Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-sep-16 i Amateur Gardening

WE’VE been lucky with the weather in the south this year. Watching the weather forecast I suspect the north has not fared so well – but there are advantages to a wetter climate. At my allotment the only watering we’re allowed to do is with cans. Watering a fully planted plot after four weeks without rain is nigh impossible, so it pays to ignore some crops to ensure others do well. I let late maturing spring cabbages wilt, focusing my attention on runner and French beans, peas, lettuces, bulb fennel, ridge cucumber and courgettes, and finally young winter brassicas, planted out late. Beetroot got the odd splash, leeks nothing, sweetcorn was ignored until the pollen bearing tassels appeared then watered weekly. Fruit trees and canes were passed by on the…

BACK in the spring I took some early cuttings from lupins. Once they struck successfully, I potted them up and have nurtured them in a cold frame over the summer. Autumn is an ideal time to plant them out. They are hardy plants, and the soil is warm from the summer, and damp thanks to recent rain, so the roots should grow strongly. I only planted out the largest of the new plants, which should be robust enough to withstand the winter and return strongly next spring. I am keeping the smaller ones in pots to grow on, and will add them to the borders when the soil warms up again in spring. Before planting out the new lupins, I stood them in a bowl of water to dampen the…

LEAF mould season is almost upon us, and if you have never made it before, now is a good time to start. Leaf mould is formed when fallen leaves and pine needles break down. It takes around two years to create. Leafmould is broken down by fungi, while compost is broken down by bacteria. Oak, beech and hornbeam leaves break down fastest, while thicker ones from sycamore, walnut, and chestnut trees take longer to decompose, and can be shredded to speed up the process. Glossy evergreen leaves are best added to the compost heap. The best way to create leaf mould is to build a mesh-and-post storage bin. They are simple to construct – hammer four stakes (I used tree supports) into the ground roughly 3ft (1m) apart, and wind…

1 Wearing gloves, cut off branches using a saw or loppers. Leave a short stump in the soil. Chop up bits to take to the tip. 2 With the leafy growth removed, start work on the roots. Clear away the soil from the roots using a spade and trowel. 3 Once the roots are visible, angle a crowbar underneath the rootball and use it as a lever to break smaller roots. 4 Break larger roots with a mattock or pick. Never wear gloves when using a ‘swinging’ tool, as bare hands grip better. 5 When most of the roots are severed, use brute strength to rock the stump back and forth, breaking remaining roots. 6 Once the stump is clear of the soil, take it to the local garden waste…

WITH gardening, as with all things, sometimes the unexpected happens and you need to take urgent action. A tall umbrella plant (Schefflera) growing happily in the bathroom was last week sent flying by a gust of wind from the window. In fact it was blessing in disguise because it needed repotting, and once I had finished clearing up the broken crockery and spilled compost, it didn’t take long to re-home it in a larger container. Autumn is a good time to repot houseplants because they have finished their summer growing, and are entering a period of dormancy for the winter. Don’t ‘overpot’ (transfer them to a too-large container) as this will cause their roots to wallow in too much empty compost, and they won’t thrive. TopTip As the days get…

MY pelargoniums, which I nursed through last winter in a cool, light bedroom, have added a lovely splash of colour to our borders this summer, and I want them to do the same next year. I have already taken cuttings of a variety with scented foliage, but as I only have two traditional tender pelargonium plants, I have decided to lift them, pot them up and keep them in the greenhouse for the winter. Other plants like cannas and ornamental bananas should also be brought under cover now. You could also keep plants on a light windowsill, or in a conservatory. I potted mine up into John Innes No 1, as it is low in nutrients but contains enough goodness to see the plants through the dormant period. I will…

THE cabbage seedlings that I moved from their seed tray into individual modules are now ready to be transplanted into larger pots. They have been sitting in the greenhouse where, with warmth and regular watering, they have grown robustly. However, they have also fallen prey to cabbage white butterfly caterpillars, so before potting on, I had to dispose of the pests and compost the worst affected plants. Usually, I would have planted the cabbages into a raised bed before now, and netted them against pigeons and other pests. But I am growing them on for a few more weeks in the hope that larger, more robust plants will be less affected by clubroot disease. They will go into a raised bed recently vacated by a crop of peas, which will…

