Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Jun-2020 i Amateur Gardening

“Reading Ruth’s story last week about the increase in insect wildlife as a result of the lockdown got me thinking. I wonder if, going forward, we could create a mini-lockdown every year around springtime or when wildlife needed the most help? The idea would be to restrict personal car travel for four-six weeks, to cut pollution and allow insects to thrive, as they have recently. It could give a huge boost to the health of the environment. What do you think? Would you be prepared to do this?” Contact us: Editorial: 07814 905439 Email: amateurgardening@ti-media.com Advertising: 07817 629935…

OUR little veg patch is doing brilliantly so far this year and I want to keep it that way. Weeding and pest control are the two main occupations (especially around thin-leaved onions, garlic and shallots that can’t fight against weeds), and I have also tended plants that are just past their first flourish. Our rhubarb cropped fantastically, but is now looking rather spent. It didn’t take long to remove the dead leaves, feed with slow-release fertiliser, water well and mulch. With any luck we may even get enough new stems for some early summer chutney before the plants die back and replenish their crowns. We’re still sowing quick-growing radishes, spring onions and cut-and-come-again salads for a succession of tasty crops until autumn and beyond. Last winter we sowed salads in…

THE Royal Horticultural Society has named the Vegebag as its RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year 2020. Produced by Vegepod UK, the Vegebag gives gardeners of all abilities the chance to produce fantastic crops in small spaces all year round. Its enviro-mesh protective barrier keeps pests and animals at bay while still allowing the crops to get the air and water they need. Its size makes it ideal for city gardening, balconies, patios and larger spaces. A wave of gardening passion On selecting the winner, Chair Judge Chris Harrop said: “Reflecting the challenging times we are all living in and what seems to have become the ‘new normal’ the RHS Chelsea Garden Product of the Year judges met virtually to discuss an excellent shortlist of new products for 2020.…

AS more of us are growing our own crops (many for the first time), and not just for fun but to feed ourselves, getting higher yields has become a heck of a lot more important. The best thing you can do for almost every plant is watering, as more water will give bigger crops. However, if you can’t water everything, roots, carrots, parsnips and simila can often do well without, whereas succulent crops – salads, potatoes, soft fruit and pears – respond most to more water. But do give some thought to feeding, based on the particular plant and its individual needs. A few crops – like legumes, peas and beans – make their own fertility so these need no feeding. But many others will appreciate a nutrient boost. “A…

WITH questions being raised as to the effectiveness of traditional controls, and subtle differences between slugs and snails also having an impact on targeted approaches, how should you deal with potential infestations on the plot this year? Out with the old… Have you applied grit, coarse bark or crushed eggshells around plants as barriers to deter slugs or snails? Well, don’t bother. Unfortunately, they have been proven ineffective as barriers against these two major garden pests (the jury is still out on copper tape). “You’d be forgiven for despairing but don’t” When you stand in your allotment or veggie plot of a warm, moist evening – as I have done – and can actually hear the munching as slugs and snails devour all edibles within reach, then you’d be forgiven…

Big leaves ‘Krossa Regal’ AGM Quickly makes a large, vase-shaped plant with greyish blue-green leaves that are especially impressive in May and June. Then in mid summer, lavender flowers open on 5ft (1½m) tall stems. Foliage height: 3ft (90cm). ‘Sagae’ AGM Boldly variegated foliage, carried on a large, vase-shaped plant that spreads as it matures. The yellow margins to the corrugated leaves become whiter during the season, but will remain yellow in shade. Foliage height: 32in (80cm). ‘Sum and Substance’ AGM Tough, ridged, heart-shaped leaves are a lovely shade of yellow-green, and are joined in summer by soaring stems of pale lilac, bell-shaped flowers. A real whopper – plants can grow to 4ft by 9ft (1.2m by 3m). Foliage height: 31in (80cm). Mid border ‘Christmas Tree’ AGM Bold and strong-growing.…

