Innholdsfortegnelse for 7-Dec-2019 i Amateur Gardening

GARDEN plants aren’t the only ones to be affected by autumn and winter; the onset of shorter, darker days brings about changes in houseplants, too. As light levels drop, most will enter a dormant phase and this means that the care we usually give them must change, too. Stop feeding and watering, because this will either encourage them to keep putting on soft, weak new growth, or cause them to rot if they are forced to sit for days in soggy compost. The exceptions to this rule are plants that flower or grow in winter, such as Christmas cacti, poinsettias, African violets and other festive ‘gift’ plants. “Pests are partial to a warm winter home” If plants don’t get enough light, as the days grow darker they may grow tall…

1 The kalanchoe cuttings I took in the summer have rooted well on a light windowsill and are ready to move on. 2 Carefully tip the compost from the pot and gently separate the roots of the plants. 3 Pot each one up in a slightly larger container, so the roots aren’t swamped, using houseplant or multi-purpose compost. 4 Water in the cuttings, leave them to drain, and then stand them somewhere light and warm but out of direct sunlight.…

NEXT year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from 25th-27th January, 2020. The national ‘citizen science’ event has been taking place in the nation’s gardens and parks for the past 40 years, and over four decades 137 million birds have been counted, giving the RSPB an astonishing amount of insight into how our feathered wildlife is faring. Rebecca Munro, RSPB director of communications, said: “Big Garden Birdwatch allows us to monitor trends and helps us understand how birds are doing. With results from so many gardens, we are able to create a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK. Everyone has a role to play “The popularity of Big Garden Birdwatch shows just how passionate people across the UK are about their wildlife. Everyone has a role to play in…

BALBY Community Allotments and Gardens Group has won this year’s Cosyfeet Community Project Award. The £750 award will be put towards Backsaver spades and wheelbarrows to help the group’s older gardeners on their plots. The South Yorkshire group has approximately 140 members, many of whom are tenants of the 72 allotments on the Balby site. An increasing number of members are over 80 years of age and continue to grow fruit, flowers and vegetables and keep chickens, ducks, geese and pigeons. Involvement in the group is a passion for the pensioners, helping to keep them active and stay fit, as well as providing the welcome opportunity to socialise and chat with fellow gardeners. “Winning this award means we can help many of our older members to continue doing what they…

THERE can surely be no more elegant and stylish flower than the shuttlecock-shaped blooms on the cyclamen. I was stopped in my tracks recently by a colourful carpet of Cyclamen hederifolium in a suburban front garden, under a canopy of trees and shrubs resplendent in autumn shades. They quite lit up the street, and all it takes to get such a display is patience. Hardy cyclamen corms grow steadily larger left undisturbed to reach dinner plate size, and the larger the corm the more flowers it produces. “They thrive in the most demanding of situations” They freely self-seed and the stems on fading flowers will wind back like a spring. Once the seed is ripe, the stems uncoil again to spread beyond the mother plant, while ants help by carrying…

Nordmann fir: The most popular tree, its dense needles are slow to drop but it doesn’t have much scent. Norway spruce: The traditional ‘smelly’ tree with narrow branches and needles that are prone to falling. Blue spruce: Elegant, with attractive blue-grey foliage. The needles are long, and can be sharp, so take care! Fraser fir: A lean silhouette, but the needles are dense and the scent is rich and warm. Douglas fir: Dark green or blue-green needle and a lemony scent.…

1 Don’t be unprepared for the snow: buy some sacks of sand, grit and salt, a stiff broom and a proper snow shovel now! 2 It’s still OK to plant hardy woody and shrubby plants, just as long as your ground is not frozen or waterlogged. 3 Now is a really good time to get chickens, as once settled in they’ll start laying soon into the new year. 4 Place or replace stocking bags on water downpipe spouts – the contents are usually excellent stuff for the compost bin.…

