Innholdsfortegnelse for 3-Oct-2020 i Amateur Gardening

“I love those moments when you break from doing a task and watch nature for a while. I was in the garden doing the usual deadheading in containers and baskets, wanting to eke out as much colour and bloom as possible, when my eyes fell on my sedums. Their pinkish-red heads had drawn the attention of around 10 or so honey bees. I watched mesmerised as the bees went about their work. Just think how much you give back to nature and reap for yourself when you garden.” Contact us: Editorial: 0330 3903732 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: 07817 629935…

WE are well into autumn now, the season of hearty stews, warming fires and thicker duvets and blankets on the bed. We should also be thinking about insulating the garden – throwing an overcoat on borders to keep them snug through the coldest months. It’s time to mulch, to add a layer of well-rotted compost, manure or leafmould that will insulate plant roots, keep weeds at bay and break down through the winter to feed the soil and improve its structure. Add your mulch in a layer around 3in (7cm) thick to soil that is damp and has been weeded. If soil is dry, wait until after the next substantial rainfall as mulching on dry soil can create drought conditions due to rain being unable to penetrate down and causing…

THERE were times last summer when the front and back lawns were looking pretty sorry for themselves. Lack of rain and scorching temperatures on heavy clay soil took their toll. Speed of recovery after heavy rain is reassuring and little less than a miracle, although the damage still shows in some places. Neatly mown lawns are not just decorative – where would our song birds be without an area of moist turf to forage for grubs and worms? I just wish they would sort out the ants at the same time! Turf, like all green-leaved plants, absorbs carbon dioxide, traps dust and absorbs rainfall, reducing run-off and the risk of flooding. It is too many years since both my modest domestic areas of turf were stripped off, the soil cultivated…

MANY things signify the onset of autumn and the cooler weather. The turning leaves, spiders’ webs glistening with morning dew, ripening blackberries and sloes jewelling the hedges, those chill, sunny mornings with a hint of wistfulness. But for me, if there is one thing, one sound that conveys the turning of the seasons, it’s the late afternoon honking of V-shaped skeins of Canada geese as they pass overhead on their way to their evening feeding grounds, often in the surrounding fields. These waterfowl are the UK’s largest and most numerous geese, though they are not native to this country. A few were introduced to St James’s Park in London from North America in the 1700s and we now have 62,000 breeding pairs, with almost 200,000 individuals coming to these shores…

‘Carlton’ AGM A traditional golden daffodil that dates back to 1927, the broad rich yellow petals of which are a great match for the frilly trumpets. Flowers prolifically, increases well and performs equally reliably in borders or in large containers. Flowers: Mar-Apr. H: 15in (38cm). ‘Geranium’ AGM Up to six flowers are carried on each stem, the bright white petals and small, vivid, fiery orange cups creating a sparkling display that stands out brightly from a distance – especially when set against evergreen foliage. Introduced in 1930. Flowers: April. H: 16in (40cm). ‘Cheerfulness’ AGM Carries clusters of three or four heavily scented flowers on each stem, the blooms featuring fluffy double yellow and white centres backed by white petals. With a fine fragrance, they are excellent for cutting and will…

Q How can I perk up my potted ‘Tahiti’ lime tree? It has come in for the winter, and although there are some limes, the leaves are pale and some have a black mould. Can you help? Bess McGovern, Banbury, Oxfordshire A Lime ‘Tahiti’ is a good beginner citrus and readily produces a crop of small, seedless limes. There is rarely a moment when there are neither flowers nor fruits on these handsome plants, which can reach 4-5ft (1.2-1½m) high. They enjoy good light and are often moved outdoors from June to September, though mine remains year-round in my office. Windows and a door along one side face north and east, providing good (though not harsh) light and ventilation. Like most citrus, ‘Tahiti’ is frost-tender and prefers a winter temperature…

