Innholdsfortegnelse for 12-Oct-2019 i Amateur Gardening

1 Good ventilation is vital when plants are overwintering to help reduce the risk of mould and rot developing on leaves and stems. Open doors, windows and vents on mild days, closing them before dusk when the temperature plummets. 2 Greenhouses are snug winter pest hideouts. Remove the pests by hand or close all the doors and windows and burn a garlic candle to kill residual pests, eggs and larvae. Plants can stay inside while you do this. 3 Remove unripened fruits and place them in a drawer to ripen. Add a ripe banana to speed up the process or hang tomato plants by their roots, upside down, to get their fruits ready to eat. 4 Clean your coldframe and sweep it out ready for its winter guests. Scatter a…

Runner beans are one of the easiest, tastiest and most prolific vegetables to grow. They are hungry plants, so to get the best out of them now’s the time to start improving the soil where you plan to grow them next year. The simplest way is by digging a trench around 2ft (60cm) deep. Start adding kitchen peelings and tea bags, and when the floor of the trench is covered add a layer of soil. Repeat the process until the trench is full. The peelings will rot down over winter adding goodness to the soil and helping it retain moisture. This method can also be used for growing other greedy plants, such as courgettes and pumpkins.…

1 Nepeta ‘Purrsian Blue’ grows in a compact semi-globular shape, repeat-flowers all summer if clipped over after blooms fade, and has made a superb front-of-border plant. 2 The interspecific ivy leaf x zonal Pelargonium Calliope Series have exceptional vigour and the ability to repeat-flower for months. 3 Popular with the visiting public, Petchoa BeautiCal ‘Cinnamon’ (the new petunia x calibrachoa hybrid) is changing colour to deep carmine with the arrival of cooler night temperatures. 4 Fuchsia ‘Fuchsita Pink Violet’ has fairy flowers on compact plants and has proved a good border-edging plant.…

1 Stand the pot on feet so excess water can escape. It also reduces the risk of water freezing around the roots and cracking the pot. 2 Cut off the foliage, which may already be starting to look battered. Leave the trunk as that will survive with wrapping. 3 Protect the roots with a layer of mulch. Well-rotted compost or manure is ideal. Top it with a generous covering of straw. 4 Wrap the container in fleece and/or bubblewrap and stand it somewhere sheltered. Check for pests.…

What’s on 11-13: Autumn Woodfest: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org. uk/gardens/rosemoor 12: National Alpine Garden Show: RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3 1QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/harlow-carr 13: West Yorkshire Alpine Group: RHS Garden Harlow Carr 14: Free Gardening Advice for RHS Members: RHS Garden Harlow Carr 16-20: Taste of Autumn: RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 18: Free Gardening Advice for RHS Members: RHS Garden Harlow Carr 20: Conifer Show: RHS Garden Wisley 21: Free Gardening Advice for RHS Members: RHS Harlow Carr 21: Success with Houseplants: RHS Garden Wisley 25: Autumn Walk and Talk: RHS Garden Wisley 25: Tree Selection and Planting: RHS Garden…

THIS year’s dry and mainly sunny conditions have been perfect for alpines, and ours, in a trough and rockery, have been growing and flowering for ages. However, things are going to become a bit more challenging now as the weather deteriorates. The cold isn’t so much of a problem for these tough little plants that have evolved to survive the extreme conditions of high mountain passes and desert areas. It’s the relentless damp that will do for them. Because they are usually low growing, they are easily smothered by fallen leaves and weeds that continue to grow in mild weather. Alpines are also at risk from the constant contact of damp soil on their lower leaves, which can cause rotting and fungal problems. This becomes even more of a hazard…

IT’S mid-autumn, and everywhere you look, patches of bare earth are appearing on the fruit and veg plot. Is this good or is this bad, and what should you do with it? Here, my plan is to help you decide. Ground control “If you want to enrich your soil, now’s the time” Your choices vary in their effort and objectives, the first option being to do nothing. The advantage (apart from the obvious) is that frost can then penetrate the soil, killing off overwintering pests such as slugs, wireworms and root flies, so consider this if your crops have suffered. The con is that a rash of weed seedlings could emerge, which leads us on to your second option: covering the area with a tarpaulin or similar. This prevents weed…