Top tricks for best nips Germination can be erratic. You can bypass this by sowing in clumps of five or six, thinning to one later ( just remember to buy fresh seed each year). When choosing seeds, opt for F1 hybrids – they are less variable in quality and they show more vigorous growth. You can pre-germinate seeds on moist trays indoors to give quick emergence, then mix them with damp compost and sow in clumps. For long taproots, sow direct into a well dug bed. If yours is stony, make 10in (25cm)-deep holes with a dibber, fill with compost, then sow. For larger roots, space plants at least 8in (20cm) apart each way. Smaller ‘baby’ parsnips come from a 5x5in (13x13cm) spacing. Parsnips don’t need lots of water or…

THE name of this activity refers to the body part used to complete it. Intrigued? Well, if you are not quite ready to plant out your winter-ordered fruit trees, canes or bushes, you can temporarily ‘heel’ them in. We can order new fruit stock cheaply in winter, as it’s sent to us devoid of soil or compost (this is called ‘bare root’, and it makes carriage costs inexpensive). Occasionally, bare-rooted plants arrive when our plot’s soil is either frozen or waterlogged, or perhaps the bed they’re destined for hasn’t been dug over yet. The exposed roots can dry out if not planted immediately, so you need to take action. Dig a shallow trench with your spade, then lay the roots in it, cover with soil, then firm in gently with…

WHILE our native hedgerow hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is theoretically edible, its small fruit size and insipid flavour haven’t secured it a place on the forager’s shortlist. However, did you know there are other hawthorns that would easily make finalists? Take, for example, C. arnoldiana – hardy as you like, and bearing plentiful ¾in (2cm)-diameter fruits. Or what about C. schraderana, C. ellwangeriana or C. succulenta (‘Jubilee’ is a large-fruited variety). Fruits can be eaten raw, or added to preserves and pies. Little did we know that hawthorns can be so delicious! Being relatively small trees, it’s easy to accommodate one on your plot (and pot cultivation is also feasible). These plants are tolerant of a wide range of soil types, self-fertile and ripen their berries in September, so why not…

Dracaena ‘Lemon-Lime’ AGM With its zesty yellow and green sword-like leaves, a variegated dragon tree such as ‘Lemon-Lime’ will brighten up any room. It can cope if you forget to water it, but will love being misted occasionally. H: 5ft (1½m). Golden pothos Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) is another houseplant that thrives on minimal attention. Position up high to appreciate its trailing marbled green and yellow heart-shaped leaves. Can trail up to 20ft (6m); cut back to keep to size. Anthurium Pink Champion If you want a houseplant that offers colour for months on end, choose this anthurium. Its glossy foliage makes a nice foil for the waxy pink or red flowers, which appear intermittently throughout the year. H: 20in (51cm). Peperomia Popular for their compact…

You can create a deceptively easy tabletop display by placing several smaller potted plants into a wide, shallow dish, making a ‘bed’ of florist’s moss underneath the pots, and adding more moss on top of them. Alternatively, buy a galvanised plant tray (try crocus.co.uk) and group mini pots of similar plants together. If you’re running out of room to display houseplants, think vertically and make better use of your wall space. A rope shelf constructed from a piece of wood, rope and large hook screws is a cheap and easy way to display your plants up high. If you have a jigsaw power tool, you could cut a couple of large holes into the wood and sit pots into those.…

Will my avocado flowers become fruit? Q I think this is a flower on my avocado tree. If so, what are the chances of fruit appearing? Mrs M Wright, Southrepps, Norfolk A You definitely have a flower on your avocado, which is wonderful! However, whether you get a fruit or not is rather complicated. Avocado flowers are hermaphrodite, having both male and female reproductive parts, but they bear two sorts of flowers known as ‘A flowers’ and ‘B flowers’. In each, the male and female reproductive parts are active at different times of the day so the plant may be releasing pollen in the morning and receptive to pollen in the afternoon, or vice versa. This means that the chances of the flowers being pollinated are slim and the best…