EVERY season has its challenges, but winter is the one that really keeps us on our toes. Unpredictable, harsher weather, gloopy mud, dripping branches and an apparent dearth of life in the garden is a less-than-thrilling combination that almost justifies our unwillingness to set foot outside. But even though the garden is dormant, there is plenty for us to be getting on with and thinking about; this is not the time for us to lock the door, light the fire and forget about our treasured patch. Winter is the season of pruning and mulching, planning ahead, maximising what we have and preparing the ground – literally and figuratively – for the coming year. There are birds to feed, trees to shape, plants to protect and weather damage to repair. If…

AFTER years of ivy being vilified for wrecking walls and destroying mortar, the latest research has revealed that this climbing plant is actually a great weapon in the fight against global warming. Scientists at the RHS, in collaboration with Reading University have discovered that this maligned climber is the most effective plant cover for cooling buildings and reducing humidity. The paper, recently published in the Building and Environment Journal, determines the impact of green facades and vegetative cover on the temperature and relative humidity within buildings. Ivy helped cool buildings in summer It comes at a time when more people are turning towards ‘vertical gardening’ and looking at ways of growing upwards instead of on the level This paper looked at the impact of three plant species: Hedera helix (ivy),…

BY now, your squash, marrow and pumpkin plants have most certainly finished. Now it’s important to get these fruits under cover before the cold (or worse, the wet) ruins them. That said, they are tough compared to most fruits and can endure the deteriorating weather for a while. The point is that they really benefit from being left out in the fresh air on their mother plants for as long as possible, fully maturing so that they store for longer. It lets their haulms (stems) wither back, the flesh firms, seeds ripen and the skins harden considerably. In drying weather, carefully lift, turn and reset each fruit to colour and harden the pale underside for a few days. “Keep fruits on the plants for as long as you can” When…

SOME of you may remember me writing about a wasps’ nest positioned underneath the seat at the front of our house (AG 4 July). I’m afraid it met an untimely end when this year’s exceptional spring turned into an unseasonably wet and cool summer. The wasps became weak and unable to fly, and by early August the sodden nest had been abandoned. Once we made sure that nothing flew out when the garden seat was rattled, the Best Beloved and eco-warrior granddaughter Ellie removed the nest in the last week of August, without fear of being stung. The nest had been successful at one time, though, because it contained at least a dozen large queen cells. One thing led to another, as it does in the natural world, and a…

Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Helmond Pillar’ Tough and resilient, deciduous berberis can feature gold, purple or variegated summer foliage and bright autumn colour. This has a narrowly upright habit, purple leaves and red berries. H: 4ft (1.2m). Geranium wlassovianum The last hardy cranesbill to flower also offers the most impressive autumn colour, with the leaves turning bright red. Others worth considering include G. pratense, G. machorrizum and G. x cantabrigiense. H: 21/2ft (75cm). Stephanandra A lesser-known groundcover shrub, stephanadra has elegant, arching twigs carrying clouds of cream June flowers. ‘Crispa’ (above) is a compact variety, the prettily crinkled foliage of which turns yellow-orange in autumn. Happy in exposed sites. H: 2ft (60cm). Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ AGM Like all viburnums ‘Aurora’ deliver multiseasonal interest: fragrant pink spring and summer flowers are…

Carlin Peas These make a nutritious homegrown substitute for imported chickpeas or lentils. Grow them like sweet peas up a tepee of canes, where they’ll reach about 61/2-8ft (2-3m). Eat fresh or leave to ripen and store for winter. Pea ‘Maro’ Picked and eaten fresh, or left to dry on the plant and harvested to make chip shop-style mushy peas, marrowfat peas are delicious. They make compact plants about 90cm (3ft) high and can be sown between March and June. Potato ‘Arran Victory’ Cultivated on the Scottish island of Arran and named to commemorate the end of the First World War, these spuds have deep purple skin and white flesh with an excellent flavour. A great all-rounder – can be chipped, roasted or mashed. Gooseberry ‘Lancashire Lad’ Said to have…

