Garden News - July Digital Sampler

STILL ONLY £1.99! PLUS FREE SEEDS 

July 1, 2017 

£2.99! 

worth 

FREE 

SEEDS 

£2.99! 

worth 

Britain's 

most trusted 

voice in 

gardening 

Carol Klein 

'Grow foxgloves 

for height and 

drama' 

Chop now 

for more 

dahlia blooms! 

GET A SWATHE 

OF COLOUR WITH 

SALVIA NEMOROSA 

Guarantee a 

bumper crop 

of tomatoes 

5 

Silver-leaved 

stunners to 

add sparkle 

Ramp up 

the flower 

POWER! 

● Head-turning hanging baskets 

● Lofty plants to boost borders 

● Best bulbs for late colour 

Keep shrubs healthy 

through summer

4 ISSUES OF Don’t miss our essential weekly advice and 

Pinch out the growing points of each stem once the second pair of leaves has opened to 

encourage bushier growth. 

Pick flowers frequently for a long and regular supply of blooms. 

Growing Instructions: Hardy annual. Sow sweet pea seeds indoors in October for 

transplanting outdoors in spring, or sow directly outdoors in March or April. If sowing 

in autumn, sow three seeds per 7.5cm (3in) pot at a depth of 1cm (1/2in) in good quality 

seed compost. Place in a propagator at a temperature between 20 and 25C (68-77F) 

or put inside a plastic bag. Once germinated, grow on in cooler conditions before 

transferring to a cold frame for overwintering. Plant out in spring once all risk of frost 

has passed at 23cm (9in) apart. Alternatively sow directly outdoors in March or April in 

rows at a depth of 2.5cm (1in) and 7.5cm (3in) apart. 

200cm 

(6 1/2ft) 

30cm (12in) 

OFFER CLOSES December 31 2017 

• A mix of white, pink, red, blue, purple, bicolours and stripes 

• Large and fragrant flowers 

• Grow against walls or fences 


Growing Instructions: Hardy Annual. Sow seeds on the surface of a good seed 

compost, then cover lightly with a sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Place the seed 

tray in a propagator at a temperature of 20–25C (68–77F) or seal inside a polythene 

bag. Keep soil moist but not wet. Do not exclude light as this helps germination, which 

usually takes 21–30 days. Transplant seedlings when they are large enough to handle, 

and grow on in cooler conditions. When plants are well grown and all risk of frost has 

passed, acclimatise to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Plant in any well-drained 

soil in full sun, 30cm (12”) apart. 

tips, written by gardeners for gardeners. 

or call 

Sow outdoors Sow indoors Plant out Flowers 

50cm 

(20in) 

45cm (18in) 


Growing Instructions: Hardy biennial. Sow seed on free-draining, damp seed 

compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Place in a 

propagator or seal container inside a polythene bag at 15–20C (59–68F) until after 

germination, which usually takes 14–30 days. Do not exclude light, as this helps 

germination. Transplant seedlings into trays or 7.5cm (3in) pots. Grow on in cooler 

conditions for 10–15 days before planting out, 60cm (24in) apart. Always ensure good 

drainage, and mulch with compost in autumn. Can also be sown where they are to 

flower, 1.5mm deep, in rows 30cm (12in) apart. Thin out to 60cm (24in) apart. 

www.greatmagazines.co.uk/seeds 


Bees love these bell-shaped flowers. 

This foxglove self-seeds and will quickly colonise a border. Looks beautiful when grown 

grouped together in this way. Plants can be toxic if eaten. 

120cm 

(4ft) 


Coreopsis adds vibrancy to cottage, wildlife and cut-flower gardens. 

Deadhead faded blooms to prolong flowering. 

0844 848 8872 quoting ref SE17 

•Fabulous delicate, multicoloured flowers 

•Sow in drifts for blocks of long-lasting, vibrant colour 

• Compact and neat, perfect for bed and border edges 

• Easy to grow with masses of large, elegant, pure white flower spikes 

• Loves shady beds and borders, where this foxglove will self-seed 

• Perfect for pollinators – and for wildlife and cottage gardens 

1m (40in) 

Promotional packet – not for resale. Sow by Dec 2017. 

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OFFER CLOSES December 312017 


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Go online at 

Promotional packet – not for resale. Sow by June 2018. 


