Innholdsfortegnelse for 26-Oct-24 i Amateur Gardening

I don’t know about you, but if I’m having a slightly stressful day, or feeling sad about something I’ve heard on the news, or it’s raining again…., the sight of one of our wilder garden companions never fails to give me a lift. As the season deepens and darkens, it’s more likely to be our feathered friends that can help in this wonderful way. From a cheeky robin, resplendent in red breast following us boldly in the hope we’ll uncover some tasty insects on their behalf, to the various blue, great and coal tits that take full advantage of the bird feeders at this time of year, they are a joy to see. Here, they often tap or flutter in front of windows, to let us know when their food…

1 Dispose of every part of the rose affected by black spot, cutting away leaves and stems and clearing debris from the soil. Disinfect your secateurs afterwards. 2 Reduce stems by a third to prevent them being too battered by winter storms. Cut just above a leaf node (bud) at a slant so moisture runs off and doesn’t sit and rot. 3 With climbing and rambling roses, remove a third of the cluttered, old stems from the base and tie in new growth to create an attractive shape. 4 Mulch with well-rotted compost or manure. As well as enriching the soil, this will bury black spot spores so rain can’t splash them onto the plant.…

✿ A few years ago I decided to up my pear collection – and I’m so glad I did. Eating a perfectly ripe pear is one of life’s joys – the soft texture, distinct flavour and oh-so-juicy flesh are sublime. If you’d like to grow a pear tree or two, now is the perfect time to plant them. Choose varieties that ripen at different times to give you a gentle succession of fruit, and to ensure good cross-pollination. I have dessert pears ‘Beth’, ‘Williams Bon Chretien’ (both early), ‘Conference’ (midseason) and ‘Doyenne du Comice’ (late), as single cordons (i.e. with one main stem) and collectively they give me around 60 fruits from mid August until late October. The fruit skins subtly turn from green to yellow when they’re ripe. I…

Jujube ✿ If you have a sunny spot in the garden and fancy growing an unusual fruiting tree, then why not give the jujube a try? This small deciduous tree hails from Asia, where it produces plum-sized fruits tasting something akin to an offspring of apple and pineapple - intriguing! They can be eaten fresh but are frequently dried as this sweetens their flavour, leading to the alternative common name for the tree, the Chinese date (botanically, this plant is Ziziphus jujuba). The tree prefers free-draining soil and warmth, although it’s fully hardy, self-fertile and pest- and disease-free. In the wild the tree naturally suckers and frequently produces a thicket of saplings, but in our climate it’s more likely that these suckers will get knocked back, leaving just one or…

Q Can I take cuttings from dogwood? A You can take hardwood cuttings in winter after all the leaves have fallen. Cut 20cm (7.8 inch) straight stems with several shoots, making the top cut angled above a node (a dormant bud) and a flat cut at the other end this time below a node. Cut away some surface wood at the base and expose the vascular bundle, this helps root production. Sink into a pot of fast-draining peat-free compost. Pop in the coldest part of your garden and transplant in spring. Q What can be grown in pots to protect a windswept balcony? A A climber on the windward side of a balcony will help filter wind and protect your more vulnerable plants. Try a winter or summer jasmine, or…

The way we view the plants that have been traditionally referred to as weeds has dramatically changed over the last few years. So many more of us have come to appreciate their beauty and, in many cases, their uses and benefits. Although some are invasive and cause us gardeners concern, it is possible to justify why many can be left to grace our gardens in some way. I am not suggesting for a moment that you stop managing your garden as I am all too aware that some plants have a tendency to rule the roost and invade the space of others. I am a gardener who has battled with ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria) for years and I’d rather be without it! I’m also not suggesting that you give up…

1 Direct-sown broad beans work well in milder areas in late October to early November 2 Gently cover your seed by hand or with a rake 3 You can also sow seed in trays under cover to afford more overwinter protection 4 It can be helpful to add in stakes as the plants grow 5 Then watch with delight as your broad beans burst into flower earlier next year 6 Broad bean pods always mature from the bottom up 7 Ladybird larvae are a useful ally and will eat black fly off plants…