THE starling is one of our most adaptable birds. Originally from Europe and western Asia, it’s now naturalised across the globe. Here in the UK, the huge flocks of starlings that descend on towns and cities during migration, chattering constantly and littering the ground with their droppings, are considered by many to be an unpleasant nuisance. I view them differently. Starlings have the most wondrous plumage. At a distance they appear black, however close up they have iridescent feathers in colours ranging from green to purple, depending on the light. During the breeding season, adults have yellow bills with (predictably) blue bases for the males and pink bases for the females. In winter the bill is dark, and the plumage is duller, with white spots. Young birds are dull brown,…

1 For a small number of plants to add in where you want them, fill fibre pots 2in (5cm) across with good seed or multipurpose compost. 2 Sow one seed per fibre pot, covering each only by its own size with compost. When seed is good and fresh, you can expect almost every one to germinate. Gently water them in. 3 Keep an eye on them: even while seedlings are still relatively small, roots will start to appear woven into the outer wall of the fibre pots. Now’s the time to plant them out, pots and all.…

I’VE enjoyed a brilliant summer in my garden, but whether I like it or not, there’s a change in the air – days are shorter, evenings are cooler and nights have started to draw in. All these signs indicate that autumn is just around the corner, and that means one thing – it’s almost time for the great autumn tidy-up. Overgrown beds, borders and vegetable patches are all in need of some TLC after seven months or so of continual growth. Unfortunately the chore of chopping back has to be done now to keep the garden in order. A pair of good secateurs is essential for the task, but all too often this cutting tool is neglected. We use them week in week out for cutting string, branches, opening compost…

ORGANIC gardeners have long laced traps with beer to capture unwary slugs, but I’ve always thought this technique was a bit of a garden myth with slugs no more likely to be attracted to a saucer of beer than they would be to one filled with water. Well, I’m going to have to eat humble pie. After heading outdoors to clean up after a barbecue the night before, I found a slug pickled in the dregs of some ale left in a glass by one of my guests. Remarkably this wasn’t even on the ground, but had been left on top of a wall. So, it seems slugs are clearly attracted to the smell of beer. A little bit of research reveals that it’s the smell of yeast that acts…

THE holder of the National Collection of Sweet Peas, Roger Parsons, has introduced seven new varieties of the highly scented annual climber. Five of the seven new Lathyrus odoratus varieties are tall Spencer varieties – the most popular type of sweet pea. Sweet pea ‘Jack Eveleigh’ is prolific flowering, pale blue flushed on a white ground; ‘Edith Flanaghan’ has large orange-salmon flowers on long stems; ‘Mr. P’ has dark blue flaked flowers on white ground, a completely new break; ‘Theia-Bella’ is a maroon flake on white ground, and ‘Solway Symphony’ is a non-tendril variety, the tendrils being replaced by extra leaflets. It has purple flowers. The final two are semi-dwarf in height, growing to about 4ft (1.2m). ‘Aurora Borealis’ AGM has flowers of maroon striped on a white ground, while…

WHEN summer ends, mark the season and inject cheer by planting up some bright and colourful autumn containers. There are lots of lovely plants available now from garden centres and nurseries that can be jumbled into pots to brighten doorways, decks, roof terraces, or patios. From foliage plants (such as grasses and heuchera), through to seasonal bloomers (like heather and cyclamen), there is a wealth of choice for your potted autumn display. The golden rule when put putting plants together in a container is to have one tall plant at the back, several lower growing bushier ones for the middle layer, and one trailing plant to hang over and soften the edges of the pot. This ‘thriller, filler, spiller’ formula will guarantee a good-looking pot. The exception to this rule…

A TWINKLING winter wonderland awaits visitors in the gardens at Blenheim Palace for the first time in its history. Designed by the famous 18th century landscape architect ‘Capability’ Brown the extraordinary parkland and glorious gardens will be all aglow throughout the festive season, illuminated to welcome visitors of all ages for the Christmas at Blenheim seasonal trail. Join the fun and explore the Fire Garden, a circular carpet of dancing flames, adorned with lanterns and set against the backdrop of glittering ancient woodland outlined in Christmas colour that stretches high into the night sky. Discover Christmas trees that sing, a swaying lawn of fibre optic colour and sparkling hedgerows. Then gaze at waterside reflections as brightly-lit boats bob-along filled with snowflakes and presents. In the distance, fountain jets dance and…