Beautiful beans ‘Aurora’ Gorgeous, pale, slightly salmony pink flowers are followed by a decent crop of smooth runner beans that are full of flavour. The blooms are edible and really stand out against the foliage. For a similar effect, try ‘Sunset’. H: 61/2ft (2m+). ‘Bright Yellow’ AGM Broad and upright, the vivid canary yellow stems carry deep green, puckered leaves. Pick regularly from the outside, and cook the stems and leaves separately. Looks good with purple impatiens. H: 14in (35cm). Lovely lettuce ‘Bijou’ The deep red, crinkled leaves never make a heart, but they can be picked from the outside for weeks and will continue to look good in the garden. Excellent for growing with aromatic golden tagetes. ‘New Red Fire’ (left) is similar. H: 8in (20cm). ‘Crimson Flowered’ A…

John will reply personally to all your gardening questions every work When can I sow my wild garlic seeds? QI have collected some seeds from wild garlic, and to increase my stock and save myself some money I want to sow them but am not too sure how and when to get the best results. Can you help? Michael Moulding, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester AWild garlic seeds should be sown in autumn, ideally outside where they are to flower. They should be sown onto prepared soil and lightly covered by raking them in (they germinate best if close to the soil surface). Germination will occur the following spring and, once established, plants will readily self-seed. If you wanted to manage the plants more closely then I would suggest the next best…

Write to us: Letters, Amateur Gardening magazine, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants GU14 7BF (please include your address). Email us: amateurgardening@ti-media.com Roadside beauty WHILST out walking during the lockdown period, the roadside verges have been growing up naturally in my area. Drifts of clover, thistles, red campion and garlic mustard have been a wonderful sight. On 13 May, when restrictions were relaxed slightly, I heard the sound of strimming and the drone of a mower’s engine outside. The council were back, cutting the verges! I was so upset that these habitats and valuable food plants for pollinators were being destroyed. However, I noticed that the grass had been cut and the clumps of wild flowers were left untouched. Elsewhere on our main roads, the plants have…

Top Tip Planted pots are great gifts, so if you know an elderly or vulnerable person who can’t get out, why not plant one for them and leave it on their doorstep with a note? WE all need cheering up at the moment and we need to bring the brightness back into our lives – and what better way to do that in the garden than to plant a container, basket or windowbox? Now the novelty of garden centres reopening has started to wear off a bit and the crowds have dispersed, you should be able to make the most of their bountiful stocks of patio plants. But if the rush continues and the brightest have already been bought, don’t be despondent as there are so many alternatives to jolly…

THE people have spoken and after thousands of votes were cast, Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’ was crowned People’s Plant of the Decade. Visitors selected the Japanese snowball from the line-up of previous winners of the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year competition that is held at the world-famous show each year. The strong list of entrants included Anemone ‘Wild Swan’, Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride’, Clematis;’Amber’ and Digitalis (foxglove) ‘Illumination Pink’. ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’ was originally crowned the title in 2015 when it was exhibited at the show by Burncoose Nurseries. It has a froth of white flowers, featuring a pink blush, standing out against dark green foliage all the way up this elegantly tiered plant. Its compact habit is ideal for containers or hedging. Plant can flower for eight months…

1 There are many varieties of sawfly and they will decimate the leaves of roses, gooseberries, berberis and the fruitlets of apples. Pick off the larvae or treat large infestations with a pesticide (use an organic one on edibles). 2 Scarlet lily beetles and their grubs, which hide under the leaves, strip lilies, weakening the plants so they may not flower as well in later years. Pick off and squish them or deter using Grazers G4 as soon as lilies start to shoot. 3 Vine weevil grubs do vast damage to container plants by eating their roots. Hand-pick the dull-brown adults at night and use a chemical or nematode drench against the grubs, or change the compost and wash plant roots well. 4 Caterpillars are a major menace so protect…

