As gardeners, we’re bound to be more aware of a plant’s stems, flowers and foliage than we are of its roots. And yet roots are their most vital part.

They imbibe water from the soil and take in nutrients that are vital to its survival. But even at this time of year, when almost all activity is happening underground among those roots, I’m fairly oblivious to them as I walk around the garden. That is until I begin to consider taking root cuttings.

If you’re thinking of propagating plants, the methods that usually spring to mind are sowing seed, dividing up your plants or taking cuttings from stems and shoots. It seems unlikely somehow that roots – and nothing but the roots – could actually make new plants.

I have no formal horticultural training whatsoever and the first time someone told me about taking root cuttings it seemed a bit far-fetched.

Dig for information

Alan Street, the person who introduced me to this unlikely process long ago, is a good friend now.

He works for Avon Bulbs, one of the top merchants in the country, and his knowledge is encyclopaedic.

We first met at one of the Royal Horticultural Society shows at the RHS’s halls in Westminster. These are sort of mini-Chelsea Flower Shows, with exhibitors from all over the British Isles putting on inspiring displays and selling their wares.

I was trying to find out about exhibiting,  which we did for the first time the following year. Not long after that, our nursery, Glebe Cottage Plants, was invited to exhibit at The Chelsea Flower Show. What a thrill!

I was interested in an outstanding Japanese anemone and Alan turfed one out of its pot. He showed me its roots and the little shoots that were beginning to form along them and told me they would produce new plants if those roots were cut into small sections and placed on the surface of compost, then weighted down with grit.

So I bought a plant, took it home, tried it and it worked. You can produce scores of new babies from just one plant, either in a pot or in the ground.

Making the cut
                                

There are two different kinds of root cuttings but they both operate on the same principle that roots themselves can make new plants. It all begins to make sense when you think of what happens in the garden.

Ever tried to move an oriental poppy, digging down to a great depth and -making a really thorough job of it, only to find it reappearing the following spring with even more vigour and determination than ever before?

It doesn’t need any deep knowledge to realise these beauties need no trace of leaf or crown to regenerate ad infinitum, so they make perfect candidates for this method of reproduction.

Similarly, acanthus are almost impossible to eradicate once they have made themselves at home. Attempts to remove them usually result in a forest of stems replacing each one that was carefully dug out.

Bundles of joy           

Japanese anemones, cultivars of anemone hupehensis or anemone x hybrida, are notoriously prolific once established, so much so that, when they have overrun a garden, bundles of their roots are often proffered as gifts to those just starting or moving into a bigger garden.

Perhaps it’s just as well that these donations are usually great woody chunks that seldom settle down.

It is the young, slender roots that therefore stand the best chance of -establishing themselves. To take oriental poppies as an example, either dig around the plant to expose a few thick, young roots or lift the whole clump. Shake off some of the earth and sever the best roots close to the crown of the plant.

With vertical cuttings – poppies, anchusa, verbascums and acanthus – just cut the roots into chunks of about one to two inches long, depending on their volume. The skinnier the cutting, the longer it needs to be. Then push the cutting into the compost so that its top is flush with the surrounding compost.

Cover with a layer of grit, water well and be sure to keep the cuttings in a warm, bright place. New leaves will appear around the top of the root, then new roots will develop. Grow them on in the greenhouse or a cold frame and then plant them out in their permanent positions when established.

As a means of increasing some of our favourite herbaceous plants, nothing could be simpler or more exciting. And you can do it in the middle of winter.
           

Have we left it too late to plant garlic?

Is it too late to plant garlic? Can I use leftover cloves from the kitchen to do so? Simon Clare, Gillingham, Kent

CAROL: December 21 is traditionally when you plant garlic. Now is fine but order special bulbs to break into individual cloves. If soil is too wet, push cloves into compost in individual modules, grow on and plant out later.

Can we spring into action and prune?

Some of our trees were damaged in recent storms. Is now a good time to prune them or should we wait until spring? Harun Malek, by email

CAROL: Winter is the best time to prune, especially with deciduous trees. You can see where to cut damaged wood and sap is at its lowest ebb. Remove any dead, damaged or diseased wood and aim for a balanced shape.

You answer..

Last week Emily Gabitas wanted to know the difference between hardy and half-hardy annuals and what she should grow in her glass porch.

CAROL: Half-hardy annuals will not stand sub-zero temperatures. You need to plant them outside when danger of frost is past. Hardy annuals are much tougher – sow them in the ground.

Barbara Withers, of Brighouse, West Yorkshire, says: Ask neighbours which annuals do best. We grow loads from seeds. Half-hardy annuals are slower to get going but seem to take off rapidly later and grow fast.

Pat Abrams, by email, says: Half-hardy annuals are a bit trickier but in autumn and spring we sow hardy annuals into borders and pots outside. If you sow in autumn, you get bigger plants earlier. 

?? Can you help Brinley? What tomato variety should I use for a show exhibition? Brinley John, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

What we’re doing this week here at Glebe Cottage

A new start: Although the view from the window is austere, it’s also inspiring.

And if it’s going to be transformed in spring and summer, I’ve got to get out there and start with the big clear-up straight away. If you’ve got hellebores it’s a good idea to cut their leaves off now. We’re going around doing just that.