‘Bravoure’ AGM Unusually large bicoloured flowers feature a long, rich yellow trumpet that fades to lemon as it matures, set against pure white petals stained yellow at the base. Introduced in 1974. Flowers: Mar-Apr. H: 16in (40cm). ‘Kokopelli’ AGM A very pretty jonquil, introduced in 1993. At its best in a sunny border with good drainage. Vertical stems carry up to four well-scented, two-tone yellow flowers, their dainty cups slightly darker than the petals. Flowers: April. H: 14in (38cm). ‘Prom Dance’ AGM This newcomer (2016) is prolific, with three stems per bulb and two or three sweetly scented flowers per stem. Each bloom features a split and flattened bright yellow trumpet set against pale primrose-tinted white petals. Flowers: Mar-Apr. H: 16in (40cm). ‘Breezand Tristar’ AGM A unique variety, developed in…

Please can you name this pretty intruder? Q This unusual plant has appeared in my daughter’s garden. She is sure she didn’t plant it. Can you tell us what it is? Mrs M. Judge, Kelvedon, Essex A This is a shoo-fly plant, also known as ‘apple of Peru’, ‘apple of Sodom’ and ‘Peruvian bluebell’. The Latin name is Nicandra physalodes. It is a member of the Solanaceae or potato family and is a native of South America. It owes its common name to the belief that it is resistant to whitefly and protects other plants nearby from the same pest. It is an annual that is sometimes grown from seed a decorative addition to the garden, but it can pop up unexpectedly, particularly around bird feeders as it is found…

RAKING out thatch and moss, and scarifying to aerate grass roots and improve drainage, can help to turn your lawn into a verdant green carpet. It’s possible to do these jobs with a springtined rake and garden fork if you’re very fit, but a battery powered lawn rake and scarifier make it easy. The brands on test here have a run-time of around 30 minutes, which is enough to cover a medium-sized lawn. Battery power means you’re not constrained by a mains socket, and batteries can be used on other tools from the same manufacturer. The Stihl price is an offer price, saving you £63 when you buy it with two batteries. With both batteries charged you can double your work time, which is useful if you have a big…

JACK’S beanstalk has nothing on my angel’s trumpet plant. During the summer, the brugmansia (as it’s also known) grew and grew, transforming from a potted stick into a giant botanical wonder, with flowers so big that visitors to Buckland Castle have been asking if they’re real. You may know brugmansia by its old name, datura. Although closely related, these showy shrubs have been hived off into a genus of their own to reflect their downward facing blooms and woody nature – they grow into a shape akin to an over-sized head of broccoli. Their large hanging blooms are a tell of tropical origins, as the pendent petals shed heavy rain like the canopy of an umbrella. Datura, on the other hand, hark from drier climes so their flowers face up.…

1 November to late March is the time to add bare-root trees, shrubs, fruit bushes and roses to the garden. Prepare the soil now so you’re ready to plant. 2 Regenerate overworked soil with green manure. Sow now and leave it for a few months before chopping it down and digging it in to feed the soil. 3 Leafmould is a wonderful soil tonic. If space is an issue, collect leaves in black binliners, wet them and leave for a couple of years to rot down. 4 Winter is the time for pruning many deciduous trees and shrubs, so make sure your tools (saw, loppers and secateurs) are sharp, clean and oiled. 5 This is a tough time for garden birds so make sure they have fresh food and water…

AS the temperatures drop it’s time to protect exotic canna lilies, dahlias, agapanthus and bananas. Most need substantial protection, whether they are left in the ground, lifted and moved into a frost-free greenhouse or, if potted, mulched and moved against a sheltered wall or into the greenhouse. Evergreen agapanthus are less hardy than deciduous varieties, but can be protected with a thick mulch of straw or chippings over the roots. Potted plants can be moved to shelter, mulched and wrapped in fleece or bubblewrap. Musa basjoo bananas will tolerate UK winters as long as they don’t get waterlogged. Container plants should be trimmed and wrapped, while those in borders should have their trunks wrapped in fleece or hessian. Then create a wire cage around the trunk and pack it with…