“WHAT’S Romanesco?” I hear you cry. Imagine a lime-green brassica with two unique attributes: beautifully geometric fractals combined with a deliciously nutty flavour. It’s sometimes called broccoli or calabrese, but botanically it’s most closely related to the cauliflower, Brassica oleracea. If you’ve grown summer cauliflowers or calabrese, you just treat Romanesco in exactly the same way. Sow it in early spring, either directly into the earth or undercover into modules for transplanting. Plant Romanesco into a rich, well-fed soil, irrigate frequently, and remember to protect it from pigeons and cabbage white butterflies. This time next year, you’re sure to be gazing into the most mesmerising harvest. I like mine steamed and then tossed in a little olive oil and seasoning, but I’m sure there are other equally delicious ways to…

Colchicum autumnale The meadow saffron produces up to six goblet-shaped pink blooms per corm, on straight stems. Suitable for growing in grass, but take extra care when mowing – don’t cut the foliage before it has died back. H: 1ft (30cm). Colchicum ‘The Giant’ They say big is beautiful and ‘The Giant’ always attracts admiring glances thanks to its soft rose-lilac flowers, each with a white base. Goblet-shaped, they stand out well on 10in (25cm)-long stalks. H: 1ft (30cm). Colchicum speciosum ‘Album’ AGM The pure-white form of the giant meadow saffron is just as tough as its close relatives, and will stand up well to autumn wind and rain. Flowers are green-throated, with up to three per corm. H: 1ft (30cm). Colchicum autumnale ‘Alboplenum’…

THERE was a large lawn in the country garden of my childhood, which was dotted with specimen ornamental trees and several beds containing an array of shrubs. An old hedgerow of native species formed the boundary down one side, while indigenous trees loomed in the adjacent field. I can recall the amazing display from the many deciduous species in autumn, but the downside was that all their falling leaves ended up in our garden, clogging up beds and smothering the grass. Some of these found their way into the compost heap, but most were consigned to an incinerator. As a result of my early experience, I grew up thinking that burning was the most effective way of dealing with the glut of leaves that drop in autumn and winter. It…

‘Pink Cupid’ AGM A dwarf sweet pea so small it can be grown in a hanging basket or a pot without support. What it lacks in perfume power, it makes up for in beautiful pink and white flowers and attractive tumbling habit. H: 1½ft (45cm). ‘Solway Minuet’ If you like the sound of white petals with soft pink-mauve edging and an old-fashioned flower shape, plant this semi-dwarf beauty in a large pot with support. Water regularly – sweet peas are thirsty! H: 39in (1m). ‘Solway Lullaby’ This compact semigrandiflora form combines elegant deep navy-purple flowers with a gentle spicy scent. Suitable for growing in a large pot with support. Requires regular watering – especially when the weather is hot. H: 4ft (1.2m). ‘Turquoise Lagoon’ A gorgeous cross between Lathryus odoratus…

Complement the fairy bellflower Campanula persicifolia’s mid-blue cup-shaped blooms with the sweetshop shades of bearded iris ‘French Can Can’. Plant bog sage Salvia uliginosa beside aster (Symphyotrichum) ‘Little Carlow’ – both appreciate moist, well-drained soil in sun. Trying combining the lungwort Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ with dwarf daffodil Narcissus minor in semi-shade. For a classic pairing that will dazzle in a shady spot, partner Geranium Rozanne with palest pink Astrantia major ‘Bo-Ann’.…

The best time for layering Q I would like to try layering as a method of rooting shrubs that are difficult to take from cuttings. Can you tell me when and how this is done? Debbie Montgomery, Aylesbury, Bucks A Layering is a method of propagation where the stem tip of a plant (usually a shrub) is encouraged to root while attached to the parent. It’s often recommended for plants difficult to strike from cuttings, such as holly or magnolia. The optimum time to carry this out is generally from September to November, but relies on the target shrub having produced suitably long one or two-year-old stems close to the ground. Some climbers and plants with naturally draping growth produce rooted layers on their own; it’s nature’s way of making…

