Amateur Gardening 4-Aug-2018

WHEN I planned these pages they were going to be about filling the gaps that can appear mid-season between early- and late-flowering plants. However, as most of us haven’t had any significant rainfall for several weeks, it made more sense to show you how see your new plants through drought. The ground is dry right though – dig down a spade’s spit (length of the blade) and the soil is warm and friable, every trace of moisture gone. Our fine, chalky soil feels like it’s about to turn to sand, while those of you gardening on clay will find the ground rock-hard and crazy-paved with deep cracks. Both can be improved by digging in well-rotted manure and compost to boost their structure and water-retaining abilities. Obviously, soil this dry isn’t at all…

YOUR plants are already vulnerable in dry conditions. Even if they are watered regularly, they may start to wilt in between and recovery takes a lot out of them, leaving them more susceptible to problems. The dry weather makes many pests and problems less of an issue, but you still need to keep on top of them. 1 Deadhead regularly to remove spent plant material and promote continued flowering. Check for pests at the same time. 2 Watering is essential for many plants, especially container-grown displays that will also need regular feeds of liquid fertiliser. 3 Earwigs infest dahlias. Set a plastic pot filled with paper on a cane near the plants. Earwigs climb in overnight and can be removed each morning. 4 Keep on top of weeding, even in very dry weather. The…

Water regulators Ofwat have advised against using hosepipes on the garden, to save water supplies, so what can you do instead? Re-use water from washing up and hand washing and collect the water you run from the hot tap while it’s warming up. Don’t waste water on trees and shrubs. Use it on herbaceous perennials and annuals and your fruit and veg. Create a wall of soil around new plantings and water inside it. It acts as a temporary reservoir and will give the water time to sink down to the roots.…

1 Stand your plants in water first so their roots are soaked and won’t stick to the sides of their pots. 2 Add compost to the can. I use multipurpose as it has enough nutrients to see the plants through summer. 3 Start planting. Trailing varieties can be slipped under the ‘hood’ and still tumble down the sides. 4 Mix floral trailing plants with foliage and upright varieties to create height and contrast. 5 Once all the plants are in, top up the can with extra compost. Any gaps will be filled as the plants grow. 6 Water and place somewhere with sun and shade to keep the metal cool. Keep moist and check for pests.…

WOODY herbs such as lavender, rosemary, thyme and sage are wonderful, but can become straggly with age. Falling outwards, they reveal a centre of bare, woody stems. In the wild they favour thin dry soils in warm climates where the conditions keep them in check, but here they grow with gusto, so need trimming back to maintain a tidy rounded shape. This should be done twice a year. The best time is early spring, just as they come back into growth, but you can also cut them back now, once flowering is almost finished. It’s easy to do – simply cut back the spent flower stems to a healthy pair of leaves on around one-third of the plant. In spring, when they start to grow again, cut back the other two-thirds; follow this…

Although lavender is at its most pungent when it is first in bloom, it retains its scent all summer and can still be cut now for potpourri and lavender bags. Grasp a handful of stems and carefully cut through using a sharp knife, secateurs or scissors. Tie the flowers in bunches and hang them somewhere airy, cool and out of direct sunlight. Hang a paper bag or old pillowcase underneath them to catch any falling flowers as they dry.…