Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Jan-2020 i Amateur Gardening

THE days are slowly getting longer, but the promise of rich spring colour still seems some way distant. Don’t let that get you down, though, because there’s plenty you can do to give your garden an instant lift. Garden centres, DIY stores and supermarkets have plenty of spring bedding plants ready to get in the ground or in patio pots. Before planting up your borders, make sure the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged. It’s a good idea to work off a plank or board at this time of year as the wood distributes your weight so the soil doesn’t become compacted. Have a good friend on hand to grab you if you think you’re likely to overbalance! If you are planting up a container, make sure any being reused are…

1 Line your pot with bubble wrap for insulation, making sure it doesn’t cover any drainage, and add crocks. 2 Almost fill the pot with container compost or John Innes No2 mixed with multi-purpose. 3 Place the central plant and tease out the roots. Place it at the same depth as its rootball. 4 Arrange other plants, with trailers on the outside and taller ones further in, that will grow to fill any gaps. 5 Protect the pots from slugs and snails by sticking copper tape around the outside. 6 Raise your pot on feet and then water it well to settle the compost around the roots.…

ONE way to warm up the coldest and bleakest days of midwinter is to start sowing seeds for this year’s crops and flowers. It is still too cold to sow half-hardy annuals such as cosmos, zinnias and cleome, but hardy annuals and perennials can be started now and will flower earlier than those sown in spring. Midwinter is also the prime time to sow your chillies and peppers, especially the hotter varieties, because the earlier they are started, the more oomph they will have. Chillies can also be slow to germinate, sometimes up to five weeks, so the sooner they get going the better. Chillies like growing in heat, so ideally place sown seeds in a heated propagator. If this isn’t possible, they will do just as well in trays…

1 Check your tree ties. The stake should be on the side of the prevailing wind. Make sure the tree can still move (this helps strengthen roots) and that the tie isn’t chafing the bark. 2 Check the wrapping around large tender plants overwintering undercover. Make sure they are clean and mould-free, not waterlogged and are not sheltering pests. 3 Plants in unheated greenhouses can suffer on bitter nights, so throw some fleece over them. Remove it in the morning so condensation doesn’t linger and plants start to go mouldy. 4 Reapply mulch around any less hardy perennials spending winter in borders. Don’t mulch the crown with damp manure or compost as it may cause it to rot. Top Tip Check newly planted trees and shrubs after freezing weather and…

1 Be sure to mark the sites of any spring-flowering bulbs with ornaments, sticks, wood ashes or soot, so you never accidentally tread on them. 2 If deep snow threatens, wrap some cardboard, wire netting or sheets around fruit tree trunks to stop rabbits from chewing the bark. 3 Given the low light and damp, check for grey mould on plants under cover, hygienically remove any and increase ventilation. 4 Sow super-early batches of onions, leeks, tomatoes and cucumbers individually in multi-celled trays or pots. Position in a warm place, as bright as possible.…

1 Secateurs: Bypass models are better suited to pencil-thick, sappy stems of fruit trees than anvil types. Opt for high-quality solid-steel models if you can. Ratchet designs are good for anyone with weak wrists or arthritis. 2 Loppers: Ideal for stems ½-1in (1-3cm) in diameter. The wider cutting angle and two-armed leverage offers greater strength than secateurs. Telescopic and ratchet designs are available. Carbon steel handles are lightweight. 3 Saw: For larger stems and branch removal, I love the compact nature of folding types. New blades are razor-sharp (replacements are often available). Models that cut on the pull rather than push stroke offer excellent control.…

WHEN a crop is described as a ‘delicacy’, you could presume it’s a bit of a faff to grow – no such thing with seakale. Botanically known as Crambe maritima , this hardy, robust brassica is pretty low-maintenance. I’m most familiar with it growing on the wind-battered pebble beaches of the Suffolk coastline: trust me, it doesn’t receive much TLC there! It can be grown from seed, sown in March under cover, or propagated via ‘thongs’ – the name given to dormant roots that can be ordered and planted now. Give it full sun and sharp drainage, and allow young plants to bulk up for a few years before harvesting. The stems are best eaten ‘forced’ – covered with a forcing pot in early spring, ready for harvest a few…