These are evergreen leaves and sometimes it seems a shame to cut them back, but if they’re left they can harbour disease and spread it to other hellebores. It’s just one of the many jobs that come around throughout the year.

Tune into the seasons: This coming week is special for Glebe Cottage. Life in a Cottage Garden, our programme looking at a year in its life, has been re-versioned into four episodes, with each celebrating a season in the garden.

It starts on BBC2 on Friday at 8.30pm and is on for the following three weeks.

Using cameras at fixed points, you’ll be able to see how different beds and borders progress plus how seed is sown, germinated and is potted before finally taking its place in the garden.

You can share the triumphs and disasters as well as meet our cats and dogs, not to mention my husband Neil and our two lovely daughters.

The first programme features summer and, although it is based within that season, we’ll go backwards and forwards through spring, autumn and winter.

We’ll see the rich beauty of summer’s bounty – flowers galore – to brighten up this drab time of year and inspire you in your efforts in your own garden. There’s also a book of the same name that accompanies the series.

Offer of the week

There are few shrubs that can give as much pleasure during the cold dark winter months as Viburnum bodnantense Dawn. 

Clusters of pale pink, sweetly fragranced flowers are produced for up to 12 weeks from late October. It can grow to two metres, but can be pruned gently to size after flowering.

You can buy one Viburnum bodnantense Dawn for £9.99 or two for £19.98 and get another free. Call 0844 448 2451 quoting SMP18349 or send a cheque payable to MGN SMP18349 to Viburnum Offer (SMP18349), PO Box 64, South West District Office, Manchester M16 9HY. Or visit www.mirrorreaderoffers.co.uk/349 to order online.         

 

by Tesselaar
Posted: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 3:16PM EST

Tesselaar Plants predicts gardening will go from hobby to lifestyle, becoming ever more integrated into our lives this year. As a result, consumers will expect a lot from their plants. The company talked to gardening experts across the country to learn what trends are in store for gardeners across the nation.

“Not only must our plants beautify our homes, inside and out – they also must withstand our recent weather extremes, naturally fend off pests and diseases and offer nonstop color and interest,” said Anthony Tesselaar, cofounder and president of international plant marketer Tesselaar Plants.

Here are a few gardening trends and tips for 2013:

TREND: Outdoors as escape

Outdoor living spaces look to play big in 2013, if you look at the 2012 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Study by the American Society of Landscape Architects. After all, a whopping 91.5 percent of the study’s respondents rated outdoor areas for kitchen and entertaining as “somewhat to very popular.” In particular, the following outdoor amenities got similarly high ratings: grills (97.4 percent), fireplaces and firepits (95.8 percent), lighting (91.3 percent), seating and dining areas (95.7 percent), installed seating (86.9 percent) and weatherized outdoor furniture (81.2 percent).

But people apparently want to spend less time taking care of such spaces, with 96.6 percent of respondents in the ASLA study giving low-maintenance landscapes the same popular rating.

TIP: Pick high-impact, low-care plants

“People want plants that are easy to grow and aren’t fussy,” says Kerry Michaels, Container Gardening Guide for About.com. “Succulents are popular all over the country and are a perfect example of beautiful, interesting and easy to grow.”

Many hardscaped outdoor spaces, she adds, need focal points and softening with high-impact, low-care plants in larger planters. Michaels suggests the colorfully foliaged Tropicanna® cannas for vertical beauty, fabulous color and drama. Self-watering containers, she adds, make it easier than ever to maintain these mobile props in the outdoor room.

Another such plant is the burgundy-colored, strappy-leaved Festival Burgundy™ cordyline. In colder climates, it can even be brought indoors as a houseplant, since – unlike many other tropicals – it can withstand the drying effects of forced-air heating.

TREND: Quality over price

“The ‘smart spender’ of the past was primarily focused on cost,” says Mary Hines, vice president of marketing at American Express in the company’s November 2012 report on consumer spending behavior. “Today’s smart spender is defined by values just as much as, if not more than, price.”

Furthermore, consumers told American Express that the “‘buy buy buy’ model that has driven them for decades is now shifting towards a more conscientious, values-driven way of purchasing.”

The gardening world apparently agrees. Nearly half of respondents (49 percent) in the March 2012 Garden Trends Research Report by the Garden Writers Association Foundation (GWAF) said they valued quality over price, compared to the 27 percent who valued price over quality.

TIP: Invest in quality plants

“It pays to do your homework before you buy plants – and with smart phones, you can even quickly check on a plant before you buy it in the store,” says Tesselaar.

One indication of quality, he says, is awards from impartial, highly revered organizations. “I’d love for people to know, for instance, about all the Flower Carpet® roses that have been awarded Germany’s All Deutschland Rose designation – the world’s highest honor for natural disease resistance. A complete listing of ADR roses, he says, can be found under “ADR-ROSES” at http://www.adr-rose.de/englisch/e_index.htm).

And don’t forget to ask garden center staffers for their opinion on what works the best in your particular area. “I’m promoting plants that are adaptable – that can take whatever extremes our climate dishes out,” says Joseph Tychonievich, nursery manager at Arrowhead Alpines Plant Nursery in East Lansing, Michigan.

