Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Apr-2020 i Amateur Gardening

“If there is any benefit to the current emergency, perhaps it’s that we have more time to spend in our gardens. While the world around us gets more challenging, we can stay calm and enjoy fresh air, healthy exercise and the mental stimulation that makes gardening such a vital pastime. When you’re not in the garden, why not visit the AG website (amateurgardening.com) and see what the AG staff are up to while self-isolating. Equally, why not get in touch with us and share your experiences? AG is your community. Contact us: Editorial: 07814 905439 Email: amateurgardening@ti-media.com Advertising: 07817 629935…

1 Choose a sunny, sheltered site and mark your bed, removing and keeping the turf and topsoil. 2 Add the sides to the corner posts, using a spirit level for straightness. Treated timber planks are ideal. 3 Treat any cut posts and naked ends with preservative to prevent rotting when water settles. 4 When your bed is at the required depth, line the base with stones and the removed turves, inverted. 5 Fill your bed with a mix of topsoil, soil conditioner and well-rotted manure, compost and leafmould. 6 Let the soil mix settle and then start planting and sowing – it won’t be long until your first harvest!…

1 Choose a suitable site and dig a hole the same depth as and slightly wider than the tree container. 2 Stand the tree in water to soak the roots, then check that the hole is deep enough before planting. 3 Slide the tree from its pot and carefully tease out roots that are tangled together or starting to circle. 4 Place the tree in the hole and backfill with soil and compost, firming the mix to knock out air holes. 5 Once the hole is full, tread the soil mix down to secure the tree and prevent root rocking. 6 Water with at least one can and then mulch the root area before tying the tree to a supporting stake.…

Splitting and repotting a Calathea 1 Slide the plant from its container and carefully split the rootball so each division has top growth and roots. 2 Remove any dead growth that’s congesting the rest of the plant to make more room for new shoots. 3 Put crocks in each container for good drainage and repot the divisions, firming down the compost. 4 Trim away dead growth, water and place somewhere warm and light out of direct sunlight. Mist the leaves weekly. Oriental style: Bring the Far East to your home with Burgon & Ball’s new Japanese flower-arranging bowl. Simply pierce the bottom of the stems with the Kenzan spike (or ‘frog) at the base of the shallow bowl to recreate the elegant Japanese tradition of ikebana. (burgonandball.com, £9.99).…

A TEACHER in China coming out of isolation emails: “You learn to appreciate little things, like sunshine through the window and flowers.” There is little doubt for those of us who grow things that gardening is a great therapy as we face weeks of isolation in this current crisis. It has been a frustrating time for me, with one of the biggest programmes ever planned to stage displays at the Chelsea Flower Show and BBC Gardeners’ World Live. The plants from these exhibits were then going on to the Floral Fantasia at RHS GardenHyde Hall and schools’ programmes. I hate having plans disrupted and am currently working away to see if we can still build our Chelsea Flower Show exhibit in a field somewhere, so people can drive around it…

BECAUSE of its colourful plumage nobody would ever suspect the jay as belonging to the crow family, for with its pinkish-brown body adorned with blue wings, a black-and-white head crest and white underparts, it is indeed a handsome bird. Although secretive and shy in most of its activities, no risk is too great for it to run if green peas are the reward, and it has such an insatiable appetite that, in a very short time, it litters the ground with empty pods. Garden-food tables are sometimes visited and occasionally jays have nested in evergreen shrubberies quite near to human habitations. The nest is a shallow structure, rather flat in shape, of fine twigs and rootlets, the four or five dull-green eggs being heavily marked with fawns and greys. The…

I ALWAYS marvel at the fact that one of the smallest birds in my garden, the wren, is able to make such a loud noise with its harsh, churring song. If you happen to get in their way the scolding builds to a crescendo, although you might struggle to actually see this small brown bird with its jaunty tail. Wrens seem to delight in hiding underneath shrubs and scurrying around like mice. They’re almost certainly searching for insects, their primary food, and their narrow, pointed beak is ideal for the job, although they will eat berries in severe weather. They also cluster together in bird boxes when it’s really cold, creeping in at dusk and leaving just before first light. The record for the number of birds in one box…

1 ‘Cobra’: Given an RHS Award of Garden Merit in 2000, and my benchmark climbing variety. The healthy, vigorous plants have a phenomenal cropping ability – the secret to high quality and yield is to harvest pods when young. 2 ‘Golden Gate’: This flat-podded climbing bean was prized with an RHS AGM in 2008. It offers an eye-catching alternative to all the standard green- and round-podded varieties. Pods are stringless – again, pick young for best yields. 3 ‘Amethyst’: Another eye-catching variety with purple flowers as well as pods. The colour fades to green on cooking, but steaming retains the best colour. Being dwarf, it makes an excellent candidate for pot cultivation on a sunny patio.…

