Innholdsfortegnelse for 12/12/2015 i Amateur Gardening

IT’S GREAT to hear that glyphosate – the active ingredient in Resolva 24 Hour, Roundup and many other branded systemic weedkillers – has been assessed as “unlikely to pose a carcinogenic hazard to humans” by the European Food Safety Authority (see AG News 5 December). There were fears it would be withdrawn – this now seems unlikely. It’s a significant victory for ordinary gardeners, whose access to effective and safe chemical treatments is constantly diminishing. I’d certainly struggle to stay on top of weeds around the allotment, especially deep-rooted, perennial ones, without occasionally resorting to weedkiller. You’d have thought that the people who sell these products would have been shouting this important ‘victory’ from the rooftops. But when AG approached the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) – the body which represents…

SOME SAY that to be a ‘real gardener’ (as opposed to a fair-weather type) you need to be out there in all weathers, toiling away and working up a sweat even on the coldest, iciest days of the year. Nah! That’s not for me (nor any sane person, if you ask me). However, on a favourable winter’s day (one that is neither too cold nor too windy, and when the soil is neither frozen solid nor completely waterlogged), it is good to get out there and do the seasonal jobs that must be done, as well as catching up on those jobs ‘just to keep things tidy’. Here is my essential list of jobs for the next five or six weeks. What to do in December and January 1 Taking…

IF YOU are at a loose end over the next week or so, why not visit one of these gardening events taking place around the country? • 12-13 December: RSPB – Birds in the Garden; RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH; 01805 626800; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor • 14-24 December: Christmas Around the World (daily); Hever Castle & Gardens, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG; 01732 865224; hevercastle.co.uk • 12-13 December: Father Christmas at West Dean Gardens; West Dean Gardens, Nr Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ; 01243 811301; westdean.org.uk • 18 December: Make a Festive Table Decoration; RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon Common, Chelmsford CM3 8ET; 00845 2658071; rhs.org.uk/gardens/hyde-hall • 19-20 December: Talk on Plants with Festive Traditions (11.30am & 2.30pm); RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH; 01805…

Sawing the base Just before you bring you newly bought cut tree indoors, cut 1in (2.5cm) off the bottom of the trunk. This creates a fresh ‘wound’ or surface that will better draw up water. Tree stands Stand you tree in a proper Christmas tree stand – ideally one that has a water reservoir (above). Keep this topped up, as these trees can draw up to four pints of water per day. Needle retention A drop of bleach in the tree reservoir is said to help keep the needles, but don’t over-do it. ‘Needle-fast’ sprays are available, and some people spray the undersides of branches with hair spray to lessen water loss. It works, but makes the tree more flammable.…

FEB-MARCH 1 Prepare heavy or poor soils by digging in lots of leafmould or garden compost. Avoid manure which can make roots fork. MARCH-MAY 2 Sow seeds in drills 8-12 ins (19-30cm) apart. Keep plants well weeded at first, and water regularly in dry spells MAY-AUGUST 3 Thin seedlings to 3-6in (8-15cm); the wider spacings give larger parsnips. The young thinnings taste delicious. OCT - FEB 4 Harvest direct from the ground; loosen the soil alongside long roots so they can be wiggled out without damage DECEMBER 5 Cover a patch of roots with straw or leaves pinned down with netting, so they can be harvested even in severe frost…

QI really want to grow some gentians, which I saw in the garden of a stately home I visited. My local garden centre has sold out – where can I get some? Christine Bakes, York A There are many gentian species available. Those, such as stemless Gentiana acaulis , flower in spring and summer, and need neutral to limey soils. The autumn-flowering brigade are happiest in humus-rich, acid soil. Both types like a warm, sunny spot. I suggest you plant Gentiana farreri ‘Duguid Form’. It is easy to grow and will reward you with electric blue flowers. If your local garden centre doesn’t stock it, order it from Edrom Nurseries, Coldingham, Eyemouth, Berwickshire TD14 5TZ, or call 01890 771386. JOHN NEGUS QI have dragon fruit plants in my conservatory (…

QI feed the birds, but have problems with rats, while squirrels attack the nut holders. What can I do? Michael Clarke, Beccles, Suffolk A It is very difficult to prevent rats if you are regularly placing bird food in your garden. Some people put down a paving flagstone or similar, directly under the feeder, and then each day sweep up to remove the remnants and fallen seed – to remove the rats’ food source. Ideally, this should be done every day just before dark, as rats will come to the feeder at night. Meanwhile, there are a number of squirrel-proof feeders on the market. Some work better than others, and it is impossible to say with confidence which would work for you. I suggest you speak to people in your…