IN gardening, it’s never too early to start planning next year’s show, which is why summer is the perfect time to start sowing your biennials. These are the plants, including wallflowers, foxgloves and honesty, that start growing one year, lie dormant through winter, then grow again and flower the following year before setting seed and dying. The popular bedding plant Bellis perennis is one such biennial, and this week’s free seed are for the ‘Goliath’ Mixed variety. The beautiful cushiony pompoms are in white and assorted shades of pink. These delicious daisies are perfect for edging borders and adding to pots in spring and if you get them started now, they will flower early next year. Sow the little seeds as thinly as possible in trays of fresh seed compost…

WE get a lot of honeybees in our garden, although I’m not sure where the nearest hives are. They are very efficient pollinators, but these social bees pollinate in a different way to solitary bees and bumblebees. Honeybees go back and forth to the same flower patch again and again and visit the same type of flower. Solitary bees and bumblebees hop between flowers of different types, browsing as they go. The difference between the two systems occurs because honeybees live in hives and contribute to a communal honeycomb. They’re told where to find new sources of pollen and nectar by other bees doing the waggle dance in the hive. This method of signalling was described by Austrian professor Karl von Frisch (1886-1982) in 1927. He was derided for his…

Perennial Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’ Fabulous scented pale lilac blooms and a spreading carpet of foliage, which is evergreen in mild winters. Plant to light up a spot under a deciduous tree in early summer. Needs moist but well-drained soil. HxS: 15x20in (35x50cm). P. paniculata ‘Mount Fuji’ This healthy, robust cultivar has exquisite ivory-white, scented flowers, set against a backdrop of dark green foliage. Produced over a long period (from July into September) the blooms are great for cutting. HxS: 32x16in (80x40cm). P. paniculata ‘Franz Schubert’ AGM One of the best performing of all phlox, with delightful pearlescent lilac and purple flowers that seem to sparkle in the summer sun. Tall stems make ‘Franz Schubert’ a good choice for the back of a border. HxS: 4x2ft (1.2mx60cm). Annual P.…

This week it’s: CANNAS are exotic, mind-blowingly colourful and very popular. They are some of the best plants for providing height in summer flowerbeds – usually as tall ‘dot’ plants, surrounded by lower bedding plants. But don’t feel compelled to use them just in this way: they make a stunning splash of tropical colour in containers on the patio, or as clusters in a mixed border, or particularly when grown en masse in a flowerbed. They are so versatile. They are coming in to flower now, so let’s look at some of the stories surrounding these beautiful plants. The canna name derives from the Latin word for a ‘cane’ or ‘reed’. It’s all about the rhizome IN spring, you can start cannas from rhizomes – swollen underground stems. These may…

IN these unsure times, there is still one certainty that you can rely on: you’ll never have the right amount of courgettes… Back in April, I sowed dozens of the shield-shaped seeds with what turned out to be a false spring in my step. The leaves had barely yawned open in the sunshine when they were cut down by a cruel and late frost. Overnight, I had gone from a guaranteed glut to a shortage – and although still alive, once courgettes catch a cold they take an age to recover. So I’m playing courgette catch-up, and introducing a two-pronged recovery program using pots of seed sown in the polytunnel as well as seeds straight in the ground (see the panel below). And it’s needed more than ever. Since I…

THE principles of planting pots are the same as baskets and boxes – use container or multi-purpose compost with added nutrients, and make sure the plants have adequate water and feed throughout the summer. If you are reusing containers or basket liners, clean them first to remove any pest eggs or lingering dirt. Once your pots are planted, raise them on feet or ornamental wheeled platforms, both of which are available at garden centres and online garden retailers. This helps excess water drain away and also helps prevent pests getting into the pots. In fact, one way of beating vine weevils, which can’t swim, is to place your containers in saucers of water that are kept topped up. Also, make sure they are away from overhanging plants so the adult…