THE flat rosettes of this weed are instantly recognisable in summer, topped with sunny faces and globular clocks. In winter, too, Taraxacum officinale is easy to spot, and with the soil moist, the long taproots slip out of the soil with ease when persuaded by a fork. So on your routine weed patrol, why not plant some dandelions into a large tub of moist potting compost? This gets them off your plot and allows you to force them into growth in a heated glasshouse. The new leaves are a punchy winter salad or stir-fry addition. If their bitterness is a little strong for your tastes, blanch the new shoots by covering rosettes with an upturned clay pot. Once exhausted, the roots can be discarded (not on the compost heap!). A…

Babiana stricta Baboon flowers are derived from wild South African species, sharing a similar habitat to freesias and standing around 9in (23cm) high. Plant the tender corms 6in (15cm) deep in spring or autumn. Sparaxis tricolor The harlequin flower opens red, orange or purple in spring or early summer, at 18in (45cm) high. Plant 4in (10cm) deep to pots under glass in autumn, or outdoors in November. Lift and rest later in summer. Ixia ‘Spotlight’ African corn lilies bloom on wand-like stems. This white and maroon cultivar is exquisite, reaching 20in (50cm) high. Plant bulbs 3in (8cm) deep in spring or autumn, in well-drained soil or pots. Tigridia pavonia ‘Aurea’ From Mexico and Peru, peacock flowers (also known as Aztec lilies) bloom at 18in (45cm) tall.…

Solenostemon ‘Rainbow Mix’ Frost tender perennials that are usually treated as annuals, coleus are fabulous foliage plants with dramatically marked and coloured leaves. Great for the house year-round, or for outdoors in summer; prefers well-drained soil in partial shade. HxS: 1½x1ft (45x30cm). Begonia ‘Parisienne Trailing Mix’ Sow in January for flowering in summer containers. Over time, this tender begonia will develop tubers for using in successive years. The cascades of large blooms come in harmonious shades of orange, pink and cream. Flowers: Jun-Oct. HxS: 10x16in (25x40m).…

Muscari azureum AGM A tough little grape hyacinth in a rich deep blue; the packed racemes of bell-shaped flowers look wonderful when planted en masse. It’s also less invasive than some forms of muscari. H: Up to 4in (10cm). Chionodoxa luciliae Starry flowers in the palest of blues; despite their fragile looks, they’ll thrive and naturalise in the right conditions. Also known as ‘Glory of the snow’ (a clue to how hardy they are). H: 6in (15cm). Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’ In anything from sky blue to deep purple, the daisy-like blooms have bright yellow centres, making them sing out even more. Good for borders, grass and woodland areas. H: 6in (15cm). Iris ‘Pixie’ (Reticulata) AGM Truly exquisite, these early miniature irises have purple…

Why do cactus flowers change colour? QI bought a white-flowered Christmas cactus and took a cutting of it. Both the original plant and the cutting started flowering, but the flowers on both are pink. Why is this? Ursula Riniker, via email A As the cutting you took is genetically identical to its parent it is reasonable to expect it to flower the same colour, but it is odd that both should have changed colour. Christmas cacti are sensitive to light and temperature, and these can influence flower colour. They flower from November to March, after which a resting period is required. From late January to late March, only water occasionally so the compost does not completely dry out, and reduce the temperature to 12-15ºC/55-59ºF. This can be done by moving…

1 This ‘Musquee de Provence’ did not ripen sufficiently in the sun prior to storage. A combination of a thin skin and slightly humid conditions have subsequently caused a mouldy top. 2 Thanks to regularly checking stored crops, rot was detected in time to save, roast and eat both the flesh and seeds of this delicious squash (as above). 3 Accidentally letting butternut fruits feel frost or keeping them in temperatures below 50ºF (10ºC) can initiate rotting. 4 This firm ‘Rouge Vif D’Etampes’ ripened well on the plant – at least 2in (5cm) of healthy stalk was left attached, and the fruit has stored beautifully.…