SHORT LICHEN-covered branches from a deciduous shrub form the basis for Saskia’s winter table arrangement, to which she adds rose hips, clusters of lichen and tea lights set on bay leaves. Consider using a piece of cardboard or foil under the bay leaf to protect the table surface if the tea lights are left burning for some length of time. The flowers from paperwhite narcissi are the finishing touch to the table arrangement and look stunning floating in water in champagne saucers. “When creating a table arrangement it’s important to fit the flowers to the situation,” says Saskia. For a table with white cloths and silverware I would come up with something more formal but here I’m going for a more natural look”. Table arrangements can be started early in…

SEPTEMBER SUCCESS AT STORES Garden centres’ clothing and food hall departments are booming. Sales rose by 30 and 14.5 per cent year-on-year respectively during September. WELSH BOTANIC STRIKES GOLD The National Botanic Garden of Wales has won gold in a new award scheme for tourist attractions. It was praised for its visitor experience. WEATHER WARNING Gardens face a two month ‘Arctic blast’ during December and January, with temperatures as low as -15°C, say weather stories in the press. TREES WORTH £6BILLION London’s eight million trees have been valued at over £6billion, according to the iTree Urban Forest Survey, published last month. SNOWDROP WEEK The 12-acre Easton Walled Gardens in Lincolnshire will host a Snowdrop Week on 13-21 February. Go to eastonwalledgardens.co.uk.…

A 29 year-old plantsman has been appointed as the youngest-ever curator of RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. Matthew Pottage, who joined the RHS as a trainee in 2004, now has responsibility for one of the most famous gardens in the world. He rose through the ranks, becoming a Wisley horticulturist in 2007 and gaining an RHS Master of Horticulture in 2010. Matthew was promoted to Garden Manager in 2011 and became deputy curator in 2014. He takes charge as the RHS plans to invest millions at Wisley with a new plant centre, science and research facilities, entrance and car park. FLAGSHIP GARDEN Matthew (pictured) said: “I am thrilled and honoured to become curator. “It has been the RHS flagship garden for more than 100 years and I’m excited to be…

IF YOU find that bulb-planting can take its toll on your back, spare a thought for gardeners at Arundel Castle in Sussex. They’ve planted 72,000 bulbs at 40 acres of gardens. Arundel’s walled garden has been the centre of activity. In spring, over 30,000 tulips will bloom in this area alone. Gardeners planted over 50 types of tulip, including 24 new varieties for 2016. Novelties include the pink-ruffled tulip ‘Auxerre,’ the cabbage lookalike ‘Rem’s Favourite’ and the spiky purple ‘Labrador’. Gardeners also dug-in bulbs of snakes head fritillaries, snowdrops and narcissus. Such was the scale of the bulb-planting that help was enlisted from west Sussex Girl Guides, who helped to plant tulips in large Italianate terracotta pots (circled). Head gardener Martin Duncan said: “I’m sure I speak for everybody when…

WINTER BRINGS us relatively few flowers, and those we have are constantly at the mercy of frost and snow and winds and downpours. But it’s not only flowers that provide us with winter colour – bark and twigs can be colourful and interesting too. The top two trees for colourful winter bark are maples and birches, which also have the great benefit of being amongst our smaller garden trees. Site them near a path or driveway and where the sun will strike them so you can best appreciate their colour. I know it sounds just a little mad, but it pays to scrub the trunks with soapy water in the autumn so that the bark really gleams all winter. You’ll be amazed how they shine. Shrubs with colourful winter twigs…

WHEN IT comes to garden birds we are, sadly, at a time of the year when they seem to be biting the hand that feeds them! Blackbirds, thrushes and many other birds may be a delight to see in our gardens, but in winter they can quickly strip ornamental trees of berries. It is claimed that birds need to eat more than their own weight in food every day. So, to avoid them starving in winter, but also persuade them not to strip our plants of the final vestiges of seeds and berry colour too quickly, we need to offer alternatives. Garden centres sell a huge range of feeders and the various seeds to go in them. Trouble is, they’re pretty pricey. Fortunately it’s quite easy – and fun –…