Agapanthus are sun-lovers, but can tolerate light shade. Plant in well-drained soil, and water during droughts in the first year. On heavier soils, slightly raised or mounded beds will help them survive winter wet. Mulch around and over plants for winter insulation in cold regions, but remove mulch in spring. In very cold or wet gardens, overwinter new agapanthus in pots under glass until large enough to divide. Plant sections out in spring, but keep one potted to bring back under glass as insurance. Lift, divide and replant large clumps either in spring or directly after flowering. Agapanthus thrive in pots of 50:50 John Innes No2 and soilless compost. Feed monthly with a spring dose of controlled-release fertiliser or a well-balanced liquid feed monthly, from spring to late summer.…

Alpine gentian (Gentiana alpina), Bavarian gentian (G. bavarica), bladder gentian (G. utriculosa), closed bottle gentian (G. andrewsii), crested gentian (G. septemfida), cross gentian (G. cruciata), great yellow gentian (G. lutea), king’s sceptre gentian (G. sceptrum), pleated gentian (G. affinis), purple gentian (G. purpurea), pygmy gentian (G. prostrata), showy gentian (G. decora), snow gentian (G. nivalis), spotted gentian (G. punctata), spring gentian (G. verna), stemless gentian (G. acaulis), striped gentian (G. villosa), swamp gentian (G. douglasiana), trumpet gentian (G. clusii), willow gentian (G. asclepiadea).…

Do ✓ Buy the right treatment for the woodwork you are tackling Read the label on the tin or tub to check what it is suitable for. If in any doubt, ask a shop assistant. ✓ Assess the area of wood you’re treating, note the coverage claimed on the tub or tin and buy enough to complete the whole job . ✓ Decant treatment into a more manageable pot (a nine-litre tub is heavy!) or one accessible for your brush. Don’t ✗ Spray fence panels without masking areas you don ’t want treated. It is almost impossible to paint precise edges with a sprayer . ✗ Work without eye protection. Flicks and splashes of treatment are common. If using solvent treatments, a facemask my be advisable . ✗ Leave spills…

I THOUGHT the letter from Annmarie Barnett, (AG, 24 August) was an excellent summary of the Hampton Court Show [Palace Festival]. I, too, thought it was a very expensive show, having purchased my ticket months in advance. It was my first visit there and I had saved up to go. Firstly… I felt they crammed it in, just too many people and it was impossible to see much, sadly. I felt it faddy, too, and it was over-priced in every area. The RHS had made steel walkways and even in the heat people were allowed to bring in dogs. The steel burning their paws was evident; mind you, the owners were at fault. I also thought the rubble in the Maytree Garden was appalling. I came home very disappointed and…

WHEN you select potatoes for the table, do you simply grab the first bag of ‘whites’ to hand or do you pause and consider the varieties available and their differing qualities? More to the point, how many varieties can you name? We are all familiar with ‘King Edwards’, ‘Maris Piper’ and ‘Jersey Royals’, but what about ‘Red Duke of York’, ‘International Kidney’, the delicious salad potato ‘Roseval’ or fabulous, finger-shaped ‘Ratte’? These tubers are integral to the UK’s heritage, and potato shows held during the Victorian era would showcase a staggering 5,000-6,000 varieties. There are still more than 1,5000 varieties in the official potato collection, and one man making sure they stay relevant in today’s world of pasta and rice is Hampshire potato expert and author Alan Wilson, who grows…

Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse By Isabel Lloyd & Phil Clarke (Head of Zeus, £14.99) DON’T be deterred by its cover – there really is a lot more to this fabulous book than you might think. Designed for the generation who “would rather eat compost than watch Gardeners’ World”, it is an accessible and comprehensive guide to all aspects of gardening. If you don’t have a garden, don’t worry, as there is information on growing in small areas and even in a dustbin if that’s all you have to hand. There are sections on preserving food, animal husbandry and the use of manure, vitamin content of fruit and veg, feeding plants, seed collecting, crop rotation and how to water correctly. There are also useful tips on how to spot alternative…

1 If you left your pea and bean roots in the soil after cutting back the plants, dig them in to rot down and release their stored nitrogen. 2 Last year our young ‘Jonagold’ apple fruited well, this year not so much, so I’m removing and composting the undeveloped fruits. 3 Leave pots or half orange skins upended on the soil. Slugs and snails congregate in them and can be removed each morning. 4 Grow greens indoors. Windowsill herbs and microgreens are easy to cultivate and are great for taste and vitamins.…