Cutter bar Rigid flat bar around which the toothed chain rotates at speed. Chain tensioner Screw adjustment to ensure the chain is tight enough not to fly off the cutter bar, but not so tight that it can’t turn. Chain brake Safety lever positioned in front of the top handle that stops the chain turning in the event of a kick-back. Chain oil reservoir Small tank containing oil that is fed automatically onto the moving chain to lubricate it and the cutter bar. Kick-back Violent movement of the saw towards the operator, caused if the saw tip comes into contact with anything while the chain is in motion. Saw horse Simple but strong X-section stand.…

YOU can buy a packet of ‘Musselburgh’ (or similar) leek seeds for £1.49 or less, and that packet could contain around 180 seeds. If stored in cool, dry conditions, these seeds will easily keep for three years. That’s good value for money. As well as that, leeks are easy to grow, they produce a crop from October to spring, when very little else is growing, and they suffer from fewer pests and diseases than most other veg. They’re cropping now, so let’s take a closer look at the story of the leek! The best leeks have a thick, white, cylindrical stalk 18-36in (45-90cm) tall, with a slightly bulbous root end. The leaves are broad, flat, dark green and wrapped tightly around each other. Leeks in the kitchen garden LEEKS (Allium…

LEEKS were valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans for their supposed beneficial effect upon the throat. The Greek philosopher Aristotle credited the clear ‘squawk’ of the partridge to a diet of leeks, while Roman emperor Nero is said to have eaten leeks every day to improve his singing voice! The Roman Emperor Charlemagne introduced a law stating that every householder should have a leek on their roof, to ward off evil spirits. Five hundred years ago, girls who slept with a leek under their pillow on St David’s Day would apparently see their future husband in their dreams!…

IF exposed peat on moorland releases CO2, exposed humus-rich soil in gardens will do the same. If farmers disturbing field soil by ploughing releases CO2, cultivating garden soil will do the same. Growing plants absorb CO2. Weeds grow, often very well. So let the weeds grow. Abandon spades and hoes. Save yourself work, and save the planet. Well, why not? Alwyn Tomlinson, North Duffield, Selby Wendy says: What do others think? I do leave a few patches of weeds, but only to help bees and as food for caterpillars. MY young grandson is keen to help in the garden, and always asks me the names of plants. He was not impressed with my reply when he asked me the name of the weeds that were growing along the bottom of…

ALTHOUGH C. ‘Jingle Bells’ can be left unpruned, cutting down to 18in (45cm) after the first flowering does them the world of good. Choose a strong pair of buds and trim just above, and the plants will soon bounce back but with double the number of stems. Like all clematis, growth bunches at the top of their supports, with few flowers or leaves lower down. On a pergola or wall, this isn’t a problem, but in a pot the plant becomes top-heavy, so trim lightly after flowering every year to encourage fresh growth from the base.…

Coleus are wonderful plants that bring variety and impact both indoors and in the garden. Their leaves are a dramatic explosion of colours, from acid green to bright pink and deep maroon, bronze and brown. Sown now, they will add colour to the home through winter and early spring, and then they can be hardened off and moved into patio containers and borders for summer. Sow the seeds thinly onto trays or pots of dampened compost. Cover with a thin layer of compost, add a lid or seal the pot in a plastic bag. Place in a light, warm spot and remove the covering after the seeds have germinated.…

Christmas is a peak time for the giving and receiving of plants, so here are a few key tips to remember. If you are giving a plant as a present, do choose one that’s appropriate for the person and home it’s going to. A monstera or massive yukka won’t be welcomed in a small house and a plant that needs lots of specific care is probably not ideal for busy people. When buying the plant, make sure it’s well wrapped before you leave the shop. Many houseplants are tender, and having sat in a heated environment can suffer even on a short, cold walk to your car or the bus. When you receive a plant, water it if the compost is dry, read and follow any care instructions, and check…

