achieved if your plant has only rooted in a few places – allowing the creeping stems to root in multiple areas results in lots of smaller potatoes. Lift carefully with a garden fork and, as the skins…

FAMILIAR to the majority of us as a major constituent of hummus, the chickpea ( Cicer arietum ) is a sun-loving annual. Best sown directly where they are to crop, you can sow the seeds commonly sold for sprouting in jars in your garden. Opt for a warm site, sowing drills in much the same way you would a garden pea, in April or May. Cover with an insulating glass or polycarbonate cloche in order to give adequate insulation; there’s no need to add fertiliser because chickpeas prefer low-nutrient soils. A lush covering of foliage will quickly develop. Remove cloches as the mauve or white flowers appear. Pods will ultimately form, but the ‘peas’ within are unlikely to mature and will dry in our shorter summers. No matter, because the…

1. What’s your budget? You can spend anything from £100 to tens of thousands of pounds. 2. Do you have a spot that’s sunny enough for a greenhouse? 3. Type of frame – wooden or aluminium. Aluminium is easy to clean and long lasting, but wood offers that enchanting traditional feel. 4. Style and shape. Are you planning a modern look, a lean-to or a traditional style of greenhouse and do you need planning permission? 5. Installing a permanent greenhouse may require employing a builder to put down a base or foundations and an electrician for any electrics. Add this to your costings.…

Plant bush types about 5ft (1½m) apart; trailing types 6½ft (2m) apart. Individual varieties vary, so check your seed packets and follow spacing guidelines. Guide trailing types in a tight spiral across the ground, mark the position of the root with a cane to facilitate watering, and use sticks to keep the spiralling stems in place. Water and feed generously – especially during hot, dry periods. Ensure the development of larger types by allowing only two or three fruits per plant to develop. When enough fruits are developing, snip off flowers and young fruits, then in autumn cut off any leaves that are overshadowing the fruits.…

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus The original, unsurpassable daylily. In early summer sweetly scented trumpets in a lovely lemon-yellow will open in the afternoon, fading away after just a single day. Grow in full sun. H: 32in (80cm). Nepeta x faassenii AGM This catmint will fill the air with a caramel tang courtesy of its aromatic silver-green leaves, while from May to September there are lavender-blue flowers to keep the bees happy. Sun or semi-shade. H: 1½ft (45cm). Phlox paniculata ‘David’ AGM Once established, plants will be covered in bridal-white, honey-scented flowerheads from July through to September. Grow in borders, in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. H: 39in (1m). Paeonia lactiflora ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ AGM Romantics will fall for this buxom powder-pink…

Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ AGM Grow as a large shrub or train into a small tree – either way, this gem has clusters of white and pink flowers on bare stems in winter. Likes well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade. H: 5-8ft (1½-2½m). Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ AGM An impressive evergreen that pairs bold yellow, scented winter flowers with glossy architectural leaves. Cut back after flowering. Plant in well-drained soil in semi-shade or shade. H: 6½-13ft (2-4m).…

1 Before moving the plant, give it a thorough watering so all its compost is soaked. This makes it easier to slide from its pot. 2 Dig the planting hole as deep as, and slightly wider than, the rootball. Fork up the sides and add some well-rotted manure or compost. 3 Once out of its pot, place the plant in its hole and infill around it with soil and compost, firming in as you go. 4 Water the plant well and keep the soil damp while it gets established. Also, keep the area free from weeds and check for pests.…

Lift the apple, and if it is ready for harvest, it will come away clean and easily with the stalk attached. This one is ‘Fiesta’, a mid-season eater that will keep past Christmas. This ‘Red Windsor’ crop (a mid-season eater), picked carefully rather than allowed to fall and bruise, should keep for four to six weeks. In a cool, slightly humid place with a temperature of 38-45ºF (3-7ºC), blemish-free apples store well on racks. Yet they eventually wrinkle if too warm and dry. Wrapping apples individually in tissue paper helps them to stay fresh but it is fiddly. I often keep ‘Crispin’ in polybags with several air holes and the top loosely folded.…

Hand shears: Shears with handles and blades 12-18in (30-45cm) long designed to cut lots of slim shrub stems at once. Circuit breaker: A device to cut off electrical power if the circuit overloads. Electric hedge trimmer: Mains or battery-powered tool with long, deeply scalloped, oscillating blades designed to trap multiple shrub stems and cut through them cleanly. Pivot nut: Nut and bolt between handles and blades of shears that holds blades together and around which they pivot. Extension lead: Mains-electric power cable with plug on one end and socket on the other.…