1 Measure and sketch your garden bed areas for planting, note light or shade and soil texture, and test for acidity/alkalinity. 2 Choose the seed varieties to suit your garden conditions, and check requirements in a good gardening book. 3 Note the mature spread of each plant and use this to work out numbers of plants needed for each space. Draw a plan. 4 Follow the information on seed packets for when to sow, raising about twice the number you’ll need as plants.…

THREE roses named after late experts who had all been either panellists on Gardeners’ Question Time on the radio, or TV presenters on Gardeners’ World: Rosa ‘Fred Loads’ (GQT 1960s and ’70s): Shrub rose with clusters of orange-vermillion blooms that turn peach-coloured. Peter Beales Roses, ✆ 01953 454707, classicroses.co.uk. Rosa ‘Geoffrey Smith’ (GQT 1980s and ’90s): fragrant, cream-yellow climber blooming from May to October.RV Roger Nurseries, ✆ 01751 472226, rvroger.co.uk. Rosa Geoff Hamilton (GW 1979-86): English shrub rose with delicate pink flowers. Barnsdale Gardens, ✆ 01572 813200, barnsdalegardens.co.uk.…

Ten boys’ names that appear in common plant names: Adam (Adam’s needle – Yucca gloriosa), Alexander (Alexanders – Smyrnium olusatrum), Basil (Basil – Ocimum minimum), Henry (Good King Henry – Chenopodium bonushenricus), Jacob (Jacob’s ladder – Polemonium caeruleum), Joseph (Joseph’s coat – Amaranthus tricolor), Robert and/or Herb (Herb Robert – Geranium robertianum), Robin (ragged Robin – Lychnis flos-cuculi, pictured), Timothy (Timothy grass – Phleum pratense), William (sweet William – Dianthus barbatus).…

Pining for a real tree I REALLY like Anne Swithinbank’s idea to grow a Christmas tree from seed ( AG , 7 December). Although it may be sad, watching a fresh cut tree wither and die in January, I agree with Anne when she discusses the green credentials of a bought real tree versus a synthetic one. They are grown on land that cannot be used for anything else, act as a carbon sink and new seedlings are planted each year. It’s important to remember that everything we bring into our homes and gardens will one day become rubbish. Our local authority no longer collects Christmas trees on the kerbside, but will accept them chopped up and placed in the garden waste bin. I have also heard about organisations that…

TWENTY-twenty is so new that I’ve barely had time to break my resolutions! My pledge to avoid snacking between snacks has barely been tested, and I’m still ‘listening to what my body needs’ – and what it needs (make that ‘deserves’) is a generous helping of rhubarb crumble and custard. January might be a Spartan time for homegrown pickings but, with a canny trick and some cold weather, it’s possible to grow an extra-early rhubarb crop long before the first forced stems arrive in the shops. “After a week, buds stretch into sparkling stems” Forget the traditional method of covering the crowns with straw and an upturned dustbin (see the panel). For the earliest pickings, you need to fool your rhubarb into thinking that winter is over. One way to…

1 There’s still plenty of bedding available, including violas, cyclamen and little pots of spring bulbs already bearing shoots to rapidly brighten up the garden. 2 Don’t worry about any spring bulbs poking through as they will be fine. Protect them from the worst of the weather with fleece held up on sticks. 3 Colourful grasses, such as this Phormium ‘Baby Bronze’, add structure and interest. Remove dead fronds when necessary. 4 Plant a shrub for winter colour. It may not do much this year, but it will look stunning from next winter onwards.…