How do I stop invasive alstroemeria? Q I wonder if you can tell me how to get rid of alstroemeria? It just spreads everywhere, including in among lots of other plants that I do like. Jennifer Wotherspoon (via email) A The best way to control the alstroemeria invading your garden is to spray it with Weedol Rootkill Plus. Based on glyphosate and another weedkiller, which are biodegradable, it works systemically, travelling in the plant’s vascular system to kill roots and shoots. If the alstroemeria is well established, with a large root system, a second or third application may be necessary to eradicate it once and for all. Because the herbicide is a total herbicide, it is vital to keep it away from other garden plants as it will kill them…

Welsh onions (Allium fistulosum). This hardy herbaceous bunching onion (originally from China) has leaves like chives and bulbs like shallots. Will grow in part shade or full sun. H12in (30cm). Sow seeds any time (Chiltern seeds 01491 824675) or buy potted plants now. Supplier: Pennard Plants 01749 860039. Rhubarb Treated as a fruit but actually classed as a vegetable, rhubarb needs an open and sunny site; rich, free-draining soil and at least 30ins (75cm) of space between plants. Look out for dormant crowns to plant now. ‘Raspberry Red’ is a tasty variety. Supplier: T&M 0844 573 1918. Globe artichoke Thrives in soil that’s rich and well-drained. Best planted out in summer, so plan to grow from seed (from February) or buy young plants later on. Stems will grow more than…

Tensioned Wire Trellis Kit £37.20 (3ft2in/1m long) p&p £2.50 01302 752 504 s3i.co.uk Increase your growing area by making more use of walls and fences. Mount the wire system vertically, horizontally or diagonally to provide the perfect route for climbers, creepers and ramblers. Each marine grade stainless steel kit comes with a stainless steel stud fixed at one end of the wire rope and a compression fitting to attach at the length you require. Range of lengths available. Wire basket sculpture £199 p&p £14.99 0800 6888 386 blackcountrymetalworks.co.uk Go for the period country house look with a hand made high grade steel urn finished in a pale grey vintage paint. Made to order it stands H. 64 1/ 4in (163cm) x W. 22 3/ 4in (58cm)…

AS the countryside vanishes under new roads and housing estates, gardens are increasingly becoming a sanctuary for many native plants, insects and animals. As a result, gardeners are often requested to let a small piece of their plot ‘grow native’ as a haven, nursery and larder for many wild species. So why not take it a step further and let your lawn go wild too? For the past two summers, our lawn has been left to do its own thing, with narrow paths mowed through the centre and around each edge to allow access to beds and the back of the garden. The first summer, we saw scabious, daisies, clover, self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) and a wide range of grasses flourish. Last autumn we sowed yellow rattle to weaken the…

AUTUMN is a busy time for birds and animals as they feed up on the season’s bounty in preparation for hibernation or the cold, hungry winter days. Your wildflower lawn will provide seeds and nectar for birds and insects, but while it’s establishing you can help in other ways. Make sure birds have a constant, and clean, supply of water for drinking and bathing – British autumns can sometimes be warmer and drier than our summers – and provide an additional food supply. Don’t deadhead all your garden plants; leave some to form seedheads, as these are a rich source of nutrients for many birds and small mammals. Likewise, leave some berries on bushes for birds and small mammals to forage Hollow plant stems and thick strands of ivy make…

1 After standing plant in water, slide it from its pot and gently tease out the roots to help them spread. 2 Set plants at the same depth as they grew in the container, infill around the roots, and firm the soil. 3 Water well, even if the soil is damp or rain is forecast. It helps settle the roots and further firm the soil. 4 Cut back any foliage overhanging the new plants, as it can shade them, and host pests and diseases.…

THE great thing about gardening is that if you don’t like something in a certain position you can usually move it – or remove it. A case in point is one of our borders, which had been densely planted with shrubs by a former owner. These have matured into sizeable specimens that are blocking light from low-growing plants, as well as from a large part of the garden. I decided to remove a 7ft (2.1m) weigela, which had grown into an odd shape and never flowered well. It took around two hours to do, and involved a lot of hard graft and several tools, but the end result is a more open bed, and increased light levels.…

