Innholdsfortegnelse for 29-Aug-2020 i Amateur Gardening

“We know the importance of encouraging pollinators into our gardens. Labels which state that plants are ‘bee-friendly’ are useful, but are they accurate? Unfortunately, not always – according to our report on page 7. The good news is that the Botanic Garden of Wales has launched the first science-based, pollinator-friendly badge. This is an important breakthrough, and I suggest you all check for this label in future. The bees depend on it!” Contact us: Editorial: 07814 905439 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: 07817 629935…

WITH more enforced time on our hands earlier in the year, we sowed lots more seeds than usual and were inundated with an embarrassment of riches. Annuals, perennials and veg seeds all came up trumps and now we are enjoying their beauty and bounty. One small problem, though – not that it’s one to complain about – is that so many plant seeds germinated we didn’t have room in the garden for all of them! Some we gave away, but we still have several left, including some delphiniums. These beautiful hardy perennials bring stunning stately glamour to the garden and will happily survive all year outside. However, we regularly lose delphiniums (and lupins for that matter) to slugs and snails, and having nurtured this year’s seeds this far, I don’t…

KEITH Weed has been named as the new president of the RHS and has pledged to increase the gardening charity’s focus on sustainability and helping to mitigate climate change. Keith said: “I feel privileged to serve the RHS as president and bring my passion for gardening and business experience to help shape the next chapter of the charity. “The UK has led the world over many centuries in innovating and creating amazing gardens and now it is our time to lead again in the role of gardeners as the guardians of gardens and environmental and social sustainability.” Keith, former chief marketing and communications officer for Unilever, is renowned for championing new ways of integrating sustainability into businesses as a key driver of growth and impact, while reducing environmental footprint and…

ONE of the good things about this year’s lockdown has been the gift of more time at home. We have all filled it in different ways, but in this house a key distraction has been growing more plants from seed. One of the greatest successes came from some old larkspur seeds discovered in a shed drawer. They produced tall spires of flowers in shades ranging from the deepest indigo to the most gentle mauve, held above attractively fringed leaves. We started them in trays and then moved the seedlings to larger modules when they were robust enough, before planting them out after the frosts. We were lucky they did so well as they are best sown in situ, as they develop deep tap roots and don’t like being moved once…

I HAVE been fascinated by insect life since I was tiny, and when I was only two or three years old I remember watching a bumblebee visit a dark aquilegia on an May morning. I became even more interested in insects when I had a lowly post in vegetable research in the 1970s. I had to look down a microscope at greenfly and, after making sure that their feeding tube wasn’t stuck into the infected plant, I had to move them on to new plants. Nothing prepares you for the beauty of an aphid seen through a high-power lens, as the more magnification you use, the more mind-boggling it becomes. A decade later in the 1980s, when I was teaching, I borrowed a lot of equipment and took my class…

AS autumn approaches, we’re reminded of a number of things about Michaelmas daisies. Their ability to supply late-season colour, in a vast variety of shades, is evident – as is their appeal to butterflies. And whether we see them flourishing in one of the UK’s fine autumn gardens (such as Warwickshire’s Upton House or Old Court Nurseries in Malvern), or alongside the railway track where they have self-sown, it’s clear that these are not difficult plants to grow. But their invaluable qualities come with a drawback: the plants tend to be tall, and as a result they flop over and need thoughtful staking to prevent autumn rains dragging their flowerheads towards the ground. All very annoying – unless, that is, you choose from the increasing range of dwarf varieties. Most…

Can I help my greenhouse toms? Q My greenhouse tomatoes in growing bags are starting to look miserable. Apart from feeding, which I have been doing, is there anything I can do to keep them going a bit longer? Ada Montgomery, Epsom, Surrey AAs with many crops, end-of-season tomato plants can look sorry for themselves, especially in a greenhouse. Trained to 6ft (1.8m) or more as cordons (by having their side shoots removed), plants often exhaust themselves by setting many fruit trusses and are stressed by high temperatures. Roots soon run out of space in growing bags, and even those planted in borders can be affected by dry soil at lower levels. By summer’s end leaves might be curling, with yellowing between the veins, but plants can still support ripening…

SOMETIMES you spot little piles of soil revealing the entrance to a nest between the cracks in paving, or maybe a pin-prick bite will be your first warning that ants are active in the garden. Small numbers of ants are always around and aren’t generally a problem. Ants do some good by aerating soil, helping to break down organic material, and devouring other pest insects. However, if numbers build up their nests can undermine plants; they ‘farm’ aphids on plants causing considerable damage; and some species like the red ant, wood ants and flying ants can bite. There are more than 30 ant species in the UK. They often make nests close to seating areas where food crumbs provide an easy meal, so the first line of defence is good…