As the last of the leaves on deciduous plants fade and fall, it would be easy to think that it is the end of the colourful displays until spring. Yet by selecting and adding just a few choice plants for your garden, you can continue to enjoy splashes of colour right throughout the winter. Where space is limited, working with the right plant is even more important. Yes, there are some lovely winter-flowering shrubs, but for an even better year-round display, I recommend choosing plants that offer flower and foliage interest during the warmer months, but also shine during winter with their impactful, interesting and colourful stems. Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii A silver birch with white bark that stands out well during the darker months of the year. It is…

I’ve long found wires and cables to be such a nuisance when gardening. But I will also profess to thinking that cordless options wouldn’t be up to the job, or the batteries would run down quickly, leaving you stranded with no power and half a job done. But the technology has long since evolved and those thoughts are firmly in the past! Mini chainsaw Purely and simply, the GTA 26 from STIHL is a gamechanger. It’s not often I’ll say that, but I really believe that this is. The GTA 26 is perfect for pruning decent sized branches, and also for use in smaller DIY tasks, such as cutting pallet wood. The battery time is stated to last 25 minutes, or up to 80 cuts in a small branch, and…

With Julia Boulton, Beth Chatto’s granddaughter and chief custodian of the world-famous gardens, and her team Often provoking polarising views amongst our visitors, bergenias are famously known as the catalyst for the friendship between Beth and Christopher Lloyd. Beth felt obliged to write to Christo to defend the humble bergenia after he painted them so negatively in his book The Well-Tempered Garden, and so begun so began a mutual friendship based on a shared passion for plants. One look at the leaves of bergenia and the common name elephant’s ears becomes obvious. One of the most widely used evergreen plants in Beth’s garden is often found massed on the curves of island beds or grouped to make a bold impact on the edge of borders. Although typically consigned to shady…

1 Traditionalists say you should file sweet pea seeds or soak them in water to aid germination, but this is no longer considered necessary. 2 You could use root trainers for sowing, as they have plenty of length and hinge open to avoid root disturbance, which the plants hate. 3 Cardboard tubes are even better as they can go straight into the soil where they will decompose naturally and even feed the soil. 4 Once the seedlings reach 10cm (4in), pinch out the growing tips to encourage strong and bushy growth that will produce more blooms.…

Planting a tree in loving memory Q My husband recently died and I want to plant a tree in his memory. I have in mind a Betula ‘Fascination’, and I would like to put his ashes under it but the question is how much? Should I just sprinkle a small amount or put them all in the hole? My soil is alkaline and very stony. Patricia Walton, West Ireland A We are so sorry to learn of your bereavement. It’s a very sad time for you. We love your idea of commemorating your many happy years together by planting a birch, and applaud your choice. Betula ‘Fascination’ is amazingly resilient to most climatic and soil conditions. Prized for its peeling orange-brown bark, pale pink in spring, and bright yellow leaves…

No garden, no problem! Indoor container gardening is a superb way to introduce a variety of uplifting plants into your home. But, have you ever thought of making up mixed containers, in the same way that you might plant up your summer hanging baskets? Something architectural, something flowering, something seasonal and something tolerant. These containers can be adaptable, mobile, creative and fun. You can also pair the plants and pots to complement each other, and include varieties with compatible watering routines, perhaps the most important part of all. In this issue, I want to reveal some exciting possibilities when it comes to indoor container design, and who better to ask than the mother-and-daughter team Nikki and Holly at In the Garden, an innovative houseplant shop based in Hampstead, London, who…

Now’s a really good time for planting trees and shrubs, the soil’s still relatively warm and they soon get their roots down. I sometimes reckon we don’t plant enough different trees in our gardens, perhaps folk are afraid they’ll get too big and take over. Not to worry - that’s more rambler roses, kiwis and almost every ‘creeper’. There’s no problem with most fruit trees, as almost all now come on special rootstocks limiting their growth in a range of smaller sizes. The smallest, of course, take up less space but cannot carry much of a crop. Yet, to look at it another way, this means you can have several varieties instead of one larger tree. This makes sense in lots of ways, not least of all that it’s often…