Growing Instructions: Half hardy annual. Sow seed on the surface of a good seed 

compost and gently firm down. Place the seed tray in a propagator at a temperature 

between 18 and 24C (65-75F) or seal inside a polythene bag. After sowing, do not 

exclude light, which helps with germination. Keep the surface of the compost damp, 

but not wet. Germination usually takes 14 to 21 days. Transplant seedlings when large 

enough to handle and grow on in cooler conditions. When all risk of frost has passed, 

gradually acclimatise plants to cooler conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting out in 

a sunny or semi-shaded spot in well-drained soil at 10cm (4in) apart. 

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10cm 

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• A compact variety with sky-blue flowers 

• An easy-to-grow annual popular for its versatility and long flowering period 

• Ideal for beds, containers and window boxes 


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Keep well watered, especially during hot, dry weather. 

Feed frequently over summer to provide an endless supply of blooms. 

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P.10 

Silver-leaved 

stunners 

Look after 

thirsty plants 

Well, the longest day has been and 

gone, and with it came some of the 

hottest weather for many a year. We 

were all out each evening, I’m sure, 

with hosepipes and watering cans! 

Hanging baskets, in particular, need 

plenty of watering – but don’t be put off 

trying something different. On page 

14 we look at different sorts of baskets 

that can create real talking points! 

A quick reminder too, to think about 

taking out a subscription to Garden 

News – you’ll get the magazine 

delivered to your house every week 

at almost half price, plus free seeds 

worth more than £100 

through the year. See page 

32 for details. Meanwhile, 

enjoy your gardening 

– and keep watering! 

Garden News 

Editor 

Britain’s most trusted 

voice in gardening 

P.40 

Look after 

your tomatoes 

Our cover star: 

Carol Klein 

P.20 

Our Garden of the 

Week can cope 

with extremes! 

P.33 

Protect your 

plants from 

windy weather 

Carol explains why she’s busy taking 

action now to ensure a mass of foxgloves 

will show off their tall spires at Glebe 

Cottage next year. Read all about how 

she’s doing it on page 30. 

Neil Hepworth Neil Hepworth Neil Hepworth 

Jonathan Buckley 

SUBSCRIBE TODAY 

& GET EACH ISSUE FOR 

JUST £1 

Go to p.32 for full details! 

Look inside! 

About Now 

4 News from the gardening world 

5 Plant of the Week: 

Salvia nemorosa 

6 Testing the best snips 

7 My Life in Plants 

9 Very Important Plant 

10 Top 5... silver-leaved plants 

13 Wildlife 

Features 

Get in touch! 

P.5 

14 Hanging baskets to turn heads 

18 New bulbs for the new season 

20 Garden of the Week 

26 Take your garden to new 

heights with tall planting 

30 Carol Klein’s in love with 

foxgloves! 

56 Home-grown: Cabbages 

66 Secrets of a Head Gardener 

What To Do This Week 

33 Protect your plants from wind 

34 Give shrubs a prune 

37 Get creative with containers, 

says Nick Bailey 

39 Martin Fish is growing gerberas 

to brighten up the greenhouse 

40 Care for tomatoes 

41 Medwyn Williams has planted 

onions in his new polytunnel 

43 Terry Walton is guarding 

against pests to protect crops 

The Experts 

44 Good weather bodes well for 

roses, explains Dave Kenny 

45 Dave Gillam has top tips to 

encourage more dahlia blooms 

47 Tony Dickerson problem solves 

You and Your Gardens 

50 Readers’ gardens 

54 Your letters and photos 

Offers & Competitions 

59 Prize-winning crossword 

60 Buy patio perfect bay trees 

63 Ipheion and dwarf iris bulbs 

Email gn.letters@bauermedia.co.uk 

Facebook facebook.com/ 

GardenNewsOfficial 

Twitter twitter.com/GardenNewsMag 

Write to Simon Caney, Garden News, 

Media House, Peterborough Business 

Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA 

July 1 2017 / Garden News 3

Head-turning 

hanging 

baskets! 

It’s easy to create a real show-stopper 

Words Karen Murphy 

Bright, bouncy bedding always 

looks spectacular in hanging 

baskets at this time of year and 

when done well they can be the envy 

of friends and neighbours. 

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’, we all 

cry, and vow to try the same next year... 

but if you stop and take the time to 

give it some thought you can get 

creative with your own baskets. It’s 

easy to really up the ante and 

impress with a riot of colour and form 

at eye level, far beyond the usual 

Bring in a bounty of 

petunias and violas. 

beauty at eye level 

Here we profile some truly imposing 

baskets to give you a range of unusual ideas. 