WITH the winter closing in, opportunities for planting spring bulbs are coming to an end. Some will still be available but the soil is getting colder and wetter, which makes it harder to work. If you leave planting any later the bulbs may not flower as well in spring, especially early blooming varieties such as snowdrops. There is also an increased danger of bulbs rotting in heavy soils prone to waterlogging, though this can be alleviated by digging in generous amounts of well-rotted compost or manure and extra grit. If your soil is heavy, you may be better off planting bulbs in containers. However, do remember that containers can freeze faster than soil in the borders, though you can offset this by wrapping them in fleece and bubblewrap. Bulbs that…

1 Hardy cyclamen transplant well even in full flower. You must lift them with a clod of soil and transplant immediately. 2 Dry seeds are best put in an old piece of stocking and hung in running water for a little while to wash off germination-retarding sugars on the seed coat. 3 Grown in pots, the full beauty of the flowers can be brought up to eye level and to nose level to fully appreciate their fragrance. 4 Corms bought dry can be slow to root, and buying pot-grown seedlings are more reliable. Listen to Peter’s free podcast every Thursday. Search for ‘This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook’ on iTunes…

6 Dec: Foraged Festive Florals: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 6-8 Dec: Children’s magic of Christmas: RHS Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/ gardens/hyde-hall 6 Dec-5 Jan: Enchanted Botanical Christmas in the Glasshouse: RHS Wisley 7 Dec-5 Jan: Glow, RHS Wisley 7 Dec: Pinecone crafts: RHS Wisley 7 Dec: Sow and Grow Microgreens: RHS Wisley 8 Dec: Festive Family Fun Silk Paintings: RHS Wisley 8 Dec: Family Terrarium Workshop: RHS Wisley 12 Dec: Explore Rosemoor’s Woodlands: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 13 Dec: Christmas Kerb Appeal (Create stylish outdoor containers for the front of your house): RHS Wisley 13-15 Dec: Children’s Magic of Christmas: RHS…

IT’S the season of sore throats and colds, and my go-to cure-all is lemon and honey. I try to buy local honey, and while it’s more expensive it is less likely to contain pesticides – or that’s my theory. I sometimes buy heather honey, which is much darker and has a stronger flavour. Beekeeping friends tell me that some people don’t like the taste of heather honey, but I love it! I was very interested to read a press release about an article published in Current Biology. Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Royal Holloway University of London made an interesting discovery. They found that Calluna heather contained a substance called callunene. This can act as a medicine and protects bumblebees against the harmful parasite Crithidia bombi. This…

1 Canker: This fungal disease can be deterred by liming soil and using raised beds. Delay sowing outdoors until mid-April, eliminate root fly (see right) and hoe carefully. Grow resistant F1 hybrid varieties such as ‘Albion’ and ‘Javelin’. 2 Root fly: This causes rusty orange tunnels that penetrate the roots. You can thwart this pest by growing parsnips under insect-proof mesh. It’s then essential to rotate, avoiding plots that also grew carrots, parsley, celery or celeriac last year. 3 Splitting: Caused by droughts and then deluges, split parsnips will not store well, as rots will often spoil the crop. Prevent by irrigating your roots regularly and thoroughly, once every two weeks, to ensure a consistent moisture supply.…

1 Grab a hanging basket (or pot), plus a selection of evergreen hardy herbs. I have chosen thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano and parsley to create a punchy mixed herb blend. 2 Check your herb’s growing requirements: mine enjoy sharp drainage so I’m mixing up equal volumes of multi-purpose compost, John Innes No3 and horticultural grit. 3 Plant taller herbs in the centre, then trailing ones at the front. Water in lightly, keep just moist, and then hang by your back door for quick harvests in chilly weather.…