Stunning Helleborus niger, also called Christmas or Lenten rose, will be starting to get ready to flower. Look out for this year’s new shoots poking through the ground within the circlet of old leaves. Make room for them and help keep them healthy by cutting away last year’s tatty foliage. This tidies the plant and reduces the risk of hellebore black-spot spores infecting the new growth. Mulch around the crown to feed the plant and lock any lurking spores in the soil so they can’t be splashed up onto the plant by falling rain.…

THIS week sees the launch of AG’s paper packaging for our ever-growing number of subscription copies. The bags, which are fully compostable and biodegradable, can be used in kitchen top food caddies, placed in kerbside recycling bins and thrown on the compost. Using paper packaging is the result of several months of research into alternatives to single-use plastic. The original plan was to use compostable potato-starch bags and we enlisted the help of readers and columnists to see how effective the bags were. Although they were popular, they took a long time to break down and, most importantly, took resources from the food chain. So we made the move to paper, much to the delight of AG editor Garry Coward-Williams. He said: “This is something we have worked towards with…

MOST home gardeners have an array of tools lined up in the shed, a sizeable proportion of which are seldom used. A leaf grab, for example, is only likely to be used for a few weeks in the autumn, while a gloved hand plus spring-tined rake will do this as well as a range of other jobs. There are some tools I wouldn’t want to be without – first and foremost is a hand-forged spade. Hammering out the carbon steel blade gives it a grain, akin to the desired wooden handle, which is strong and rings like a bell when struck. “You don’t need a bulb planter if you have a trowel” Wiping down with an oily rag after use will keep the blade as shiny as stainless steel (which…

13: Willow Bird feeders: RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. ✆ 0845 6121 253, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 14: What Now? RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. ✆ 0203 176 5830, rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 14: Wisteria Pruning Masterclass: RHS Wisley 15: Wisteria Pruning Masterclass: RHS Wisley 16: Apple Pruning: RHS Garden Rosemoor 25: Close-Up Photography: RHS Wisley 25-Feb 2: Heralding Spring: Chelsea Physic Garden, 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London SW3 4HS. ✆ 020 7352 5646, chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk 26: RSPB Big Garden Birdwalk: RHS Garden Wisley 30: Getting the Best from Your Roses: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. ✆ 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall 30: Pruning and Training Climbers: RHS Garden Rosemoor 31: Understanding Your Soil: RHS Garden Wisley 31: What Now? RHS Harlow Carr,…

I DON’T watch BBC TV’s Springwatch often, because I find it slightly depressing. It reminds me how much nature has declined in recent times. However, I did watch Episode 4 of Autumnwatch and was bowled over by a young entomologist called Xander Johnston, who was talking about leopard slugs (Limax maximus). These large slugs, which often have spotted and striped bodies, feed on carrion and rotting plant material. They are also carnivorous, and will eat harmful slugs and their eggs. We have found leopard slugs in our garden, although identifying slugs is always tricky. The most poignant part of Xander’s interview with Chris Packham involved hedgehogs. This lad from the Cairngorms, probably aged 12 at most, who has countless Instagram posts as Ant Boy, had never seen a hedgehog. Admittedly,…

✓ When did you last sharpen your pruning tools? If you can’t quite remember, that’s a good sign to do it! ✓ Can you see any dead, diseased or damaged growth (known as the three Ds)? Remove this as a priority. ✓ How old is the tree? Young trees often just need shaping. Mature plants demand a degree of thinning to ease congestion. ✓ Do you need a ladder? If so, it’s a two-person job – for safety, but also to help decide what to remove without endless climbing. ✓ Is your tree a tip- or spur-bearing variety? This determines how it’s pruned. Check online or with a fruit specialist for confirmation. ✓ Can you easily tell the fruit and leaf buds apart? It’s important to identify those round, plump…