“I was of the opinion that most of us like to see some colour” ONE of the useful results of attending Flower Shows and gardening events is to meet readers and gain an indication of what you like (and don’t like!). Personal tastes vary tremendously. For example, earlier this summer I overheard a lady say “you don’t like that,” pointing to a somewhat garish red and white, frilled verbena, that her partner obviously did like. Visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show last May were asked to indicate their favourite hanging basket from a display of over 40 submitted from garden centres nationwide. The most popular overall was a black and green leaved ipomoea from Barton Grange Garden Centre, near Preston. It was both eye catching, fresh looking and very well…

A frequent question at this time of year is ‘what should I do to get my amaryllis to flower again?’ Mine has spent the summer in a shaded area of the greenhouse, and I’ve been feeding and watering it regularly. Now I am moving it somewhere darker and cooler (the garage) and have stopped feeding it. I will let it die back for up to two months, remove the leaves, and then take it indoors, and re-start feeding and watering. I will also remove the top 1in (2.5cm) of compost and replace it with fresh.…

1 Carefully lift the plant and rootball. Check for vine weevil grubs in the soil, and dispose of any you find. 2 Place the plant in a pot that fits the rootball without too much excess room, and fill it with John Innes No 1. 3 Cut back the plant to around 4in (10cm), removing large leaves to help reduce moisture loss. 4 Water, and place it somewhere light and frost free. It should need hardly any water through the winter.…

Well-dried onions keep for months • When the foliage fell over on my onions, I lifted the bulbs with a fork to break the roots’ links to the soil and cause the leaves to brown off. • They stayed on the soil surface for about a week to dry in the sun (luckily the weather was good!). Once dry, brown leaves and roots were cut off and they were laid on racks, or hung from hooks in net sacks in the shed. • Kept in well-ventilated, cool areas they will keep for up to three months. Check them regularly, and discard any that are rotting. Any softness indicates rot. Get rid of these bulbs or the rot will spread through the crop.…

• 10 & 11 September: Ryton Organic Gardens, Wolston Lane, Ryton on Dunsmore, Coventry, Warwickshire CV8 3LG open in aid of the NGS (10am-4pm). Admission £5.50 adults, children £3.50 ngs.org.uk • 10-11 September: Real Ale and Cider Festival, RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Celebrating all things Yorkshire including Yorkshire wines.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr • 11 September: Plant Hunters' Fair (11am-4pm) Weston Park, Shifnal, Shropshire. TF11 8LE planthuntersfairs.co.uk • 11 September: Scotlands, Warren Row, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 8QP. Open in aid of British Red Cross (2-5pm) 01980 620055 redcross.org.uk • 11 September: Alswick Hall, Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 0AA. Open in aid of British Red Cross (2-5pm). Cathy Curtis 01992 585969 redcross.org.uk • 11 September: The Secret Garden and Serles House, 47 Victoria Road, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1EN. Open in aid of the NGS (2-5pm). Admission…

1 First ensure the area is moistened by rain or irrigation, then take out a drill or series of parallel drills 12in (30cm) apart and moisten their bases. 2 Sow thinly and evenly along the base of each drill then push soil back over the seeds by hand or, if it’s fine enough, using a rake. Or trickle seed compost over them. 3 After germination, thin initially to one plant every 4-5in (10-13cm) and in spring, thin again so they are 12in (30cm) apart. Thinnings can be transplanted.…

I’VE decided to turn a blind eye to a nasturtium that must have set seeds just before I evicted it to make more space last autumn. Now it’s romping away merrily at the back of the garden. Despite this I still have a lot of time for nasturtiums. Their glaucous, scalloped-shaped foliage is highly attractive and the flowers are really tasty with petals that are perfect for adding a peppery kick to salads. In the battle against pests nasturtiums are a useful plant to have on your side. They are what I call martyr plants – ones that are targeted by critters, making them useful decoys for drawing attention away from plants you want to keep in pristine condition. Blackfly are highly partial to this annual climber, gathering in large…

“He was running a business on a truly national scale” LANCELOT “Capability” Brown was very capable indeed when it came to running an 18th Century landscaping business. Research has revealed the astonishing sums of money handled by the renowned garden designer – he earned the equivalent of nearly £509 million in just over 30 years. A new display at the RHS Lindley Library shows Brown’s personal account book – a long, slim volume that could have fitted into his frock coat pocket – and reveals how he became one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his age. Fiona Davison, RHS head of libraries and exhibitions, said: “Capability Brown created the rolling vistas and serpentine waterways that have come to represent the ideal English countryside. His account book gives us a…