Tip 

Use a large basket 

for maximum impact 

and tuck sedums into 

side holes as well 

if possible 

GAP 

Echeveria makes 

for a classy display 

Special 

succulents 

They’re normally the preserve 

of rockery schemes or tucked 

away in little containers, but in 

prominent hanging baskets you Aeoniums add striking 

colour to a basket 

can let these easy-going plants 

shine a bit more out in the sun 

they love so much! Their creeping habit and and colourfully. And best of all, they won’t 

willingness to grow at the drop of a hat will need much maintenance or water, unlike 

sit well in basket living, tumbling prolifically the usual demanding bedding schemes. 

Bauer 

Plants used 

Succulents suit 

a rustic planter 

Different sedum species, aeoniums, 

delosperma and echeveria. 

GAP 

14 Garden News / July 1 2017

GAP 

Bauer 

Edible 

space savers 

Not got much room for growing veg? Take 

your crops off the ground and save precious 

space by popping some in hangers. Those of 

you who prefer your plants to work for their 

living will enjoy the fact that they’ll be useful 

and beautiful at the same time! Your 

lovely leaves of lettuce or 

perfect bean foliage will also 

be out of the way of slugs, 

which is reason enough! 

Mix up colours and even 

use edible flowers to up 

the wow factor. 

Plants used 

Be sure to only harvest a 

few blooms or sprigs or 

you’ll have a bare basket! 

A simple, pickable 

basket of Italian and 

curly-leaved parsley, complete 

with French marigolds. Plus dwarf 

yellow French beans and red lettuce 

for colour contrast. 

Tip 

Water these well and 

often for best results and 

use water-retaining gel or 

crystals to help you out. 

Feed fruiting crops 

regularly 

GAP 

Drooping yellow 

beans are as eyecatching 

as flowers 

How to care for hanging baskets 

● It’s so easy to neglect hanging baskets 

– somehow they can get missed in the 

watering regime as they’re separate 

from the rest of your plants. 

● Check them every day in summer or 

you may come home to crispy plants. 

Water every day if you can, or even twice 

a day for good measure. Feel the top of 

the compost – if it’s dry, always water. 

● Depending on your chosen basket plants, 

feed flowering ones with a tomato feed 

every week, and foliage plants with a more 

general fertiliser. Ferns and succulents, 

however, won’t need anything. 

● Always pick over your baskets for dead 

foliage and flowers. As they’re 

always on show and at eye level, 

hanging baskets should try and 

look their best at all times. 

● Watch out for vine weevil, 

which should be picked off at every 

opportunity. In late summer, water 

nematodes onto your baskets to 

prevent new grubs hatching. 

● Always replace past-it plants 

if needed to maintain the best 

effect. Give old foliage or leggy 

stems a little trim, which will 

often revitalise the plant into 

a growth spurt or new flowers, too. 

Give basket plants 

a good glug! 

Bauer 

Subscribe for just £1 an issue. Go to www.greatmagazines.co.uk/gn 

Continues over the page 


Garden 

OF THE 

WEEK 

Gardeners Alison and 

Godfrey Young 

Location The Fold, High Wooley, 

Stanley Crook, County Durham 

DL15 9AP 

Size of garden Around ½ acre 

Soil Very thin, acidic 

Aspect South-facing 

Been in garden 25 years 

Open July 8, for the NGS, from 

1.30-4.30pm. Entry £4. Open to 

groups through the summer, 

by appointment. 

More info www.ngs.org.uk 

Coping with 

extremes 

Meet a couple from County Durham who have battled the elements 

on an exposed, south-facing site to create a colourful piece of paradise 

Words Geoff Hodge 

Photos Neil Hepworth 

With its splendid views 

over the surrounding 

picturesque 

countryside, The Fold looks 

like a delightful gardeners’ 

paradise. And it is, but it 

belies the fact that it sits at an 

altitude of 210m (700ft) on an 

exposed, south-facing site. 

“No-one with any sense 

would have attempted to create 

a garden here. It’s windswept 

and the soil’s thin and bare as 

20 Garden News / July 1 2017 

the area had been extensively 

mined,” says owner, Alison 

Young. “Added to that, when we 

moved here, it was just a field!” 

Now it boasts a wide range 

of spring-flowering ericaceous 

and summer-flowering shrubs, 

superb herbaceous borders, 

alpine and island beds, ponds, 

numerous mature trees and even 

a small roof garden. It contains 

a wide range of plants, mostly 

perennials, with the emphasis 

on colour, harmony and texture 

to create all-year round interest. 