Sustainable food education charity Communigrow is launching a new gardening group for people affected by bereavement. The organisation at East Malling in Kent will train its staff to offer therapy and support and organise more opportunities for people to get together. The idea to launch its ‘first and only crowdfunding campaign’ is part of Communigrow’s celebrations to mark the 10 years since it was awarded charitable status. Communigrow provides a safe space where people of all ages and abilities without access to their own growing place can learn about sustainable growing. The garden is organic, and the site has composting toilets while the office is run on solar power. So far, more than £14,000 has been raised towards a £17,075 target to run the new group for a year at…

1 Placing houseplants close together raises the humidity around their leaves, which helps stop their leaves from shrivelling and browning. 2 Remove brown and deadleaves when you see them. This keeps the plant neat and stops dead material rotting in situ. 3 Winter-flowering houseplants like African violets and streptocarpus should be deadheaded as their blooms fade. 4 Place houseplants where they can get maximum light, but make sure they are out of draughts and away from direct heat.…

Many of us have a taste for more exotic crops like feijoas, pomegranates and loquats these days. We’ve learnt a lot about how to grow these borderline hardy plants in the UK, but the winter weather keeps re-writing the rules! Play it safe if you plan to leave them outside, with a little winter protection: 1 You may be a lucky soul who lives in a mild coastal or urban location. If so, chances are you’re probably used to leaving more exotic plants to their own devices through winter. Those of us less fortunate should make the most of any warm microclimates we own – moving potted plants against sunny walls or corners. 2 If plants are growing in the ground, add an around 5cm (2in) thick protective mulch of…

1 Of course, it’s pumpkin carving season, but if you do want to store some of your fruits whole for winter use, then clean away any soil from the skin, leave a short length of stalk attached as a handy carrying handle, and store your bounty somewhere airy, rodent-proof and frost-free 2 If you want to create premium garden compost (and many of us now do for no-dig systems) then pass all items through a garden shredder before they go onto the heap. This vastly increases the surface area of the materials, allowing fungi, bacteria and other rotters to decompose items thoroughly and more rapidly. 3 Get your greenhouse in fine winter fettle. If you intend to overwinter tender edibles like citrus, opuntia and ginger in there, test that your heater (and…

Growing your own broad beans brings the luxury of gathering their pods at the perfect moment, for young beans of sublime taste and texture. There’s no need to slip them from their skins, as a brief boil in lightly salted water renders them tender. That’s not the end of the story though, as even the last of the pods stripped from older plants yield dry, bigger, starchier beans which when cooked and removed of their skins, are easily processed into a delicious hummus-like dip or spread. Broad beans grow well during cool spring weather and for the earliest crops, the hardier varieties are sown in autumn to stand through winter as young plants. These also do well from sowings made under cover in February and all types of this bountiful…

‘De Monica’ Maturing quickly for early crops, the pods are filled with around 6 white-skinned beans of delicious flavour. Plants reach 1.2m/4ft high and have good disease resistance. www.chilternseeds.co.uk ‘Super Aquadulce’ A favourite for overwintering, as the hardy plants reach around 1m (3ft) high and deliver good yields of long pods full of white-skinned beans. www.tamarorganics.co.uk The Sutton Ideal for windswept sites, this lowly broad bean reaches only 30-60cm (75-100cm) though I have known it go taller on nutritious clay soils. Delivers a good crop of white-skinned beans. www.simplyseed.co.uk…

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Autumn leaves Deciduous leaves have been changing colour for several weeks. This year, because of the cooler and wetter season, the colours should be spectacular – famous last words! Most people think that ‘autumn’ is an English word, and that ‘fall’ is the same thing in American English. Not quite! ‘Autumn’ comes from the Latin autumnus, meaning the time of year when the fruits are harvested. However, depending on the fruit, this can be any time between August and November. ‘Fall’ is named specifically after the time of leaf-fall. Although the timing of this is variable, in Britain it is more or less October. ■ Autumn colour in deciduous trees and shrubs is the result of plant ‘senescence’. After summer, the chlorophyll in leaves slowly degrades, revealing yellowish pigments, or…

