Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Nov-2022 i Amateur Gardening

“Earlier in the year, when my many daffs, tulips and other spring bulbs in pots and containers finally withered away, I upended the containers, retrieved the bulbs, wrapped them in old newspaper and put them to sleep in the shed. And there they lay in the inky blackness, until a few weeks ago, when I woke them from their enforced slumber to replant them in the same pots for the coming spring. The compost from those pots had long been redistributed elsewhere, but I was able to fill all 14 pots from my compost heap, which had been the recipient of all the compost in my spent potato containers plus a mixi of homemade. Total cost of 14 pots of spring flowers — nothing but time, patience and planning! This…

AFTER a summer of brilliance, it’s time to cut back dahlias and decide what to do with their bulbous tubers. If your soil is light and free-draining you can cut the stems down to 5in (15cm) and leave the tubers in the ground, generously mulched with compost, manure or bark chippings. The plants should survive winter unless the weather is extremely cold. If you have heavy clay soils that tend to sit wet, or if you don’t want to risk leaving dahlias in the ground, reduce their stems as before, lift and dry the tubers then store them overwinter in trays, covered in soil or dry compost to their crown. If your dahlias are in containers, it may be easier to cut them back and move the pots somewhere frost-free,…

Contact John Negus by email address below Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com How can we revive our faded mandevilla? Q We have a mandevilla in our conservatory and it was healthy until two weeks ago, when the leaves started to turn brown and drop. We have fed it with tomato fertiliser, but what else can we do? Elizabeth Boucher (via email) A Have the conditions in the conservatory changed? At best, mandevilla is described as ‘tender to half-hardy,’ so a plant will be quite sensitive to changes in air temperature. The RHS states that when growing mandevilla, ‘warm, humid conditions are required in spring, with daytime temperatures of 21ºC (70ºF) and nighttime temperatures of 18ºC (65ºF). Overwinter at a temperature not below 15ºC (60ºF) at night. In cold conditions it is likely to…

This week it’s: Beech trees Life’s a beech for these beautiful trees WHEN it comes to trees, I cannot praise the common beech (Fagus sylvatica) highly enough. It is not suited to most gardens, of course, because it grows humongous, but in the wider landscape, parks and countryside it is an outstanding piece of creation! Both in its dappled green spring leaves, and its deep autumn golds and russets, it is far superior to any other tree – in my view. Even in winter, the huge grey column of a mature, leafless beech tree will demand our attention. And if you do have the size of garden that can accommodate one, then you’ll be pleased to know that it will grow in any soil, although arguably it is at its…

The home front: Next week we take a look at winter houseplant care and suggest ways of getting the best from indoor plants given as Christmas gifts David Austin rose Elizabeth The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September was a pivotal point for the nation and now you can create a memorial to her in your garden with Elizabeth (‘Ausmajesty’), this year’s new rose from David Austin. A shrub rose, it produces sweetly scented pink blooms in blossom-like, open clusters that fade to apricot. The repeat-blooming flowers are offset by attractive deep-green foliage and the scent is lemony with a hint of Old Rose. Regular pruning will keep Elizabeth a shapely shrub and it is a robust and healthy plant. (davidaustinroses.co.uk, 0800 111 4699, £25 bare root,…

A COUPLE of our blackcurrant bushes turned up their toes over the summer so this week I’ve been taking hardwood cuttings from the remaining bushes to replace them. This is one of the most reliable ways of propagating deciduous trees and shrubs, including fruit bushes and roses. Taken now and either potted up or grown in the ground, they will take up to a year to develop roots and leaves but then will grow into robust young plants. Hardwood cuttings are taken in late autumn or winter, when plants are dormant and their wood has hardened off to withstand the colder weather. Apart from when there is a severe frost, they can be taken any time between now and just before leaf buds start to open up in early spring.…

I’M currently munching my way through my home-grown, organic apple crop picked from the three apple trees I planted 17 years ago. I chose three apples that weren’t commercially available, which wasn’t difficult because the supermarket choice is limited to just a few varieties. They’re planted in the mini meadow in front of the cottage and they’re a joy in spring, when the blossom appears, and the fruit shines in autumn. I like their winter silhouettes, too. You need to pick apples when they’re ripe, by holding each one in the palm of your hand before twisting them round – as you probably know. They should come away with half a turn. I had to pick mine a trifle early this year, because strong winds and heavy rain were forecast…

EARLY birds might get the worm, but when it comes to planting tulips, wise old owls do it late. Waiting until now isn’t just about picking up bulb bargains (although there is that, too). Planting late means bulbs spend less time in cold, damp soil where disease and squirrels can find them. There is a limit to how late, though. Left too long, the bulbs – and the prospect of a good display – will start to shrivel, so that’s why I do my tulip planting in mid-late November. There are many different tulip types (see the panel below right), each with their positives and peccadilloes. But if I had to choose a favourite, it would be the parrot types, so-called because their petals curve like feathers. As their blooms…

AS well as planting trees in autumn, you can move those that are in the wrong place, either for aesthetic reasons or because they aren’t thriving. Only carry out this task when the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, and avoid relocating trees that are more than five years old, as the move is less likely to be successful. Ideally, a few months before the move, dig a trench around the tree and fill it with sand to encourage the development of feeder roots that help it re-establish more quickly in its new spot. The day before moving, clear weeds from around the base of the tree and water the soil well. Measure the spread of the branches (this should mirror the root spread) and excavate a hole at least 1ft…

THE past few weeks have been a bit of a battle to keep the garden tidy after heavy rain and winds dislodging the summer’s leaves and moss. Not only did it make a mess, but the damp debris building up was potentially dangerous. Wet leaves and algae become treacherously slippery and they create the perfect habitat for pests and diseases. This week I’ve been giving our hard surfaces a scrub with environmentally friendly path and patio cleaner, though Jeyes Fluid is an excellent chemical option. I used a stiff brush on the brick patio, as pressure washers can wear away the cement between the bricks. However, they do work well on decking and non-brick drives. I’ve also been hoeing over the borders to chop down weeds and uncover buried slug…

FOXGLOVES are among the most elegant of easy-to-grow flowers. First, they develop a rosette of foliage at ground level and from it arise tall, upright spikes packed with two-lipped tubular flowers, opening steadily from the base upwards. The plants may be hardy biennials, hardy perennials or less frost-resistant, slightly shrubby plants usually grown in containers. In most varieties the flowers are carried on one side of the stem, often creating a graceful arching look. The flowers may be large and prettily spotted in the throat or small neat and tubular. Compact varieties Most foxgloves flower in spring and early summer, a few in summer or autumn, and the flowers are usually purplish or pinkish in colour, sometimes white, sometimes yellow plus a few in intriguing rusty shades. One has orange…

You can listen to Steve on alternate Sundays 10am-2pm on BBC Radio Kent’s Sunday Gardening (BBC Local) Ways to store dahlia tubers Steve and Val Bradley explain the options for protecting dahlia tubers over winter DAHLIAS are popular, easy-to-grow plants that are known for their attractive, colourful flowers. They are ideal for cutting, with a good vase life, and flower over a long period from midsummer. They come in a wide range of colours and sizes, with 12 different classifications based on flower type and size. Storage organ Dahlias are herbaceous perennials, meaning the top growth dies down at the end of the growing season. There is a perennial storage organ at the base, known as a tuber, which lasts for many years provided it is protected from frost or…