IT’S hard to believe we’re getting ready for the last bank holiday before the Christmas break. It has been a strange year and for many people, having a garden or growing plants indoors and on balconies and terraces, has been essential for mental and physical wellbeing during the coronavirus lockdown. Having the time to sow and grow has been a small consolation in this very strange year we’ve experienced, and now we have a three-day weekend to look forward to. So what better way to spend it than back outside catching up on jobs that will make the place look tidier, keep your plants healthier and lay the foundations for the garden’s winter dormancy. And although summer is on its way out, it won’t go without a fight so remember…

COLLECTING seeds as they ripen saves money and lets you sow them where you want, rather than leaving it to the whim of the elements and parent plant! You can usually tell when seeds are ready as the seedheads or pods change colour from green to brown or black to red. Collect seeds before the pods open and the seeds disperse, and only collect from healthy, vigorous plants with crisp seedheads free of rot and moulds. Either shake seeds straight into a pot or envelope, or lay the seedheads on paper somewhere dry and warm. Pods that don’t open should be carefully crushed to release their contents. Some seeds, such as those from honeywort (cerinthe), are easy to collect, as the large pyramid-shaped seeds fall easily into a cupped hand…

1 Dampen the floor in the morning, and in the afternoon, too, in hot weather, to keep the heat manageable. A bowl of water under staging will evaporate and have the same effect. 2 Open the door and windows to keep a steady breeze flowing through, and if you haven’t already done so, hang shading to prevent plants scorching. 3 Be vigilant for pests such as tomato moth caterpillars, which can be fed to the birds, and sneaky snail incursions. Avoid using pesticides as they will kill important pollinators, too. 4 Regular feeding and watering helps prevent blossom end rot on your tomatoes, aubergines and peppers. The condition is caused by calcium deficiency due to irregular watering. Step by step Restarting cyclamen Bring dormant plants back to life 1 Tender…

WITH their long pointed wings and forked tails, swallows are often mistaken for swifts or house martins, but they may be recognised by their metallic bluish-black back and wings and similarly coloured chest band. They also have a chestnut forehead and throat, the female’s colouration being a little duller than the male’s. No spring migrants give more joy, for they are such sociable creatures, forever twittering and never wandering far from the outbuildings to which they return to nest. Their saucer-shaped nest, made of straw, feathers and mud, is placed on a beam, rafter or other support, and any building where the birds may come and go freely suits them well. The elongated eggs have very thin white shells speckled with reddish-brown. Two broods are raised annually. B Melville Nicholas…

FORGET fig rolls as your source of consumption – fresh figs are where it’s at! Naturally sweet, with that unique soft and crunchy combination, how exactly do you secure such as sublime harvest? Temperate living Have you heard that a fig’s yield is fickle? To reassure you, the three mature fig trees that I grow are loaded with more than 200 fruits each this year – that’s hardly fickle! Just understand that, originating from western Asia, the common fig (Ficus carica) prefers things hot. In its native climes its closeness to the Equator allows it to grow and yield almost continually. In the temperate UK (unless overwintered in a heated glasshouse or polytunnel) we should only expect one crop, which matures in late August. Pollination is straightforward: it’s not needed.…

Star letter Lavatera’s showy blooms I HAVE been so very surprised by the display of lavatera that were grown from the free seeds received with AG. They are absolutely beautiful and continue to produce their amazing blooms. All the family are impressed at such a spectacular display. I am a new reader of your magazine, thanks to my daughter, who bought me a subscription for my birthday. I am filing all the mags with notes on articles that interest me most so I have a handy ready reckoner. Sally Mills, via email Wendy says: Amazing, Sally. Lavatera is so quick off the mark and flowers prolifically – yes, so satisfying to grow. ‘It has the potential to be rather lovely” READER Steph Hall wrote in to ask us to name…

1 Deadhead lilies before they expend energy making seeds and feed them with liquid tomato fertiliser fortnightly as they die back. Keep feeding patio containers, too. 2 Squish blackflies and other aphids between your (gloved) fingers, check pots for slugs and snails, and treat for vine weevils if container plants start to fade rapidly. 3 Make some practical additions to the garden. Flagstone paths help protect grassy areas with high footfall, and butts will collect rain and so reduce your metered water bill. 4 It will soon be the season for cutting back and taking out, so keep tools clean and sharp. A regularly sharpened hoe makes swift work of weeds all year round. 5 Keep picking crops such as beans to prolong their harvesting season. Slide a tray or…