MOST fruit and veg growers are abundant producers of kitchen scraps, and placing them in a wormery allows you to produce valuable liquid feed and vermicompost for your plot, without losing space to a sizeable compost heap. In winter, wormery worm activity slows considerably, but as conditions warm again in spring, you can help kick-start the worm composting process. Ideally, your wormery would have been moved to a frost-free spot for winter, or at least insulated with some bubblewrap. It’s now safe to move it back outside (a shadier position is preferred – avoid full sun), and remove any insulation. Check the basal sump for liquid and empty out any surplus (dilute one part to 10 of water and use as a liquid feed). Check the lower wormery compartment, too;…

WHILE many violets produce edible flowers, those of the sweet violet (V. odorata) are said to be the most delicious. It’s a species that’s more at home in the flower border than the vegetable plot, as it produces a vigorous weed-suppressing carpet of foliage, smothered in late winter and early spring with beautifully delicate blooms. Purple is the usual colour available, but look also for white (like V. odorata ‘Alba’) and pink (like V. odorata Rosea Group). Chalky soils are preferred, but it’s not essential – just provide moisture-retentive soil (by adding plenty of compost) in a shady spot, and your violets will be happy. The flowers taste mildly sweet and are more of a garnish than a flavour – but who wouldn’t be happy with a dining companion as…

Choose your site – a sunny spot on level ground is ideal. Strip off the turf and put it on your compost heap, or use it to repair lawns. Remove weeds – perennial weeds will soon overwhelm your wildflowers. Rake over the soil to create a crumblike finish that’s perfect for sowing. Plant any plugs, and then evenly sprinkle over the seed. If seed is very fine, mix it with fine sand for ease of sowing. Water in with a fine spray. Cover your patch of meadow with netting to prevent birds from feasting on the seeds, then watch and wait for the beauty to unfold!…

Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ Still commonly known as dicentra or bleeding hearts, Lamprocapnos like similar conditions to aquilegias. From April to June the pure white, heart-shaped flowers dangle from arching stems, above clumps of light green foliage. Perennial. HxS: 32x20in (80x50cm). Tiarella ‘Spring Symphony’ AGM Deeply lobed green leaves feature maroon markings. They are teamed with slender stems that hold tiny star-shaped flowers, the blooms emerging from blush pink buds. Makes great groundcover in light shade and moist but well-drained soil. Evergreen. H&S: 1ft (30cm). Tellima grandiflora An underrated perennial – tall flower spikes are topped with small, bell-shaped white or greenish-white blooms that have fringed petals. Scallop-edged foliage, too. Likes some shade but otherwise unfussy. Flowers: late spring-early summer. HxS: 27x20in (70x50cm). Gallium odoratum A pretty, low-growing plant for dappled…

Cut back overwintered hardy types as new growth begins to really get going. If you didn’t get round to it last month, take cuttings from indoor plants. Plant fuchsias in baskets – but only if you can keep them protected until the end of next month. Pot up any rooted cuttings received by mail order – along with those rooted at home – and keep frost-free. Train standards from newly potted cuttings by removing all the lower side shoots but not the leaves.…

Q What is the best organic way of dealing with slugs and snails? I hate using pellets. Dave Sanders, Knutsford, Cheshire A It can be challenging controlling slugs and snails, especially after a mild wet winter such as the one we have just experienced. If you have particular plants to protect in pots, then collars of copper tape or something rough like sandpaper can offer some defence. Beer traps are also useful, although other insects can also drop in. The best liquid to use is real ale, as it has a higher yeast content, which the slugs like. Beer traps are a popular organic way of dealing with slugsPour the beer into an old pot and settle it in the soil with its lip above ground level so beneficial insects…

John has been answering reader queries for 50 years Has winter killed our tree fern? Q Our tree fern was kept covered throughout the winter. The cover was removed a week or so ago and the plant looked OK, but the fronds are now wilting badly. What should we do? Stephen Roberts, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands A Is it the new fronds that are wilting or those left from last year? If it is the old fronds, then this is nothing to worry about and it is simply the fern shedding them to make way for the new fronds. Cut them off as close to the trunk as you can without risking damage to the emerging growth.If the new fronds are affected this might be of more concern, but it…

MANY white flowers have a strong fragrance. Because they lack colour, they have evolved to emit a perfume that insects, birds and mammals, including Man find attractive. In Nature, the more coloured the flower, the less perfume is present. This is because perfume originates from chlorophyll in petals (as well as leaves, where it appears as the green pigment). The more the chlorophyll is modified to produce perfume, the more likely the flower will be pale-coloured. If the chlorophyll is not converted into fragrance, it will go into stronger-coloured pigments, resulting in blue, red and orange flowers, but without much scent. There are some white flowers that lack scent, though, including daisies, campanulas, clematis and some roses.…

