Amateur Gardening 5-May-2018

WHEN plastic was invented in 1907, it was going to change the world – just not in the way it has done. Today, it is Public Enemy No 1, its reputation tarnished by videos of divers swimming through oceans of rubbish and albatrosses feeding plastic to their starving chicks. There are 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste on earth and the Pacific Ocean has a floating plastic island the size of Mexico! However, the fightback that started with the 5p levy on carrier bags is gaining momentum. It is a movement that extends to the world of gardening. Plastic products are still the most widely available, and cheapest, items on the shelf, but alternatives are becoming more popular. Clay pots are the best for rooting cuttings because they are porous, so waterlogging isn’t…

THERE are many simple ways of getting a great garden without damaging the environment or wasting natural resources. Making your own compost is an obvious step, as is re-using food containers where possible. Suppress weeds without using weedkiller or plastic by anchoring a layer of thick cardboard on the soil instead. Below I show you how to transplant seedlings into old egg boxes. As the seedlings grow, the egg holders can be cut up and planted directly into larger pots or the ground, where they will naturally break down. Coffee pouches also make good containers for starting plants that have deep roots, and the cardboard centres of loo rolls and kitchen paper are excellent for the deep root systems of pea and bean seedlings. Plastic ready-meal trays are ideal for starting seedlings, but do make…

1 Cut your egg boxes in half and place the egg holders in a tray. Fill them with compost. 2 Once the trays are full (I used John Innes No1) dib a hole in the compost in each egg compartment. 3 Using an old teaspoon or the end of a plastic plant label, lift the seedlings’ rootballs from the compost. 4 Holding the seedlings by a leaf (never the stem), carefully transfer each one into a dibbed hole. 5 Make sure all the roots are contained in the planting hole, then firm the compost around the seedling. 6 Water using fresh tap water. Keep the seedlings damp and well ventilated and check them for pests.…

If using plastic in the garden is unavoidable there are several things you can do to limit the amount you buy. Labels can be scrubbed clean and re-used, as can pots. Clean plastic containers in warm soapy water after every use to remove traces of disease and pests that might infect the new plants or seeds you grow in them. It is almost impossible to avoid plastic, but it can be put to good use. Fizzy pop bottles make good cloches when cut in half, and food trays can be used to start seedlings.…

ONE of my favourite early spring plants is Pulmonaria officinalis , more commonly known as lungwort. A garden favourite, it blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink and white, and its spreading foliage varies from white speckled to silver and plain green. Pulmonarias are a magnet for bees and other pollinators, and the flowers actually change colour once they have been pollinated, turning from pink to blue. This is because the action of the insects causes the acidic cell juices to turn alkaline. This is fascinating to see and also handy for the bees, because it’s the plant’s way of saying: “Don’t bother with this bit as someone got here before you!” Pulmonarias can soon become overgrown, untidy and less vigorous, and are an easy plant to divide. Do remember, when replanting, that they…

• The key to successful division is preventing the roots from drying out, then getting plants back in the ground quickly. • Do the work on a day that is cool, still and overcast, as wind and sun will dry out roots fast. • Prepare planting holes before starting the project, so you can replant as soon as possible. • If there is a delay in getting plants back in the ground, wrap the roots in damp newspaper or plastic and store them somewhere cool and dark, but only up to 48 hours.…