And most of these need to be 

as tough as the proverbial old 

boots to survive the conditions. 

When Alison started 

developing the garden, she made 

plans to landscape the site using 

the natural slopes and developed 

two main areas. “I called one 

‘the upper Alps’ and the other 

‘the lower Alps’, which were 

mainly for growing alpines,” she 

said. The rest of the garden was 

to be in an arboretum style. 

To get the areas cleared for 

development and planting, she 

used Roundup, which she calls 

‘the lazy gardener’s friend’ and 

this is now used for keeping 

paths and the car park weed free. 

A formal lawn was laid in front 

of the house, which Godfrey 

is in charge of mowing. “A 

major part of my grand plan 

was four ‘blobs’, which were 

excavated by a JCB and created 

by importing 20 tons of topsoil.” 

Alison then took advice from 

a local nursery as to what would 

grow in the garden’s climate. “I 

did look at what other gardens in 

the area were growing, but there 

was nothing. This has changed 

over the years, as the area is 

Continues over the page

This exposed garden has to 

cope with a lot of extreme 

weather, but on a fine day 

the views are extraordinary. 

Below, alpine planters add 

diminutive charm 

Good colour is always 

at the centre of the 

borders, with cosmos, 

rose campion and 

geraniums. Below, the 

willow arch gives a great 

view of the stumpery 



CAROL KLEIN 

This week 

AT GLEBE 

COTTAGE 

‘Their ability to thrive 

in awkward conditions 

makes them enormously 

useful in our gardens’ 

I’m in love with 

foxgloves! 

Along with verbascums and penstemons, 

they look wonderful – and slugs hate them! 

A 

couple of years ago, we 

conducted an experiment 

in a small bed, close to 

my shed, to test several plants 

for their reputation as being slug 

resistant. Several of them belong 

to a family with an unattractive 

name – Scrophulariaceae! 

Sure enough, they remained 

untouched by gastropods. 

It was interesting without 

being conclusive but what was 

particularly striking was how 

attractive most of the plants 

were. At first sight you were 

struck by their beauty, regardless 

of their slug resistance. 

Native foxgloves, forms of 

Digitalis purpurea, are part of 

this family and are probably our 

most iconic wildflower. They 

stand head and shoulders above 

the stitchworts and knapweeds 

that so often accompany them 

in the hedgerows and road 

verges where they make their 

home. Their ability to thrive 

in awkward conditions makes 

them enormously useful in our 

gardens, especially alongside 

hedges, walls and fences. 

Next year the garden here 

at Glebe Cottage will be awash 

with their tall spires. We’re in the 

process of potting on a mass of 

seedlings from module trays and 

later on they’ll be planted out in 

the shadier parts of the garden. 

Perhaps it’s the toxins in 

their leaves and flowers that 

deter slugs, along with the furry 

texture of the leaves. Having 

said that, there are several 

perennial foxgloves whose 

leaves are much smoother 

and they’re just as toxic. 

Digitalis ferruginea, the rusty 

foxglove, has tall stems of small, 

D. purpurea is an 

evocative early 

summer wildflower 

brown flowers and smooth 

leaves. Both it and D. parviflora 

are perennial, as is D. lutea. With 

their rosettes of basal leaves, 

and straight, ramrod stems, 

they make excellent plants at 

the corner of a bed. Not only are 

they great punctuation marks 

in the summer, but they’re 

equally effective in their winter 

guise. Other foxgloves have 

been in the news recently. On 

the Botanic Nursery stand at 

Chelsea, Terry and Mary Baker 

were showing a new pale yellow 

foxglove called ‘Lemoncello’. 


Alamy 

Penstemons 

shine in pinks, 

mauves, blues 

and reds 

New varieties of foxgloves 

are often introduced at flower 

shows. The same is true of 

another member of the family, 

verbascums. The species 

themselves vary enormously, 

though the great majority 

have yellow flowers. 

The woolly mullein, 

Verbascum lanata, is a common 

wildflower especially prevalent 

on poor alkaline soil. In fact, 

Jonathan Buckley 

all verbascums enjoy such 

conditions and thrive best in 

full sun. Most are biennial, 

but over the past century a 

range of new varieties have 

increased the possibilities for us 

gardeners. The chaixii hybrids 

have introduced a broad range 

of new colours from ‘Pink 

Domino’ (self-explanatory) 

to ‘Cotswold Beauty’, whose 

flowers are a rich terracotta 

colour. Although they’re shortlived 

perennials, you can easily 

make more from root cuttings 

taken during the winter. 