A full-sized garden spade and fork are effective tools, but they can be heavy going and clumsy to use. The border fork and spade are smaller versions of the same tools, and they’re ideal for smaller gardeners and those who are not very strong, or where precision is required such as digging out an old shrub when working in a crowded flower border. I’ve tested fork and spade combinations from six different suppliers. In most cases the tools are available separately, but if a design of spade suits your style and stature, then a similarly designed fork will be a good fit – and, of course, matching pairs look good. All these tools are well made, so assessing the best is a personal thing. The long handles of the Kent…

AT the time of writing it is hard to know how we will be spending this Easter, but we can guarantee that Coronavirus will still be having a major impact on all our lives. We may be self-isolating or in quarantine, but those of us in good health can get into our gardens, which will do our physical and mental wellbeing a power of good. If you have been following our regular Coronavirus blog on the Amateur Gardening website, you will know that allotmenteer Lesley Upton and I have turned to the outdoors for solace in these days of isolation and lockdown. own. We will continue with the blog for as long as necessary, and this Easter weekend will no doubt give us plenty of extra material! Easter is traditionally…

DUE to the Coronavirus outbreak the AG office has had to close and all staff are now working from home. During this time we will continue to produce AG every week. We will not be able to receive any of the mail that is directed to our office address for the foreseeable future, so please do not send any. We have withdrawn the address from the magazine. Equally, the editorial office telephone is not manned and will not be answered. The subscriptions telephone number is still being answered and the telephone number for advertising goes direct to the advertising manager Laurence Pierce. Staying in touch with us All normal editorial enquiries and letters to Wendy should be directed to our email address: amateurgardening@ti-media.com. I have changed the normal editorial telephone…

Use the long Easter weekend to pep up your fruit trees so they give you their best harvest yet this year. If grass and weeds are growing right around the trunk, strip it back to a 2ft (60cm) bare patch of soil. Then feed your tree with a slow-release feed such as blood, fish and bone, Growmore or sulphate of potash. Fork it in and water. Potash is especially good at promoting cropping, and you can use ash from your wood burner or fire, though do so during dry weather as water will leach away its beneficial properties. Spring can be a stormy time, so make sure the stakes and ties supporting young trees are secure and not likely to chafe the bark or cause breakage.…

THIS is your last call for planting summer bulbs. Although it is fairly late in the season you should still get a good show, though there is a chance they may not reach their full potential due to late planting. But once they have bloomed and died down, their fading leaves will nourish the bulbs so next year they will return in full glory. Don’t forget to plant your autumn bulbs such as nerines now, too, so you have something to look forward to after the summer’s colour has passed. Before planting, incorporate lots of well-rotted compost or manure into your soil. This is especially important in heavy soils that are prone to holding onto water as the added organic matter enriches opens the soil, improving its drainage, which means…

Listen to Peter’s free podcast every Thursday. Search for ‘This Week In The Garden with Peter Seabrook’ on iTunes 1 Turn out the drawers to unearth old packets of seeds, as next week I will suggest likely germination life. Tomato seeds, for example, can still grow after 10 years. I’ve even had them grow after 20 years! 2 Specialist nurseries, such as Brookfield Hostas (brookfieldplants.co.uk) are still trading by mail order, so help them stay in business. Hosta shoots can be eaten like asparagus. 3 Alamy Garden-pea seeds sown in a 2in (5cm) layer of compost in grape punnets will soon have pea shoots to harvest. Cut above the first true leaf to get several cutsfrom the one sowing. 4 Grow your own toilet paper! Senecio candidans Angel Wings (above),…

THE brassicas (aka the cabbage family) are among our longest and most widely grown crops. Thus, they have built up a huge range of pests and diseases to bother us when we grow them. Some have nearly always been a problem, such as slugs, snails and white butterfly caterpillars. Others, like the perfidious wood pigeon, are fairly new. A few decades ago, these were occasionally seen in gardens – but now they’re ubiquitous in both town and country. Many have given up growing brassicas just because of their depredations. Fortunately, these are not too difficult to exclude with some fleece, fine mesh or netting – although this last must be kept taut and well held, or they simply stand on it, eating through the holes. Any netting or fleece needs…

SNAP beans, green beans, string beans – whatever you call these prolific croppers (which are officially named Phaseolus vulgaris), now is a great time to sow them. Given the right conditions and treatment, they’ll yield pods at an astounding rate – so what are the secrets to success? Sowing times Being a tender annual, compost/soil temperatures at sowing are important; at least 10°C (50°F) is needed. For very early crops (pods in late June), you can sow dwarf varieties in late March under glass; transplant seedlings into growbags, then slide these outside in late May. If soil is light and free-draining and you live in the south, try sowing under rigid cloches now (wait until May if in the north). “Big plants with strong root systems boost flowering” Choosing a…

