Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Oct-2023 i Amateur Gardening

“On 3 May 1884, a mere 139 years and four months ago, the first issue of Amateur Gardening magazine was launched by Shirley Hibberd, the foremost gardening editor of the day. Hibberd had written the first-ever book for nonprofessional gardeners in 1855 and was headhunted for the role because of his successful editing of three gardening journals (see page 22 for Hibberd’s story). AG, as it was affectionately known, became the guiding light of knowledge for a new breed of enthusiast gardener, rising from the massive growth in suburban housing which defined the mid-1800s as people emigrated to towns to work in factories. It was the first magazine to explain in a practical way how to grow ornamentals as well as fruit and vegetables, much to the chagrin of professional…

THIS summer has been more of an experiment than usual for me as many of the plants I’ve grown have been cultivated using only two brands of peat-free compost. This came about after several AG readers wrote to us about poor results using peat-free, largely because peat-free growing media operates differently to products that contain peat. Also, most peat-free packaging offers scant advice for successful growing, making it hard for amateur gardeners to know how often to feed and water – peat-free often looks dry on the surface but is saturated further down, increasing the danger of killing plants through overwatering. This summer I have been using wool-based Dalefoot and coir-based Melcourt SylvaGrow composts to sow seeds, root cuttings, pot up seedlings, grow plants in patio containers and cultivate tomatoes…

THE morning of the 3rd May 1884 was one of those dreary, bitterly cold days when everything seemed black, grey and miserable. Dense smoke spiralled skywards, floating from a sea of chimney stacks, reaching up like hundreds of blackened fingers trying to poke the foggy sky. London was the most important city in the world and the most polluted. The air was clammywet with a drizzling cocktail of rain mingled with smoke and soot. This noxious mixture endowed a patina of wet, sticky, black dirt onto everything – trees, flowers, and even the matted hair and ragged clothes of the news vendor standing on the corner of Aldersgate Street and Little Britain. The vendor was plying his trade selling the London Illustrated News. His cries of “Gordon besieged in Khartoum!”…

The end of an era This issue marks the end of Amateur Gardening magazine SO, this is the last-ever issue of Amateur Gardening. Words cannot really express how I feel, as this magazine has been an integral part of my life for 47 years. I joined its staff in November 1976, when it was a mere 92 years old. The title had already survived two world wars, countless crises, financial crashes, changing monarchs and governments, and the rise of first radio, then TV. In the intervening years it has also had to contend with computerisation and the internet. AG was there through it all. When the magazine was launched, back in 1884, Gladstone was our Prime Minister, Chester A. Arthur was US President, Oscar Wilde was being outrageous, and William…

I ENJOY everything about seed-collecting: the crunchiness of dry flowers in my fingers to the sound of the kernels as they tumble into paper bags, and rattle like maracas. Saving seed also saves money, especially with dill, coriander, basil and parsley – soft-leaved herbs often used in the kitchen and re-sown a few times a year. Once you’re in the habit of leaving a few from each sowing to run to seed, you’ll never buy another packet again. I also collect ornamental flowers. Perennial echinacea, astrantia and eryngium are especially worthwhile. This year, though, I’m focusing on annuals such as zingy French marigold, electric-blue cerinthe and the delicate umbels of white laceflowers (Orlaya grandiflora). If you don’t know it, you should, as it billows like cow parsley but on shorter…

I leave you with the opening words from AG’s first issue on 10 May 1884, offering an editorial promise that I believe we have kept for the last 139 years: [GC-W] “Amateur Gardening will be allowed to speak for itself. If promises are like pie-crust, they must be served out in moderate quantities in case the intellectual digestion be taxed beyond reason. We shall therefore endeavour to make ourselves generally useful, our principal object being to smooth the path and delight the life of the lovers of the garden. Amateurs are glad of literary help when it is offered by practical men who have no special interest in view, and no special fancies or theories to promote. It is a world of work, and the restfulness of the garden depends…

AMONG the myriad bulbs on sale at garden centres across the land, you will find trays and boxes of ‘prepared’ varieties. These bulbs have been prepared for early flowering by being subjected to a period of intense cold that tricks them into thinking they have been through winter. As a result, they shoot and flower weeks before they would normally. Prepared bulbs of hyacinths, ‘Paperwhite’ narcissus and hippeastrum (tall, exotic, trumpet-flowered amaryllis), crocus, muscari (grape hyacinth) and tulips (dwarf varieties do best) can all be planted up over the next few weeks, then set aside in a cool, dark place and brought out in time to bring scent and colour to the home around Christmas and the New Year. Plant them up in a loamy compost or, if their container…