1 To make this bauble (in time for Christmas!), mix a cup of lard with a cup of suet. Soften them over a low heat, or in the microwave. 2 Allow it to cool and set, at room temperature. Then, with your hands, form it into spheres, roughly the size of a golf ball. 3 Attach the string by slicing halfway through the ball; lay the string in the cut, and reform the sphere. Leave it to set in the fridge. 4 Stud the ball with seeds, and return to fridge. When set, brush with melted fat to ‘seal’ the ball, let it set and hang it outside.…

IT IS madness that I force Christmas onto my children so early, in order to meet deadlines, but this is the second year running that I have persuaded them to wear Christmas jumpers, just after Halloween. On the warmest UK November day ever recorded, I’m in a T-shirt and they are in scarves – with a vague notion that “It could snow any minute!” Small potted trees are great for small children who want to get into the festive spirit early, as they are easily decorated and can be left outside in the run up to Christmas. We purchased a 2.5ft Norway Spruce for £15 from Homebase, which had been grown in a pot and submerged underground. This makes the root ball sustainable for re-planting into a bigger container, or…

Seasonal Parsnip Soup This easy sweet’n’savoury soup is ideal for serving up on chilly winter days Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Ingredients 1 Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan on a low heat. Add the onion and gently fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. 2 Add in the chopped parsnip and pour in the milk and stock, season well and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes with a lid on. 3 Check that the parsnips are cooked by pricking them with a fork. 4 When cooked remove from the heat and…

NOW THAT’S what I call a wood chipper (pictured, below). It takes full size branches and tree trunks at the front then wood chips for large boilers fly out of the back. Machines of this kind are becoming saviours to an increasing number of UK glasshouse nurseries. Wood and other locally supplied forms of bio-fuel are replacing gas and oil for greenhouse heating. They are sustainable and more environmentally friendly, with the result that lower controlled heating costs make pot plants, cut flowers and edible crop production viable in the UK once again. Specialist vegetable seed and plant growers, The Robinson Family, of Forton in Lancashire, have one and are putting in a second. Margaret Robinson tells me that having to be less frugal with heating allows seed crops to…

OUR LAWN is a bright, emerald green perched on a bog of wet, muddy soil oozing to the surface at the slightest footfall. At this time of year solid pathways are a great plus but only if we make the effort to keep them clear. The much trodden, curving path between the house and annexe had become impassable where the restio, weighed down by raindrops, had sprawled and a muddy detour was forming. The first job was to cut the splaying restio stems back to their base and then save the path edge from encroaching turf by cutting along it using an old, long-bladed kitchen knife. The wet turf peeled back from the pathway in satisfying layers and after a thorough sweeping, the path was cleared. This kind of work…

DO YOU know an unsung hero who deserves a garden makeover from Alan Titchmarsh? Producers of ITV’s Love Your Garden are looking for people who have suffered the worst that life can throw at them – and would benefit from a new garden in 2016. Love Your Garden, presented by Alan Titchmarsh with David Domoney, Frances Tophill and Katie Rushworth, is the most-watched gardening series on TV. This will be its sixth series. TRANSFORMING LIVES This year’s series averaged 3.5million viewers, according to Spun Gold TV, which makes the programme for ITV. Alan told AG: “We are looking for families whose lives will be transformed by a garden – perhaps because they have been unable to get out there due to lack of mobility, or if family circumstances have meant…

A MAN who encouraged hundreds of youngsters to take up gardening received a top award from the prime minister. Retired Peter Edwards, from Middlesex, 82, has spent five-and-a-half years working with nearly every young person at The Rosary Catholic Primary School via his gardening club – reaching over 400 children. POINT OF LIGHT AWARD Last week, the Cabinet Office announced that Peter would receive its Point Of Light award, which recognises outstanding achievements made by volunteers. David Cameron said: “Peter has given a huge amount of his time to enriching the lives of pupils at the school. Through the gardening club he runs, he has not only given hundreds of children an opportunity that they may not otherwise have had to get involved in gardening; he uses it to bring…

I THINK blueberries are one of the best all-rounder plants in the garden, especially as they do fairly well almost anywhere, from full sun to dappled shade. Obviously they’re mainly grown for their plump delicious fruit, but the pretty white spring flowers are attractive too. Better still are the autumn colours, which depending on variety can be from dark wine purple to screaming pinks with every shade between – and even more so if they’re a bit chlorotic from the lime in hard water! Blueberries can be planted anytime of year, but now is a good time – provided the soil isn’t frozen – to allow the roots to put on some growth before the main growing season. The main drawback with blueberries is they need ericaceous compost and prefer…