1 This is the perfect time to sow sweetcorn. Those in a mild location can sow direct outside – otherwise, sow in pots under cover. 2 Globe artichokes offer architectural strength as well as edible delicacies. Plant young offsets now in a sunny spot with free-draining soil. 3 With warming soil, the first delicious asparagus spears will be emerging.Make a date of this and then harvest for only 10 weeks. 4 Spring cabbages and greens will be leafing up beautifully in the warmth of spring. Check over rows regularly to harvest at their best. 5 If you’ve been forcing clumps of rhubarb, remove forcing pots now.Allow plants to rest and recover by not pulling until next year.…

1 If you’re using your garden compost as a soil improver, simply dig it into bare beds. Veg and fruit plants can then be transplanted out; if you’re direct-sowing seedlings, though, lumpy texture won’t be appreciated. 2 More often, you’ll want to sieve out the larger composted lumps, which can be done by hand or using a chicken wire sieve. If you have passed your raw compost through a shredder, this step can often be omitted. 3 The lumpless compost could then be added to potting compost as a bulking agent, or dug into beds earmarked for direct sowings. To use as a fine potting mix ingredient, pass the compost through a garden riddle.…

YOU could live five lifetimes and still not know everything about plants and gardens. It’s for this reason that we all need to take every opportunity to immerse ourselves in the subject that we love. After all, knowledge is power, and it also brings a lot of pleasure. Having taught the RHS Level 2 Certificate many moons ago, I can highly recommend attending a recognised horticultural college to learn. You will get to experience the practical side of the subject under supervision and you’ll enjoy the company of like-minded people. However, life is busy and few of us can dedicate the time to signing up for a course at college that involves physically sitting in a classroom. The good news is that there are alternatives. Online and distance-learning courses are…

Daucus carota No good for carrot soup, the wild carrot has lacy white umbels that are tinged with pink when in bud, held on ridged stems. After flowering, the dried bracts turn inwards to create an intriguing (and attractive) basketlike effect. Biennial. H: 21/2ft (75cm). Rhinanthus minor If you’re creating a meadow for life, yellow rattle is key. This annual cleverly sends out roots that grow into those of any neighbouring grasses, thus preventing them from taking over. Sow in autumn as a period of cold is needed for seed to germinate. H: 1ft (30cm). Trifolium pratense Bumblebees love the nectar and pollen-rich clusters of these pinkish red clover flowers, which appear from late spring to late summer (May to September). Red clover plants can be vigorous, so cut and…

A single meadow can contain more than 150 separate species of wildflower and grass. These plants help to support a variety of insect life – not just bees, butterflies and moths, but also grasshoppers, beetles and spiders. These in turn provide food for birds and small mammals – it’s estimated that a meadow can contain up to 40 different species of wildlife per square metre. In celebration of meadows and to raise awareness, National Meadows Day was introduced in 2015. This year it falls on Saturday 4 July, when there events such as walks and tours are due to be held around the country (subject to change).…

Aquilegia vulgaris ‘William Guinness’ This eye-catching variety is also known as ‘Magpie’ for its contrasting white petals and deep purple sepals, which flare outwards as if each flower is taking flight. A cottage garden classic. HxS: 21/2x11/2ft (75x45cm). A. chrysantha ‘Yellow Queen’ A delicate plant (the species comes from North America) featuring upward-facing, fragrant flowers in pale lemon yellow, with long spurs like the tail of a comet. The blue-green foliage resembles a maidenhair fern and forms neat clumps. HxS: 3x11/2ft (90x45cm). ‘Hensol Harebell’ Popular with designers at Chelsea, who favour its delicate, single, violet-coloured flowers with their short spurs. Team with yellows and whites in borders, where it will plug the gap between spring bulbs and summer-flowering perennials. HxS: 20inx1ft (50x30cm). A. vulgaris var. stellata ‘Nora Barlow’ Named after…

Look out for lighter, yellowy patches on the leaves, a soft white covering on their undersides and purple areas on the stems. Downy mildew thrives in cool, damp conditions, where it’s spread from plant to plant, in the air and from the soil via rain splash. Affected plants should be removed at first signs, and burnt rather than put on the compost heap. Do not overcrowd; and don’t use nitrogen fertiliser, which will encourage lush, susceptible growth. Mulch around the plant to prevent possible soil splash. Wait at least a year before replanting any aquilegias in the same spot.…