WE haven’t yet given ourselves permission to turn on the heating, but the fire is lit in the evenings, the jumpers have been brought out and thoughts are turning towards hearty stews and soups. We aren’t the only beings needing extra layers of warmth as winter closes in. Many of our garden plants do, too, in particular those of a more tender temperament that don’t take kindly to our winters. In particular, I am thinking about Mediterranean citrus trees and olives, Musa basjoo – the hardiest of the bananas – and some slightly less hardy perennials that are staying in the border. Here in the south, our olive and lemon trees stay outside with some additional protection until the end of October when they are ferried into the greenhouse. Although…

JUST because autumn is making outdoor gardening less productive does not mean you need to stop planning new crops. Sure, the cold and wet means your vegetable bed goes almost into stasis for the next six months, but under cover it’s still warm enough. A greenhouse or plastic tunnel would be ideal, but is not essential – don’t forget a sunny windowsill can be as good, just smaller. “You don’t need to stop planning new crops” The first productive plants to consider are those herbs that are expensive to buy and simple to grow, and take little space. You can pot up roots or plants you already have of mint, thyme, tarragon, marjoram and so on – all but bay, rosemary and sage, which seldom do well indoors. You can…

WE are lucky enough to have room for a double compost bin, one side of which is constantly topped up with peelings and garden waste while the other side of the process rots down. When the ‘added-to’ side is full, we dig out the finished compost either to be bagged or spread and use this side for new material, leaving the other one to break down over the next few months. Emptying the bins is hard work but worth it, as the end result is a wonderful crumbly mix that benefits the borders and saves us a lots money. When emptying a compost bin, make sure you leave a layer of old rotted material at the bottom, especially at this time of year. The drop in temperature means that composting…

Broad beans: Sow for a nitrogen-fixing manure that can be dug in before hungry crops like brassicas. Italian ryegrass: Supremely hardy and quick-growing; chop up and dig in before it begins to flower. Mustard: Not fully hardy, but grows very fast in mild autumns to create a weed-smothering mulch. Winter tares: A nitrogen-fixer that, if left in spring, will bear bee-attracting blooms. Good on clay. Peas: Sow hardier types (with smooth-skinned seeds) for fixing nitrogen and providing edible spring shoots. Crimson clover: If it’s sown now, this nitrogen-fixer will ultimately smother out any weeds, with bee-attracting flowers to boot.…

ARE you close to a meadow of field mushrooms, do you stroll by a chicken of the woods on your dog walk, or do giant puffballs miraculously pop up on your allotment plot? I’m jealous of those of you who can forage for wild mushrooms in your neighbourhood, but that envy can be purged by growing my own. Kits these days offer fungi for all: for those with a garden, you could fill a shady, damp corner with hardwood logs impregnated with shiitake spawn (or Indian oyster and coral fungi, if you only have softwood logs). Moist, woodchip-mulched borders and compost heaps also offer ideal growing conditions for shaggy ink caps and King Stropharia fungi. And even if you have no plot, you can simply grow oyster mushrooms on a…

THIS tropical cucurbit has a Latin name that’s almost as long as its fruit: Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina, commonly (and thankfully) known as snake gourd, will create an edible talking point. Set seeds off in large pots in warmth, like other squashes, in mid-April. Either plant into (large) greenhouse borders or a sunny spot in rich soil outside. Train plants up and over supports, and eventually they reveal their first curiosity: intricate white flowers with lace-like filaments (these open at night, being perfumed and moth-pollinated). Long, bendy 5ft (1½m) fruits develop – these can be weighted down at the base to straighten them. The young flesh is pleasantly marrow-like. If fruits over-mature and harden, don’t worry – the snake gourd also apparently makes a great didgeridoo!…

