Innholdsfortegnelse for 5-Mar-2022 i Amateur Gardening

“This week’s free seeds, the appropriately named ‘Gardener’s Delight’, are a popular variety amongst tomato growers – and I hope we all have more success with our toms than we had in 2021! That must have been the worst tomato growing season in many a year. The combination of low temperatures, heavy rainfall and very little sun created a cocktail that gave many crops blight. I lost all of mine, and I remember feeling quite taken aback at the time because tomatoes are usually the easiest and most prolific of food crops. It just goes to prove that nature and the weather cannot be second-guessed. So let’s get those seeds planted and see what 2022 will bring!…

Got a story? email ruth.hayes@futurenet.com PLANTS in the UK are flowering a month earlier than they used to, according to the latest climate change research by Cambridge University. Similarly, autumn’s leaf fall is being delayed by the same alterations. The researchers based their analysis on more than 400,000 ‘citizen science’, or amateur observations of 406 plant species in Nature’s Calendar, the Woodland Trust’s interactive data recording system, and collated the first flowering dates with instrumental temperature measurements. They found that the average first flowering date from 1987 to 2019 is a full month earlier than the average first flowering date from 1753 to 1986. The same period coincides with accelerating global warming. The research encompassed the whole of the UK, from Shetland in the north, and Northern Ireland in the…

WHO doesn’t rejoice at the sight of the first snowdrops peeping through hard frozen ground towards the end of January, reminding us that spring is – at last! – on its way? By the time we get to early March, the season of early spring bulbs is in full swing, our gardens and parks a riot of colour created by daffodils and tulips, tall blue camassia, crocuses, fritillaries and a host of other welcome returning blooms. Although we say that bulbs are one of the easiest and most versatile ways of adding plants to the garden, this doesn’t mean they don’t need care while they are growing. To get the best results year after year you need to treat the plants as you would any other. Deadhead, water and feed…

WE’VE all got weeds and I think I’ve got more than most! Ground elder, nettles and bindweed have resided under my old stone walls for centuries, and warmer winters have encouraged them to infiltrate the garden. I’m vigilant and keep a watch on my side of the wall, armed with a trowel. I can’t use herbicides, because I’m a natural gardener. In any case, I wouldn’t want to. The most popular weedkiller component, glyphosate, has been implicated in causing cancer, so I prefer to worry my weeds rather than breathe in any toxins. Despite my efforts, I have sometimes found a white bindweed flower staring back at me, right by my wall, and perhaps I imagined the smile on its face! If it could talk, it would be saying, “I’m…

Q I want to plant a mixed hedge along the side of my house. I’d like a mix of hedging plants that will make a neat hedge that’s a deterrent to intruders. What would you advise? Mark Jones (via email) A To grow a mixed hedge that can be kept neatly trimmed you need to choose plants that respond to pruning and can all be pruned at the same time. Suitable plants include escallonia, holly, privet, Lonicera nitida, hawthorn, beech, hornbeam and berberis. These are deciduous and evergreen plants, which might not look as good in a formal hedge as it might in an informal hedge. It might be best to decide on one sort or the other and given that you are trying to reduce vandalism I’d be inclined…

OF all the many things I enjoy about gardening, I think the thing that gives me the most satisfaction is growing our own fruit and veg. Let me count the ways! The fact that homegrown crops taste infinitely better than shop-bought ones, the sense of pride that comes with nurturing something from seed to cropping; the luxury of picking fresh berries for breakfast or to fuel a session in the garden; knowing exactly what has gone into the growing – no chemicals, air or road miles. It all means so much, which is why at AG we like to encourage as many people as possible to grow their own – starting today, for some maybe, with free ‘Gardener’s Delight’ tomato seeds. The next couple of months will be busy ones…

WE like to keep our AG readers content, which is why after several of you asked for more giveaway vegetable seeds, we were more than happy to oblige. This week’s seeds are for that well-known, delicious cherry tomato ‘Gardener’s Delight’. The variety is a perennial favourite renowned for its generous crops of small, tasty toms that are packed with flavour and health-giving vitamins. ‘Gardener’s Delight’ should be sown now undercover and then either grown to fruition in growbags or large pots in a greenhouse, or hardened off and moved to a sunny, sheltered spot in the garden. The plants will need supporting with canes and ties as they grow. Tomatoes, which are actually a fruit, need warmth and light to grow well so set your seed trays on a bright…

IT’S official – UK gardens are getting smaller (by about 1% per decade, to be precise). And with larger plots harbouring more weeds and extra work, it’s no surprise that small-space gardening is popular with time-strapped growers. Luckily, there are loads of successful ways to grow crops in compact gardens. Think from the ground up… Closer spacings and more intensive cropping is only successful if your soil is up to scratch. Adding bulky organic matter (like well-rotted manure or garden compost) helps add nutrients and lock in moisture. Dig a 3in (8cm) layer into the top spade’s depth of soil. “Choose crops for sunny and shady spots” If you’re growing in pots, opt for a brand with extra nutrients and water retaining materials (such as Gro-Sure Container & Basket Compost).…

MANY flowering shrubs have colourful flowers, but few produce their flowers in winter and early spring when there’s often little colour. Combine that with a sweet scent that hangs in the air on still days, together with deciduous leaves that turn orange in autumn, and the witch hazel (Hamamelis) becomes an essential plant for so many gardens. Witch hazel is also exceptionally winter hardy, grows well anywhere in the country and is generally tolerant of a range of different growing conditions. Colourful impression As they are slow growing at first, it may take witch hazels a few years to make a bright and colourful impression in the garden, but as they mature they develop a striking branch structure with the flowers carried in clusters in winter and early spring. Given…