Baskets ‘Bella Rosella’ AGM The giant ruffled flowers (up to 4in/10cm across) comprise pale-pink petals and skirts that are a huge flouncy mass of mauve pink, all carried on elegantly cascading plants. Sweep up the blooms as they drop. H&S: 1ft (30cm). ‘Swingtime’ AGM Red sepals show off a ruffled white skirt, the red veins at the base of the petals creating an unexpectedly harmonious look. Spreading rather than trailing, ‘Swingtime’ also makes an unexpectedly good standard. H&S: 1ft (30cm). ‘Dancing Flame’ AGM An unusually fiery, albeit smaller-flowered variety, the sepals of which are a sharp pale orange while the skirt is deeper in colour, especially towards the base. Partners well with the zesty foliage of ‘Limelight’ helichrysum. H&S: 1ft (30cm). Standards ‘Lye’s Unique’ AGM A very striking single-flowered variety…

Borders Astrantia Choose from ruby, pink or white-flowered. Penstemon Offers tubular blooms in a wide range of harmonising colours. Salvia Opt for long-flowering, paler, perennial varieties like ‘Crystal Blue’. Verbena bonariensis Will look great surging upwards behind a fuchsia. Baskets geranium Try varieties with variegated leaves, such as ‘L’Elegante’. Lobelia Blue-flowered types are best, especially cuttings-raised ‘Superstar’. Verbena Many are too straggly; stick to bushy types, such as ‘Quartz’.…

Q The leaves on my Pieris have developed a mottled appearance. There is a brown deposit on the underside and the whole bush has a greenish cast. What should I do? Martin Hadlington, via email A Pieris leaves often develop a brown mottling and speckling in winter due to weather stress. When it gets warmer and we have frost-free nights, healthy new growth will shoot and damaged leaves will drop.Encourage your shrub by feeding it with Vitax Q4 or a granular rose fertiliser. Sprinkle it over the root area monthly, from now until September. Water it in if rain is not expected.…

Q Could you please tell me what is happening to the leaves on my Daphne? It started with just one or two, but now all the new leaves appear to have the same problem. How can I correct it? Brian Edwards, via email A I fear that your Daphne, most of whose leaves appear to be lustrous and healthy, is suffering either from a nutrient deficiency or a disease. If the underside of the puckered discoloured blotches reveals a powdery substance, then a fungus is probably the culprit. If no superficial blemishes are obvious, then cells within the leaves are breaking down, the result, perhaps, of an imbalance of plant foods. For the moment, I urge you to feed your shrub with a liquid seaweed fertiliser, which is rich in…

Q I have two large Abelias that I prune hard in spring. Two years ago I put a fairly large Abelia cutting into a large pot and it has thrived. Would it survive a hard prune and how should I feed my plants? Maria Mason, via email A I am so pleased that your Abelia cutting is thriving in its pot. You need to shorten it by half its length, then liquid-feed it fortnightly with a high-potash tomato fertiliser such as Tomorite or something similar. Stop feeding it in October as any new growth may be damaged or killed by winter’s cold. Ideally, nourish your other Abelias by dosing them with fish, blood and bone meal, repeating the application at monthly intervals until October. Work it lightly into the root…

Q I would like to take cuttings of my Brazilian spider flower – is it easy to do?  Tommy Jameson, Rotherhithe, London A The Brazilian spider flower, or glory bush (Tibouchina urvilleana) is a spectacular plant and is luckily easy to propagate.Take shoot-tip cuttings about 3in (7cm) long in spring and early summer. Remove lower leaves that might be buried, and insert the cuttings to half their length, 3in (7cm) apart, around the edge of a 4in (10cm) pot filled to within 1∕2in (13mm) of the rim with a proprietary cuttings compost. Water in the cuttings and cover them with a plastic bag. The plastic must not touch the leaves. Position the pot on a warm, light windowsill and roots should form within a month or so.…

This week it’s: HAVE you ever visited, or do you have, a white garden? There are lots out there. A white garden consists predominantly of white-flowering plants and green leaves. You might think, “How boring! No colour. It lacks beauty and form.” Ah, but you’d be so wrong. With very few colour distractions, a white garden is the epitome of simplicity and freshness, and blends all the light properties of the spectrum to give a sense of calm and ‘oneness’ with the environment. Let’s look at white in its many manifestations in the garden. Most of the white flowers in a white garden are not pure white: the majority are in subtle shades of yellow, pink, green and blue. There could also be silver-foliaged or variegated plants in the garden,…

THE White Garden at Sissinghurst Castle in Kent is the most famous of all white gardens (although the gardeners who tend the White Garden at Hidcote in Gloucestershire may disagree – but they’re both National Trust properties, so it doesn’t really matter). Before writer and poet Vita Sackville-West designed her Sissinghurst white garden, she had already made a purple border. Intrigued by the possibilities that a monochromatic garden would offer, she decided upon white – well, she actually called it her grey, green and white garden: “grey clumps of foliage, pierced here and there with tall white flowers”. Measuring just 40x115ft (12x35m), the scale of the garden is modest, but is packed with interest.…