THIS week’s free seeds are for a delightful herbaceous perennial that brings interest to the garden from late spring right through to the autumn months. Physalis alkekengi, also known as Chinese lanterns, produce creamy-white flowers in late spring and early summer followed by glowing orange lantern-like seedcases in the autumn. Over time, these slowly rot away becoming attractively skeletal, just in time for Hallowe’en, before releasing their seed. The lanterns, when whole, also make exquisite indoor decorations and should be cut when they are plump and colourful, tied in bunches and hung upside down to dry. This variety is not edible, however, so the fruits should not be eaten. For the best results, sow the seeds thinly onto trays or in modules of dampened seed compost, covering them with a…

IF our brains were on autopilot, pears would play second fiddle to apples, but discover a homegrown example of these juice-filled, aromatic fruits, and pear trees are sure to sit firmly at the top of your must-grow list. Sunshine and spurring Originating from central Asia, it’s a well known fact that pears enjoy life in the warmth. I look after a row of eight trained against a sunny brick wall and they crop prolifically, giving us early eaters, late mellowers, and everything in between. They are trained as espaliers, the pear’s free-spurring nature lending itself to this shape readily; cordons are also a cinch – and both kinds are pruned in summer and winter. “Pears demand a lot of nutrition and water” There’s no grass around the roots – pears…

Deschampsia Silvery brown summer flowers and mounds of slender green foliage turn soft yellow in autumn and winter. Look for ‘Goldtau’ (above) and Golden Veil (‘Goldschleier’). Will take dry or moist soil in sun or shade. H: 21/2ft (75cm). Panicum The bluish stems and purplish flowers of switch grass sway above bright green foliage in summer, but in October red-leaved P. virgatum ‘Rubrum’ (above) and blue-grey P. virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ turn fiery. Needs good drainage. H: 4ft (1.2m). Miscanthus Forms elegant, upright clumps with lateseason plumes; some are huge, but both ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ and ‘Sioux’ (above) combine fine autumn colours with neater growth. Plant in full sun, in average loamy soil. H: 4ft (1.2m). Schizachyrium Clumps of arching, bluish foliage transform into a pattern of pastel shades in autumn; these…

Quince ‘Meeches Prolific’ Pretty spring blossom is followed by fragrant, pear-like fruit with hard flesh and a grainy texture that is transformed by cooking. Quince prefer a moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil in a sunny, sheltered location. This variety does well in Britain. Kentish cobnut Grown here since 1830, cobnuts are cultivated hazelnuts and this is said to have the best flavour. It produces long, slightly flattened nuts carried in clusters; pick and eat when green, or leave to ripen. Cobnuts are wind pollinated, so grow as part of an edible hedge or in a small group. Damson ‘Shropshire Prune’ Considered to be the best of all damsons, the dark purple fruit offer a distinctive combination of sweetness and mouth-drying astringency. A little sharp for eating raw, they’re best in…

THIS Sunday, 4 October, is World Animal Day. It’s the day set aside each year for raising the global status of wild and domesticated animals. It’s the day when people, communities, organisations and countries all come together to help put an end to animal suffering and improve animal welfare. And it’s a very worthy aim, with an increasing supporter base. As far as these pages are concerned, it also gives us an opportunity to look at how animals feature in our plant choices, and at those plants possessing animal names, or other animal connections. Incidentally, what do grapes and raspberries, as well as camellias, elaeagnus and Rhododendron yakushimanum, all have in common? Answer on page 43. Lend me your ears! FOR one reason or another, many plants are named after…

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@futurenet.com Star letter Roses touch a lonely heart MY friend and neighbour, Alan, who is 92 and lives alone in a house opposite, said to me recently, “Yuan, your roses are gorgeous! I have never seen anything like that!” Alan is talking about the beautiful roses in my front garden, dangling in the sunshine. He told me he enjoys looking at them through his bedroom window on the first floor. The flowers are indeed gorgeous. Their fragrance, velvety feel and rich colour brighten up the mood of an otherwise lonely neighbourhood that has been forced into lockdown for several months due to the devastating impact of…