1 We’re all guilty of hoarding seed packets, but many seeds will only stay alive or ‘viable’ for a few years. Check the ‘Sow By’ date of your varieties, discarding any that are five years out of date. 2 For those remaining in your collection, germination may be poor. To test this, ‘sow’ a sample onto a saucer of damp kitchen paper. Cover tightly in clingfilm and put somewhere at 18-22°C. 3 Check the seeds daily, re-wetting any that dry out. After four-six days, you should be able to establish the percentage germination by seeing how many seeds sprout. Then decide to sow or discard that packet.…

Petasites fragrans Winter heliotrope produces its clusters of vanilla-scented, pale purple flowers from January to April. A valuable early nectar source for pollinating insects, the blooms are followed by a carpet of kidney-shaped leaves. Likes damp soil and wild areas. HxS: 1x3ft (30x90cm). Pulmonaria Opal AGM The spotted silver leaves of this lungwort are a good foil for the opalescent (hence the name!) pale blue flowers, which open from pale pink buds in spring. Over the summer, the foliage remains almost entirely silver. Flowers: Feb-May. HxS: 1x1½ft (30x45cm). Adonis ‘Fukujukai’ Pheasant’s eye is a clump-forming perennial with fern-like leaves. These emerge in mid-to-late winter, at the same time as the bronze flower buds, which open to bright yellow, semi-double blooms – a bit like buttercups. Flowers:…

Arrange your new perennials on the soil, in their pots, so you can see where they look best. Knock out each plant from its container and examine the roots. If they’re wrapped in a circle around the compost, tease them out with your fingers; this will help the roots spread into the ground. After planting, despite the fact that the ground will already be moist, water them in (even in January, and even if rain is forecast). Watering-in will settle the soil around the roots, and help prevent the top growth being desiccated by winter winds.…

Q Do plants need feeding when they have gone dormant? Joyce Marchant, Stirling A The simple answer is that it is not necessary to feed plants when they are dormant. They are just ticking over during the winter. Wait until growth resumes in spring before feeding. Q Can you identify this plant for me, please? Anne Mulholland, via email A This is a large-flowered form of mock orange (philadelphus), probably ‘Belle Étoile’. Prune when the flowers fade, shorten a third of flowered shoots to robust side shoots about halfway down. If there aren’t any, cut to just above a stem joint. Q Is this plant poisonous to our ponies? Carol Howe, Ningwood, Isle of Wight A The plant is common fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica). It does not appear to be toxic…

I’M sure we’ve all done it – we’ve gone to the garden centre, bought a packet of seeds of every plant that takes our fancy, tipped all the seeds onto trays of moist compost – and goet completely overwhelmed by seedlings we haven’t the space to grow on, never mind fit into our gardens. And those that do finally make it to planting out promptly keel over because they’re not suited to the location. At this point, sadly, some gardeners give up growing from seed. Others learn to plan what’s needed in their gardens, and planning is simple – it’s about choosing the right plants for the right places in the right numbers, and sowing at the right time. Perfect planning prevents problems Before you even look at a seed…

LAST week I examined how seed firms, flower breeders and nurseries had, over the years, been far more inclined to name their plants after girls and women. I estimated that around 95% of all plants named after people were named after the female gender. So, why are boys and men lagging behind in the plant-naming stakes? It may be a purely sexist thought, but I am guessing that the majority of plant breeders, and plant buyers, prefer the concept of a plant named after a pretty girl (a ‘delicate little flower’, if you will), rather than an 18st rugby player named Brutus! I know that’s an extreme example, but you get my drift. So, of the 5% or so plants that are named after ‘blokes’, who are they? Most popular:…

THIS day saw the death of Sir Harold Hillier, who had turned 80 just a few days before. At the age of 16 he joined the family firm, Hillier Nurseries, based at Ampfield in Hampshire. He spent the first few years helping his father to rebuild stocks of trees and shrubs that had been depleted by the demands of World War I. In 1944, when his father died, he became head of the firm and over the next 40 years he led the nursery’s business, eventually making it Britain’s leading stockist of woody plants. In the 1950s he started gathering seeds and plants from around the world, and donated many endangered plants to collections, such as those at RHS Wisley, Ventnor Botanic Garden (Isle of Wight) and Gloucestershire’s Westonbirt Arboretum.…