Betula ermanii ‘Grayswood Hill’ AGM A birch with creamy-white bark that has raised horizontal brown stripes. Heart-shaped green leaves turn a buttery-yellow before they fall. Cercidiphyllum japonicum AGM The katsura tree has heart-shaped leaves that turn bronze and purple in autumn. As the leaves change colour, they smell like candy floss or bonfire toffee. Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ AGM An elegant Japanese maple for small gardens that’s great for autumn colour. The leaves turn from bright-green to pillarbox-red before falling in October. Prunus serrula The sturdy little Tibetan cherry has white flowers in spring and good autumn colour. The bark peels away in strips to reveal a glossy mahogany-coloured trunk. Carpinus betulus AGM Great for formal hedges, the common hornbeam’s green leaves turn…

‘Painted Lady’ One of the oldest cultivars, this intensely scented gem has blush and mid-pink petals, and flowers early. Beautiful in a vase on its own if you don’t want to grow a mix of different colours. H: 6½ft (2m). ‘Winston Churchill’ Velvety ruby-crimson flowers on top of sturdy stems – plus a lovely rich fragrance – make for a fantastic cut flower. Add sugar syrup to the water to extend the vase life of this and all sweet peas. Spencer type. H: 6ft (1.8m). ‘Romeo’ Deemed by sweet pea expert Roger Parsons to have one of the best scents on the market, ‘Romeo’ also boasts large flowers – with petals that are white with lilac rims – and long stems. Modern Grandiflora type. H: 5ft (1½m). ‘Noel Sutton’ AGM…

There’s no need to soak or chip sweet pea seeds beforehand. Sow in deep pots or 12cm ‘rootrainers’. Plant one seed per pot in seed compost, covering with 1/4in (5mm) of compost. Don’t press the compost down over the seeds; instead, water them in with a fine watering can rose. Place in a cold frame or cold greenhouse; unless it’s extremely cold, in which case place on a kitchen windowsill and move to the greenhouse once seeds germinate. Protect from mice.…

Delphinium ‘Blue Nile’ AGM Plant for towers of white-eyed ultramarine flowers that dazzle at the back of the border. Grow alongside sky-blue and indigo delphiniums for a striking cloud of blue. Needs well-drained soil in sun. H: 39in-5ft (1-1½m). Allium caeruleum The azure-flowered garlic is a bulbous perennial that glows in the middle of the border and supplies pollinators with nectar. Plant in autumn for summer flowers that can be cut for the vase. Full sun. H: 28in (70cm). Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ Forms a mound in the middle of the border, covered in a mass of lavender-blue flowers from which the hum of happy bees will resonate. Cut back after flowering to encourage more blooms. Full sun. H: 3ft (90cm). Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’…

Blue works well with most colours, but looks particularly striking alongside burgundy, orange, pink, red and silver. Position blues around seating areas that you relax in on summer evenings. Just like white, it glows as the light fades. In woodland gardens, soft blues (such as forget-me-nots, cranesbills, periwinkles, scillas and anemones) look positively luminous in the dappled light.…

The soil under and around the chosen stem is enriched with a mix of two parts 50:50 garden compost and multi-purpose potting compost plus one part grit. Dig a channel-shaped hole 4in (10cm) deep and make a half twist to the place on the stem where roots should grow or, alternatively, a small sloping cut into the underside. Bury the stem and pin so that the damaged section is under the bend before the shoot tip pokes above ground at right angles. Firm the layer in well. Water in gently if the soil is dry.…

A. ‘Fireworks’ A hardy semi-evergreen bicolour agapanthus. White blooms with inky-blue bases open in wide, generous umbels, 24in (60cm) tall. A. ‘Purple Cloud’ A semi-evergreen agapanthus, reaching 4ft (1.2m) tall. Large umbels are filled with slightly nodding violet-blue flowers. A. ‘Northern Star’ Very hardy deciduous cultivar with rich violet-blue flowers that are held in large rounded umbels, 3ft (1m) tall. A. ‘Windsor Grey’ Flower umbels reaching 3ft (90cm) high hold silvery-grey flowers, great for shining out against dark shrubby backdrops.…

SIR Cliff Richard (aka Harry Webb) was born on this day. Despite this ‘oldest teenager’ giving many personal appearances at flower shows like Chelsea and Hampton Court, it does appear that he could be responsible for mass planticide! Former Gardeners’ World presenter Chris Beardshaw claims that different genres of music encourage plants to grow at different rates. In an experiment conducted by his horticultural students, alstroemerias were treated to four styles of music in each of four greenhouses. Hard rock, from bands such as Black Sabbath, helped flowering. Those exposed to classical music grew slightly shorter than those in silence, but were “more floriferous and there were fewer pests and diseases”. But, he says, the ones that “listened to” Sir Cliff Richard were a disaster, with all plants dying. With…