There are lots of ways of 

using them, from growing them 

individually in large pots and 

placing them perhaps in a row 

along a path, to setting them 

among perennials and grasses 

in an informal planting. Biennial 

verbascums can be grown from 

seed. Sow sparingly on the 

surface of seed compost, cover 

with grit and water by standing 

the tray in shallow water. 

Last, but not least, in this 

delightful trio are penstemon. 

All the species are natives of 

North America, some are hardy 

while others are on the tender 

side. Nowadays numerous 

are available to the amateur 

gardener and they can be 

increased so easily. Simply 

peel off sideshoots with a 

short heel or take tip cuttings 

a few inches in length, cutting 

underneath a node with a 

sharp knife. Remove the lower 

leaves and nip out the tip of the 

cutting, then push them into 

gritty compost firmly as far 

as the first leaves. Water well 

and put in a bright position, 

though out of direct sunlight. 

There are surely penstemon 

to suit everyone’s taste from 

the red, flared bells of ’Firebird’ 

to the soft and mystical, blue 

P. heterophyllus ‘Blue Gem’. 

My gardening Diary 

MONDAY Plants are growing 

so rapidly they’re in need of 

regular feeding. For our mixed 

containers of ornamental 

plants, dahlias, tagetes, 

nasturtiums and agastache in 

our big pots it’s a balanced 

feed based on seaweed. 

Later on we’ll use a food 

higher in potash to help 

flower production. 

TUESDAY One of the most 

exotic scents in the whole garden is 

produced by elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’. Despite the flowers 

being tiny, bees, honey bees and other pollinating insects 

home in on it, attracted by the fragrance. 

WEDNESDAY Out with the shears to cut back some of 

our most ebullient geraniums. Geranium oxonianum 

benefits from a summer haircut. Even when it’s cut down 

to the ground, it’ll spring back within weeks with healthy 

foliage and a new crop of flowers. 

THURSDAY Though it might seem late in the day, 

we’re sowing seeds of both sunflowers and sweet peas. 

They’re an insurance policy as we need them both for 

Alice’s wedding. 

FRIDAY We’ve already collected seed from hellebores, 

now it’s the turn of the aquilegias. They’re a promiscuous 

lot and you never know how they’ll turn out, though 

white and yellow varieties usually come true from seed. 

SATURDAY Everyone needs to muse from time to time, 

but sometimes the reverie is interrupted by the wiry sound 

of dragonflies’ wings as they circle to and fro, landing from 

time to time atop a bamboo cane or tall stem. 

SUNDAY It’s not just penstemons but 

several other perennials can be 

increased from cuttings now. Salvias 

add such flower power to the summer 

display and taking a few cuttings, far 

from stopping them flowering often 

increases flowering when tips are 

removed. 

Carol Klein 

Elaeagnus 

‘Quicksilver’ 

Alamy 

What’s looking good now 

Honeysuckle’s sweet fragrance 

Midsummer’s day has just been and gone, the 

most magical time of the year. Shakespeare 

used this time in which to set his famous play 

where Titania, queen of the fairies, falls asleep 

in a shady arbour on a bank ‘quite over-canopied 

with luscious woodbine’. 

We would recognise this woodbine 

immediately as honeysuckle, Lonicera 

periclymenum, one of the best-scented of all 

evening flowers. Honeysuckle has no tendrils 

and, unlike ivy, no adventitious roots either. 

It relies on twining its stems through the 

twigs and branches of its host. Although it’s 

essentially a woodlander, given any structure, 

tree, bank, fence or wall, it just wants to grow. 

With its feet in the shade and its head in the 

sun, it’s in its element. 

What do you think it smells of ? Nutmeg 

perhaps or cloves and a sweetness that 

makes you want to bury your nose into it. 

The super scent 

of honeysuckle 

is ravishing 

in the evening 


July 1 2017 / Garden News 31 

Alamy

What to do this week 

ON YOUR FRUIT & VEG PLOT 

Care for 

tomatoes 

Make sure you keep on top of 

watering for plenty of fruits 

It’s a vital time for your tomatoes – care for them 

properly now and you’ll reap the rewards come 

late summer. They need a lot of consistent care, 

particularly if you’re growing them in pots or in a 

greenhouse. Pinching out sideshoots – the laterals that 

grow between the main stem and fruit-forming stems – as 

well as regular weekly feeding with tomato food, are key 

to more trusses. 

But the most important part of summer tomato 

maintenance is watering. 