In the homestead kitchen garden, all the garlic has been planted both inside the polytunnel and out into the veg beds, and I’m now planting winter hardy broad beans and field beans. Both grow well from a direct sowing, but are susceptible to being munched by rodents. This is why I also sow some legume seed into modules to grow on out of their reach, and plant out when they are about 20cm (7.8 in) tall in any gaps. Field beans are an excellent green manure, feeding the soil below the surface with their nitrogen-rich roots and also providing fantastic extra bulk for the compost heap when cut down in the spring. Green manures help to protect the soil from the worst of the winter weather, especially useful if we…

Sweet peas are globally loved for the colour and distinctive scent they bring to the summer garden, so if you are a fan of these delightful hardy annuals, then varieties such as ‘Fragrantissima’ will work well for you. Flowering across a wide spectrum of colours, from white through to blues, pinks and purples, this variety has large blooms and a rich perfume, making it perfect for a sheltered nook in the garden where its scent will last longer, or the vase indoors. Autumn and the spring are the two key times for sowing sweet peas and I like to start my plants at both times. Autumn-sown plants will flower earlier than those started in the spring, and a combination of both will reward you with a longer blast of colour…

Lilies are some of the most exotic inhabitants of our gardens and despite their glamour, they are in fact extremely versatile and easy to grow. If you don’t have space for many plants, or are looking for something different to decorate your patio, look to lilies as they will very happily grow in containers and can stay in the same pot for several years as long as you refresh the compost and feed them through the growing season. You can also use forced lilies for an early display indoors. The most suitable varieties include Asiatic lilies and L. longiflorum, and they will flower around six weeks after planting. If planting bulbs for an outside display, use a large pot with good drainage to help prevent the bulbs rotting. The best…

Slug resistant plants Dear Kim Thank you so much for your excellent article on SLUGS. Like most people I am fed up with the devastation that slugs have on my garden. Gardeners spend time and money buying plants, growing and potting on seeds to find that within 24 hours slugs have helped themselves to a three course meal. Could I make a suggestion for a future article on a listing of plants that slugs DO NOT like to eat. I do know a few from my own garden but would really like a list so when forward planning I could refer to. Hopefully this could be useful to other gardeners too. Keep up the good work, loving the new format of AG. Many thanks Theresa Stephenson, Loughton Essex Kim says;…

Fear of labels – would you believe – it’s a thing? It even has a name – pittakionophobia. I’ve never met anyone who admits to having this affliction, although when was the last time you checked the blurb on a tube of toothpaste, or paid heed to the serving suggestion sticker on bottled ketchup? I can see why sticky labels might inflict shock and awe, and there is one label (horror emoji!), you’ll find on the pot of a climbing plant (triple horror emoji!) that really should strike terror in all our hearts, as, if ignored, you’ll quickly discover what it’s like to be a wren raising a cuckoo. Climbing plants by their nature are robust and many are incredibly vigorous. Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia and Boston ivy Parthenocissus tricuspidata,…

This year’s National Garden Scheme annual lecture will be given by Fergus Garrett, head gardener at world-famous Great Dixter. Fergus, who joined the team at Great Dixter in 1993, will talk about Gardening for the Future, and explain how vital biodiversity can thrive in anybody’s cultivated garden patch, using evidence gathered from the garden that he looks after. Great Dixter, the former home of gardening writer Christopher Lloyd, is one of Britain’s most famous gardens. Great Dixter Charitable Trust, which is headed up by Fergus, is widely admired for balancing its heritage with being in the vanguard of gardening trends and working towards a sustainable future. The NGS annual lecture is at the Garden Museum in Lambeth Road, London on Tuesday, November 26 at 7pm. Tickets are available from ngs.org.uk…

Roses have flourished this year, loving the cooler, damp conditions that have largely prevailed, and now it’s time to get them ready for winter. They are hardy plants but all the same need some timely nurturing to see them through the colder months and into next spring. Roses are pruned twice a year, in the autumn and in early spring before they start growing again after winter’s dormancy. The autumn cut is mainly used to shorten the main stems in order to prevent ‘wind rock’ during seasonal storms, as this can destabilise the plant. You should also inspect your roses now and cut away any growth that falls into the category of the ‘three Ds’, that is ‘dead, damaged or diseased’. I also remove thin inward-growing shoots on shrub roses…

