Gardeners Tips – Page 179 – Tips and advice for gardeners about gardening

Grown from bulbs, rhizomes or tubers the Wood Sorrel and many of it’s relative in the Oxalis family are easy to grow.
The shamrock shaped leaves of this low growing Oxalis flower in red, white, yellow, blue and pink. I bought 70 bulbs for Â£1 at Focus at the end of May and they have grown well already.

Cultivation Tips and Varieties to Grow

Many varieties have a dark purple centre to the leaves or a patterned purple cross as in O. Deppei.
O. trangularis has white flowers and dark purple leaves.
The lime green of the leaves O. Ironcross is a fresh bright green in spring and this can show off the edges of a border.
Most hardy varieties make excellent ground cover or rock plants and flower even in dry shade and poor soil.
Oxalis Adenophylla has pale lilac flowers and neat parasol like leaves
Better flowering may occur with a bit of high phosphate fertilizer
Flowers are sensitive to light levels and often close early in the day
Tender varieties need to be dug up and stored like begonia tubers
A new red and white funnel shaped flower is now available O Versicolour
Many varieties self sow and get into nooks and crannies needing to be weeded out when they become too rampant.

Oxalis cameaphylla rosea

Oxalis roots can be fibrous or woody and be either bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes.
For more information particularly about potted plants from South Africa and America visit the Oxalis web site

Oxalis speciosa

Botanical Tulipa praestans Gardeners Tips

August 27, 2012 hortoris

I have just bought some Tulipa praetans Van Tubergen’s variety of botanical tulip bulbs. They should be just right for the sunny side of my rockery.

Gardeners Tips for Tulipa praestans

They can be planted in a rockery which is where I intend to grow them as they should not exceed 12″ high.
I intend to leave them in the ground for several years and not replant annually as I would with species tulips. Hopefully this will give them chance to multiply as they are recommended as perennial.
I will scatter them on open ground then plant 3″ deep where they fall, aiming to space them every 3″ or so! I do not want them in formal straight lines
These tulips will grow in most soils that are well drained.

Botanical Tulips

Botanical tulips are those that are true to their wild state and have not been bred or hybridised to change their characteristics. My bulbs have not been collected from the wild however.
Van Tubergen’s variety is a reliable species with clusters of bright red flowers in April.
There are several other Tulipa praestans including â€˜Fusilierâ€™ bright orange-red and â€˜Unicumâ€™ which flowers orange-red with striking white variegated leaves, ‘Shogun’ with warm yellow relatively large flowers.
Botanical tulips of which Tulipa praestans is one species are smaller in bulb size, height and flower size than your average Dutch tulips.

Crocosmia Best Tips & Photos

August 23, 2012 hortoris

Tip 1.
For a strong red Crocosmia the variety ‘Lucifer’ is as red as hell!

Tip 2.
The corms like lots of water but stop short of water logging the soil.

Tip 3.
Stems and sword shaped leaves will grow and stand upright but if they are in the shade they will lean towards the light.

Tip 4.
Get new plants by dividing the clumps of corms in Autumn.

Tip 5.
The strong red shows upwell against the green of the leaves and other green backgrounds in your garden.

Tip 6.
Other types of Crocosmia include Ember Glow, masoniorum and montbretia varieties or new hybrids

The book ‘Crocosmia and Chasmanthe (Royal Horticultural Society Plant Collector Guide)’ by Peter Goldblatt, John Manning and Gary Dunlop plus a range of Crocosmia products are available from Amazon.

Other Crocosmia Pages

Grow Romantic Red Flowers
Good Companions Crocosmia and Euphorbia
Growing good Crocosmia
Crocosmia Lucifer and other Montbretia

Coloured and Species Raspberries

August 19, 2012 hortoris

Red Raspberries

A 20-foot row of raspberries (Rubus idaeus) will yield a good crop over several weeks. Enough for jam, puddings and eating fresh.
A traditional hedge-type planting will yield twice the fruit of single trained canes but takes at least twice the space.
Intensively trained berries are extremely productive on single stems against a wall or fence.
To get the most from red raspberries, plant at least two kinds, an early or main crop variety for heavy early summer harvests, and an autumn or continually-bearing type.

It’s a mistake to cut raspberry canes back in an effort to make the canes self-supporting. You get the best results by tying the canes to two wires at 2-1/2 and 5 feet off the ground. The most fruitful buds are those nearest the top of the canes.

Autumn raspberries fruit on new canes at the end of their first growing season and again the following summer. For heavier crops, prune the canes to the ground after the first harvest in autumn and forego the summer crop. Raspberry â€˜Autumn Blissâ€™ is one of the best and most reliable primocane or autumn fruiting varieties. They produce a heavy crop of large, attractive red berries from late August until mid October.