Clematis urophylla ‘Winter Beauty’ Structural, nodding, creamy white, urn-shaped flowers peel open like little boxes on evergreen plants reaching 11ft (3½m) high. Clematis ‘Pixie’ Mainly spring-flowering, but green buds will pop open from January on. A compact, fragrant hybrid with fern-like foliage, good for tumbling or climbing to 3ft (1m). Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’ These dainty creamy-white blooms, to 3in (8cm) across, show up well against foliage in a reliable display. C. tangutica Persistent, fluffy seedheads following the late summer-autumn ‘lemon peel’ blooms will dress gardens well into winter.…

Check soil, top and bottom, before watering, and allow the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings. When you do water, make sure you do so thoroughly – shallow watering can cause brown leaves. Use rainwater or filtered water. In winter, don’t fertilise; only water once a week – if needed. Prune leggy plants and refresh compost in early spring. Put plants that require a higher humidity level on a tray of pebbles topped up with water.…

Q Do potted bay trees need moving undercover in winter? Mark Perkins, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwicks A Bay trees are hardy and don’t need greenhouse protection in winter. Simply wrap pots in two layers of heavy-duty bubble wrap and cover the compost surface with 3-4in (7-10cm) of chipped bark to exclude frost. Position pots close to a south- facing wall, which will radiate warmth after a sunny day. Q How can I speed up making leafmould? Jenny Cruikshank, Coventry, West Midlands A Well-rotted leafmould is a wonderful thing to have. Cover collected leaves with a carpet, removing it occasionally to let rain in and so you can turn leaves. Alternatively, lay blocks of wood on top of the leaves so moisture can still get in and accelerate the decomposition process. Q How…

Do ✓ Read your owner’ s manual to learn how the saw works before starting. ✓ Wear to from safety clothing protect you possible injury ✓ Before assess the are . starting, job you tackling carefully to avoid injury and damage to property . Don’t ✗Work at from a ladder with a chainsaw height – in these circumstances it’ s much safer to use a bow saw a pole saw from ground level. , or use ✗ Let the chain oil reservoir run dry . If it does, both the chain and cutter bar can be seriously damaged. ✗Work for without and long periods checking adjusting the chain tension. If it gets too slack, the chain will fly off .…

CONNIE Fletcher was born on this day, in Derby. In later life she would become Constance Spry, a home economist, teacher, author and the nation’s leading flower arranger. She opened her first floristry shop in 1928; the business ‘bloomed’ after gaining a recurring contract to provide arrangements for Granada Cinemas. In 1934 she opened a larger shop in London’s Mayfair, eventually employing 70 people. She arranged flowers for many royal occasions, including the 1937 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and the Queen’s Coronation in 1953. For this, her friend Rosemary Hume (who ran a cookery school) was asked to cater lunch for foreign dignitaries and, with Constance, they created the dish we know today as coronation chicken. Constance died in 1960, an hour after falling down stairs.…

Can I grow a Christmas tree? Q We’re into sustainability, and have bought Christmas trees in pots to re-use. Can we plant them out, and how can I start them from seed? Marcia Knotts, Macclesfield A It’s been estimated that you’d have to re-use a synthetic tree over 20 times to beat the green credentials of buying a live tree annually. One can’t help feeling sorry for the sawn-off Christmas tree, but remember it takes around seven years to grow to a decent size, in which time the plantations are acting as carbon sinks and usually sited on poor land not great for growing edible crops. You have saved even more resources by re-using pot-grown trees, but the ultimate could be carrying a pack of seeds into your garden and…

1 Reduce watering to just a little every two weeks or when the compost is dry. Water succulents every three weeks and cacti not at all. 2 Wipe leaves clean of dust and pests so they can make the most of reduced levels of natural light. Deadhead regularly. 3 Pests love a warm winter house. Wipe off small colonies with a damp cloth and use chemicals as a last resort, taking care around pets. 4 A bottle lid of almond oil attracts and drowns compost fungus gnats. Take care cats don’t chew spider plant offshoots otherwise they will be sick! On the move: Perennials will still keep you busy as long as the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged. Find out more in next week’s AG (available from 10 December).…