Just as many of your other frazzled plants may wither 

and wilt in high temperatures and little rainfall, they 

need topping up, but it’s also necessary to water evenly 

whenever you feel the compost is dry. If you neglect them 

then ripening may be affected, or rotten brown patches at 

the bottoms of fruits may appear. Splitting, unsightly fruit 

may also indicate that your watering regime is lacking. 

But be careful not to overwater as this can lead to boggy 

soil, which your tomatoes won’t like, and fruits may not 

be as tasty. 

Your best bet, if you can, is to water a little every day for 

best results and lots of juicy fruits. 

Step 

by step 

Water little and often to ensure 

1 plants get even moisture and 

avoid blossom end rot. 

Bauer 

Once a flower truss has 

2 formed, be sure to feed your 

tomatoes with a high-potash feed. 

Remove sideshoots regularly 

3 to direct more energy into the 

fruit and flowers. 

Help fruit set by gently shaking 

4 indoor plants to loosen pollen, 

and by misting flowers. 

Picture Credit Picture Credit Shutterstock 

Cut back overgrown 

gooseberries 

When gooseberries put on rampant growth, bushes can 

soon become untidy and tangled. Congested growth 

reduces air circulation, which increases the risk of disease. 

Lightly prune overgrown plants now, thinning out 

overcrowded stems and pruning back drooping stems to 

an upright sideshoot. 

In addition, trim all new sideshoots back to five leaves 

during the first week of July on plants that are three years 

or older with a core framework of main branches and two 

or three leading stems. Only prune the leading stem tips if 

they’re showing signs of mildew. 


Dig up your potatoes 

Early potatoes are ready for harvesting about 12 weeks after 

planting, so that’s now if yours were planted in April. When 

the flowers appear, carefully dig around 

one of the plants. If the tubers are the 

size of a hen’s egg, they can be 

lifted, but if there are lots of tiny 

potatoes on the roots, leave 

them for another couple of 

weeks. Dig a fork into the soil 

away from the potato plant, 

angled slightly towards the 

stem. Gently lever up the fork 

and pick off the potatoes with 

your hands. Brush off excess soil 

and cook them as soon as possible 

after lifting for the best flavour. 

Bauer 

I’ve never seen such long 

leaves on exhibition onions! 

MEDWYN WILLIAMS 

Growing for 

SHOWING 

Winner of 11 Chelsea golds and awarded an MBE! 

Neil Hepworth, unless stated 

Harvest 

garlic 

If you planted garlic 

in spring, look for 

the tops of the plants 

turning yellow as 

that’s a sure sign the 

bulbs are ripening 

and almost ready to 

harvest. 

Stop watering and 

once the foliage 

starts bending over, 

but before it turns 

brown, carefully dig 

up the bulbs with a 

garden fork. Brush 

off the soil and leave 

them in a dry place 

to cure for two 

weeks. When the wrappers are dry and papery, you can 

trim off any remaining roots or leaves and store them in a 

cool, dark, dry place. 

Prune blackcurrants 

after picking 

Although older blackcurrants 

(four plus years) are pruned 

in autumn, on younger plants 

pruning can be carried out in 

the summer, straight after 

harvesting. Simply cut the old, 

fruited branches back to a 

network of seven or eight strong 

branches. Remove any weak, 

damaged or diseased stems 

and those that are growing 

low down on the plant. Spread 

a granular fertiliser, such as 

Growmore, around the base 

of the plant and water well. 

Finally, top with a mulch 

of well-rotted compost or 

farmyard manure. 


Photos: Bauer unless stated 

All systems go... 

Onions are planted in the new polytunnel 

I 

‘ve finally managed to 

complete building the 

polytunnel I moved from my 

own garden down to the land and 

it’s now up and running. It’s 8.2m 

(27ft) in length and 3.3m (11ft) 

wide with roll-up polythene 

curtains along the sides on the 

inside with a fine nylon mesh on 

the outside. This mesh is 

extremely useful as it lets plenty 

of air in but blocks the pathway for 

most of the flying insects. 

Breaking down and moving the 

structure was a nightmare with so 

many pieces involved and one I’d 

never like to do again! Filling the 

beds was a major job, too, and 

I couldn’t have possibly done 

without the assistance of my son, 

Alwyn, and our Massey tractor. 

A few tonnes went into the 

three beds, the bulk being 

well-rotted manure and top soil 

with some added calcified 

seaweed rotovated in with my 

Mantis tiller. The final 23cm (9in) 

is the same composition with the 

addition of Levington M3 compost 

and prior to planting we added our 

own leek and onion fertiliser and 

some Nutrimate powder. 

