Do not forget the pleasures of Acers in spring and early summer. New buds and leaves are an interesting feature of carefully chosen species. Visit a good garden center or a renown public garden like RHS Harlow Carr in Harogate  We know that Maple trees or Acers have exceptional colour in autumn which is why tourists flock to New England and the eastern seaboard to see the flaming colours. Cold nights and warm days are the conditions that help turn green leaves to vibrant colours. With the falling temperatures, the lush green colours of summer have been replaced with vivid reds, golden yellows and browns.

However autumn is not the only season when colour and form can captivate as shown below. The RoyalHorticultural Society (RHS)

Why do Some Leaves Turn Red
Leaves naturally turn yellow as the chlorophyll breaks down and the green disappears but yellow can attracts sap-sucking aphids.
Some species of tree produce a bright red pigment into the leaves to confuse these insects.
Some trees are naturally red pigmented from the outset.

Gardeners Top Tip
Plant Acer palmatum ‘Matsukaze’, which opens bright bronze-red turns olive green, flushed with purple but then scarlet in autumn colour, where sun can shine through the coloured leaves to enhance the autumn effect.

Commercial compost is a range of products sold in plastic wrapping in garden centres, DIY shops and sundry retailers. This is not to be confused with your own garden compost made from decomposed plant matter.
The contents of these types of commercial compost vary and can affect the growing result considerably. All have a base which has no or negligible nutritional value plus additives that make it useful for a specific purpose.

Typical Compost Constituents – Base

Peat base of small fibers of bog peat is excellent for many purposes but now seen as none ecofriendly due to the over extraction of peat and lack of replenishment of the resource which isn’t sustainable.
Coir as a peat substitute for the base. Coir is made from the hairs & fibers of coconuts and such compost are widely available. There are special organic compost products approved by the vegan society .
Wood pulp based composts and partially composted bark are other bases the industry is trying to develop into retail products but mixes and formulas keep changing
Steralised loam based composts, generically called John Innes after the guy who first formulated them, tend to be heavier.
Composted green waste is becoming popular if you can find a reliable supplier who uses non-diseased raw materials

Typical Commercial Compost Constituents – Additives

Most composts are mixes of some of the base ingredients and possibly sand or vermiculite to open up the compost and improve drainage
Fertilisers are added that are appropriate to the end use. seed compost needs less fertiliser than a container planting compost where a plant has to live for at least a season
A wetting agent is often added as peat is very difficult to get wet and you need an even moisture in a pot or seed tray.
Water retaining gels may be added for hanging basket compost.

Typical Compost for Special Uses

Rooting and cutting compost is usually just a mix of sand loam and peat
Seed compost has crushed limestone and phosphates added to help drainage an promote root growth
John Innes No1, 2 & 3 has varying quantities of fertilisers; hoof and horn, superphosphate and potassium sulphate . No 1 Potting Compost is for pricking out young plants, No 2 Potting Compost is for potting on and No 3 Potting Compost is for established plants and shrubs.
Ericacious compost is for acid loving plants like Rhododendrons and lime hating plants like Mahonia and has flowers of sulphur added to the peat based mix.
Cactus compost, Bonsia compost, Orchid compost, Citrus plant compost even African Violet compost are all available from a range of suppliers. One brand with a range available in many outlets is Westland http://www.gardenhealth.com/latest-news.php
Bulb compost used to be called bulb fibre and has no fertiliser . It is used for bulbs like Hyacinths that have already got a store of energy to produce a flower.

Tips On Compost

As it is an organic product the quality can be variable but there will be a brand you like so try some out – currently I am using Arthur Bowers and B&Q own label.
Mix in a bit of grit, sand, vermiculite or water preserving gel depending on how you plan to use the compost
Try keep it uniformly moist.
Add a drop of liquid soap to the water to restrict the growth of moss on seed compost used for slow germinating seeds.
Grow bags contain compost and are a cheaper way of buying compost than small bags.
Compost deteriorates with age so buy fresh compost from a commercial supplier with a fast turnover.

First Posted: April 10th, 2012 |on Gardening Products    

Good & Bad Companions

Ash trees take lots and lots of goodness from the soil then die back or get turned into CO2 as firewood.

Never plant gladioli near peas beans or strawberries if you want them to thrive. Cabbages can kill off strawberries

Fuchsias appreciate shredded green bracken underneath their roots

Couch grass seldom grows around tomatoes, lupins or turnips.

Raddishes help stop maggots near cabbages

French marrigolds are well know for protecting from white fly

Good but Ugly Tips

Mulch with black polythene, old carpet or thick layers of cardboard.

An old dustbin with a chimney can be used to burn rubbish efficiently but it doesn’t look as good as a bonfire

Old labels and random canes and sticks as supports look untidy and at least in winter should be gathered in.

Lilies are fine plants but can be ravaged by the red lily beetle. Hostas can be ravaged by slugs and both look ugly

I have just returned from Ilkley Moor (and I wasn’t courting Mary Jane). I was tramping through shoulder high bracken that was thriving after the recent rain and the lack of competition at lower levels. Bracken are a  coarse fern noted for their large, highly divided leaves (ferns on the other hand only have two divisions per leaf to create the arching fronds).

Bracken spreads by means of underground roots that pop up new fronds and from spores. Living near the moor I have several uninvited clumps in the garden. This type of encroachment is damaging for farmers and allotments and one of several problems of bracken. It is poisonous to humans plus most animals and can be a host for ticks. So I think that answers the question and it should be hardy ferns for your garden!

Ferns for ‘where the sun seldom shines’ grow in 10,000 species of which only 50 are hardy in the UK. Species of different sizes, shapes and colours can be grown together. Give each enough space so the fronds do not overlap. Spleenworts or Asplenium are related to hartstongue ferns