GROWN over centuries on the fertile soils of the Lowlands, Scotland’s apples were once a thriving industry, boasting tens of thousands of trees. Today, more than 70% of apples sold in British shops are imported. One of Scotland’s foremost apple-growing areas, dating back 800 years, was the Carse of Gowrie between Perth and Dundee on the north bank of the River Tay. A recent survey found that, of 50 orchards once recorded there, just 17 remain. The ‘Bloody Ploughman’ dual-purpose apple (see above), was developed in the Carse of Gowrie, around 1880. It is said to be named after a ploughman who was caught stealing apples – and shot by the gamekeeper!…

GEORGE Adrian, with his wife Monika, owns and runs Adrian Orchards, a 70-acre estate on the outskirts of Indianapolis, USA. The couple grow 40 varieties of apple (see above), along with peaches, pears and, until recently, several types of vegetable. The business started in 1925 by George’s grandfather. On 23 September 1980, George hand-picked 15,830lb (7,180kg) of apples in just eight hours, which makes him the world’s fastest apple picker. This was verified by Guinness World Records, and it has never been beaten. Now in their 70s, the couple want to sell up and retire (they have no one to leave the business to), but they will only sell to someone who will keep the orchard going.…

From AG 14 August 1926 How many flowers are there? Q Could you let me know how many kinds of flowers there are and their names? Sunnibrow, Willington A Your question is like a blank cheque. You have left us to put into it what meaning we like. John Lindley’s The Vegetable Kingdom – a book published in the middle of the last century, since when many new species have been discovered – gives the total of flowering plant species as 80,387. That is the answer to the literal rendering of your question. Of course, a huge proportion of that total are not cultivated in this country, but it may interest you to know that a few years since, the total number of plant species cultivated in Kew Gardens was,…

1 Water the cuttings and carefully tip them from their pot. Check that the roots are developed and strong. 2 Holding each new plant by its leaves, pot them up individually using John Innes No2 or multi-purpose compost. 3 Water them well and keep their compost damp while the roots continue to grow and become more established. 4 Overwinter in a greenhouse or on a light windowsill. If in a greenhouse, cover with fleece on frosty nights.…

Before storing your tender plants away for winter, prune their stems back to around 4in (10cm) long. Remove all flowered and dead stems, then cut back the leafy growth, using the pruned stems as cuttings (see below). This scented-leaved geranium has been going for several years now and has developed a woody heart. Each year’s new growth helps camouflage it, though not totally successfully. I have taken several cuttings and next year may ditch the parent plant in favour of its more compact, attractive offspring.…

IT may feel slightly too early to mention the C-word, but if you want colour and scent in the house over Christmas and the New Year, it’s time to start planting forced bulbs. Prepared bulbs of hyacinths, paper-white narcissus and Hippeastrum (tall, exotic, trumpet-flowered amaryllis) are widely available and should be started over the next few weeks. These bulbs have been prepared for early flowering by being subjected to a period of intense cold that tricks them into thinking they have been through winter. As a result, they shoot and come into flower several weeks before they would do normally. Plant them up in a loamy compost or, if their container has no holes, specially prepared bulb fibre. This contains crushed shells and charcoal to absorb moisture and prevent the…

Your Gardening Week with Peter Seabrook, AG’s classic gardening expert SEED catalogues at one time listed just two sunflowers – the very tall, large single featuring in ‘The Tallest’ competitions, and dwarf fully double ‘Teddy Bear’. The arrival of F1 hybrid, pollen-free, shoulder-high kinds opened up a huge cut flower business. Plant breeder extraordinaire Charles Valin then got to work and produced the inter-specific Helianthus ‘SunBelievable Brown Eyed Girl’ propagated by cuttings. One plant of this remarkable cultivar can yield over 1,000 flowers in a summer, if you regularly deadhead, water and feed it. “One plant can yield over 1,000 flowers in summer” The need to deadhead is interesting, because the flowers are sterile and do not set seed, yet deadheading does bring more flowers. This novelty will overwinter in…

The blackcurrant hardwood cuttings I took last autumn have rooted and grown well, and are now ready to move into their own pots. Water and carefully tap the cuttings from the pot, sliding them free. Gently separate the roots and pot up each young plant in a container of John Innes No2 or multi-purpose compost. Water well and place in a coldframe or unheated greenhouse. The cuttings will grow on and be ready to plant out next summer.…

28: Understanding the Garden Environment: RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org. uk/gardens/wisley 28-29: Birds of Prey Displays: RHS Garden Wisley 30: RHS Members Gardening Advice: RHS Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/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 Harlow Carr 2: Understanding Pests and Diseases in your Garden: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor 4: Harvest Arrangement: RHS Garden Hyde Hall 4-6: Autumn Foliage in Watercolour: RHS Garden Rosemoor 4 & 7: Free Gardening Advice for RHS Members: RHS Harlow Carr…