TREND: Ditching the chemicals

In the June 2012 survey by the GWAF, those planning to buy organic fertilizer outnumbered those planning to buy chemical fertilizer by 2 to 1. That same survey showed 62 percent of respondents at least somewhat concerned about the environment, yet a quarter were interested in pest control. And in the GWAF’s 2011-2012 Winter survey, nearly three-fifths of respondents (58 percent) had reduced their use of chemicals.

In response, the garden industry is starting to devote more attention to naturally disease- and pest- resistant plants. “The 2012 seed catalogues seem to be showing a trend that has not been too evident over recent years – the hints and details about whether a particular new cultivar of a vegetable or fruit can resist the ravages of some annoying pest or disease,” wrote gardening expert Graham Porter in the Oct. 22, 2011 edition of English newspaper Huddersfield Daily Examiner.

“This important issue seems to have been forgotten by many breeders for too long and now,” read the article, “with pesticides fast disappearing from our garden centre shelves, the trend is to encourage organic and non-chemical growing.”

TIP: Choose pest- and disease-resistant plants

“Many plant varieties that have historically been prone to specific pests or diseases have been improved upon through many years of breeding,” says Tesselaar. “And these days, it’s pretty easy to find such information online.”

For instance, he notes the plant catalog search function on the website of plant developer Monrovia. In the “special features” category, you can find plants with “improved pest and disease resistance” like Volcano® phlox (resists powdery mildew), Flower Carpet roses (resists black spot and aphids), Festival Burgundy and Burgundy SpireTM cordyline (resist deer), Aurora® dogwood (resists dogwood borers and anthracnose) and ‘August Beauty’ gardenias (resists root-rot nematodes).

TREND: Extreme weather

Recent studies – and plenty of newscasts – say severe weather is the “new normal.”

This past summer’s drought is among the six largest in the U.S. (in terms of area covered) since 1895, according to a monthly drought report released in August by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center. According to that same report, three of the nation’s 10 most severe droughts (in terms of intensity) have occurred in the last 12 years, and the more recent droughts have occurred in many more areas.

Experts are also noting the increased severity, frequency and range of extreme storms like Sandy, which recently ravaged the Northeast Coast. In April, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego reported that temperatures in the upper portions of the ocean have increased by an average of .59-degree Fahrenheit since the 1870s. At the ocean’s surface, the researchers noted a 1.1-degree Fahrenheit increase, concluding there’s a possible connection between that and the surge of “super storms.”

TIP: Choose weather-proof plants

“The desire for drought- and heat-resistant plants will only increase,” says Tesselaar. “That’s why we introduced Flower Carpet roses – the world’s first easy-care, eco-friendly groundcover roses – after aggressively testing them in extreme conditions of heat and drought. It’s also why we followed up with the line’s Next Generation series for outstanding heat and humidity tolerance.”

The Next Generation series received extremely high marks in the Dallas Arboretum’s famous plant “trials by fire” in intense heat and humidity, as did Tesselaar’s Storm™ series of agapanthus ¬– the only agapanthus (also called lily of the Nile) to survive the trials. Most recently, Tesselaar has introduced Bonfire® begonias, tuberous begonias that can handle sizzling heat – even in hanging baskets.

“Heat-resistant and xeric – or drought-resistant – plants are not the same,” cautions Chicagoan Eileen Hanley, author of the Gatsbys Gardens blog. “Many of the xeric plants can take the dryness, but not the intense heat of over 100 degrees.” Plants that have done well in the heat in her garden, for instance, are phlox, heucheras, heucherellas, grasses, daylilies, brunneras, amsonias, clematis and some groundcovers.

Monrovia’s website allows you to search for plants that can survive a number of climates extremes. Among them are “waterwise” varieties like ‘Arizona Sun’ blanket flower, ‘Dynamite’ crape myrtle and ‘May Night’ salvia, “firescaping” plants less likely to burn in areas of wildfire (‘Abottswood’ potentilla, ‘Autumn Fire’ stonecrop and ‘Pink Double Delight’ coneflower) and varieties for wet or flood-prone areas ‘Strawberry Candy’ daylilies, ‘Summer Red’ red maple and ‘Zagreb’ threadleaf coreopsis.

Hi-res images/plant information
Flickr collection: Tesselaar 2013 Garden Trends
Flickr collection: Flower Carpet roses
Plant fact sheets

About Tesselaar
Tesselaar Plants searches the world and introduces new plants for the home garden, landscape, home décor and gift markets. Tesselaar undertakes extensive research and development of its varieties and, once they’re selected for introduction, provides marketing and promotional support through its grower and retail network. The Tesselaar philosophy is to introduce exceptional plants while “making gardening easy” for everyone, so it makes its products as widely available as possible. Tesselaar believes the more gardeners there are, the better it is for everyone.