AUTUMN is a good time to treat fences, sheds and other wooden garden structures with a preserver, as plants die back but the weather’s still fair. Wood treatments are generally either solvent based or water based. Solvent-based treatments Solvent-based treatments are thinner, so they penetrate the wood deeply, carrying insect, fungi and water-repellent products to give maximum protection. Solvent-based treatments can be painted over once dry to colour the wood, though some, such as Barrettine Premier Wood Preserver, are coloured and can be used as a single treatment or painted over with an exterior wood oil or decking oil. Water-based treatments Water-based treatments such as Ronseal One Coat Fence Life are designed both to colour and protect wood. They don’t soak in as deeply as solvents and they are usually…

1 Choose a treatment to suit the wood and buy enough to do the whole job. You’ll also need brushes or a sprayer, dustsheets, gloves, eye protection and overalls. 2 If spraying, mask areas that don’t need treating. Lay dustsheets along paths, over soil and plants. Cut back plants touching the woodwork, then brush the wood hard with a stiff bristled brush. 3 Decant treatment into a more accessible container. Load brush well. Work from top to bottom scrubbing fluid into grain. Or spray left to right, overlapping each pass. 4 Mop up spills and dribbles immediately. Move dust sheets as you work. When finished, clean brushes in warm soapy water (water based) or white spirit (solvent based).…

USE silicone glue to repair punctured ponds or cracked pots and bird baths. It comes in a tube, and plumbers use it to seal around sinks and baths; it’s widely available in DIY stores in black, white or grey. To fix a pond, clean around the hole, apply a ring of the glue around it, and stick a patch of pond liner cut from spare around the edge over the top. If repairing a pot, stick the pieces together and disguise the glue with dust scraped from the base of the container and sprinkled over the top, before the glue dries.…

READERS of AG have helped one of the UK’s spectacular butterflies have its most prolific year in a decade. The painted lady (Vanessa cardui) was the star of this year’s Big Butterfly Count, with more than 420,000 spotted after a mass migration from as far away as North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. The orange, black and white insect has greatly benefited this year from the trend towards more insect-friendly gardening, as practised by Amateur Gardening’s many readers. Other butterflies to have a good summer are the peacock, red admiral and the small tortoiseshell, which had been in decline. Dr Zoe Randall of the Butterfly Conservation Trust, which hosted the Big Butterfly Count, said: “The clouds of painted ladies that were seen this summer were fantastic.” She added…

THE area of garden we have set aside for growing edible crops isn’t huge, but it has done us proud this year. Thanks to a largely kind summer we have had a glut of tomatoes, peas and beans, as well as a continuous supply of soft fruits. A young greengage and a ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ have also provided us with generous amounts of fruit, while a three-year-old ‘Brown Turkey’ fig once again came up with the goods. With their Mediterranean heritage, figs will grow well in sheltered southern areas of the UK. Spring is the best time to plant and, for the best results, grow them in a large container or border pit lined with paving slabs in a sheltered bed. Keeping their roots restricted means they will plough energy…

WHEN new plants are introduced, all the qualities of each novelty are invariably spelt out – but seldom, if ever, are potential uses with plant partners suggested. When we moved close to 100 new flowers from BBC Gardeners’ World Live Exhibition, Birmingham, last June to be planted in the Floral Fantasia Garden at RHS Hyde Hall, a lot of consideration had to be given to pairing-up and which combinations would look attractive. One thing that worked very well was planting young roses, widely spaced to give room for development, which were temporarily under-planted with busy Lizzies. Conifer specialists could well raise eyebrows to see their specialism effectively inter-planted with the latest Waterfall Series of begonia. “SunBelievable performs better in soil than the pot” One partnership that would never have crossed…