EXPLORE the Yorkshire Arboretum – without even leaving the comfort of your armchair! The 120-acre site, next door to Castle Howard near York, can now be toured via a virtual map that allows viewers to search for any of the arboretum’s 6,000 trees, and find out information about them including exact location, age (if known) and other details such as who may have donated the tree, and any interesting history. Find the map under the ‘The Collection’ heading on the arboretum website yorkshirearboretum.org…

Helenium ‘Short and Sassy’ Any helenium that isn’t too tall to start with is suitable for instant results, or try this compact variety that will only ever reach 1ft (30cm). Supplier: Hayloft Plants 01386 562999 Erica arborea ‘Albert’s Gold’ The evergreen foliage of this compact tree heath is a gorgeous shade of lime-gold. Slow-growing but will eventually need to go in a border. Supplier: Wyevale Garden Centres. Carex testacea Striking orange-green evergreen foliage that changes subtly through the seasons. H 15-23in (40-60cm). Supplier: Knoll Gardens 01202 873931 Heuchera ‘Caramel’ These fabulous foliage plants come in endless colours and shades, but to make this container scheme work, go for a warm caramel coloured one. Supplier: Plantagogo 01270 820335 Erysimum ‘Sugar Rush’ This autumn-blooming…

How do I grow a dwarf peach tree? Q I want to buy a dwarf peach tree. Where I should grow it (I have a cold greenhouse for overwintering) and how do I look after it? Are there any particular varieties you’d recommend? Gill Evans, Chester A The ideal position for a dwarf peach is a sunny, sheltered spot. Choose a peach tree growing on a dwarfing rootstock as this will influence the size of the tree and its vigour. You can plant bare-rooted trees in the late autumn or early spring using a soil-based compost. Container grown plants can be planted all year round. The minimum size for a container should be 18in (45cm), and it must have drainage holes. Water and feed regularly, and in the spring remove…

Q I bought this plant as a rooted seedling described as ‘a tall daisy spreading’. It has developed into a really lovely multi-stemmed plant about 4 feet tall – but what is it? Kath Morley (via email) A The plant is probably Helianthus x multiflorus. A species of perennial sunflower, it is relatively drought resistant and it spreads quickly – so it could be invasive. It is happiest in full sun, but will also flower well in light shade. It is the parent of a host of varieties. Your plant was probably introduced by a bird. Q Can anyone help me and explain why all my leeks are going to seed so early in the year? Linda Griffin, Cambridgeshire AI am sorry that your leeks ‘bolted’ or went to seed.…

Redcurrants Make a nice ornamental filler in the flower borders and are great for picking later in the summer. ‘Red Lake’ is good for flavour and is self-fertile. Supplier: Blackmoor Nursery. Raspberries Autumn-fruiting types are much easier to prune (cut all stems down to the ground after harvesting). ‘Autumn Bliss’ is popular; if you’re short of space, try ‘Ruby Beauty’. Apple Always choose a dwarfing rootstock to make apples easier to pick (grabbing height). Choose a growing method (trees, espaliers or containers) to suit the size of your plot. Strawberries Wild strawberries are small but with an out-of-this-world flavour. They will grow in deep shade but you’ll get more fruits in full sun. Sow seeds from January or buy runners in spring. Blueberries These acid-loving bushes are best grown in…

Love thy neighbour! IN the last few years we’ve enjoyed a neighbourly competition in our Drive at Okehampton on the northern edge of Dartmoor in Devon. Growing sunflowers is great fun and helps get people talking. David White is the winner again this year – he’s pictured here next to his efforts outside the back of his bungalow. He’s a mere 170cms tall whilst his winning sunflower was an impressive 277cms. The plan of action each year has been for me to get 10-12 Mr Fothergill’s Sunflower ‘Giant Single’ seeds off to a good start indoors in March. Then after gradually acclimatising plants to outdoor conditions, to hand them around in April and the competition begins. My own efforts at growing tall sunflowers has varied, but I did achieve a…

1 Weed and dig the soil, and rake it one way, then 90 degrees the other way, to remove lumps and debris. 2 Sow the seeds according to the supplier’s instructions. I’m using an all-in-one seed mix for a small area. 3 Water the sown area well, using a can with a fine rose. Don’t let the water collect in puddles. 4 Lay twigs across the sown area to deter cats from fouling the soil, and pigeons from eating the seeds.…

• Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor) is a low-growing annual with attractive yellow flowers. • It is hemiparasitic, attaching its roots to those of grasses growing around it, and feeding off their moisture and nutrient uptake. • It helps with the creation of wildflower meadows because it weakens the tougher, coarser grasses, allowing more delicate flowering plants to gain a foothold. • Yellow rattle should be sown in the autumn, as ground frosts help it to germinate between February and March. It flowers in June, and sets seed in July. • As plants die back, they leave space for other plants to move into.…

AUTUMN is the peak time for compost heaps. Cooler weather and rain leads to grass growth and more lawn cuttings, borders are being cleared of spent annuals and bedding, and crop plants are starting to go over. All this green matter should be added to your compost heap while the weather is still fairly warm and damp. These are ideal conditions to get the composting process underway before it slows down in the colder months. Good compost is a balanced mix of green matter – grass clippings, spent plants, uncooked vegetable waste from the kitchen – and brown material such as tree prunings and shredded cardboard. Don’t add too much of one material at any one time, as it can disrupt the balance of the heap and become wet and…

• Mature shrubs that have been in the soil for some years will have an extensive root system that will have drained the soil of many nutrients. • Fork over the soil thoroughly to make sure all the roots are out, especially larger roots that can still throw out suckers of removed plants. • You then need to enrich the soil so that new plantings will have enough nutrients to create strong growth. • One option is to sow with green manure, such as clover, alfalfa and tares, that can be dug into the soil to add nitrogen • Alternatively, dig in lots of well-rotted compost or manure, which will add nutrients, improve the soil’s structure and aid water retention.…

1 The cold, wet weather caused delayed sowings of many annual flowers on trial grounds last spring. They have, however, grown and flowered exceptionally well, so it may well pay to sow later in spring, when soil is warmer. 2 There are pansies and violas with rusty (antique!) coloured flowers, if you want to repeat this colour combination from summer through autumn to spring. 3 Coleus are easier to over-winter on windowsills as young plants, so root cuttings now.…

1 Stand your plant in water to saturate the rootball, and make it easier to remove from its container. 2 Slide the plant from its pot and tease out the rootball, using your thumbs to loosen tight roots. 3 Put the plant in its new pot and in-fill with fresh compost – I used multi-purpose and John Innes No 3. 4 Water the plant, and return it to its original position. In winter, let the compost dry out before re-watering.…

THERE’S a change in the air during September – the sun loses its heat slightly and damp, dewy mornings become the norm as a consequence of the chilly night air. Hot-season crops like tomatoes are coming to the end of their harvest period, but in their place comes the robust, heartyveg of winter. Leeks are starting to swell now, and alongside them, the winter brassicas steadily march on into the cold. Totally unaffected by brisker temperatures, the likes of Brussels sprouts, savoy cabbages and kale stand proud in your veg beds, ready to face the frosts. My purple sprouting, too, is growing big and strong for the months ahead – I just need to give it a bit of a guiding hand. Here’s how I dealt with it, step-by-step: Harvest…

“A bare soil behaves differently to one that is covered” AUTUMN’S coming, the summer crops are being cleared leaving vegetable beds empty. Likewise tender bedding will soon expire and their beds will remain vacant all winter. All that bare soil is not a good thing. When the weather is dry the wind will blow the finer soil particles away, when it is wet the rain washes out nutrients and ruins the texture. It really is amazing how different a bare soil behaves from one that is covered with lots of plants. Indeed, we should strive never to leave any soil uncovered except when sowing. Of course, unless we take action any bare soil soon re-covers itself with a flush of weeds. As these countless little seedlings fill the ground the…

IT is hard to imagine now, but many years ago cornflowers (Centurea cyaneus) used to be a common cornfield weed. With modern farming methods these days, weed control is so efficient that the colourful annuals stand little chance of germinating and surviving. Fortunately, we can grow them in our gardens – but these are not meadow plants. Because they rely on soil being turned every year for seeds to germinate, they soon peter out in a thick grass sward. However they make good border or container plants. Cornflowers are one of the best hardy annuals for sowing in the autumn. Plants will make rosettes of growth, sit the winter out while developing massive root systems (give them plenty of space), and go on to make bigger, better plants than those…