I’M the first to admit that farmers often take the blame for what’s happened to our wildlife, but that’s a sweeping and unfair generalisation. I know because, as an early riser, I often catch the farming programmes that Sybil Ruscoe does on the BBC. There are lots of farmers who are trying to farm with wildlife who are interviewed on this programme. On Saturday 3 August I woke up early. Sybil was interviewing Ben Taylor-Davies of Townsend Farm near Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire and the programme was about insects. Agronomist and farmer Ben explained that: “Twenty-five years ago eradication of insects was top of our farm’s agenda,” but he also said that times have changed because insects have evolved. “Where we would like to use insecticides, they no longer work because…

1 Using hot water and detergent, thoroughly wash out all jars and bottles destined for preserving. Lay them out on the draining board. Also wash the metal lids of jam jars, but put any rubber seals or bungs to one side. 2 Grab a baking tray and line it with greaseproof paper, then stand your glass jars on top. Place in an oven preheated to 150ºC (302ºF) for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, handling with tongs. Avoid placing fingers inside. 3 Bungs and rubber seals would perish in the oven, so boil these in water for 10 minutes, then set them aside on a wire rack to cool down. Fill and seal your jars and bottles as quickly as you can to avoid contamination.…

1 Roasted garlic puree: Split three-four heads into cloves, drench with olive oil and roast for 25-30 mins at 180ºC (356ºF). Pop the cloves out of their softened skins, purée and store in a Kilner jar with a little oil on top for up to two weeks. 2 Pickled garlic: Split four-five heads and remove the skins. Mix one part vinegar to three parts water, add one tablespoon of salt and submerge the cloves for five days. Boil three parts soy, one part vinegar and six parts water. Cool and add cloves. 3 Garlic roast chicken: Lay a small chicken on a bed of diced potatoes and 40 garlic cloves, then season and add a little stock. Cover in foil and roast for one hour at 200ºC (392ºF). Remove the…

DO you have greenhouse envy? I know I’ve suffered from this on many occasions. You’ll often find me standing in a greenhouse at garden shows dreaming of all the plants I could grow if I had one – or, in my case, another one! I think it is fair to say that most gardeners would love a greenhouse, if space allows, as they are the beating heart of a garden. Greenhouses, or glasshouses if you prefer, have come a long way in the past few years. It seems there are structures to suit nearly every site – and there’s no shortage of ideas for those with balconies, courtyards and small plots. Before you start researching which model is right for you, write a wish list of requirements because this is…

SQUASHES are an entertainingly mixed group. From pattypans to pumpkins – with the traditional British marrow thrown into the mix – these members of the cucumber family are certainly diverse, but they do share some common characteristics. First, they’re good to eat. Second, in spite of the fact that some of them are called winter squashes, all are frost-tender plants that grow strongly from early summer until the frost. Sown outside (or sown indoors in pots and then planted out), all will develop large, rough foliage, and both bushy and trailing types can take up a great deal of space, although some modern varieties are refreshingly neat and compact. Summer or winter You can group squashes, roughly, into two. Summer squashes, which include marrows, are either eaten fresh straight off…

Summer squash Crookneck: A slender curved neck fattens into a more bulbous, smooth or bumpy fruit. Good eating. Bushy. Marrow: The traditional British marrow, best cut relatively small: 1ft (30cm) long and 4-5in (10-12cm) across. Skin colour and pattern vary, but flavour is often poor. Bushy or trailing. Pattypan: Small, flattish fruits have a raised centre and scalloped edges. Tastiest when small (about 3in/7-8cm) or stuffed if larger. Makes big bushes. Spaghetti squash: Like a small golden marrow with an inside that resembles spaghetti. Fruits look promising, but flavour is generally disappointing. Climber. Winter squash Butternut: More or less pear-shaped, beige or creamy-orange fruits with a slim neck. Good in the kitchen; stores very well. Trailing. Delicata: Small green and cream fruits with rounded ribs have tasty orange flesh. Semi-trailing.…

‘Jan Bos’ These carmine-red blooms stand out strongly whether in the greenhouse or in borders. Highly fragrant. ‘Yellowstone’ A beautiful hyacinth with cheery golden flowers that show up well against the stem and foliage. ‘Blue Jacket’ Each rich blue petal is striped down the middle with dark blue-purple, making an attractive contrast. Great for forcing. ‘White Pearl’ White hyacinths are my favourites, and this one produces a dense column of waxy, tightly packed fragrant white blooms.…