Dogwoods Neat enough for any garden if pruned hard every spring, the mass of upright stems of Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ are golden yellow at the base transforming to orange red at the tips. Other dogwoods come in yellow, orange and red – even dark purple in the case of ‘Kesselringii’. H 4½ft (1.5m) Supplier: Wyevale Garden Centres Hazels The twisted stems of what’s sometimes called Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick, Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’, are lovely rimed in frost, set against blue winter sky or cut for the house. And there are golden spring catkins, too. Bluebell nursery also sell a new red-leaved introduction ‘Red Majestic’. H 9ft (3m). Supplier: Bluebell Nursery 01530 413700 Maples Snakebark maples…

‘PETER SMITHERS’ Peter Smithers, said to be Ian Fleming’s inspiration for James Bond, was also a dedicated gardener. This one was named after him because the pink flowers are held in rose-purple buds – a licence to thrill! Can flower as early as November. Foliage looks good all year round. Supplier: Pan Global Plants 01452 741 641 ‘GURKHA’ This deciduous to semi-evergreen form bears white flowers flushed in mauve-pink on the outer petals. It has a tendency to sucker, which is no bad thing because, if the top is nipped by winter, it will revive. It’s almost certainly the hardiest. Supplier: Pan Global Plants 01452 741 641 ‘DARJEELING’ This form was distributed from RHS Wisley in the 1970s. The original plant came from Darjeeling, hence the name. The very pale…

FROM CHRISTMAS cards to bird tables, red-breasted robins are a cheery winter sight. Give yours a treat with Peckish Robin Seed Mix, a blend of seeds and insects to help your garden robins through the winter months. We have five 1kg packs to give away. To enter, send your name and address on the back of a postcard to Peckish Robin Mix, Amateur Gardening, Westover House, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1JG. Or email your details to ag_giveaway@ timeinc.com , heading the email Peckish Robin Mix. The closing date is: 16 December, 2015.…

1 You will need a small, clean, plastic water bottle with lid, bird seed, string, an indoor plant cane, sharp scissors and something for making holes in plastic. 2 Using a sharp implement, make small holes on either side of the bottle and push the thin cane through so it makes a bird perch on each side. 3 Using sharp, pointed scissors, such as nail scissors, cut access holes roughly ½in (1cm) in diameter, about 1in (3cm) above each perch. 4 Pour in seed to just below the feeding openings. Make opposing holes in the bottle neck, and thread twine or wire through for hanging. Replace the lid.…

RUTH SAYS: Site trees away from radiators and other heat sources, to prevent drying out and rapid needle drop I LOVE a real Christmas tree. For me, even the most realistic artificial ones just don’t cut the mustard. Most of us would like a live, potted tree, but few of us have facilities to keep them alive between Christmases. So buying a cut tree each year is the obvious solution, even though it is expensive. We should look after our trees well, to get maximum pleasure from them before Twelfth Night, when we take them down for recycling! Choice of three trees top tip Stand the tree in a bucket of water for at least an hour before bringing it indoors. Make sure the trunk fits into the tree stand.…

IT’S NOT a myth – parsnips pulled now after the October and November cold snaps are tastier than those harvested in early autumn. Lower temperatures cause some of the starch in the roots to be converted to sugar. Mine certainly aren’t a disappointment – whether roasted, mashed with cream or tossed in butter and spices, they are deliciously sweet. They are one of the most straightforward vegetables to grow too. Provided drainage is good, they will flourish on most types of soil, although light, deep ones give the longest, best shaped roots. Grow them alongside roots such as carrots and celeriac in your crop rotation (parsnips can suffer from the dreaded carrot fly). There’s no need for successional sowings – just one in spring will give you all the roots…

• Give rows of overwintering broad beans and peas support. For beans use bamboo canes alongside the rows, fixed to pegs 6in (15cm) off the ground. For peas surround them with pea netting on posts, or use twiggy shrub prunings pushed into the soil between the plants. • In severe weather, particularly strong winds and heavy rain, be prepared to offer some further protection to overwintering broad beans and peas, with a tunnel cloche or fleece. • Dig out the roots of brambles that may invade the veg plot, particularly from nearby hedgerows. Dig deep and remove the whole root, or it will regrow. While you’re at it, dig out other deep rooted perennial weeds including dandelions and docks – although they are perennial weeds the foliage rarely dies away…