Knowing I wouldn’t be in the 

new polytunnel in time, I potted 

The onions 

planted out in 

beds in the new 

polytunnel 

up my own exhibition onions into 

larger pots a month ago and 

they’ve certainly grown on well. 

I don’t think I’ve ever had onion 

plants with such long leaves on 

them. Carrying them from my 

glasshouse to the tunnel without 

snapping any leaves was testing to 

say the least! 

I’ve now planted these onions 

in the new beds in the polytunnel 

at 46cm (18in) apart. This year 

I haven’t used the black and 

white polythene on top of the 

soil, preferring to let the weeds 

germinate, many of which I know 

will be nettles. Someone once told 

me nettles only grow in good soil, 

so let’s hope the onions love it, too! 

July 1 2017 / Garden News 41 

Photos: Medwyn Williams 

Medwyn Williams

The Problem SOLVER 

Yellowing leaves 

and dieback is a sign 

of downy mildew 

Why are buds rotting? 

Why are the flower 

Q buds on my Oriental 

poppies rotting? 

Sheena Allan, Stirling 

Oriental poppies have 

A large flower buds which 

can become water-soaked in 

wet weather or scorched in 

hot sun. This damages the 

bud scales, which then fail to 

open, a condition known as 

‘balling’. The damaged tissue 

may then become infected 

with botrytis (grey mould), so 

Tree bumblebee 

using an old nesting 

box as a nest 

prompt removal is vital. Other 

plants with large, double 

flowers are also susceptible. 

The other possibility is 

downy mildew. Again, this is 

favoured by wet conditions. 

Look for mould-like growth 

on the underside of leaves. 

There are no fungicides 

available so cut plants 

hard back and dispose of 

the top growth. 

It may be wise to remove 

plants entirely if the new 

growth is infected. 

Can you identify the 

Q white-bottomed 

bumblebees nesting in 

my bird box? 

Linda Wilkerson, 

by email 

There are a 

A surprising 

number of bumblebees 

with white bottoms, but 

Shutterstock 

Sheena Allan 

Why won’t my containergrown 

fig fruit properly? 

Q 

Mandy Rye, Lincolnshire 

Figs need a container 

A at least 45cm (18in) in 

diameter and a potting compost 

of John Innes No 3 with 25 per 

cent added grit. Ideally, repot 

every three years in winter. 

When repotting, remove about 

20 per cent of the potting 

compost and cut away a similar 

proportion of root. Figs are very 

drought-tolerant planted in the 

ground, but in a container you 

need to water well during the 

To produce fruit, figs 

need to be protected 

from frost over winter 

most nest in holes in banks. An 

exception is the tree bumblebee 

(Bombus hypnorum), which 

prefers to nest above ground and 

is very partial to bird boxes. It 

differs from the white-tailed 

bumblebee (B. lucorum) in 

having a distinctive, tawnycoloured 

thorax. The tree 

bumblebee is widespread from 

Asia and across Europe but is a 

summer, otherwise the tree 

will naturally jettison fruit if 

it dries out. 

Incorporate a controlledrelease 

fertiliser each spring and, 

during the growing season, feed 

every couple of weeks with a 

high potassium fertiliser, such as 

tomato food. 

Once a shoot makes five 

leaves, pinch out the growing tip 

to encourage bushy growth and 

the formation of embryo figs for 

the following year. Trees are frost 

tolerant but the fruit isn’t, so 

protect them over winter with 

three or four layers of fleece. 

new species to the UK, first 

found in Wiltshire in 2001, but 

now common throughout 

England and Wales. It’s active 

from March but colonies decline 

by late-July, with just the new 

queens hibernating over winter. 

Generally, as with most 

bumblebees, they’re pretty 

docile if undisturbed and very 

rarely sting humans. 

Shutterstock 

Can I prune my Japanese 

Q maple hard back? 

Gordon McGhie, 

Blyth, Northumberland 

These trees will usually tolerate 

A cutting back hard, but you 

should avoid such brutal treatment 

as it will spoil the tree’s natural 

elegance. When the trees are dormant 

and out of leaf over the winter, you 

can reduce the height or width by 

thinning out some of the longer 

branches. Use a pruning saw to take 

branches back to a well-placed, 

shorter side branch, at least one-third 

the diameter of the branch you’re 

cutting out. Very low branches can 

be taken back to the main trunk. 

