Amateur Gardening

“It’s that time of year again, as late autumn begins its inexorable metamorphosis into winter. For some, the garden becomes a playground of new opportunities – for others, it’s a bleak shadow of its former summer glory. I see most AG readers in the f

IF you are planning to add more woody plants to your garden, we are at the start of a five-month planting jamboree. The dormant months between now and when these plants start to green up again next spring is the perfect time to plant more trees, shru

IN a shocking case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’, I have only just got round to pruning our summer-fruiting raspberries. I know I am always telling you they should be removed as soon as they have finished fruiting, and indeed this is right, but for s

THIS year’s dry and mainly sunny conditions have largely been good for alpines and rockeries, even if they have needed extra water at the height of the summer. Things are more challenging for them now, however, as the weather deteriorates. The cold i

BY the end of this month the air temperature will have dropped, night frosts will be common and the soil will be wet and cold and inhospitable for new plants. So if you have any leftover spring bedding or bulbs hanging around, get them in the ground

THE relatively warm autumn has meant that many garden plants have been flowering and growing long past their usual span. It has also created fabulous conditions for weeds and diseases such as powdery mildew. Now, however, the weather is closing down

MANY tasks sound complicated before you start, but are not so difficult once you get going. Laying a hedge is an excellent example. Some gardeners will put up with a grossly scruffy or overgrown hedge stealing their light and ground space for years,

I’VE had my first glimpse of fieldfares and redwings in the past few days. They’re heading this way to escape the weather in colder parts of Scandinavia and Europe. I usually see them about a mile away from home, because the hedges there have been al

THE potato has been stealing the limelight for too long. While gardeners love this tender tuber, others have been vying for our attention. The sweet potato, oca, yacon and dahlias – all these bulky crops and more can provide us with a hit of carbs, w

POPPIES are instantly recognisable from the large papery petals on their summer flowers. Most have four broad petals cupping a mass of yellow-tipped pollen-bearing stigmas with, in the centre, a distinctive pod – rather like an old-fashioned jam pot.

Q How can we improve the soil in our garden? We have just moved in and want to create a garden that has colour throughout the whole year – what plants would you recommend? Natasha and Ben Williams (via email) A I suggest that you mulch your soil with

This extract from AG 8 November 1975 looks at berries in winter THE glories of autumn are founded almost as much on berried trees and shrubs as on leaf colouring. Indeed, the display of berries (unlike that of the leaves) can last through most of the

This week it’s: WITH winter brassicas, parsnips and even lettuce, your Sunday roasts and winter salads are nicely catered for. But for your other daily meals over winter, what freshly harvested crop can give flavour, texture and versatility? The leek

JUST FOR FUN It’s time for our just-for-fun puzzle – AG’s Garden Wall. This wall comprises 12 bricks in three courses. Each brick has a different word, or phrase on it. The first brick in each course, with BLOCK capitals, is cemented in place and can

MANY lawns took a real beating during the hot, dry summer this year but, now we have had some rain, most are starting to show signs of recovery. This process can be speeded up by providing some extra TLC over the autumn. Mowing at a slightly higher s

Q I don’t have access to soil beds and have to grow everything in pots. Can I grow garlic in containers and, if so, which varieties would best? Maxine Sutcliffe, Faversham, Kent A Garlic is an easy crop to grow in soil beds or containers, as long as

Star letter I HAVE been following your articles on peat-free alternatives with interest. Like most people, I have had to experiment with alternative growing media. My recipe for success is using my own mix of mainly lawn mowings, composted, leaf moul

Editor: Garry Coward-Williams Email: garry.coward-williams@futurenet.com 0330 390 3732 (Mon-Fri 9.00am-6.00pm) Gardening Editor: Ruth Hayes Assistant Editor: Janey Goulding Art Editor: Al Rigger Editorial Assistant: Lesley Upton Picture Editor and Le

NOW that we’ve got to know each other, do you mind if I ask a personal question: have you ever had manure on your trousers? Thought so, and did you know (*whispers*) some of it’s still there? Just goes to show how sticky the stuff is… While you scrap