Source: Tesselaar

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I don’t usually, but for 2013 I want to make some changes in how I garden, so a few resolutions seem in order. Perhaps you, too, can think of ways you could become a better gardener. First a caution, however. In Dave’s Garden Weekly Newsletter (http://davesgarden.com/), I found this excellent advice in a posting by Lori Geistlinger: “When composing next year’s resolutions, it behooves one to remember the Rule. There is only one Rule, but it is vital: Next year’s goals must be achievable and realistic.” Let’s all take that rule to heart! So here is my (hopefully realistic and achievable) list:

1. Keep up with the constantly needed pinching back in spring and summer. Don’t wait until drastic pruning is necessary to reshape a plant. This is especially true of fuchsias which bloom on the tips of branches; to get full plants with many flowers, the gardener cannot skip repeatedly removing the tips to encourage better branching.

2. Have my pruners professionally sharpened at long last. Dull tools mangle plant tissues rather than give sharp cuts. This is not good for the plant and certainly doesn’t create a well-groomed look. (My shovels and saws could use some badly-overdue attention as well.)

3. Add more butterfly bird-friendly plants and use natives whenever possible. A big part of the joy of a garden for me is the parade of critters

it attracts. The movement and color of birds and butterflies satisfies my craving for beauty around me. Two excellent links offer help: http://www.laspilitas.com/bird.htm and http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/wildlife.htm.

4. Further my education. Read more, certainly, but also attend local talks and workshops. Such as:

“Where do many rhododendrons come from?” Jan. 15, 7 p.m., Live Oak Senior Center, 1777 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, 408 920-0884. Program by Don Selcer, a member of the California Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society about a 2012 trip to southern China with the Society. Free.

“What’s the nitty gritty on fruit tree care?” QA with UC Santa Cruz’s Orin Martin and Orchard Keeper’s Matthew Sutton, Jan. 13, 10 a.m. to noon, ProBuild Garden Center. 235 River St, Santa Cruz, 423-0223. Covers pruning techniques, feeding, irrigation etc. Free.

“What is the latest on proper rose pruning?” Monterey Bay Rose Society’s annual pruning seminar, Jan. 26, 10 a.m. to noon, ProBuild Garden Center, 235 River St, Santa Cruz, 423-0223.

5. Volunteer with at least one local gardening organization, such as the Arboretum at UCSC. Volunteer classes start Jan. 8 and continue for the next five consecutive Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Presented by Arboretum curators, staff, and volunteers, classes provide an overview of the programs, projects, people and history of the Arboretum as well as an introduction to botany, horticulture, conservation, and propagation. www.arboretum.ucsc.edu, 427-2998. Learning while having fun and becoming friends with other gardeners — what could be better? I’ll hope to see you there!

6. Relax. Take time to enjoy the peace in my garden, to drink in its beauties, actually sit still long enough to concentrate on what’s right with it rather than always jumping up to correct what’s wrong. How about you? What is on your to-do list for 2013?

Garden tips are provided courtesy of horticulturist Sharon Hull of the Pro-Build Garden Center. Contact her at 423-0223.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Black Phoebe.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Painted Lady.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Lesser Goldfinch on flower.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Spotted Towhee and hydrangea.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Allen’s hummingbird in Crocosmia.

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Sharon Hull/Special to the Sentinel

Salamander.

Chew Valley Gardening Society members look forward to their first meeting of the new year on Thursday, January 10, when they welcome the return of John Tucker, who will talk about how to buy garden tools.

The society meets upstairs in the Old Schoolroom at Chew Magna at 8pm, with a chance to chat with other gardeners over a cup of coffee and biscuits after the talk.

Jumble sale for wildlife

There will be a jumble and white elephant sale on Saturday, January 12, at 2pm in the Old Schoolroom, Chew Magna, in aid of the Avon Wildlife Trust.

Children’s toys, games, bric-a-brac, clothes, white elephant and books can be delivered to the Old Schoolroom from 5pm onwards on the evening before the sale.

For more information call Annie Sewart on 01725 332482.

Spotlight on quarrying

Pensford Local History Group meets on Monday, with guest speaker Robin Thornes, who will talk about the history of quarrying in the Mendips.

The meeting will begin at 7.30pm in Pensford Church Rooms.

For more information call 01761 490670 or 490656.

Ag Days Program Features Strategies and Tips for Home, School Gardens

Are you an avid gardener, already planning your seed beds for spring, but always interested in new ideas? Or are you a “newbie,” excited about the thought of growing your own fresh fruits and vegetables but unsure where to start? Then this year’s MonDak Ag Days and Trade Show is the place to be!

The 2013 event on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 10-11, at the Richland County Fairgrounds Event Center includes a series of gardening talks to kick of this year’s programming schedule. From 8:30 am through noon on Thursday, you can learn how to use raised beds and limited space to increase your gardening productivity, how to capture rainwater and identify good and bad insects; how to do easy bucket composting, and how to kick off a gardening project at your school. Presenters include local master gardeners and insect experts, well-versed in gardening in this region, along with a Montana Food Corps volunteer helping to connect schools and institutions with freshly grown local foods, whether by scaling up their own gardens or working with area farmers. And finally, “Captain Compost,” aka Mike Dalton, founder of Gardens from Garbage, will also be on hand to discuss composting techniques for both big and small gardens.

