Amateur Gardening 29-Sep-2018

“Why do perfectly beautiful flowers go out of favour and how do they come back in again? Who decides? Is it garden designers? Some of them seem more taken with concrete than flowers! Last year, we were told that the dahlia was back from its fashion exile and now we discover the chrysanthemum is restored to the ‘acceptable’ podium. Whilst I am delighted to hear of their restoration, I do wonder if we should care a jot what garden designers think. Dahlias and chrysanths are amazing, and always will be. Ignore the garden design fashionistas – if you like a plant, then grow it and enjoy it!”…

SHRUBS and trees are the framework of the garden around which everything else is planted. Deciduous or evergreen, they give height, depth and substance, and create focal points and vistas. While most look their best in spring and summer, autumn and winter are when the gardener does most of his or her arboreal nurturing. This is the prime time for planting and relocating, and November through to February is when bare-root plants are readily available (see opposite page). When it comes to pruning, most species should be left until late autumn and winter when they are completely dormant and won’t bleed lots of sap. The exceptions to this rule are walnut, magnolia and the prunus family (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and almonds), which are trimmed between April and July. Also, leave early flowering varieties…

1 Using sharp, clean secateurs or scissors, remove several healthy, non-flowering shoots approximately 6in (15cm) long. 2 Remove the lower leaves from each cutting and pinch out the top bud. Dip the lower ends in rooting compound. 3 Insert cuttings around the edge of a 4in (10cm) pot (clay is best) filled with a dampened mix of cuttings compost and sharp sand or perlite. Water again. 4 Seal the pot in a plastic bag held away from the cuttings and keep it somewhere warm and light until they root and grow.…

THE next few months, until the weather warms up and buds start to swell, is the prime time for planting and moving trees and shrubs. For the next few weeks you will probably only be able to buy container-grown plants, but between November and late winter bare-root ‘whips’ will be available. These are very young saplings, often without lateral branches, that come with bare roots. They are cheap to buy, easy to plant and soon become substantial. For now though, whether you are planting or relocating a tree or shrub, the same principles apply, though do remember that after around five years in one spot, you are unlikely to be able to move a tree or shrub successfully. Never plant in frozen or waterlogged soil, do water plants thoroughly beforehand and keep roots…

If, like me, you were an enthusiastic purchaser of plants through the summer, you may have several still waiting for room in your borders. They may not survive winter in their original container, so repot them into one that is slightly larger. Keep them well watered and sheltered until next spring when they can be planted out once temperatures have risen. Young trees should also be supported with a stake and tie, secured in a figure-of-eight. This keeps them stable with room for movement against the wind, which will help strengthen the roots.…

1 Dig a hole deep and wide enough to take the rootball and add lots of well-rotted manure or compost. 2 If necessary and if it’s possible, tie the branches together to protect them from breaking. 3 Lift the shrub with soil around its roots (they usually have the same stretch as the branches). 4 If the roots are compact and the shrub small enough, move it in a bin liner or wrapped in plastic. 5 Place it in the new hole. Check the depth is correct using a cane laid horizontally across the top. 6 Infill using a mix of soil and compost. Tread it down to secure the shrub and remove air pockets. 7 Water well, so the water soaks in and doesn’t run off. Keep soil damp while the shrub establishes. 8 Add a…