Black Raspberries

Rubus occidentalis commonly known as “blackcaps” are occasionally cultivated providing both fresh and frozen fruit with a distinctive, richer flavour and high fiber content.
Although closely related to the reds, black raspberries have a distinctive flavor, ripen a little later, and require slightly different training.
Black raspberries spread by bending the tips of their canes to the ground where they root. In an attempt to bend to the ground and root, the canes elongate and become thin and weak at the tips. Unless you want to start new plants, cut these canes back to 3 or 4 feet.
Cut the old canes out after harvest. Since black raspberries don’t throw root suckers, they take much less thinning than reds.

Purple raspberries have been produced by horticultural hybridization of red and black raspberries.

Yellow Raspberries

Raspberry ‘Allgold’ Rubus idaeus is an autumn fruiting yellow raspberry.
There is an orange raspberry also called golden raspberry. It is quite delicious and grows just like regular raspberries – ie on canes held high.
pale-yellow natural or horticultural variants of both the red and the black raspberry species have albino-like fruit resulting from recessive genes that impede production of anthocyanin pigments.

Raspberry Species

credit Wikipedia
Rubus crataegifolius (Korean raspberry)
Rubus gunnianus (Tasmanian alpine raspberry)
Rubus idaeus (European red raspberry)
Rubus leucodermis (Whitebark or Western raspberry, Blue raspberry, Black raspberry)
Rubus occidentalis (Black raspberry)
Rubus parvifolius (Australian native raspberry)
Rubus phoenicolasius (Wine raspberry or Wineberry)
Rubus rosifolius (West Indian raspberry)
Rubus strigosus (American red raspberry) (syn. R. idaeus var. strigosus)
Rubus ellipticus (Yellow Himalayan Raspberry)

You can buy several red raspberry varieties mail order from Thompson & Morgan

Several species of Rubus are also called raspberries that are classified in other subgenera, including:

Rubus arcticus (Arctic raspberry, subgenus Cyclactis)
Rubus deliciosus (Boulder raspberry, subgenus Anoplobatus)
Rubus nivalis (Snow raspberry, subgenus Chamaebatus)
Rubus odoratus (Flowering raspberry, subgenus Anoplobatus)
Rubus sieboldii (Molucca raspberry, subgenus Malachobatus)

Credits

Wild Black Raspberries, SW MO by MarkInspex CC BY-ND 2.0
Raspberries by MonkeyBoy69 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Learn From Visiting Japanese Gardens

August 14, 2012 hortoris

There is always something new to learn from observing others garden and it is mental work not physical labour.
Some of my favourite Japanese gardens are featured below or on other pages.
An alternative or added opportunity to learn can come from one of any number of Amazons specialist books.

Learn From Visiting These Top Japanese Gardens

Compton Acres The Japanese Garden at Compton Acres Dorset is one of a collection of “gardens of the world”. It was originally designed and built in 1920 by Japanese architects and workmen. Such was the original owner’s passion for authenticity, every last stone and ornament was brought from Japan. They include stone lanterns, a pagoda, and various carvings.
There are four Japanese-style buildings within the garden – a thatched temple, summer house, sewing bower and imperial tea house. Visitors can follow either of two routes – stepping stones across the water features, or the normal path. The stepping stones lead through a red Torii (shrine gate) with a giant serpent coiled around one of its columns.

The Japanese Garden at Giggle Alley Eskdale looks tremendoud in the sunshine, a rare event in the Lake district.

Newstead Abbey is best known as Lord Byron’s ancestral home. The Japanese garden was laid out in 1907 with many of the original plants, trees and ornamental stonework imported from Japan. It is one of many themed gardens in the grounds of the Abbey, which are Grade 1 Listed in the English Heritage Register of Historical Parks and Gardens.

Rivington Country Park Bolton, Lancashire
Japanese water gardens were laid out by the industrialist Lord Leverhulme at the beginning of the 20th century.

Holland Park London has some interesting features and tips on Japanese gardens

Tatton Park, Cheshire The Japanese garden at Tatton Park is said to be one of the finest examples in Europe. Originally laid out in 1910-13, it was fully restored for Japan 2001, the year-long celebration of Japan-UK relations. It is in the style of a tea garden connected to an island upon which rests a shinto shrine. Every season brings it own beauty, although the spring and autumn are renowned for their colour.

The London School of Oriental and African Studies has an award winning Japanese-style roof garden and a bookshop specialising in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The garden is dedicated to Forgiveness, which is the meaning of the Kanji character engraved on the gardenâ€™s granite water basin. The garden can be accessed from the first floor of the Gallery.

Scarborough in Peasholm Park on the North Bay has a lake and an ornamental Japanese garden.
Heale Garden Wiltshire has eight acres of gardens, including a water garden planted with magnolias and maples surrounding a Japanese tea house. This straddles a fast flowing stream and also includes the terraces and stone lily ponds.