Raising More With Less

The gardening session begins with a presentation entitled “Square Foot Gardening and Raised Beds” by Master Gardener George Biebl of Sidney. “Square foot gardening” techniques call for the use of raised beds and soil mixes for your garden which is laid out in a grid in which only the seeds you need are sown. The system allows you to grow much more in a smaller space and is easier for youngsters and adults with limited mobility to manage. According to practitioners, the method uses fewer resources, requires less work, yet still produces a crop equal to a single row garden five times its size. Biebl has used the techniques, particularly the raised beds, in his garden for ten years now and will share his successful experiences and tips during his presentation.

At 9 am, another local Master Gardener Bill Iversen will discuss his own innovative watering techniques in a presentation entitled “Rainwater Capture Strategies.” Iversen harnesses Mother Nature to handle much of the watering chores needed for his large garden, and will share how he does it during his Thursday morning presentation.

Iversen will be followed by Deb Waters, a biological science technician with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Sidney, insect expert and fellow gardener. Waters will discuss many of the problem insects local gardeners can expect to encounter and ways to manage them, along with highlighting the beneficial insects also present in their gardens and ways to preserve them. Her presentation, scheduled for 9:30 am on Thursday, is entitled “Garden Insects: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”

“A New Era of Composting”

“Captain Compost” Mike Dalton of Great Falls takes over at 10 am with a wide-ranging discussion of “a new era of composting” and how it can not only aid backyard gardeners, but also schools and institutions looking to improve their meal offerings by establishing their own gardens for raising fresh fruits and vegetables and to dispose of their food wastes in a productive manner. Dalton’s talk entitled “Bucket Composting” will demonstrate how to use a natural “live” compost accelerant called Bokashi in an easy cold composting process with “no turning and no stink.” According to Dalton, the process, which uses essential microbes in an air tight environment (the bucket) to break down organic matter, is ten times faster than regular composting and works with dairy, fats and meat organic waste as well as plant materials.

Dalton has taught the process to fourth graders and other students at several Montana schools that have established their own gardens for fresh produce. He’s also been exploring options for using the process to aid disposal and composting of institutional and municipal food waste that currently is dumped in local landfills. Find out more from “Captain Compost” during his MonDak Ag Days presentation Thursday, Jan. 10 beginning at 10 am.

Gardening in Schools

“Captain Compost” Mike Dalton

The Ag Days gardening program concludes with a presentation by AmeriCorps VISTA Anne McHale, who is serving with the FoodCorps team in Glendive, MT. Montana’s FoodCorps aims to improve access to healthy, locally-grown food for kids, and provide new markets for local farmers and ranchers. As full-time, year-round VISTA volunteers, the FoodCorps team builds and tends school gardens, helps cafeterias serve locally-grown meals, and educates students about how and why to eat healthy, locally-grown food.

McHale will discuss her work in Glendive and with area schools in establishing their own gardens. Her talk is entitled “Gardening in Schools” and is set to begin at 11 am Jan. 10 at the Event Center. We hope you can join us for this interesting series of speakers.

If you don’t already grow your own veg, now is the time to convert – at the beginning of a new year.

In the past, it was widely accepted and widely practised. If you had a bit of garden or an allotment in wartime or post-war Britain then you would almost certainly have grown some of your own food. My grandad not only had an allotment but also turned over the greenhouse behind their home to tomatoes.

There was a whole border full of rhubarb, too – a worthwhile, easy and productive crop and a great place to hide when you are really little.

What was a necessity for lots of people back then has now become a trend – but one that is increasingly important in these times of austerity.

I’m not suggesting Mr Osborne should start a Feed Yourselves campaign – that would be far too sensible. But once you’ve tasted your own home-grown produce, supermarket vegetables come a very poor second.

When Neil and I moved from London to Glebe Cottage 34 years ago, one of my ambitions was to grow vegetables. Though neither of us had any previous experience, within a couple of years we had a thriving patch and by the time our daughters came along there was plenty for everyone. Eventually, raising herbaceous plants for my nursery and for flower shows had to take priority.

Some gardeners are apprehensive about growing their own, but there’s no reason to be. People have been growing their own food from the very moment they decided to stay in one place and put down roots. When you sow your first beans or plant out your potatoes you are joining a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of civilisation.

Seeds want to grow. Plants want to produce leaves, roots, flowers and seeds. All we have to do is give them the conditions they need, weed them, water and nurture them and harvest and eat them. What could be easier?

Make the space

One of the major drawbacks many of us envisage is not having enough space to accommodate anything worth growing or eating.

But even a tiny patch, managed imaginatively, can provide fresh vegetables throughout the year.

A 10ft x 10ft patch, especially if it’s a deep bed, can produce something fresh right through the season. So whatever the size of your garden – and even if you don’t have a garden – growing your own is a viable option.

The more limited your space, the more important it is to grow the vegetables you like best. So make a list of your ­favourites, work out how they could grow together and get sowing.

Find the time

Most of us have busy lives and may have misgivings about how much time our vegetables are going to need. But the hard work is in setting up the plot – and you can think of that as great post-Christmas exercise. After that, it should be plain sailing.

There are very few fussy crops, most of the time it’s a question of raking the soil, sowing seed and keeping the plot watered and weeded.

Spring tends to be busiest although, if you are growing successionally there will be veg to sow and transplant all season.

Sometimes, working out a plan takes as much time as executing it.