Adonis, apart from being the exceptionally handsome young man of Greek mythology who was adored by Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is also a genus of herbaceous plants bearing red and yellow flowers. The Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum, pictured) is a garden tree that bears bright-pink flowers directly on its main branches – and even the trunk – before the leaves appear in the spring. It is a native of the western Mediterranean region, and legend has it that Judas Iscariot hanged himself from it. However, the tree was more likely to have been a species of elder.…

I NOTICED this lilac stem was thick and appeared to be fused together. What’s wrong? Sarah Cross, Bolton, Lancs Wendy says: Thanks for all of your interesting photos. The flowers and stems are displaying deformed growth which is caused by ‘fasciation’. This is sometimes due to weather, physical or insect damage to young shoots or other environmental factors. It does not cause lasting harm to the plant – just enjoy it as a temporary novelty! I HAVE some dahlia tubers on my plot inherited two years ago – apparently, they are at least 20 years old, according to another allotment holder. One has recently put up a double-centred flower. I have never seen anything like it before. Ruth Stephens, via email MY lilies, which happily flower in the pot every…

BEDDING that went in last autumn should still be healthy, though it may have stopped flowering and its top growth may look as though it isn’t doing much. The roots will have kept developing right up until the end of last November, which means that come the warmer weather your plants will put on new growth and flower buds to give you a fabulous show right through until summer’s decadence takes over. You can get the best from your plants by checking them over every now and then, removing dead, damaged and diseased leaves, and deadheading where necessary. Check for pests and diseases. The leaves of low-growing pansies and bellis provide cover for slugs and snails, and if it is damp but too warm for frosts, fungal problems such as…

LEADING organic garden charity Garden Organic is calling on AG readers to make the change to peat-free compost – and encourage their local retailers to do the same. The Coventry-based gardening charity has launched its ‘For Peat’s Sake’ campaign to highlight the depletion of global peat bogs, which it describes as an ‘environmental catastrophe’. The move follows in the wake of Defra’s announcement that it is considering taking action if the gardening industry fails to make changes. Gardening Organic says that the reduction in peat harvesting must be made mandatory. Peat is one of the globe’s most effective natural storage facilities for carbon gases, much more so than our forests. Cutting them up and draining them for growing materials and to fuel power stations releases vast amounts of greenhouse gases…

The Bee Bible: 50 Ways to Keep Bees Buzzing By Sally Coulthard (Anima £10) SOME sources state that Albert Einstein said: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left.” We can’t live without bees and they are in decline, so what can we do? Sally Coulthard’s new hardback book explains why bees are important and what’s happening to them around the world. In the UK, for example, we have lost more than half our solitary bee numbers over the past 50 years and three species of bumblebee have become extinct, while six more are listed as endangered. The main focus of Sally’s book is 50 ways to help bees, ranging from making a wildflower area and bee hotel…

1 A really good pair of secateurs is essential. My Felcos with swivel handle have given a working lifetime’s use. It is time I sent them for their second service! 2 The builder’s wheelbarrow, rescued from a skip, does sterling service – and when it gets a hole, it can become a mobile raised bed. 3 Dung forks with curved tines make moving anything straw-like much easier, and reversed they are great for breaking down clods. 4 My folding pocket pruning saw goes everywhere and is essential to cut out larger branches on roses, shrubs and trees. Listen to Peter’s free podcast every Thursday. Search for ‘This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook’ on iTunes…

SWEET potatoes are not new vegetables – they were actually introduced before ‘Irish’ potatoes, but didn’t catch on as they were just that little bit trickier to grow. Now we know their wrinkles, and just how nutritious they are, so we really ought to grow them more. The skill is in giving the plants as long a frost-free growing season as possible to get the best yields. So start early. You can order ‘slips’ straightaway online or mail order; there are several suppliers. However, these may not arrive early enough to give full satisfaction so, even better, why not start your own? “Sweet potatoes are hungry and thirsty subjects” Simply put a bought sweet potato in gritty, ever-so-slightly damp compost and keep this in a warm place. It should soon…

