Amateur Gardening 28-Aug-2021

“This is a question for all the new peat-free users out there. Are you satisfied that producers are providing a clear-enough explanation (on their packaging) of how to use the product in comparison with how peat would be used? I have not yet found a producer who does this, and the fact that peat-free is not the same makes this lack of information all the more puzzling. Does peat-free need more watering? I know one brand that needs less. Does it need more feeding? In three years, there will only be peat-free and I would like to know if our AG readers are equally puzzled by the lack of useful information — see our story on page 6.” Contact us: Subscriptions: 0330 333 1113 Editorial: 0330 3903732 Email: amateurgardening@futurenet.com Advertising: 0330…

AS the last three-day holiday before Christmas hoves into view, I’ve been making a list of things that I really need to get to grips with in the garden. There are quite a few as I’ve spent the last few weeks simply enjoying the garden, and it has all started to run slightly amok. As well as the weeding and general maintenance, the shed looks like a tornado has whirled through it after a busy summer and tools need sharpening and cleaning in readiness for autumn’s pruning and clearance. A substantial proportion of this weekend will be spent tidying beds and dealing with pests. On the whole we have so far had a healthy year: the worst of the blackfly, found on an apple tree and among the bean plants, have been…

1 Shear back hardy geraniums to keep them in shape, and deadhead penstemons and other perennials and annuals to encourage further blooms. 2 Hang a ripening banana in the greenhouse to encourage tomatoes to ripen. Harvest ripened peas to store and save for next year’s sowing. 3 It’s been a busy summer, so chances are your shed could do with a tidy and a clean. Why not paint it a jaunty shade, which will also protect the wood? 4 Plant a pot with late summer/autumn colour: coleus, begonias, gaillardia, anything you can find, and keep feeding and watering existing pots and baskets. 5 The ground is firm now, but areas of heavy use can become boggy in winter. Protect them by laying an easy stepping stone path. 6 Continue to feed garden birds and wildlife…

AS the move toward peat-free compost gathers momentum, we have been trying to get to the bottom of how it will affect gardeners when it comes to the practicalities of growing plants. Peat is the perfect growing medium for plants of all ages, from seedling to maturity, because it retains and releases moisture and nutrients at exactly the right levels to sustain healthy growth. However, the contents, quality and composition of the many peat-free composts coming onto the market vary, making it harder for gardeners to automatically know how much to feed and water their plants. So the question at the top of our list is ‘what are the fundamental practical differences between using peat and peat-free composts?’ We are concerned that once peat is banned in 2024, this lack of consistency between products…

ROSE and dahlias are late summer garden stalwarts and with the right care, most of them will flower until autumn. The exception is rambling roses that flower in one burst and then form their hips. All you need to do to them now is remove any dead and diseased wood back to healthy growth, deadhead, leaving some hips for the birds and winter colour if you wish, and tie the stems back to keep them orderly. As with all roses, keep an eye out for black spot and cut away and dispose of any infected material. Do not add it to the compost heap as the spores will thrive in the damp, warm environment and go on to contaminate elsewhere. While you are deadheading and removing any plant material affected by blackspot, also…

A AS autumn rolls towards us, it is time to think about what you’d like to add to your garden. The soil has been warmed by the summer and dampened by seasonal showers, which makes it perfect for planting. For the next few months garden centres will be packed with a mind-blowing array of spring and summer-flowering bulbs. There will be the traditional favourites, the daffs, tulips, crocuses, as well as bulbs for shady areas, pots, rockeries and pots and baskets. Some can even be ‘naturalised’ and added to lawns – there’s something absolutely charming about snakeshead fritillaries, crocuses and dwarf varieties popping spots of colour through spring-lush grass. Bulbs are easy and versatile and once they are in the ground, they will multiply over the years, creating a bigger and brighter show each…