Plants that will sit out winter in borders also need protecting, though once they are mature and established they should be able to fend for themselves better. More tender perennials such as evergreen agapanthus and penstemons need mulching to insulate their root areas. Straw or bark mulch is ideal – and don’t forget to cut back penstemons only to half-way after flowering so this year’s growth can help protect the crown. Cloches are a traditional way of protecting low-growing delicates. Make sure they are properly anchored as the plastic ones will blow away in high winds.…

Pansy leaf spot is caused by fungal infections that affect plants in the ground and in containers. Infection is not wind-borne, so is usually carried from infected plants already in the garden. Wild pansies and violets may also be a source of the infection. As the name suggests, pansy leaf spot shows itself as spots of varying shades on the foliage, sometimes with a mouldy grey fuzz and sometimes causing the crown of the plant to rot. It can be treated with a fungicide such as Provanto Fungus Fighter and Scotts Fungus Clear Ultra. Non-chemical controls include avoiding repeat pansy planting in the same site as previously affected plants, and quarantining new plants until you can be sure they are clear of disease.…

1 Look for end-of-season ‘sale’ barbeque charcoal, as it will keep fine until next year – when it will probably cost more. 2 Make compost with the dying-back foliage, weeds and crop residues you can collect, before its goodness has withered away. 3 Protect overwintering brassicas against those dastardly wood pigeons! An empty wire hanging basket will work, or you can make something similar from wire netting. 4 Planning some new trees and bushes? Dig holes before they arrive to warm up, so they can be planted straightaway.…

I AM in the midst of the autumn tidy-up in my garden, although the autumn border will get left until the second half of winter because it’s such a good resource for birds and small mammals. They’ll be able to find tiny insects on the ground and in the nooks and crannies of the stems. I’m currently working in the summer border, cutting down perennials that are entering a period of dormancy. I’m pulling up the annuals and taking the weight out of my roses by reducing them by about a third. This helps prevent them from being rocked about in the wind, because Spring Cottage is in a very exposed spot. I have lots of snowdrops tucked underneath my roses and I want the autumn rains to rehydrate them…

Step by step 1 Choose a site free from perennial weeds, if possible. Lay down a 8in (20cm) layer of organic matter. Ideally, this should be well-rotted; if not, put the coarsest and freshest at the base, and the well-rotted material on top. 2 You can dibble hardy transplants (such as mizuna, lettuce and broad beans) straight into the bed. In this initial autumn, it’s best not to direct-sow; wait until any fresh organic matter has rotted down. 3 As the months pass and crops come and go, simply clear away their debris and then lay down more well-rotted compost. You can keep planting or sowing into this, with no need to dig the bed over.…

1 Check the health of your compost. Did the plants suffer from soil-dwelling pests or diseases such as vine weevil or damping off? If yes, don’t re-use it in the garden. If no, then you’re good to go to step two! 2 Compost can become compacted in time, as it slowly and continually rots down in its container. So fluff it up with a garden hand fork, removing any debris and large chunks of root as you go. 3 Finally, you can boost its nutrient levels by working in some granular general-purpose fertiliser at the recommended rate. It’s now ready to be planted up with some hardy salad transplants or, if you prefer, spring bulb displays.…

Autumn crocus Grow naturalised in grass, as an edging for paths and borders, or in pockets on the rock garden. Avoid waterlogged soil. Plant corms (or bulbs) in summer, in small groups 2in (5cm) deep and 2-4in (5-10cm) apart. After planting, apply a light dressing of bonemeal or other fertiliser; carefully work this into the soil, taking care not to disturb your bulbs. After flowering has finished, leave foliage to die back naturally; remove it when it turns yellow, not before. Lift and divide clumps after three to four years. Birds, particularly sparrows, can eat the flowers; protect them with wire netting, or run taut lines of cotton – attached to pegs – between the plants. Colchicums Happy in sun or light shade in most well-drained, humus-rich soils. Plant corms…

YOU don’t need to be a hotshot at DIY or have loads of time on your hands to build a simple leafmould bin. A structure good enough to turn all an average garden’s fallen leaves into leafmould can be constructed in about an hour. You don’t even need lots of tools or materials. All it requires to make a cage-like structure is four 4ft (1.2m) tree stakes, a roll of galvanised chicken wire, ten galvanised U-staples, a mallet, a hammer, a tape measure, a carpenters’ set square, a builders’ string line and a pair of wire clippers. Start by hammering your stakes into the ground, 2ft (60cm) apart, to make a square frame – ensure that they are as upright as possible and about 3ft (90cm) of each stake remains…