Japanese Garden Elements

1 Water
2 Rocks and sand
3 Garden architecture
4 Garden bridges
5 Stone lanterns and water basins
6 Garden fences, gates, and devices
7 Trees and flowers
8 Fish

Other Things I Have Lernt About Japanese Gardens

Shakkei or borrowed views takes its name from using nature as a natural backdrop.
A tea garden is called a roji niwa.
Izumi ishi-gumi is a stone arrangement to represent a mountain spring.
A Kaiyushiki teien is a garden designed to walk around as opposed to a Kanshoniwa garden which is intended only for contemplation.
Ikebana is a form of Japanese flower arranging

Plant a Plant – Gardening Terms

August 12, 2012 hortoris

Plant – to put in the ground for the purposes of growth. You can also plant in a pot or container. To plant is an active verb and the basis of much of gardening.

Plant – a living organism and member of the vegetable kingdom often used as a noun to include trees and shrubs as well as other growing flowers, weeds or herbs.

Plantlet – mini plants or offspring from a main plant as a means of reproducing themselves. e.g. Strawberry runners and Houseleeks (Sempervivum alpinum)

Planter – an ornamental container for plants most often used outdoors.

Plant up – a border or area filled with plants – a container can be ‘planted up’ with a selection of plants.

Plantain – a genus of plants that includes Bananas and a UK weed.

Planting – the act of putting plants, bulbs and roots into a growing medium. A planting is also used as a group term for a collection of plants ie a flower clock can be a ‘planting’ of low growing Sedum and coloured leaved plants.

Plant Kingdom – is a division of living things the other being the animal kingdom. Plant kingdom includes green plants, land plants such as worts and mosses and red algae.

Gardening Plant Tips

Bare rooted plants are normally planted out in spring and autumn when the soil is warm and there is sufficient moisture.
Plants grown in containers can usually planted at any time.
Water new plants once they are planted and keep watering until they become established and able to find moisture for themselves
Plant your plants in a good hole about twice the size of it’s rootball.
Firm the plant into the ground with a fist or heel so it can’t easily be pulled out or have the soil moved to uncover the roots.
Before planting the ground should be prepared by breaking up the soil. Add humus and fertiliser to give your plants roots the best home.

Good Value Alpine Garden Society

August 10, 2012 hortoris

Regular visitors will remember that I recently received a gift of membership too the AGS.

I continue to get good value for money via the magazines, free seeds and the local West Yorkshire Group meetings. A recent talk by Tony Gartwaite with photographs by Mike Ireland was called ‘show stoppers.’

This is an excuse to show some more of my pictures. Hover over pictures for info

From the alpine house at Kew.

I have started a collection of various primulas after spotting this alpine variety Primula allianii Joan Hughes

Primula aureata nepal is a bit harder to grow in my greenhouse.

See more about Hepaticas and how the Japanese grow these fascinating plants

Regular local alpine shows are a good way to pick up tips.
The national shows move around the country so keep your eyes open or check with the AGS
Specialist nurseries also turn out at these shows and it is a chance to get some new stock.

Getting Grapesvines to Grow Fruit in the UK

August 7, 2012 hortoris

Tips to Grow More Grapes

Grape vines produce fruit on “this year’s growth” coming from “last year’s side branches” (canes). Grapes produce the most fruit on shoots growing off of one-year-old canes. New growth coming from older branches does not produce fruit.
If you prune back your vines completely each year, then you get lots of new growth but few grapes
New grape vines can take 2 to 5 years to produce fruit
Insufficient drainage and too much water will cause very few grapes or no grapes at all
Stop watering grape vines in Autumn so that the vine will harden itself up for winter
Trim shoots to encourage energy to be channeled into fruit production.
Grapes like dry poor soil so if you over feed you will get tons of leaves and no grapes.
For older vines with thick stems apply Epsom Salts every other autumn but feed them March, May and July with balanced fertiliser. This provides them with food at bud-break, fruit set and mid-way of the fruit development.

Pruning to Get Grapes to Fruit

Prune the laterals to 2 or 3 buds, but do not remove the laterals that will shape your plant.
Prune the side branches, leaving two or three buds each.
Prune out any dead or unwanted growth and vines will produce fruit on one year old growth.
Pruning grapes in late November -January. Later pruning will encourage excessive bleeding from the cuts as the sap rises.
Prune all the way back to the main stems will cause new growth and many more flowers.
Training and pinching out of new shoots and thinning of fruits is carried out in spring and summer.

Advice from RHS

‘The cordon or ‘rod and spur’ pruning system is usually used for indoor grapes in greenhouses or conservatories,

Young Vines
Let two of the side branches produce a bunch of grapes, then pinch back their tips to two leaves beyond the bunch of grapes
Pinch back side branches not bearing fruit to five leaves.
In December reduce the main stem by half, cutting to a bud on mature brown wood. Cut back side shoots to 2.5cm (1in) or to two strong buds.