You can plant Michaelmas daisies and New York asters at any time of year, but I’d recommend after flowering, or as growth starts in spring. Sunny sites in rich but well-drained soil are ideal. Support taller varieties in summer – before they need it. Use canes and string, metal plant supports or brushwood. Keep the roots moist with regular watering in dry spells. Start spraying against mildew in early summer. Deadhead often as the individual flowers start to fade, then tidy up the plants and rake off fallen foliage before winter. Cut back hard in spring.…

Q What is this bee, please? Dave Richards, Swansea A It appears to be the silvery leaf-cutter bee (Megachile leachella). Seen mostly from June to August and into September, it has a white hair patch near the tip of its abdomen. It usually frequents sand dunes and Suffolk Brecklands. Its fascinating forte is cutting hemispherical slices from leaves to line its nesting cells. Q What is this plant, please? Denise Jackson, via email A The plant is a British wildflower called hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica). Growing to around 4ft (1.2m), its spike of deep reddish-purple flowers appear in midsummer. Shallow rooting and invasive, it is easy to eradicate simply by pulling it out. A good contender for light shade, it enhances a wild garden. Q I have inherited a bamboo…

HEDGES used to be a feature of most British gardens, but their popularity has faded. They need regular trimming, which can be a time-consuming job in a large garden, and fences or walls are easier to maintain. Thankfully, some gardeners are still willing to put in the effort, and are rewarded with a greener garden, and lots of happy birds and insects. Blade preparation Hand shears are great for small hedges and shrubs, while electric trimmers make tackling larger hedges and shrubs much easier. Before you start trimming, clean and lubricate the blades of both hand shears and electric trimmers – with the power off! Use white spirit or vinegar to clean blades, then oil moving joints and rub over exposed metal with a general lubricating oil. Tighten the pivot…

1 Clean, oil and sharpen blades if necessary. Use a circuit breaker between plug and socket for mains electric trimmers. Lay a sheet along the base to catch clippings. 2 Wear gloves and eye protectors, and trail the mains power cable over your shoulder. Work from the base of the hedge upwards in a sweeping motion, tapering the cut in towards the top. 3 Cut to shoulder height. Use a secure sturdy stepladder if you need to cut higher. Support feet on broad planks if working from soft ground. Clear debris regularly. 4 For a straight cut across the top, string a taut line along the freshly cut side of the hedge at just below the level you want to cut to. Use as a guide, cutting just above it.…

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 weedfree. 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 (28 September), Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2,…

‘BLENHEIM Orange’ is an old dual-purpose apple. It was discovered by George Kempster, a tailor at Woodstock, close to Blenheim, in Oxfordshire, around 1740. He planted a pip, but it was not until the early part of the next century that the resulting apple was sold. In 1820 it received a medal for excellence and it soon spread through England to Europe and the USA. The skin is greenish-yellow to orange, streaked with red, and the flesh has an almost nutty flavour. Unlike ‘Granny Smith’, the ‘Blenheim Orange’ does not hold its shape in cooking, so is a preferred option for apple purée or sauce. In 1830, amateur breeder Richard Cox crossed ‘Blenheim Orange’ with ‘Ribston Pippin’ to produce ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’.…

THOUGHT you might light to see the bee and bug house my husband Alan made for our garden. He used all recycled wood, and it is now ready for lots of residents to hibernate in over winter. Alan has also made a hedgehog house – every night, we feed our resident hog, named ‘Spiky’, with cat food, and it’s such a joy to see and hear him crunching his food. We try to do all we can for wildlife, and give nature a hand, growing plants with the ‘Perfect for Pollinators’ logo. Val Bourne is our inspiration, and I so enjoy hearing about her garden in Cold Ashton. Thank you, Val, for all your advice and a special page in AG . Mrs Rose Shaw, Leicester Wendy says: Well done!…

WHEN it comes to encouraging wildlife, there’s a huge difference between neglect and deliberate dishevelment. Hang up your trowel and leave a part of your plot to its own devices, and the chances are it will end up a feral eyesore dominated by weeds you’d rather not have. Create a habitat before you retreat, and wildlife will thrive in balance. It’s a principle that holds true in corners by the compost heap, as well as in large landscapes such as Haldon Forest Park in Devon where, perched on the hilly slopes, you will find one of the UK’s largest ‘re-wilding’ projects. A catalyst for its creation was the enforced felling of conifers as a disease-free buffer zone to prevent the spread of larch-killing phytophthora fungus. With the trees gone and…