1699: The sweet pea arrives in the UK. 1731: The first cultivated sweet pea is listed by botanist Philip Miller. Late 1700s: Five varieties of sweet pea are grown in Britain. Late 1800s: Henry Eckford breeds the first Grandifloras, creating bigger flowers and new colours. 1900: Silas Cole develops the first Spencer sweet pea, characterised by large flowers and wavy petals. Early 20th century: The sweet pea is used in genetics research. Late 20th century: Modern Grandifloras – the most gardenworthy sweet peas – are created; and dwarf forms are bred for containers.…

What plants like a north-facing spot? Q What plants are suitable to grow around a north-facing front door? I’d like something with scent. Marie Dunlop, Livingston, West Lothian A The following shrubs should meet your requirements and delight you with their beautiful flowers and wonderful scent: Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’: Pinkish-white, vanilla-scented flowers in late winter and early spring. Mahonia x media ‘Charity’: Racemes of yellow cones with lily-of-the-valley scent are a joy in autumn and winter. Rhododendron luteum: Honeysuckle perfume is yours to savour when its yellow blooms peak. Deutzia x elegantissima ‘Rosealind’: May and June sees this smothered with deep carmine-pink, perfumed blooms. Osmanthus x burkwoodii: Small white blooms in spring release a mix of honey and vanilla scent. Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis: Late winter sees pinkish-white blooms…

GENTIANS are among the most popular of all alpine plants, and with more than 400 species found throughout the world they make up a fascinating group. They are rewarding in any garden situation, but can be a challenge to grow well. Normally spring or summer-flowering, there are several – predominately Gentiana sino-ornmata and G. farreri – that flower in autumn, so let’s take a closer look at this beautiful and variable genus. Gentians are named after Gentius, a king of Illyria (part of the modern day Balkan Peninsula), in the years around 180-160BC. It is thought that he had discovered that these plants had tonic properties (see next page). Autumn gentian... 1 THE Chinese autumn-flowering gentian ( G. sino-ornata ) was discovered by several plant hunters: first in 1904 by…

GENTIAN is used in herbal medicine and is understood to aid, among other things, digestive problems, muscle spasms, hypertension, wounds, sinusitis and malaria. Many drinks, too, are made with gentian root. One such is ‘Gentian’, also known as Gentian Spirit, Gentian Schnapps or Enzian liquor, a clear alcoholic drink from the European Alps, made from distilling the roots of G. lutea. Other species are harvested, too, and go into the manufacture of a range tonics, apéritifs and liqueurs, including: Angostura and Peychaud’s Bitters (to give drinks a bitter, sour or bittersweet flavour). Moxie, an American soft drink owned by the Coca-Cola company. Suze (French) and Aperol (Italian) liqueurs. Underberg, a German after-dinner digestif. Americano apéritif, a form of aromatised wine.…

A dose of Monty – yes or no? ONE of the highlights of my week is Saturday morning, when my copy of Amateur Gardening arrives in the post. It is as good as a personal visit from gardening friends. Another highlight of my week is the Gardeners’ World TV programme and, in particular, Monty Don. He has such a soothing, friendly voice and appearance. I can identify with all he says and does. He has, like almost all gardeners, a POSITIVE approach to life: planning what to grow and sow, and looking towards the next season. Gardening is good therapy and a dose of Monty Don is a relaxing programme, unlike so much raucous political or other broadcast material. I have had a very, very long working life and gardening…

I BLAME Sir Isaac Newton for the hole in my pond. If the steel staking bar propped next to the doomed water feature had not been possessed by his First Law of Motion, none of this would have happened… As every scholar of physics knows, objects remain at rest unless compelled to change by an external force – but even Brian Cox could not predict this ‘change’ would transform the wayward spike into a steel Tom Daley diving into the water. And like Tom performing a perfect pike, it made barely a ripple, spearing down into the liner where the equal reaction was opposite to the one that I wanted – a hole the size of a tuppenny piece right through the butyl. “I blame Sir Isaac Newton for the…