Amateur Gardening 16-Jan-2021

“What effect has Covid-19 had on wildlife? The first lockdown had a positive impact on insects, and while the butterfly count was down, it may have been because of an unusually warm spring (see Val Bourne’s piece on page 14). What surprises me is Toby Buckland’s report (page 51) of deer moving into semi-urban areas because once-deserted hills are full of dog walkers! It’s amazing the effect that this virus has had — good and bad. Let’s hope it’s behind us soon…” Contact us: Subscriptions: 0330 333 1113 Editorial: 0330 3903732 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: jessica.wong@futurenet.com…

IN the world of gardening, few things are more satisfying than sorting out a long-standing niggling problem. The top end of one of the borders in our back garden had become thoroughly congested with perennials that had outgrown their space and were jostling for room. Matters haven’t been helped by a very invasive Japanese anemone that we have been trying to contain without overall success since we moved here eight years ago. It looks lovely in its place, but refuses to stay there and keeps snarling up the other plants and, thanks to a deeply spreading, root system is very difficult to remove. The whole site looked an absolute mess and grated every time I saw it, so one morning I grasped the nettle and sorted it out. My tasks included lifting and…

1 Start by digging holes for the new divisions, lining them with compost and bone meal. Lift the parent plant by digging widely round its roots and set it on a board or plastic bag. 2 Split the plant with the blade of your spade or, if it’s really congested, a garden knife or even a pruning saw. Make sure every division has healthy roots and shoots. 3 Set the divisions in their holes, making sure there’s enough room to contain all the roots. Plant at the same depth as before and firm down the soil when backfilling. 4 Carefully tread around all the plantings to firm the soil thoroughly and then water well. Mulch the root area with well-rotted manure and keep the area clear of weeds. Four more quick jobs involving perennials 1…

AG once again proved it’s the cream of the crop when two of its writers bagged the top awards at gardening’s most prestigious ceremony. The Garden Media Guild annually hands out accolades in recognition of the year’s best garden writing, photography and blogging. This year, in the face of stiff opposition, AG fruit and veg guru Lucy Chamberlain was named Practical Gardener of the Year, and our wildlife columnist Val Bourne was hailed Journalist of the Year. Speaking about Lucy’s articles, the judges said: “Our winner is undeniably hands-on, and their years of experience came across in their column that was packed with personality and advice.” Let’s make 2021 a brilliant year! Lucy said: “I’m absolutely honoured and delighted to have been announced as the GMG Practical Journalist of the Year. “I adore hands-on gardening and…

POPULAR AG free seeds return next week for their 2021 run. In a departure from the norm, this year’s batch will include some veggie seeds in the form of Tomato ‘Sweet Baby’! Our seed choices are a bright and beautiful mix of annuals (hardy and half-hardy), biennials and perennials that will add colour and interest to your garden this summer and also, if sown in autumn, next year. We kick things off next week with black-eyed Susan ‘Susie Mixed’, a colourful climber with yellow and white flowers, each with a dramatic dark eye. Each week, Ruth will be writing about a particular variety and showing you how to sow them for the best results, either under cover or directly into your garden. As the weeks pass and your seeds germinate, she will move on…

CLIMBING French beans with angelic protection, purple carrots from Ancient Egypt and multicoloured sweetcorn are some of the unusual seeds available to gardeners this year. The Heritage Seed Library at Garden Organic has more than 800 unusual or endangered varieties and a new batch are now to sale. New to the list is climbing French bean ‘Angel’, which has an ‘angelic’ pattern. Legend suggests that during the First World War, a French priest planted the beans above church artefacts that he buried for safety. The beans his plants produced bore the mark of an angel when harvested, and they are said to have protected his treasure. Saved for generations to come Afghan purple carrots have a bright yellow core and were depicted on Egyptian cave paintings dating to around 2,000BC. Catrina Fenton from the Heritage Seed…