HOLLY produces berries in shades or red, orange, yellow– and white! But, as far as anyone knows, the last white-berried common holly (Ilexaquifolium) was accidentally destroyed in a fire in Ireland during the mid-1960s, before anyone had the chance to propagate from it. Botanist Susyn Andrews has been searching for it for more than 40 years. The inkberry or Gallberry holly (Ilex glabra) is a hardy North American evergreen. Berries on female plants are normally black, but one form (I. glabra f. leucocarpa, pictured) has white berries.…

Technically, white is ‘achromatic’ – meaning that it has no colour. The white Clematis ‘James Mason’ (pictured)is named after the late actor (1909-84), who is reported to have loved white flowers. In paint charts there are more shades of white than any other colour. Because insects generally see by ultraviolet light, to them white is not necessarily white. In fact, a group of white flowers from different plants can, to their eyes, consist of a mixture of colours.…

✆ 01480 443753 for stockists kentandstowe.com Specifications Polished carbon-steel heads with extended sockets for greater strength. Extended ash-wood shafts with ‘Y’ handles. Length: fork and spade 42in (104cm). Head width: fork 51∕2in (13.7cm), spade 6in (14cm). 10-year guarantee. Available separately. Performance The best finish of all the fork and spade sets on test. The long handles are great for taller people and give good leverage. They feel surprisingly light considering they have the longest shafts. Smooth shaft and socket are easy to run your hand up and down when working. Wet soil doesn’t stick to the polished carbon-steel heads any more than stainless, and the spade will take an edge better. Value Attractive, well-finished and strong tools that are light and easy to use. They should last for many years…

Q I’d like to make some prairie-style swathes of perennials, by using mainly what we already have in the garden to save money. What is the best method for dividing established clumps, how big should the resulting portions be, and how close are they planted in their new groups? Meg Dinklage, Abingdon, Oxfordshire  A Having plenty of one sort means you can be daring and experimental with your herbaceous perennials. Instead of traditional groups, you can make wide swathes, try interplanting one sort with another, and make exciting container combinations. Find out where they grow in the wild and match their habitats with areas in the garden. Heleniums come from damp, swampy meadows, and I’ve seen them thriving splendidly in streamside plantings. We’re keen to try Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’…

1 This Helenium autumnale ‘Fuego’ cost £7.99 but has a good crown of growth. By cutting low down into the new shoots, basal cuttings are removed with roots attached. 2 Patiently thinning the growths by removing them as cuttings gave me 11 new plants, plus the original clump. 3 Each cutting is then potted separately into a 3in (8cm) pot, watered in and shaded from harsh sun. Make taller shoots into softwood cuttings. 4 The original potful has been divided into three sections using a knife. These are set roughly 12in (30cm) apart to form a large group. That’s a total of 14 plants from one new one!…

Star letter Keep gardeners growing WITH the news on the inevitable spread of COVID-19 and that the most susceptible age group overlaps with the main body of gardeners, is there something we can do to ease the worry for fellow gardeners? While the health concerns pose a very real risk, which cannot and should not be trivialised, many of the mature growers could be self-isolated for four months, which will take them right into the peak growing season. Even when the symptoms subside many growers will be in a weakened state for some time and may not be able to cope with the rigours of watering and weeding. Plus many gardeners, because of self-isolation, may not be able to obtain their regular gardening supplies. While there are a plethora of…

THANK goodness for gardening and Amateur Gardening magazine! We are enjoying some lovely spring sunshine so I am able to catch up with some chores. So, when we were told not to go out I decided to go through all my AG free seeds. Some packets are half used and some I have not yet opened, but I have given myself the challenge of having a go at each packet. As you can see from the photo, I have made a start. The morning glory and cosmos are looking well. I am sowing some of the annual seeds in shallow trays until they germinate and hoping I can find room for them all when it comes to planting out! Keep well all of you, and of course thanks for the…

I HAVE several blocks of well-used Oasis foam which are about to fall to pieces. Can I use them in the base of large flower pots – like using crocks or polystyrene to reduce the amount of compost needed? Would they cause harm or not? They may be useful for water retention. Jenny Barker, Wells, Somerset Wendy says: Not ideal, as floral foam is made from plastic. Try using small upturned pots to reduce the volume of compost. The Royal Horticultural Society has announced it is banning the use of floral foam from its shows from 2021 to reduce its plastic waste.…

IT will soon be that time of year – the battle with the dandelions! I say leave them be. They’re pretty, have herbal qualities, and the bees and butterflies love them, so what’s the problem? Miss Linda Keen, Sheffield Wendy says As well as the benefits to wildlife, the edible leaves are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Herb expert Jekka McVicar suggests picking fresh young dandelion leaves to add to salads: sprinkle over a crushed garlic clove, add walnut oil and top with crispy croutons and bacon. Recipe taken from Jekka’s Complete Book of Herbs. Guess this plant! Answer to Guess this plant : I pomoea lobata SHARE YOUR STORIES TIPS AND PHOTOS and you will receive a fantastic pair of Town & Country’s Master Gardener gloves — the UK’s…