WE all want to do our bit to save the threatened bee population by growing pollinator-friendly plants in our gardens. But how do we know that the plants we buy are actually safe for pollinators? A lot of garden centre plants carry ‘bee friendly’ logos on their labels, yet might be carrying hidden dangers for many insects, which will have a detrimental knock-on effect on birds, hedgehogs, amphibians and invertebrates that prey on insects. Some plants will have been treated with neonicotinoids and other pesticides that will kill pollinators, and are grown in peat-based compost that further damages the natural world. “Plants may contain damaging chemicals” Now researchers at the National Botanic Garden of Wales have taken a giant leap forward in making gardening safer for insects with its Saving…

LAST summer, I received a couple of Nepeta ‘Purrsian Blue’ plants. This is a new ‘catmint’ introduction from North America that has proved an excellent garden plant. It grows in a neat semi-globular shape, starts to flower in early summer, and is a magnet for bees and butterflies. The growth is quite upright and self-supporting, unlike the traditional kinds that grow quite long and flop about. Once the first flush of flowers is past its best, trim ‘Purrsian Blue’ back and in no time it is back into a neat, free-flowering habit that lasts into late autumn. “The growth is upright, unlike traditional kinds” This novelty is a first-rate garden plant, and I would go as far as to say it’s one of the best garden plant introductions I have…

SOONER or later each of us stands there staring at a faded illegible label wondering (or worse, trying to remember) what it once said. Then there is that other embarrassment: the pot or tray you sowed some weeks ago, imagining it would not need a label as, of course, you’d remember… Again, if new to your garden, doubtless you’ll come across old labels on some of your inherited plants, but not many. How wonderful to have all your permanent residents identified by name, especially roses and fruit trees. Not just for you, but also for those who come after. Of course, labels may (and often will) get lost – even so, it’s still worth making them. Prepare labels before you plant and don’t leave it until later. As to what…

A SUCCESSFUL garden relies on attracting lots of insects and mini beasts, and learning to appreciate how they interact. But as gardeners we’ve been taught to separate these creatures into ‘saints’ and ‘sinners’. In practice, this doesn’t really work. For example, you might loves thrushes and hate snails, yet snails form a major part of a thrush’s diet in early summer. Similarly, you cannot have hedgehogs without at least some slugs on which they can feed. It’s all a question of balance: we need just enough sinners to keep the saints healthy and happy; not so many that we are overrun with them. In spring, you may find your broad beans are covered with blackfly – a type of aphid. Leave them alone and in a well-balanced garden the seven…

Can you please identify my pretty shrub? Q What is this plant, please? It is very attractive. Anthony Smiles, via email A The plant you have asked us to identify is called pheasant berry. The Latin name is Leycesteria formosa. Technically it is regarded as a shrub, but the stems are hollow and remain green throughout the year, only going noticeably woody in their second year. It reaches a height of about 6ft (1.8m). It is a very attractive plant with long, slightly arching stems bearing dense panicles of flowers that consist of dramatic claret-red bracts enclosing white blooms. These appear during July and August. The bracts are retained and the flowers are followed in October by reddish-purple berries (much loved by pheasants, hence the common name). Leycesteria can grow…

This week it’s: Summer and autumn nerines Belting bulbs with showy, long-lasting blooms WHETHER you call them ‘ne-reens’, ‘neryne-ees’ or any other permutation of syllables, the flowers of these bulbous plants light up late summer and autumn gardens. But they are not always hardy in the UK; many require winter protection, so are best grown in pots. I’ve only had real success with the hardiest, Nerine bowdenii, but I’m determined to persist with the less common and more tender types, so next year I’m going to try some – again! I’ll keep you posted. Let’s look at some of the stories surrounding nerines. These plants are named after Nerine, the mythological water nymph of Ancient Greece. It’s ironic, however, as the plant itself is best in full sun in a…

EVERY manure has its own properties and purpose. Pig poop stinks to high heaven, but is the best thing to encourage tired hybrid teas to, well, come up roses, while pong-free alpaca pellets are so mild you can bung the dung straight on the garden without composting first. But of all the cow pies, meadow muffins and farmyard fertilisers, there is only one manure that I’m happy to wade up to my armpits in, and that’s green manure. Green manures, as I’m sure you know, are crops grown for the benefit of the soil. Rather than being harvested and eaten by us, they are dug in or left to rot down and release their nutrients where they are. They’ve been around for thousands of years, and from the monsoon-soaked soils…