Try to fit the size of the area under cultivation to the time you have. There is no point taking on a huge space, full of perennial weeds, if you have only a — couple of hours each weekend to knock it into shape. Vegetables don’t need much fussing over, but they do need consistent attention – half an hour after work each day should be enough. You’ll probably find yourself still there much later, though. Growing veg is moreish.

Enjoy the rewards

When you are beginning, success is all important, so concentrate on easy crops that will give you rich rewards, such as runner beans and courgettes, onions from sets, salads and potatoes. Delay setting up an asparagus bed or growing dwarf French beans, cauliflowers or fennel if you feel a bit diffident.

Any sort of gardening is good for you: it’s physically active, all fresh air and freedom. But as well as the exercise, it is therapeutic in other ways.

Dealing with the soil, plunging your hands into it and enabling seed to grow into mature plants that you can then harvest and eat, has to be one of the most rewarding activities.

Growing your own is good for the soul – it’s real. What’s more, if you grow organically, the vegetables you harvest are as nutritious as they could be, packed full of vitamins and minerals, bursting with goodness and absolutely fresh.

Carol’s 10 Golden Rules

1. Look after your soil – put back what you take out.

2. Concentrate on growing what you like to eat.

3. Sow successionally to avoid gluts and ensure constant supply.

4. Pick vegetables while they are young and in their prime.

5. Rotate your crops to avoid disease and maintain vigour.

6. Interplant using catch crops (a quick-growing crop) to use space to the maximum.

7. Grow for taste rather than yield.

8. Make sure your plot is in full light for as long as possible.

9. Sow green manure – plants grown for a specific period and used to feed the soil – on vacant ground.

10. Enjoy yourself and encourage the whole family to join in.

 

Hedge your bets on a bushy beech

We want to grow a hedge, preferably evergreen, between us and our neighbours’ garden. We know Leylandii are a bad idea and don’t like privet. Any ideas? Kathryn Jones, Leeds

CAROL: Beech hedges usually retain their lovely, russet foliage right through the winter, although they are not evergreen. You could mix in other native trees too. These hedges are much more exciting than their evergreen counterparts and better for wildlife.

Washing old trays drives me potty

Do I have to wash out old pots and seed trays before reusing them? Tom Bates, by email.

CAROL: Yes. It is great that you’re recycling your old pots – and giving them a good scrub with warm water plus a drop of detergent or bleach will ensure you’re not passing on pests or disease.

You answer..

Last week Mrs Rogers was concerned a mushroom-like growth on her peach tree could be putting it in danger.

CAROL: If the tree cropped well that’s a good sign. Appearances can be deceptive – not all funghi are harmful. Keep an eye on the tree. If you spot another growth remove it before it matures.          

Colin Power from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, says: I’d keep dosing the growth with fungicide until it disappears for good.

Michelle Billing, by email, says: If it’s an old tree, it might just be that its age is making it susceptible to illness. You could try giving the tree a good prune and feeding it well to help build up its resistance and make it stronger.      

? Can you help Emily? What’s the difference between hardy annuals and half-hardy annuals? We would like to know if we can grow either inside our nice, bright glass porch. Emily -Gabitas, Cambridge

What we’re doing this week here at Glebe Cottage

Good intentions: Everyone makes resolutions about how things are going to be different next year.

It’s a bit academic to record weather conditions and doesn’t really change things anyway, so I’m resolving to keep a record of anything that works well in the garden – especially successful combinations of plants – in order to repeat or to build on them.

Some of this will be written, but if I can get out there every day with a camera and take just a couple of snaps, who knows where it may lead? The crucial word is “if”!

Trunk call: Neil and I are going to have a tree-planting ceremony. New Year seems a good time to do it and since we don’t know any royalty, we’re planning on planting the tree ourselves. It’s an apple, James Grieve, given to us years ago by lovely friends. The only place we’ve got room is as part of our native hedge. It should be really happy there.

Offer of the week:

Rose Black Baccara is a wonderful and highly fragrant HT Rose, chosen for its unique colour. It has an upright habit of 90cm and a spread of 40cm. The buds and young flowers are the deepest maroon, becoming lighter and lighter as the beautiful flowers age.

You can buy one Rose Black Baccara for £7.99 or buy two for £15.98 and receive another free.

To order by debit/credit card, call 0844 811 6716 quoting SMG18017 or send a cheque made payable to MGN SMG18017 to Rose Black Baccara (SMG18017), PO Box 64, South West District Office, Manchester, M16 9HY or visit www.mirrorreaderoffers.co.uk/017 to order online.      

 

Are your roses wilting? Is your lantana less than robust? Free advice is just around the corner.

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners’ booth has been a staple at the fresh52 Farmers Artisan Market almost since the venue opened at Tivoli Village, 302 S. Rampart Blvd. The group sets up a table near The Walk In, the indoor portion of the market.

On Nov. 3, the booth was manned by Linda Ward, Diane Lemon and Theo DeAngelis.

“Last year, we did it every week,” Ward said. “We decided to be a little more focused this year,” cutting down to about twice a month.

Lemon estimated they were seeing about 50 people a day.

“Now, in the spring, we could have upwards of 100 people,” Ward said.

When anyone approached, they jumped up from their chairs with welcoming smiles, asking what the person’s concern was and which avenues they’d already tried.