PUT in young plants using a trowel, spacing them 12in (30cm) apart into good, well-draining soil. Water in well, and keep the area weeded. Plan to support their stems as they rise in spring. Floppy plants develop kinks, making them difficult to bunch up for a vase. Large-gauge pea-netting with 2-3in (5-8cm) squares is the easiest system to support a block or row. Push canes or sticks in on either side of the plants, fix the netting horizontally over the canes and tie to secure it. The plants then grow up through the squares which support stems. These tall flowers may in fact need two lots of netting at different heights. Regular cutting or dead-heading keeps plants fresh and flowering for longer.…

SOME plants are a nightmare to increase by taking cuttings, not so ajuga. These ground-covering evergreen perennials are a doddle to propagate as they produce long runners that form adventitious roots on the part of the stem touching the ground. I’ve admired ajuga since I was a teenage apprentice at a nursery, where we grew several different varieties, including Ajuga reptans ‘Catlin’s Giant’, the whopper of the family with 6in (15cm) wide greenish-bronze rosettes. This and other cultivars are perfect for quickly covering a patch of bare soil in semi shade. We used to take thousands of ajuga cuttings each summer by dividing up the runners (technically stolons). It’s a foolproof process. Simply detach the runner from the mother plant and remove each rosette with a portion of stem and…

TITTER ye not – hanging ‘braskets’ are a new form of sustainable gardening! In AG’s Letter’s Page last week we showed reader Peter Hodson’s photo of planted bras, taken in Bridgnorth. Here, the railings outside the pub headquarters of the Women’s Institute branch in Marsh, Huddersfield, have been busting out all over with colourful bras full of plants, writes Tom Montgomery. “We’ve created about a dozen hanging braskets from donations by members and friends,” said branch president Emily Scott. “It’s been fun with lots of smiles and tooting car horns when we’ve been out watering.” There is a serious purpose, of course. The bra planters have helped the branch raise money for charity, and aid the local community. They’re hoping to do it again at Christmas with festive braskets full…

Combine a medley of pinks and greens in a metal trough for a sophisticated look. Try cyclamen (C. hederifolium), heather (Calluna vulgaris ’Boskoop’), and an ivy. Go for a rustic wicker planter filled with bronze heucheras (such as ‘Peach Flambé’), rusty-gold grasses, compact chrysanthemums and violas. Combine cheery pansies and violas with a grass (such as Carex ‘Silver Sceptre’) and a trailing heather (such as Erica ‘Springwood White’) in a stoneware pot.…

• Search your garden centre for a tree grown on St Julien ‘A’ rootstock which is ideal for a tree grown in a container. Size will be restricted to 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) without the need for heavy pruning. • Carry out pollination when in flower every four to seven days, even on self-fertile plants, using a paint brush to transfer pollen from one flower to the other: this will help ensure good fertilisation for the best possible crop. • I’d recommend any of the following cultivars: ‘Duke of York’ (above) for its pale, juicy flesh; ‘Diamond’ with large fruit and white, melting and very sweet flesh; ‘Garden Lady’ with juicy yellow flesh; and old favourite ‘Peregrine’ for excellent flavour, sweet juicy flesh, and suitability for growing in the north if you…

GARDENING often involves moving heavy items from one end of the garden to the other. A good set of wheels is the solution for transporting bags of compost, pots, logs and tools. Carts and trollies are ideal for making light work of larger loads and can be more stable than wheelbarrows – the lower centre of gravity helping here. With this in mind we’ve tested four carts – all suitable for a small garden – to see primarily how easy they are to manoeuvre on grass and paving, and discover any problems with loading and unloading. Draper Steel Mesh Cart £49.99 p&p £3.95 0800 707 6677 robertdyas.co.uk Features Powder coated steel frame with 10in (25cm) pneumatic tyres. Weight: 37lb (16.8kg), maximum load capacity 330lbs (150kg). Mesh sides fold…

“When choosing a tree take note of its potential size” DURING my apprenticeship I had a boss who was so prone to expecting the worst it was a wonder he dared to get out of bed. He also tagged ‘whatever you do’ onto the end of every instruction, so before barrowing compost he’d say: ‘Don’t career into the road and hit a car… whatever you do!’ And while I cleaned the greenhouse roof he’d shout up: ‘Don’t fall through the glass… whatever you do!’ as if deliberately ignoring the ladder and taking the shortcut through the Dutch lights was an option. He was a character who worried about everything except being patronising. I, on the other hand, do care so I’d like to apologize in advance for the last line…