DOES pruning bring you out in a sweat? Please don’t fret! With these pointers, you’ll soon understand the whys, whens and hows of pruning. In nature, trees don’t get pruned, so why do we do it? If you want to just plant a fruit tree and never show it the secateurs, you can. But most of us will need to intervene to control a tree’s shape and size (by tying in branches or cutting them out). Pruning also eases congestion, which reduces disease, and it encourages spurs to form, resulting in extra fruit. During winter, pome fruits (apples, pears, quinces and medlars) can be pruned. Stone fruits (plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and so on) should be pruned in spring and summer, as winter pruning can invite disease. Shaping up There…

HARVESTING lemons for G&Ts, serving up poached kumquats from the conservatory at a dinner party, or eating homegrown grapefruit for breakfast – the word ‘decadent’ comes to mind. The prices associated with citrus often mean they’re an investment buy or milestone anniversary gift, but if you’re the proud owner of one, how should you care for it? In winter, draughts and dry heat are a no-no: citrus love humidity yet hate waterlogging. Light levels should be kept as high as possible and you should check the minimum temperature for your plant (some citrus are hardier than others). Being self-fertile, only one plant is needed to set fruit. Flowering often crescendos in winter, with fruits taking many months to ripen. Often they fall when ripe, but occasionally some varieties need picking…

1 Seed-sowing season is upon us! Stock up on seed compost and vermiculite, and give pots, modules and labels a thorough scrub. 2 Those of you wanting to grow onions such as ‘Kelsae’ for the showbench should start sowing seeds now in a heated propagator. 3 Celeriac and beetroot will last well if stored in boxes of damp sand. Eat them up regularly, checking for rots and blemishes. 4 Sow early-maturing broad beans like ‘De Monica’ under glass now. Sow one seed per 3½in (9cm) pot, keeping them at 8-10°C (46-50°F). 5 If you want to trial some potatoes this year, find a local potato ‘day’ where you can buy a few tubers of each from a massive range.…

Hard landscaping can easily look dull, but there are ways to bring it to life. You can transform existing pedestrian grey paving by replacing a few slabs with a square of lawn turf or herbs like thyme and camomile (left), creating an attractive ‘chessboard’ effect. Laying a new path or patio? Go for sustainable stone in a style that suits your outdoor space. Herringbone brick gives the feel of a cottage garden, while travertine paving injects a modern air. Pea gravel looks good anywhere, plus it deters burglars!…

Plant corms 2in (5cm) deep and 3in (8cm) apart into a sunny, sheltered spot during April, in light, well-drained but fertile soil. Alternatively, plant corms in containers using a compost of 50:50 John Innes No2 and a soilless compost plus 20% added grit. Support foliage with twiggy sticks or canes and string. When flower buds begin to show, give plants a fortnightly high-potash liquid feed. Most gardeners start again with a fresh batch of prepared bulbs the following year. Or try letting the foliage die back naturally after flowering before lifting corms. Store in sand or old compost over winter in a cool, dry, frost-free place to plant again in April.…

Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Early Sunrise’ AGM In summer the low mounds of leathery green leaves explode into life, with upright (never floppy) stems of large, golden yellow, semi-double daisy flowers. The show lasts for many weeks. Flowers: Jul-Oct. HxS: 2x1ft (60x30cm). Gaura lindheimeri ‘The Bride’ Features a mat of soft foliage that contrasts well with the delicate white flowers on their long, thin stems. The wild, slightly unkempt look of gaura suits natural-style plantings. Good for filling in gaps in the border, too. Flowers: May-Nov. HxS: 3x2ft (90x60cm). Achillea millefolium ‘Summer Berries’ The flat flowerheads of this yarrow come in a range of colours including orange, red and pink, and are excellent for cutting. They also attract a huge variety of pollinators. Ideally, position in…