Joanna Pepper and her husband stopped by for advice. They live in an assisted living facility.

“I have container plants because that’s all I can grow there,” she said. “I forget to move them around, so they get over much sun, so they told me some things to try. It’s wonderful to have them here at the farmers market.”

Manning the booth means holding demonstrations. This day’s was on fertilizer – how to read the package, what type to buy for Las Vegas and how and when to use it. Another recent one covered when to harvest herbs, how they could be used and tips on storing them. There is no set time for the demonstrations.

“People will bring a little leaf and go, ‘What’s wrong with my plant?’ Or they’ll describe it to us and we’ll go, ‘Hmm, do you have a picture of it?’ or ‘Can you bring it back?’ ” Ward said. “That’s one of the toughest things (trying to advise without a visual), but we try to help people.”

The desk held examples of what a healthy sprig should look like and, for comparison, what an unhealthy one looked like. They had an example of a hawthorn bush. The unhealthy bush had been planted near a building, which absorbed heat from the sun and radiated that heat at the bush.

“It’s actually burning it, scalding it,” Lemon said.

She said the yellowing of leaves shows the deficiency in the Las Vegas soil, which lacks iron, and that “a lot of it is common sense … Most people are very patient as you walk them through sort of a checklist” to get to the root of the problem.”

The group’s biggest project is the home gardening help line (702-257-5555), which is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Questions the group receives cover a gamut of various landscapes, such as how to correctly prune a tree, when is the proper time to trim back ornamental grasses, when is the best time to plant a certain type of bush and is freezing a problem in the desert.

DeAngelis said being outdoors and meeting people at the farmers market was more fun than manning the hot line.

“Personally, I like to have the face-to-face (interaction),” she said. “I’m a social person. … We have pamphlets we can give them, like if they have questions about growing tomatoes. We show them this list with these brands because these are the ones that grow well here. So if you’re going to buy asparagus, you want the Mary Washington or the Jersey Giant. If you buy another kind, it’s not going to do well here.”

She said heirloom tomatoes will never grow well in Las Vegas. Black beauty and Japanese eggplant, for example, are the only types of eggplant that grow well in Las Vegas. Spinach types include melody, New Zealand or Malabar.

The Tivoli Village market is one of the best-attended community events where the green thumb group has a presence, said Ann Edmunds, Master Gardener coordinator. It’s also popular with the member gardeners who sign up to man booths at various events.

“They have a waiting list of people who want to be up there (at Tivoli),” Edmunds said, adding that manning the booth at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., is another popular assignment.

In Southern Nevada, the Master Gardener program is part of the social horticulture programming of the University of Nevada’s Cooperative Extension. It celebrated 20 years of volunteer service to the community this year. The Master Gardeners have an active membership of 300, all certified. Master Gardeners get 80 hours of horticultural training, and each volunteers his time at least 50 hours a year.

Tivoli Village is only one of the places where Master Gardeners meet the public. There are more than 30 projects throughout the Las Vegas Valley, many being charity events.

“We help out wherever there’s space and wherever appropriate,” Edmunds said.

Contact Summerlin/Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 702-387-2949.

Have you ever looked at your landscape and decided the displays of herbaceous perennials should be larger and the borders should contain mass displays of annuals?
Then you looked at the balance in your checkbook, sighed and accepted the status quo. Don’t despair. A little energy, a little patience, a little ingenuity and resources already at hand can make your landscape more like you believe it ought to be. I will leave the quest for patience, energy and ingenuity to you and discuss the sources of plants available.

Annuals from seed

Growing annuals from seed is inexpensive and easy. A packet of seeds costs less than a single potted plant from a nursery or garden center. Once upon a time, packets of seeds cost 25 cents, and the packet contained a generous quantity of seeds. Seed prices have risen, and the quantity in the packet has shrunk. There are good reasons for the increase and decrease. However, seeds are still a bargain.

A single packet of seeds will generally provide all the plants of the chosen variety you will need for your project. The quantities of seed in some packets may seem disappointedly small. The packet of hybrid geraniums I use in containers contains only five seeds and cost approximately a dollar a piece. There are less expensive varieties of geraniums available. A packet of cosmos seeds contained more seeds than I could count and provided plants for three seasons. It cost $1.25. The seed count is usually printed on the seed packet and is part of catalog descriptions. Check them, and you won’t be unpleasantly surprised.

Another plus for propagation from seeds is the large variety of plants available. The number of plant varieties available in a garden center is limited because potted plants take up a lot of space, they require daily maintenance and they are perishable. Varieties available in seed racks and seed catalogs number in the hundreds. One of the catalogs I receive each spring claims it lists approximately 2,000 varieties. I have never counted.

Starting plants from seed can be accomplished with a minimum of equipment. Required are adequate light, potting mix, seed flats and a reasonably warm environment. A south facing window sill provides adequate space for small number of plants. Florescent lights provide light for a larger area. A shop light fixture is adequate for a beginning project. Makeshift flats and pots can be a nuisance. Purchase items made for the purpose. They are inexpensive and make the experience more pleasurable.

Seeds for plants like geraniums, which require a substantial period of growth before they bloom, should be started as early as January. You will find information about growth periods on the seed packet, along with other important instructions. Read the instructions. Seedlings must be hardened off before setting them into the garden. That is garden-speak for gradually moving them outside.