CHILDREN are still being encouraged to support the NHS and key workers by displaying a rainbow of flowers in their front gardens, or creating a rainbow out of colourful petals. This can also be an important part of homeschooling, teaching them about the importance of growing food and healthy eating. Chris Collins at Garden Organic said: “Children love nothing more than getting their hands in the soil and getting them dirty. Buy them some seeds, preferably organic and get them started. “Gardening and interacting with nature can create hours of fun for children and giving them a specific project to do is the spur they need to engage them. “What better project at the moment than one to support our NHS and key workers?” Chris’s top recommendations for a rainbow…

TULIPS planted amongst forget-me-nots and wallflowers to flower above them are a popular spring bedding combination, and I often wonder who first had this idea. Similarly, dark-leaved cannas and silver cineraria are used as taller dot plants amongst summer-flowering bedding. Did these happen by chance and, if so, who brought them to wider public recognition? One of our very successful chance planting partnerships at Floral Fantasia, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, is Viola ‘Citrus Mixed’ and new Ranunculus ‘Rococo Orange’ and R. ‘Rococo Yellow’ (Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants and Ashwood Nurseries). They are just made for one another, with the ranunculus providing height and the colours being complementary. While the visiting public love colourful floral displays, in many public areas seasonal bedding plant colour has been abandoned because of the cost.…

IN its attractive plumage of greens and yellows, enhanced by a scarlet crown and nape, the green woodpecker need never be confused with any other British bird, while its laughing calls (from which it has been dubbed ‘the Yaffle’) are equally distinctive. Most of its life is spent hunting the trunks and branches of trees for insects, for which it is equipped with a long tongue with sharp barbs at the tip. Its feet (two toes pointing forwards, two backwards) assure a secure foothold, but the strong tail feathers are always pressed flat against the tree for support. They nest in hollow trees, boring round entrance holes. B. Melville Nicholas ANYONE growing up in the late 1960s and early 1970s will know exactly what a woodpecker is thanks to the…

Elderberries Elders with coloured foliage look lovely from spring to autumn and will offer flowers for cordial and berries for syrup. Black Lace (‘Eva’) AGM (left) has lacy purple leaves and black berries, while the leaves of ‘Sutherland Gold’ AGM are golden and the berries are red. H: 10ft (3m). Strawberries Look for varieties that will crop over a long season (from June to September), with colourful pink flowers and pendulous growth. ‘Frisan’ has pale pink flowers; those of ‘Toscana’ (left) are almost red; both are trailing, making them ideal for baskets. Size: varies. Raspberries A patio raspberry that’s neat enough for a container, ‘Groovy’ (left) features golden foliage all season, with a late summer crop of tasty red berries. Ideal for a patio container with seeds of Nemophila menzesii…

Q Twelve years ago, we bought an expensive tree peony with huge salmon pink flowers and planted it in humus-rich soil in light shade. Growth was painfully slow, and it produced at most two blooms a year, and sometimes none. This winter, it died. How can we be sure of succeeding with a replacement? Donna Carhill, Prestwich, Manchester ATree peonies are native to China and have been grown there for centuries, first as medicinal plants and then for the beauty of the flowers. These shrubby, usually long-lived and hardy plants make most of their annual growth in a spring surge of new leaves, flowering in May and June. Leaves fall in autumn to leave a bare framework. I imagine your peony was a showy Chinese or Japanese cultivar; some can…

GARDENERS quickly learn that getting water to plants in the right way is essential. A simple deluge from the hose end can wash seedlings away or saturate compost in pots, while a controlled blast will clean garden tools or reach the back of a flowerbed. It’s all about correct delivery, and a good hose-end spray gun, offering a wide range of patterns, flowcontrol and trigger-lock, should make summer watering all around a breeze. One of my great dislikes about spray guns is their habit of leaking – dribbling water from the handle or spray head that can splash over clothing or shoes. It doesn’t affect the function of the sprayer, but is very irritating! Here I’ve sampled models from six different brands, offering similar functions. All have universal hose connectors.…