Sow seeds thinly, on to the surface of lightly firmed, moist seed compost in pots or trays. Cover with a light sprinkling of compost or vermiculite, then stand tray in a bowl of water for around five minutes to wet compost. Place in a propagator or warm place, ideally at 15-20°C (59-68°F). Keep compost moist, but not wet, at all times. Germination time varies from five days (for some achilleas) to 28 days (for the likes of coreopsis). Once germinated, water seedlings using a fine rose on a watering can.…

Why do my squash rot early? Q Last summer, we grew a mixture of pumpkins and other winter squash chosen specifically for their keeping qualities. Despite this, several began to rot as early as November, and they are not going to see us through to spring. What do you think went wrong? Collette Young, Middlewich, Cheshire A To be sure of eating homegrown winter squash through to at least February, choose flavoursome varieties that keep well, and then give them a long growing season in a sunny, open spot so that fruits are well ripened before gathering. Seeds are usually sown under glass and young plants hardened off (stood outdoors to get used to weather) before planting. Set them at 4ft (1.2m) intervals in well-conditioned soil at the end of…

Do ✓ Make notes on the location and soil conditions you’re buying seeds for . ✓ Choose seed varieties to suit the carefully locations you’re planting. ✓ Check the number of seeds in supplied each pack you buy. et Don’t ✗ Get carried and more seeds than away buy you have space for . ✗ Sow more seeds than need to fill the you spaces in your garden. ✗ Sow too as are difficult early young plants to protect from cold weather .…

Miracle-Gro is giving AG readers the chance to win two gardening bundles, each worth £16.97, to ensure your garden is fully prepared for spring and summer 2020. This is the perfect bundle for keen gardeners and includes essentials such as the Miracle-Gro Growmore Garden Plant Food, which contains an essential mix of nutrients for all plants, and Miracle-Gro Compost Maker, which speeds up the composting process of kitchen vegetable waste. Eco-friendly gardeners will also love the Miracle-Gro Bone Meal Root Builder, which is a 100% organic fertiliser and naturally releases nutrients to build stronger roots and guarantees greener, healthier trees and shrubs. We have two bundles to give away, each worth £16.97. How to enter Send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Miracle-Gro Draw (11…

MANY plants have been named after famous actors, including Primula auricula ‘John Wayne’ (purple and cream), and Saxifraga ‘Charles Chaplin’ (white). Clematis ‘James Mason’ is an early large-flowered variety, with pure white blooms that have a lovely contrasting crown of wine-red stamens. It is named after the British actor James Mason (1909-1984), who loved white flowers! Sadly, however, some plants with actors’ names have come and gone. You can no longer buy the following plants: Narcissus ‘Spencer Tracy’, Calluna vulgaris ‘Sir Anthony Hopkins’, Rosa Laurence Olivier, Rhododendron ‘James Stewart’ or Fuchsia ‘Sir David Jason’.…

THE florists’ hyacinth is an artificial creation – but how lovable! The stiffness of the plant, the way its stays creak and squeak when leaves and stems rub together, the carefully crimped curl of its petals, and above all its powerful and exotic scent – all these qualities are most endearing. Most of us think of hyacinths in the context of our homes; their use in bowls from Christmas onwards to gladden the dark days. But what I find particularly cheering about them is that when the flowers in the last bowlful have faded, there is no need to say goodbye to hyacinths for another year. They will just be starting up in the garden, and from early March to early May we can revel in them all over again.…

FORCING rhubarb is a way of extending the harvest season, encouraging the first pickings to grow for late winter. The traditional tool is a terracotta forcing jar: it looks like a waist-high pot with a lid on the top. They cost around £100 each, but a black light-excluding dustbin will do the same job, even if it’s not so easy on the eye. Loose straw over the crowns adds insulation, while the jar/bin excludes light and draws the stems up. Check every week, and when the stems are ready, pull (don’t cut) what you need.…