Look to reduce the canopy by no 

more than a third overall. 

Be careful that 

pruning doesn’t 

ruin the shape of 

Japanese maples 

48 Garden News / July 1 2017 

Shutterstock

Why don’t my 

Q growing bag 

sweet peas flower? 

Dennis Haynes, 

Oxfordshire 

Sweet peas 

won’t flower 

if their roots 

are dry and 

overheated 

I wouldn’t grow 

A sweet peas in 

growing bags. Firstly, the 

volume of compost is 

very small and sweet 

peas hate drying out. The 

other reason is that in 

front of a south-facing 

wall, I suspect the roots 

are getting poached in the 

summer sun. 

Sweet peas do best in deep, 

well-cultivated soil, where their 

roots are cool and moist. If 

growing in containers, choose 

ones about 45cm (18in) deep and 

painted white to reflect the sun. 

Alternatively, if the containers 

are rectangular, line them with a 

polystyrene sheet, which will 

keep the roots cool. 

Even with tomatoes that 

tolerate warm roots, I prefer to 

sink some bottomless 10 litre 

pots into the growing bag and 

plant into these so there’s a 

larger volume of compost to hold 

moisture and which is also less 

likely to overheat. 

What’s killing shrubs? 

What are the growths 

Q killing my shrubs? 

Susan Greenwood, by email 

The growths are lichens. 

A They’re simply using the 

shrubs as a support and take 

all their sustenance from the 

air. They do no harm to the 

plants they grow on, but 

where they become 

established it’s a sign the 

shrub is losing vigour. 

Lichen can be controlled 

to some extent by pruning 

to improve air circulation 

and additional feeding, 

mulching and watering. 

Always mulch and 

prune shrubs well 

Dennis Haynes 

Alamy 

Quick 

Can you identify 

the leaf problem 

spreading through 

my pear tree? 

Baz Murray, by email 

The blackening of the 

leaves is due to the pear 

blister mite (Eriophyes pyri), 

a microscopic gall mite 

that feeds inside the leaf. 

Raised blotches start off 

pink or yellowish-green, 

but later turn black. It 

doesn’t affect cropping 

or the health of the tree, 

which is just as well, as 

there are no effective 

insecticides against mites. 

If just odd shoots are 

affected prune them out. 

How do I propagate my 

dendrobium orchid from 

the small plantlets on 

the stems? 

Margaret Hamilton, 

by email 

Under low-light levels, 

dendrobiums produce 

new plantlets, known as 

‘keikis’, on the main stems. 

Once three or four roots 

form, sever the stem 2.5cm 

(1in) above and below the 

plantlet and pot into an 

orchid compost. Keep well 

watered, but out of direct 

sun until established. 

Questions 

Pear blister mite 

won’t harm your tree 

Is it OK to treat blue 

mould on my lifted 

bulbs with sulphur? 

Martin Hewitson, by email 

Sulphur no longer has 

approval for use as a 

fungicide. Ensure your lifted 

bulbs are thoroughly dried 

off before storing them. 

Remove any damaged bulbs 

and any displaying obvious 

symptoms. Store in trays 

in a warm, airy location 

until you replant. 

Can I save my pieris? 

Michael Wilson, 

Keighley, W Yorkshire 

Pieris are more droughttolerant 

than other 

ericaceous plants, but you 

need to increase watering 

to at least twice a week in 

summer. They’re prone to 

pieris lacebug attack, which 

bleaches the foliage, but 

this is associated with lots of 

debris and stickiness on the 

underside of leaves. 

Baz Murray 

Why are my plum 

Q leaves curling? 

Donald Parkes, West Midlands 

The damage is due to the 

A plum leaf-curling aphid 

(Brachycaudus helichrysi), a sapsucking 

insect that feeds on the 

foliage of many prunus species. 

It’s active from April through 

to late May and will have left 

trees by now. You can simply 

prune back badly distorted 

shoots. 

To avoid it next year, 

use a winter wash or 

approved insecticide 

for fruit as the leaf 

buds are opening. 

It’s worth examining 

the underside of the other 

leaves carefully, however, 

as you may also see whitishgreen 

insects which are mealy 

plum aphid (Hyalopterus pruni). 

These are active right into 

late summer, when dense 

colonies may develop, so a 

timely spray may help. Never 

spray any fruit tree when in 

flower due to the danger to 

beneficial pollinating insects. 

Damage to plum 

caused by leafcurling 

aphid 


Alamy 

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