Amateur Gardening 27-Nov-2021

“At this time of year it makes me chuckle when non-gardeners say, ‘Oh! But it’s the quiet time of year for you gardening lot.’ To which I reply, ‘If that’s the case, how come we still manage to produce magazines packed with great advice, ideas, inspiration and features right through winter?’ The days may be shorter, but there is still plenty to do – and this week is no exception. After all, it is prime planting time for perennials and woody plants. And, as our experts will tell you, it’s the perfect opportunity to add more colour and interest to your plot for next year so you can create your own haven of beauty and mellow fruitfulness.”…

NON-GARDENING folk often think that autumn and winter are the gardener’s quiet time, but in fact nothing could be further from the truth Of course, the shorter days and less kind weather mean that going out and getting things done isn’t as pleasant as in the summer, but it does mean that time is more precious so more gets packed into the frugal hours of sunlight. Pruning is the autumn and winter ‘biggie’, with most deciduous trees and shrubs now ready for their seasonal trim. Take it steady, removing dead, diseased, crossing and damaged branches, as well as fiddly little ones cluttering the inside of the plant. The end result should be an attractive, open shape that lets plenty of light and air through the branches. Ideally, stop cutting before you think you’re…

Winter glory: Summer doesn’t have all the colour and scent – next week I show you how to plant a winter-scented shrub to delight festive visitors 1 Remove all unripened figs as they will just rot on the tree. Leave the tiny figlets (inset) in place for next summer’s fruit and don’t prune until February. 2 Cut back overwintering pelargoniums to 4-6in (10-15cm) from the base. Use the healthiest offcuts as cuttings, protecting them through winter. 3 Cut back perennial stems and remove old and battered foliage. Tie hollow stems together and insert in trees and shrubs as insect shelters. 4 Sweet peas are hardy and can be sown in winter and kept undercover. Harvest any remaining dried pods you find while clearing away spent stems. 5 Give birds fresh water and food. Melt bird…

Hozelock water butt pump Rainwater is better for gardens than tap water. It’s free and environmentally sound, but it’s tiresome to keep filling up watering cans to carry to the end of the garden. The answer is the Flowmax Collect 2200 from Hozelock, a device that slips into your butt and pumps water out through your hose. It saves time and makes life easier. (Price approx £70, GC-W) Subscribe to your favourite mag! Don’t forget your weekly gardening friend and companion. AG is packed with practical advice, great ideas, insightful plant features, amazing facts, step-by-steps and a community of like-minded people to draw inspiration from and to help you get the best out of your garden. It’s the best value on the market and the majority of issues include free seeds. (Visit? magazinesdirect.com or…

TAKING cuttings doesn’t only have to be a good-weather pursuit – several plants can be propagated via root cuttings in winter when the soil is workable and not sodden or frozen. Oriental poppies, verbascum, Primula denticulata (drumstick primulas), Japanese anemones, phlox and globe thistles can all be carefully dug up now and their roots used to make new plants. Taking root cuttings is an easy process that gives you lots of new plants. It has the added benefit that because the new growth starts underground, rather than on top growth, the plantlets are less prone to attacks by pests and diseases. Use mature plants, as the roots of young plants are too thin, and never cut from more than a third of the root system, as this will weaken the plant and can…

TURNING the central heating down and, where possible, turning it off, in an effort to reduce fossil fuel consumption and the release of CO2 into the atmosphere, is fine by me because another layer of clothes can be added. What I hadn’t quite considered was the effect that it would have on my recently sown seeds and houseplants sitting on cool windowsills. Some of the tougher kinds are fine. The ‘cast iron plant’ (aspidistra) spent all last winter outdoors and was OK given the protection of a south-facing wall, so it will be fine in colder rooms. Cyclamen, too, are better in lower temperatures. Given a light and frost-free position, they will be slower to come into flower, but the flowers should last much longer. “Cyclamen flowers should last much longer” Turning the…