AFTER almost a year of research and working with our readers and contributors, and in a determined bid to be more environmentally friendly, Amateur Gardening has ditched plastic packaging altogether. From 11th January, 2020, our growing number of subscribers will receive their posted copies wrapped in completely recyclable and compostable paper bags instead of the usual plastic ones. This switch follows an experiment earlier this year, when subscription copies of the January 26 edition of AG were dispatched in compostable potato starch bags. We asked subscribers and our weekly columnists to subject the bags to ‘trial’ by compost heap, air and water, and let us know the results. Thanking readers for your help The verdicts took time to compile as the tests started in winter, when composting naturally slows down,…

THE overwhelming response from our readers to the potato starch bags was positive, proving there is a widespread desire to help the environment and reduce household waste. One reader, Pat Dwyer, even sent in the photographs she’d taken as her bag wasted away. She wrote: “I am pleased that you are showing the way for other magazines. The bags are a perfect size “I thought I’d let you know how the recycling bag went for me. It was very slow, but does show signs of breaking down. On my compost heap, it would be almost gone.” Other comments included: ■ “I found the potato starch bag absolutely superb. It was perfect for my small food caddy and easy to use, so I hope you introduce the starch one permanently. (P…

One of my favourite ways of planting spring bulbs is to naturalise them in the lawn. This method works best with smaller varieties such as crocus, snowdrops, scilla, and dwarf daffodils and tulips. Members of the fritillary family and camassias also look good growing through grass and under trees. This method of planting is simple. With a bulb planter or sharp trowel, create planting holes three times as deep as the bulbs; any shallower and they risk drying out or performing poorly. Drop the bulbs in, pointed end upwards, and infill with the soil, topping with the removed turf. Firm down and water well to help the turf knit back together. Protect with wire mesh if squirrels are a problem.…

FOREST of Christmas trees, cut and potted, is springing up across the country, so here is a quick guide to making your tree last as long as possible. If your tree is growing in a pot outside, stand it in one of the coolest rooms away from direct sources of heat. Keep it indoors for as short a time as possible – two weeks is probably the limit before it starts to suffer. If you are buying a ready-cut tree, select one that hasn’t already been netted so you can see its size and shape, and check how healthy it is. Avoid any that are already starting to droop or lose needles. A good way of testing the state of a tree is to lift it an inch off the…

NO matter how mild previous years have been – or how mild or rough this autumn has felt – the coming months are still going to be deepest winter. Even with climate change giving us a run of milder winters, the day length is short so there is little warmth from the sun. And, annoyingly, bright sunny days mean there’s little cloud cover and we get even colder nights. Therefore, although we may be lucky and have another mild winter, we are just as likely to be freezing cold if another Beast from the East makes an appearance – and next time, maybe for longer… We may have got a little complacent and forgotten how a longer period of cold is so different to short bursts. With long cold, the…

THESE unmistakable roots are a must-grow in the winter garden. Puréed, casseroled, chipped or roasted, they keep us fuelled in these chillier months – but how can you ensure success on the plot? Successful germination Being biennial, parsnips are geared towards creating a sizeable root in their first year, ready to flower the next. With parsnips taking well over 30 weeks to mature, this is a long-haul crop! Like their carrot relatives, parsnips are slow to germinate. Caused partly by irregular seed maturity leading to immature seed embryos, it’s unsurprising that suppliers legally need to sell us seed with only a 65% germination rate. Cold soils also hinder germination (at 7°C/45°F, parsnips can take four weeks to emerge). Before I depress you, read my checklist (right) – it describes plenty…

WHILE earthworms have the option of burrowing deeply into the soil to avoid harsh winters, wormery worms (mostly tiger worms) aren’t so fortunate. With wormeries above soil level, a prolonged harsh frost can penetrate the wormery and freeze any worms inside – not good news when your body is 85% water! Wormery worms also prefer to feed near the surface rather than burrowing deeply, further exacerbating the problem of freezing. Worm egg ‘cocoons’ can survive, dormant, through winter chills, but it’s preferable to help adult worms overwinter, too. Do this by moving your wormery into a frost-free shed or garage. If it’s too big or heavy to move, insulate the sides with bubble plastic or blankets. Waterlogging also reduces worm survival. Prevent this by opening the sump tap; pop a…

