Amateur Gardening 13-Oct-2018

HOW on earth did we manage to run the garden without a greenhouse? It’s something we often wonder, especially at this time of the year when they come into their own. A greenhouse is one of the most useful tools in the gardener’s arsenal. They broaden the range of plants you can grow, from tender ornamentals to more exotic or temperature-dependent crops. More importantly, they allow gardening to become a year-round activity. In spring you can sow your tender seeds and pot on overwintered tender cuttings, and when autumn comes around you have space to store newly taken cuttings and exotics that would otherwise turn up their toes in our less temperate winters. Now we are entering one of the busiest times for greenhouse use. It has been a strange year – the…

1 Good ventilation is key for keeping mould and diseases at bay. Keep the door and windows closed on cold nights though. 2 A sheltered greenhouse is a haven for pests and they can hitch a lift in on plants, so check regularly and remove them. 3 Experience has taught me that when gales are forecast, leave the door slightly open so wind can escape, instead of punching its way out through the glass. 4 Throw fleece over cuttings and plants on frosty nights. Remove it as the temperature rises to avoid condensation and mould.…

YOU want a greenhouse, but which model would suit you best? There are so many options out there, it’s hard to know where to start. The first thing to say is go for as large a structure as you can afford or fit in your garden – and remember that even then it will never seem big enough! Look at your budget and consider what frame you want. Aluminium, either natural or painted, is a traditionally popular option and is light, easy to fit and casts little shade. Wood is attractively ‘rustic’, but needs more upkeep, takes up valuable glass space and is more expensive. When it comes to glazing materials, glass is the best as it lets in 90% of available light, reflects heat and doesn’t lessen the quality of the sunlight. Toughened…

A shortage of space and money doesn’t mean you have to go without winter plant protection. Small free-standing greenhouses are relatively affordable and ideal for overwintering tender plants, corms and cuttings. Anchor them down in windy conditions and swaddle them with fleece or bubble wrap in extreme cold, and your plants will be fine. Cold frames are a good investment and can be stationed against a house or garage for shelter. Again, you can insulate using fleece or bubble wrap. Both should be opened on warmer days to improve ventilation around plants and cleaned out at the start and end of autumn and winter.…

1 Select healthy, non-flowering lengths of this year’s growth, around 4in (10cm) long. 2 Strip away the lowest leaves, leaving a two or three towards the top. Pinch out the fleshy shoot tips. 3 Dip the cut ends in hormone rooting powder or gel to help stimulate healthy root development. 4 Insert into a clay pot of damp cuttings compost and perlite. Clay is porous and lets roots breathe. 5 Seal the cuttings in a plastic bag that is held away from the growing foliage by sticks. Set them somewhere light and frost-free until they start to grow.…

ONE of my favourite autumn gardening jobs is planting up containers and hanging baskets. Over the coming months the weather is more likely to confine you to barracks or close quarters, so a few bright pots on the patio are great for raising the spirits. There’s no shortage of plants, either, including gem-hued cyclamen and dianthus, plus the colour-popping flowers of pansies and violas. More unusual plants include quirky ornamental brassicas, perennial grasses, small shrubs and conifers. I have opted for perennials that I can plant out next spring if I need to re-use the container for a summer display. My pot will include cyclamen and dianthus, a trailing ivy, a berry bush and a couple of foliage plants. Stand your plants in water for at least 30 minutes before planting. This saturates the…