THE appropriately named parrot nose secateurs have rounded blades, shaped like the bill of a cockatoo, and the bolt that locks them together ‘stares’ like the beady eye of a macaw that thinks you’re a peanut. Conversely, a Springbok rake looks more like a mermaid’s tail than a South African antelope, and if that wasn’t bamboozling enough, it also answers to the nom de plume ‘spring tine rake’. The Springbok name has mystified me for years, but a chance encounter with an old friend, Dominic Elsom, the marketing manager of Bulldog Tools, has finally solved the mystery. Dom let slip that the company is giving the rake a special centenary label to mark 100 years of manufacture. Up until 1920, only T-shaped rakes existed, which weren’t good on grass, as…

FOR many gardeners, turf is literally the lowest form of plant life in the garden, but – along with orchids – a lawn is part of the most modern plant group on the planet. Just as many orchids are pollinated by specific species of bee, grass has evolved to thrive in the company of animals that graze away any competition from woody plants. That’s why it grows back when mown, and thickens when the sward is given the occasional ‘scarification’, which opens up the base of the plant just as when cropped close by a sheep or cow.…

Step by step A perfect crop for raised beds 1 Dig a trench 12in (30cm) wide and 8in (20cm) deep in fertile, well-drained soil in a sheltered site. 2 Work well-rotted organic matter into the base and then make a 4in (10cm) mound running the length of the trench. 3 Place your asparagus crowns on the mound with their octopus-like roots falling evenly down each side. 4 Cover with soil and compost so the shoot tips are just showing, firm down and water well.…

ALTHOUGH the season for bare-root planting has just about passed, there is still ample opportunity to plant a container-grown tree or shrub. The soil will be damp and starting to warm up, creating perfect conditions for container-grown plants to get going in the garden. Inspired by the Government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful project, which is encouraging everyone to plant a fruit tree in their garden or in a patio pot, we decided to add a quince to our front garden, replacing an old dead maple that was removed last winter. It is a ‘Meech’s Prolific’, chosen because it is a self-fertile generous fruiter, as its name suggests, and also because my maiden name is Meech! Quinces like a sunny, reasonably sheltered site where the soil is deep and retains moisture…

■ Ruth has to self-isolate for the foreseeable future, so how does she cope in the garden? How does she get the products she needs without leaving home? ■ Ruth can help you to make the most of your enforced isolation. ■ Check out Ruth’s daily coronavirus gardening blog at amateurgardening.com. ■ We will also be posting blogs from Lesley Upton, who will be reporting on how allotmenteers like her are managing to cope. ■ Why not communicate with the AG readership via Wendy’s Letters pages? ■ Please email us at amateurgardening@ti-media.com with your experiences of self-isolating and any tips about how you are coping that will help other readers. ■ AG is a community – and we want to hear from you!…

THIS week’s free seeds are for a very special new plant that is a hybrid conjured up from an old garden favourite. Nicotiana ‘Starlight Dancer’ is a cross between jasmine tobacco and Nicotiana langsdorffii which, until two years ago, only produced beautiful lime-green flowers. It has now been bred to produce pale, fragrant blooms that open with fine green veins and then turn pristine white as they mature. Despite growing to 3ft (90cm) tall, these delightful plants have robust stems that make them perfect for cutting, and if sown now they will bloom right through summer into the autumn. Care is needed when sowing as nicotiana seeds are notoriously tiny. Sieve compost first to remove all large lumps and debris that can block successful germination. Dampen the compost well and…

1If you’ve got scab or scurfy skins on your spuds, mix in some grass clippings while planting to reduce this and aid fertility.…

■ Pick the right pot: Like other legumes, French beans can develop quite a sizeable root system, so you should choose individual small pots for sowing, or large modular trays. Fill using a proprietary seed compost or multi-purpose compost. ■ Best sowing: Water the pots well and allow to drain. If you’ve got a lot of seed in your packet, sow two seeds per pot/module. Make a 1.2in (3cm) deep hole with a dibber, place the seeds in the hole and cover over with compost. ■ Care and cultivation: Label, water in lightly, then place in a heated propagator or on a heat mat. Seedlings should then germinate in roughly one week. Thin to the strongest seedling per pot, then grow on until warm enough to plant outside.…