Harvest sweet potatoes Have you switched from growing conventional potatoes to sweet potatoes? Many of us have, or at least we grow and eat both as part of a varied diet, and my household is no exception. I’ve grown a crop of ‘Erato Orange’ in this south-facing bed and am now patiently waiting for the foliage to turn yellow and die back, before I lift them. A lot of the tubers’ bulk is put on as the days shorten in autumn, so it’s important not to be impatient – lifting sweet potatoes too early can give scant yields. All this green leafy goodness is presently being pumped into the rich orange tubers (these are a great source of vitamin A and beta-carotene) – but I must lift them before the…

The flashy colours of summer flowers and vegetables are well and truly fading now – as the compost bin beckons and they return to the soil. But now is NOT the time to turn your back on your small garden space. It’s easy to think of the darker months as a transitional period that should be waited out until the spring days arrive again. But while the alfresco food and long evenings might be over, there’s still plenty that plants can offer up. What can be grown now Planting up a few pots to keep you engaged with the outdoors is a must for the small space gardener. If you begin to miss the fresh taste of organic homegrown food, then consider all kinds of salads, which you can harvest…

October Bird of the Month – Redwing These thrushes generally arrive in the UK from around the end of September into early October, having left their breeding grounds in the forests of Scandinavia and Iceland when temperatures began to fall there. They’ll feed on insects when available, but at this time of year and into winter, will make the most of any fruits and berries around. They can be drawn to gardens by fallen fruit and you may be lucky enough to see a whole flock of them descend on any windfalls laying among the leaves under apple trees, so be sure to leave a little fruit if you are keen to attract them. Even if you don’t have trees, putting out some halved apples may bring some to your…

Growing around 4m (13ft) tall unless cut into a hedge or kept low in windy terrains, blackthorn is a tough deciduous shrub or small tree. The fruits appear from August onwards but are not meant to be picked until autumn, preferably from November when they are ripened and softer. I wouldn’t leave them this long, otherwise the birds will beat you to it. Better to pick the fruits before they are fully ripe and freeze them. On thawing, the skins will break more readily to release their flavour. Alternatively, prick the fresh fruits with a fork before putting them in a large jar, adding the sugar, the gin or vodka, sealing and swirling. I keep the jar in our cool larder and give it a swirl now and again. Leave…

◼ Their dense, sturdy spires make lupins an eye-catching feature adding colour, height and structure to the garden. They are also a great plant for attracting pollinators. ◼ They can be sown now, or again in the spring, and planted out when the temperature rises and they have been hardened off. ◼ Lupin seeds should be soaked overnight before sowing, and sown on dampened seed compost, covered with a light layer of more compost or vermiculite. ◼ Add a lid to the seed tray, or seal the sowing pot in a clear plastic bag - both of which sould be removed at germination. ◼ Keep the compost damp but not soggy.…

24 Oct: Curator’s autumn walk, RHS garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford CM3 8ET. 25 Oct: Introduction to Garden Design, RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Crag Lane, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate HG3 1QB. 25 Oct: Spring Bulb Planting Workshop, RHS Garden Bridgewater, Occupation Road, Worsley, Manchester M28 2LJ. 26 Oct: National Collection of Hardy Chrysanthemums open day and sale, Norwell Nurseries, Woodhouse Road, Norwell, Nottinghamshire, NG23 6JX. 11am-4pm. 26 Oct: Thenford Autumn Garden Open Day, Thenford Gardens and Arboretum, in Northamptonshire, OX17 2BX. From 10am. 26 Oct: RSPB Autumn Bird Walk, RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 26 Oct: British Cactus and Succulent Society Zone 3 Rally, Carlton Social Club, Main Street, Carlton, Wakefield, Yorkshire, WF3 3RW. 9.30am-5pm. 27 Oct: The Great Comp National Garden Scheme Open Day &…