Year three onwards

In January untie the main stem to one third of its length above ground.
Allow the top two thirds to bend down and almost touch the ground. This encourages side branches to break along the full length of the stem
In the growing season as soon as the buds on the spurs (knobbly bits where the main side branches were cut back to a single bud) begin to grow, tie the main stem back into position against its supports.
Pinch out the growing tips of flowering side branches two leaves beyond the flower cluster, allowing only one flower cluster to develop per side branch for dessert grapes. More clusters can be allowed for wine grapes
Tie in each flowering side branch to a wire
Pinch out non-flowering side branches to five leaves
Pinch out any side shoots growing from the side branches to one leaf
For wine grapes, allow all bunches of grapes to develop. For dessert grapes, allow only one bunch per side branch
Cut back the side branches to one or two plump buds from the main stem.’

More UK based grape growing advice from the RHS.

Quaffable Quotes

The wrath of grapes comes from a lack of fruit.
Have you heard any more on the grape vine?
Did the green grape tell the purple grape to Breathe!
Did the grape that got stepped on let out a little wine?
Vini Vidi Vino

Photo Credits
Grapes by dichohecho CC BY 2.0
Black Hamburg by keaw_yead_3 CC BY-NC 2.0
Grapes by freefotouk CC BY-NC 2.0

Spring Onion Gardeners Tips

August 7, 2012 hortoris

Tips from Gardeners on Spring OnionsÂ (Allium Cepa)

Do you like a crisp spring onion. White Lisbon is a variety grown from seed that will grow quickly and produce some nice strongly flavoured salad onions.
If you can find a variety White Spanish try that for a milder flavour.

Sow seed from early March if you can give them some protection.Â ( Thompson & Morgan sell various varities of Spring Onion and other vegetable seeds)
Alternatively over winter an October sowing for onions from April.
Try sowing direct into a grow bag. Warm the bag in the house for a couple of days or in a heated greenhouse.
Pull young onions alternately to leave space for others to grow
All early onions pulled this way can be used as salad onions
Fertilise with a light sprinkling of sodium nitrate in wet weather to help them bulk up
Spring onions grown from seed are possible throughout the yearÂ by sowing every 4 weeks from early spring to autumn.
Keep the ground free from weeds. All onions dislike the competition from weeds and other plants.

Know your onions

Bunching Onions are a trendy name for Spring onions. Varieties include Ciboule, Performer and Ishikura.

Spring onions (Allium Cepa) are part of the Allium family that includes:

Garlic

Chives

LeeksPot Leeks & Blanching Leeks

Shallots and Pickling Onions

Welsh onions and Japanese Onions

Ornamental Alliums

Special and Extraordinary Leaves

August 6, 2012 hortoris

Some plants are worth growing just for their special and extraordinary leaves. This is particularly true of houseplants and tropical species which we are less accustomed to seeing in our gardens.
Leaves can create a shock and awe feature in the garden or contribute to the overall peace and tranquility in a lush setting.

‘Leaves are everywhere, appearing in an astonishing variety of shapes, colors and textures. They are the unappreciated gifts of nature, worthy of far more extensive study by all’ according to Dennis Sharader author of Extraordinary Leaves.

Special and Extraordinary Edible Leaves

Aromatic herbs and salad leaves vary from the small Thyme & Rosemary to the giant Banana leaves used to wrap food
Salad crops provide essential vitamins and tasty leaves.
Vine leaves are used in some Mediterranean cooking to wrap food and the Chinese send their leaves off to the wok

Special and Extraordinary Seasonal Leaves

Some leaves can tell the time. Calathea open in the morning and close as it gets dark
Most leaves can tell the season and the colour produced in autumn by the Maple family can bring out the crowds in arboretum around the globe.
The first leaves of spring are often lime green and fresh but you also get the Pieris with red leaves that gradually turn green

Special and Extraordinary Shaped Leaves

Spiked and spiny leaves even bamboo leaves can deter invaders in your garden
Dissected and crinkle cut leaves can provide architectural features in your garden
Tree Leaf Design, Shape and Function is discussed in more detail here

Special and Extraordinary Coloured Leaves

We have mentioned autumn colour but grey leaves combined with purple leaved plants can look spectacular.
Colueus and Begonia can produce Fancy Leaves for Colour, Shape and Texture in one plant. See pictures
Four leaved clover is said to be lucky but do not rely on the two tone Oxalis leaves below

Alan J. Coombes is a Coordinator of Scientific Collections at the Herbarium and Botanic Garden of the University of Puebla, Mexico, and the author of many books about plants and trees. Zsolt Debreczy is Research Director of the International Dendrological Research Institute in Boston. They have combined to produce The Book of Leaves available now from Amazon. It is very strong on tree leaves.