RHS Level 2 Certificate in Horticulture To find an approved course provider, visit rhs.org.uk and click on the Learn tab. This is the perfect course for those interested in gaining a good general knowledge of all aspects of horticulture. Learning with experts There are many subject options here, with courses taught by well-known experts such as Michael Marriott, Andy McIndoe and Piet Oudolf (pictured). learningwithexperts.com. The English Gardening School A well-established school offering courses in garden design and caring for your garden. Not an online course as submissions are sent via post for marking. englishgardeningschool.co.uk. Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh Try your hand at a free mini taster course on ‘How Plants Fight Back’. The course offers an insight into how plants have adapted to stop them being eaten. propagatelearning.rbge.ac.uk. Horticultural…

A. flabellata var. pumila AGM From the mountains of Japan and Korea, this is ideal for rock gardens or pots. Combines blue-green, divided leaves with small violet-blue and creamy-white flowers. Needs good drainage. H&S: 6in (15cm). A. bertolonii AGM A species that’s native to the mountainous areas of France and Italy. Striking large blue blooms are held on short, wiry stems from May to June. Happy in sun; needs a gritty soil. Perfect for alpine troughs and raised beds. HxS: 5x3in (12x8cm).…

John has been answering reader queries for 50 years What caused my spring bulbs to fail? Q My spring bulbs have been a massive disappointment this year, even those in pots. What could have gone wrong? Andrew Sanderson, via email A There are various reasons why bulbs don’t flower in spring and one of the most likely this year is they may have rotted during the prolonged spells of torrential rain we experienced over the winter. This is especially relevant if you live in an area that has heavy clay soils that are more prone to waterlogging. Bulbs hate sitting in cold, wet soil for a lengthy period.Other reasons include not planting deep enough (they should go in at 2-3 times their depth), planting in dry soil and planting too…

Q All my daffodils and narcissi flowers have been attacked, but the stems and leaves are fine, so what could it be? Sue Burton, Nuneaton, Warwickshire A Pigeons will do this, decimating plants leaving blossom pecked and leaves chomped. However, the fact that the foliage remains intact makes me think something else is the culprit.Spray your plants with Vitax Stay Off Animal repellent, which should deter whatever is attacking your plants.…

Q Why have some of our primroses changed colour? Mary Parsons, North Somerset A It is not unusual for primroses to hybridise, but it isn’t common, so you are lucky! Unlike most wildflowers, primroses are pretty immune to long spells of cold weather, and flower over a long period. QDo daffs flower more than once a season? Rose Taylor, via email AUnfortunately not. Once a daffodil bloom has faded, the plant’s energy is directed into building a flowering-sized bulb for next year.Ideally, feed plants weekly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser such as Tomorite, when leaves emerge, ceasing only when they die back. QWhy do indoor plant leaves go brown in winter? Andrew Stratton, via email AThe problem is caused by dry air. Give your plant lots of light, but not direct…

Q Can you tell me what this plant is, please? C. Jones-Evans, via email A This is three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum), an invasive weed that can be troublesome to remove.Fork out the small white bulbs and compost them or take them to your local green-waste recycling centre. Alternatively, use a glyphosate weedkiller. It will be taken in the sap stream to all parts of the plant, which it effectively kills. Q Why are my indoor cyclamen dying? Eric Burley, via email A This could be caused by plants being too dry, too wet or too warm.Cyclamen are happiest in a temperature of around10ºC (50ºF) and will sulk if the temperature is too high. Don’t water too much in winter as air is driven from the compost and growth suffers. Similarly,…

Q Whathas happened to my rose?  Malcolm Dinsdale, via email A Your rose is infected with black spot. Spray the plant with FungusClear Ultra, a systemic fungicide that will protect it for three months. In autumn, bin the fallen leaves before they disperse spores into the soil and lay a thick later of mulch to trap spores in the soil. Next year, spray again with FungusClear Ultra before signs of disease appear. Email John Negus at: amateurgardening@ti-media.com…

THE white garden is soothing and restful which, in our hectic 21st century lives, is to be cherished. The introduction of any defined colour (other than green) to a white garden becomes a distraction rather than an accompaniment. If you consider the famous colour wheel (see image), all shades and hues are next to or acrosss from the others, creating their own contrasts and combinations – but white isn’t there. White is its own phenomenon, so it goes with anything; it makes no commitment, and offers no opinion. White reflects all the light rays of the visible spectrum. This reflective nature means that a white garden can appear larger and fuller than it actually is.…

ON this day, TV gardener Christine Walkden was born in Rishton, Lancashire. Best known today for her appearances on the BBC’s The One Show, she trained at the Lancashire College of Agriculture (now Myerscough College), and worked in the seed physiology unit at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex (a branch of Kew Gardens). In 2007, after becoming a freelance lecturer and writer, she was chosen to host her own TV series, Christine’s Garden. She has written regular columns for AG, and is a regular panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time. In 2014, she presented Glorious Gardens from Above, where she viewed various large gardens around Britain from a hot-air balloon, and then visited them on the ground. In 2008, Christine appeared as a panellist on All New Shooting Stars,…