1 If you plan to force rhubarb , lift healthy crowns now and leave them on the plot. The winter chill will synchronise re-growth. 2 Stored root crops are a magnet for rodents. Check traps daily and keep baits topped up to thwart any chances of an infestation. 3 Planting new fruit trees this winter? You should also buy rabbit guards if you know these mammals are a problem in your locality . 4 Fungal cank er can cause decay and dieback in apples and pears. Check for sunk en, crack ed lesions now that leaves have fallen. 5 Did you sow tender green manures such as fenugreek and buckwheat? Dig them in now that they have been hit by the frost.…

IF you have ever had the misfortune to use a bow saw to cut through tree limbs of much more than 4in (10cm) thick, you’ll know how exhausting it can be. In contrast, a chainsaw makes a job like this quick, easy and safe if it’s used correctly. I used to own a petrol-powered chainsaw, but got rid of it because of the noise. A petrol motor gives you freedom to cut anywhere and has a great deal of power, but it’s noisy. I’ve owned a mains-electric chainsaw for the past 10 years and while it has ample power for the garden jobs I tackle, it is quiet in use. An extension cable gives me enough reach to get down the garden – if the restrictions of a cable are…

1 Check that the saw is correctly set up, the chain is tensioned, fuel/chain oil tanks are filled, a circuit breaker is fitted for electric saws. Put on safety gear, and assess the job. 2 With the chain break on, start the engine with the saw on the ground. Pull the chain brake off, stand to one side of the cut, squeeze trigger so the chain is running at full speed. 3 Bring the cutter bar down onto the wood so the nearest part to you makes the cut. Let the weight of the saw control the cut – there’s no need to press down. 4 Never let the saw tip come into contact with the wood. As you finish the cut, back off power slightly. With the cut is…

OVER centuries leeks were revered, much as we today consider the so-called ‘superfoods’. There were many claims made about the leek: among other attributes it was said to be good for purging the blood, keeping colds at bay and for healing wounds. Leeks are certainly high in vitamins A, B6, C and K, and contain manganese, copper, iron and folate. And, like onions, they contain sulphur compounds that scientists believe reduce the risk of some health problems. When you chop or slice leeks, the antioxidants in them start converting to allicin. This provides some anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral protection, and also reduces cholesterol by impeding harmful enzymes in liver cells. The ancient Greek physician and ‘father of medicine’, Hippocrates (460-370BC), prescribed leeks as a cure for nosebleeds – but it…

1 Sprinkle seed thinly across the lightly pressed, moist compost surface. Scatter compost to cover, then add a layer of grit, protect from rodents and place in an unheated greenhouse or coldframe. 2 A young tree is potted on to a slightly larger pot of 50:50 John Innes No2 and soilless compost. 3 More young trees are lined out into good soil to grow on. They will be moved again after a couple of years to prevent deep roots forming. 4 Only plant Christmas trees permanently if you have a large garden. I appreciate our handsome, mature trees, and the different wildlife they attract.…

JINGLE bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! A carol as Christmassy as Michael Bublé drinking eggnog from a Champagne saucer while riding a reindeer. Wrong! Jingle Bells isn’t a song about Christmas at all… When composer James Lord Pierpont penned the ditty in 1857, his aim was to capture the high-octane après-race antics of sleigh racers. That’s why the verses (which have been politely dropped from the festive version) refer to crashes, taking out girls, helpful tips on acceptable race times, and the fastest horses – ‘Bobtailed bays’, in case you were wondering. Aptly, the fabulous winter-flowering Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ is also not as Christmassy as it seems. Its flowers might be green and white like mistletoe, and chime with the festive season, but it’s a tourist to…