Some seeds may be planted where they are to grow after the soil warms. Marigolds, cosmos and zinnia are examples of these plants. This information is printed on the packet and is part of the catalog description.

Many annuals will reseed themselves. Most of these volunteers may be easily and successful transplanted. If you grow heirloom or open pollinated varieties you can save seed for planting next year.

Herbaceous perennials from seed

Herbaceous perennials are slightly more difficult to propagate from seed than annuals. To compensate for that, they can be started in midsummer, eliminating the need for plant lights and a heated environment. Herbaceous perennials from seed usually do not bloom the first season.

Herbaceous perennials from divisions

Division of herbaceous perennials is usually done in late summer or early spring. Perennials, like day lilies, are best divided in September so they can develop new roots before the ground freezes. Grasses should be divided in the spring. Divide a perennial by digging up the entire clump. Using two garden forks inserted into the clump back-to-back, pry the plant into sections. Discard weak or dead sections and replant the new divisions.

Masterful Gardening, a weekly
column written by master
gardeners with the Penn State
York County Cooperative
Extension, appears Sundays in
Home Source. Frank Sommer can
be reached at 840-7408 or
yorkmg@psu.edu.

It’s no wonder poinsettias are our favorite holiday plant for their showy beauty. But plenty of other plants make interesting choices, too.

Stauffers of Kissel Hill greenhouse manager Joy Boileau shows garden writer George Weigel a few that she likes in this week’s garden video.

For more garden tips, check out the links below.

• More Christmas plants: How about a Christmas rose, or a blue-dyed orchid or a Santa Mum?
• How to keep evergreens from rotting to death
• Check out more gardening tips and tricks »

Look for George Weigel’s Garden Tip of the Week each Thursday. George Weigel is the garden writer for the Patriot-News and also owner of a garden-consulting business for do-it-yourselfers, garden-tour host, frequent garden speaker, Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist and certified gardening nut.

MAKE your Christmas indoor plants last into the new year with a little TLC, says Hannah Stephenson

The poinsettia looked fantastic in the garden centre, its healthy red bracts providing some festive cheer.

But once you got it home, it only took a few days for the leaves to wilt and no amount of watering would bring them back.

I’ve heard this scenario so many times and it’s not just poinsettias which can prove so disappointing during the Christmas period.

Forced hyacinths have been known to have stunted growth or just topple over, cyclamen fade and die before they’ve had a chance to flourish, while the flowers of orchids may be over before they’ve had a real chance to bloom, particularly if you over-water them.

Just be aware that many classic Christmas plants flourish outdoors and don’t like warm rooms, draughts, radiators or lack of light.

As a rule, plants including cyclamen, pot chrysanthemums, Christmas cacti and indoor azaleas are happiest in a cool room such as a chilly hallway or even out on a porch where there is little or no heating.

They all like regular watering so their compost doesn’t dry out, but they don’t like being over-watered.

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) you buy from the garden centre are likely to have been given artificial conditions to thrive at Christmas, such as special lighting and blackout blinds, as in the UK they would naturally flower at around Easter, when days and nights are of equal length.

They need comfortable, warm room temperatures of 18-24C (64-75F) and hate draughts so don’t place them in the hall or near a door where the draught comes through.

Poinsettias like bright filtered light but not direct sunshine, which can damage them. Wait until the leaves just show signs of wilting, then give the compost a good soak, but don’t let plants stand in water.

Christmas cacti seem to do best if you neglect them, watering them sparingly from the bottom maybe once a week, but don’t let the roots sit in water.

These plants also don’t like being moved so if they’re on a windowsill, don’t turn them around or move them to another room if they’re in bud because those buds are likely to fall off if the plants are given a change of scenery.

The only plant which can take plenty of water is the indoor azalea, which can be watered every day so that the rootball remains moist. Sit the pot in a bowl of water for a few minutes, then tip the excess away.

It’s ericaceous (lime-hating) so give it soft water, if you can. It likes bright light but not direct sunlight.

After flowering, and once all danger of frost has passed, azaleas can be repotted in ericaceous compost before placing outdoors in a shady spot for summer, but you will need to keep watering them regularly and give them a liquid feed formulated for lime-hating plants and they should survive. They’ll need bringing back into the house before the first autumn frosts.

Other plants which will provide some festive cheer but do need cool conditions include cineraria and calceolaria, although you can place them in shady corners to brighten the scene temporarily, as these will be the plants that you’ll throw away once they’ve finished flowering, unlike some of the longer-term houseplants.

Forced bulbs, including hyacinths and narcissi, are among my favourite plants at Christmas and beyond, providing delicious scent and striking colour to any room in the house.

If you’ve forced your own hyacinths, you should move them inside as soon as the buds are showing their true colour.

Things go wrong if you bring them in too soon, which will result in flowers on stunted stems which are dwarfed by the foliage.

Keep forced bulbs in a cool room with plenty of light, away from radiators or other direct heat, with minimal watering, and they should see you through the festive season but don’t expect them to last too long.

If you’ve bought forced bulbs from a shop, once flowering is over you can throw them away as they won’t transfer well to the garden.