I THINK we all know that it’s been a disappointing summer this year. We had two days in July when the temperature only reached a chilly 14°C or 57°F. Some plants loved the cool conditions and my ferns have never been better. They relished lots of rain. Our local weather reporter from Northleach in Gloucestershire, Brian James, confirmed that July was cold, wet and dull. It was 3.5°C cooler than the daytime average of 23.73°C. Brian, who’s been recording our local weather for 37 years, says it was also the wettest July he’s recorded, apart from 2007. It was also dull. We had 117.06 hours of sunshine, far lower than the average 173.6. August was slightly better here, although still dull and cool. The jet stream stayed south of the…

Is this a mallow and when is it pruned? Q Is this plant a member of the mallow family and, if so, how and when should I prune it? Peter Auty (via email) A It took me a while to wade through all the members of the mallow family to identify your mystery plant, but I got there in the end! I am delighted to tell you that your plant is the African mallow or Cape mallow and the Latin name is Anisodontea capensis. This is an upright sub-shrub, which means the base of the stems go woody but often the tops are more like those of a perennial, with hairy stems and small, hairy, evergreen leaves. The flowers resemble a small hibiscus, ranging from pale-pink to dark red-purple, and…

It’s time for our just-for-fun puzzle – AG’s Garden Wall. This wall comprises 12 bricks in three courses. Each brick has a different word, or phrase on it. The first brick in each course, with BLOCK capitals, is cemented in place and cannot be moved. Just rearrange all the other bricks, so that the four words in each course of bricks are linked. There are three different connections to look for, one for each course. You may find that some words have more than one connection to other courses, but there is just one correct answer. You’ll either find this puzzle fiendishly difficult, or incredibly easy! Answers below. Hint: In one of the courses, the bricks are all linked to the colour red! Answers: SALADIN = Little Gem, Lakeland, Lollo…

WE are fast approaching the time when big decisions need to be made. Will you cut back your perennials now or wait until spring? It is neither right nor wrong to choose autumn or spring to rid your perennials of their dead stems. However, the debate runs and runs between gardeners as to what time of year you should set to work. As I have a four-acre open garden to put to bed I need to get cracking now, otherwise I’ll never get it done before spring! By setting to work so quickly I miss out on seasonal interest. There is no denying that a mixed bed of perennials displaying empty seedheads and decorated with cobwebs is a sight to behold on an autumn morning. This is argument enough to…

SUMMER takes its toll on lawns with drought and heavy footfall, whereas winter’s damage is caused by rain, waterlogging, frosts and fungal diseases. Autumn is usually a kinder season that gives us a window to make any repairs to our lawns, tidy them up, solve any problems that have developed and maybe lay some new areas of grass. The key objective now is to make sure your stretches of sward are as strong and healthy as possible to cope with the months ahead. Give your grass a boost with an autumn feed that has been formulated to strengthen grass without making it grow, as new shoots will be killed off by cold weather. Many of these seasonal feeds also contain root boosters and moss eliminators. Tackle perennial lawn weeds now,…

AS autumn advances and we start thinking about replenishing our soil and ‘putting the garden to bed’ for the winter, the time is ripe for considering making the move to a more organic form of horticulture. The charity Garden Organic is encouraging AG readers to garden without chemicals to create a balanced and diverse environment where native plants and wildlife can thrive. Emma O’Neill, the charity’s head gardener, says that the best way to go organic and to improve your garden’s biodiversity is to start with baby steps. “Start small and learn as you go,” she says. “If you go all-out and have unrealistic aims, you will not be successful and may get discouraged. “Patience is key. People write to us and say: ‘Help! I’ve got pests in my garden…

POPPIES are one of the most fascinating plants to add to our gardens. They are so varied, from simple annual poppies and California poppies, to the flamboyance and stature of perennial Oriental poppies, fascinating blue Himalayan meconopsis poppies, Iceland poppies and native Welsh poppy, there is something for everyone. This week’s poppy is a hardy annual that looks very unlike most people’s idea of a ‘proper’ poppy, but is ideal if you’re looking for something to add ruffled beauty to your beds and pots. ‘Paeony Flowered Mix’ is a variety of opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) that produces densely petalled blooms in shades of pink and red. The plants grow to 35in (90cm) in height, making them perfect for the centre and front of borders, or to sow among other hardy…

SOME pruning tasks are a bit harder and more involved than others, especially where older plants are concerned. Branches can be too big for loppers and using a pruning saw can be hard work, so this is where one of the new batch of mini chainsaws can come into its own. Choosing one of these tools is a matter of doing some research and, where possible, testing them for weight and feel at a garden centre or dealership. If you already have tools on a battery system, then you will probably want to stick with the same system either to save buying another battery or to have a backup in order to allow a longer working time. The length of the guide bar and chain varies quite widely, so you…