Q A few years ago, we planted a eucalyptus in the garden. This has grown tall, with a 3in (8cm)-diameter trunk. We don’t have the space to let it grow as a big tree, so how should we prune it to enjoy the bark and foliage? Maureen Magnussen, Litchfield, Hampshire A Eucalyptus or gum trees make fine evergreen specimens with attractive foliage and dramatic bark colours, but some species grow tall and can be unstable in high winds. They also shed long sections of bark mainly in summer and drop leaves year-round as new ones grow. The commonest hardy eucalypt in UK gardens is the cider gum (E. gunnii) which, if left to its own devices, will reach 40ft (12m) in height. Juvenile leaves are rounded and grey-green, but those…

SOMETIMES, both fruiting and ornamental trees need a branch removed, whether because of disease, training, damage or simply because it gets in your way. The method of removal will vary depending on the size of the branch and its position above ground level. Small branches can be taken off with a single cut close to the trunk of the tree, but with large branches the operation can be more complex. Weight can be a problem The weight of a large branch creates its own set of problems, and trying to remove one with a single cut risks leaving a large wound on the tree. The weight of a heavy branch means it will pull away from the tree part-way through sawing, resulting in a tear that rips away bark and…

Write to us: Letters, Amateur Gardening magazine, Future Publishing Limited, Unit 415, Winnersh Triangle, Eskdale Road, Winnersh, RG41 5TP (please include your address). Email us: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Give up the habit FOLLOWING on from Toby Buckland’s article (AG, 29 January) regarding cleaning pots, I fully agree with the thinking of not washing out pots each year. I have been gardening since the age of 10 after my dad died when I was 9. Now over 60, I have never washed a pot in my entire gardening life. My thinking is that if my flowers, vegetables, etc, have grown successfully the previous year there has to be, as Toby says, benign fungal spores and good bacteria left in the pots. I cannot remember any crops suffering from fungal or rotting off problems.…

Top 10 countdown: In next week’s AG I look at the top 10 most important jobs to keep on top of in the garden at this time of year. WHEN it comes to growing fruit and veg you don’t need vast swathes of land to get enviable results. Many varieties thrive in pots, growbags and raised beds and there are even plenty of options that will grow on your windowsills. Herbs, micro-greens, chillies and peppers all like a sunny environment indoors, and if you have a warm porch that gets sunlight each day, consider growing tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, anything that will thrive in the warmth. We don’t have a massive area for fruit and veg so we built three raised beds in a sheltered area of the garden, close to…

1 Weeding: Do a little, often, so you don’t get overwhelmed. Get perennial roots out and hoe off weed seedlings and let them rot down. 2 Plant care: Healthy plants almost look after themselves, so make sure you feed, water, deadhead and cut back and prune at the right times. 3 Plant care Pt 2: The same applies to pests and diseases. Nip them in the bud before a small problem becomes a major one. 4 Tool care: Keep your shed tidy and tools sharp, clean and accessible. Cared-for tools reduce the risk of damaging plants and spreading disease. Step by step Installing a butt Water butts save time and money 1 Carefully cut away a section of drainpipe where the butt adaptor will fit. 2 Attach the adaptor and hose…

I WAS asked the other day why it’s always recommended to sow, prick out and then pot on, and why we don’t just sow in the pots they’re going to grow in straight away. Which, of course, you can do for some. As always, it’s horses for courses. The main reason is obvious: you can squeeze more in. Space in a warm propagator, coldframe or even on the greenhouse bench is always limited. By starting off batches of seedlings in small pots and then pricking these out into trays or cells, you fit more in. Furthermore, as each batch of seedlings grow, you only pot on the best (more if you can’t be ruthless enough), thus ensuring that most become fine specimens. But there is a cost to this: each…

How to choose a witch hazel Varieties of witch hazel vary in their flower colour, flower size, the strength of their scent and the brightness of their autumn leaf colour. Choose a variety in the colour you like, and then try to combine it with a strong scent and good autumn colour in the foliage. ‘Diane’ AGM has flowers that are almost ruby red at the base of the petals and brighter red towards the tips. Autumn foliage is red and orange. The prolific flowers of ‘Jelena’ AGM are marmalade-orange, and with a light lemony perfume, plus orange and red autumn colour. Pale-flowered ‘Wisley Supreme’ AGM has sweetly scented golden yellow flowers and yellow autumn leaf colour. ‘Barmstedt Gold’ AGM has upright growth, so takes up less space, and carries larger scented…

This week it’s: WORLD Book Day (Thursday 3 March) is an annual charity event that began in 1995 and is celebrated in the UK and Ireland every year on the first Thursday in March. It’s a day when every child in full-time education is given a voucher to spend on whatever book they want, with the hope of encouraging kids to read more. It’s also a time when books, authors, illustrators and ‘reading’ are celebrated in more than 100 countries worldwide. So there’s no better time to take a look at books about gardening, and a few of the authors! ■ The Oxford English Dictionary now includes the word ‘Waterstoning’, after the bookshop chain. It’s defined as looking at products in shops, but then buying them online. What up ‘Doc’?…

TO be or not to be peat-free. That is the question… though it’s not a very good one. With melting ice caps, biblical weather patterns and government pledges to stop the trashing of our planet, the choice is only ‘real’ in Hobson’s ‘take it or leave it’ sense. I’m sure this isn’t new to you, but what makes peat bogs so precious is their ability to capture and store millions of tons of carbon beneath their swampy surface – and if we are to halt global warming, that’s where it needs to stay. I’ve heard the argument that bogs repair after harvest, but science has shown that recovery is infinitesimally slow (if at all). And the idea that as plants grow in peat-based multi-purpose they off-set the lost carbon is…