Q We recently moved into a ground floor flat, which has a garden. What can I plant around the edges of the garden to give it permanent colour? The area is very shady from trees and an overgrown hedge. The soil is clay, and dry under the hedge. Gwen Holloway, Horsham, West Sussex A You need shade-loving plants that can tolerate dry conditions and that, between them, can give you lots of colour throughout the year. It is quite a tall order, but not impossible. Here are some plant ideas to get you started: Geranium phaeum, pulmonaria, Alchemilla mollis (lady’s mantle), Cyclamen hederifolium, epimedium, Vinca minor, violets and hellebores. Some annuals and biennials will also tolerate shade, including bellis, Begonia semperflorens, digitalis, impatiens, honesty, nasturtiums and pansies. One online nursery…

SASKIA HAS never been one to weigh herself down with rules when it comes putting together beautiful decorations to adorn the home. That’s especially true during the winter when materials are seemingly less plentiful. Instead the gardener and florist prefers to go with the flow, taking her cue from the shapes and textures that hedgerows and her garden have to offer. From these she comes up with dazzling combinations created from bits and bobs that might not otherwise get a second look. “I don’t set out with a fixed idea,” says Saskia. “It all starts with what I find in the garden. I bring the bits together and see what I feel. “If something doesn’t work it’s not a problem as the materials haven’t cost anything and can be used…

IN THE greenhouse, we’ve added a raised bed just 6in (15cm) high made from a kit of plastic boards set directly on the concrete floor. This held tomatoes in summer but with replenished soil and compost, has been planted with salads, spring cabbage and calabrese. To grow them well, three golden rules must be followed. Dampness is kept to a minimum and if condensation forms on the inside of the glass, the greenhouse is ventilated to prevent botrytis (grey mould) from building up. Secondly, watering must be carried out carefully during winter, so I let the surface begin to feel a little crumbly before watering. Thirdly, I must keep the guinea pigs off the bed. Naming a guinea pig Carmen Miranda was my biggest mistake because this bold young lady,…

YET ANOTHER report has rung alarm bells about the rapid demise of Britain’s hedgehogs. Since 2,000, the UK’s hedgehogs have declined by half in rural areas, and by a third in urban ones. Now, there could be less than a million left (see panel). The worrying statistics came to light in ‘The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2015’ – a new report launched last month by The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). According to the study, the loss of hedgerows and intensive farming in rural areas have played a key role in ‘hogs decline. But gardeners’ actions have been part of the problem, too. Tidy, fenced-in gardens in urban and suburban locations also threaten hedgehogs’ survival, the report said. PTES and BHPS will launch…

Incy wincy spider I READ the article about the ‘Spider-proof shed’ with some amusement ( AG 3 Oct). It won’t keep them out as they’ll be hiding underneath it ready to run in when the door’s opened! Plus, spiders come in all shapes and sizes and some are really tiny so they’ll find a way in somehow. I think the shed’s a complete waste of money, particularly as spiders usually run away from humans. It would be cheaper to scatter horse-chestnuts around, or buy a spider-deterrent spray. Don’t forget that spiders eat other flying pests and are a food source for birds. Spiders are everywhere – not just in sheds! Sue Crowhurst, Rothley, Leics Jenny says...I don’t know about them running away from humans. Some of…

NAME Dave McKenna ADDRESS Little Indonesia, 20 Poston Croft, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 5AB SIZE 30ft x 80ft x 60ft (9.1m x 24.3m x 18.2m) SOIL Clay ASPECT South, south-east VISITED Mid-July SPECIAL FEATURES Oriental and jungle gardening with influences from Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Incorporates a traditional Tea House, spirit house and a Secret Garden. Planting includes red banana plants, cordylines, coleus, mimulus, Japanese water iris and African lily. Dave opened his garden in July earlier this year, raising £260 for the National Gardens Scheme. For details of all the gardens that open in aid of NGS charities visit ngs.org.uk  or see a copy The Yellow Book 2016 when it is published in February.…

I OFTEN LEND an ear to people whose gardens are plagued by pests, and help if I can. For the most part it’s the usual suspects: slugs, snails and mice causing the chaos. But this week has offered up some strange tales of woe. First it was a gardener whose plot was plagued by hares. These super-sized bunnies were eating the winter bedding plants, chewing the roses and ‘nesting’ on ornamental grasses. To add insult to injury, the hares were hopping over the top of a metre-high rabbit fence that she’d just erected. A few days later I met a couple who lived on a road that is occasionally used by herds of cattle. Hop scotching between cow pats was part of their daily life, but what they could do…