GARDENERS’ QUESTION TIME AT 70
What do I grow in dry shade?
People have always wanted to know what to grow against walls and under trees, or even at the base of a hedge – areas which don’t get the rain or sun.
We are hearing this frequently now from people in inner cities who increasingly want to grow in small courtyard spaces.
People think this kind of habitat is insurmountable, as they assume all plants need lots of light and water to grow.
That’s not the case. Try autumn-flowering Cyclamen hederifolium, with silvery markings on the leaves and pink and white flowers; Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’, with blue flowers in spring, and creeping Ajuga reptans ‘Alba’, with spikes of white flowers.
How do I make good compost?
The nutrients which come from those things which grow in the soil can be put back in.
Whether you’re mowing the lawn, picking off dead flowers or peeling vegetables, this waste can all be composted.
You need a mix of soft materials, like leaves, and more coarse, woody material, like twigs and prunings. You must make sure it is all mixed well, like mixing a cake. Do this a lot for the first week.
Keep it moist; you can put a lid on it, like a piece of old carpet. Lift it off if it’s raining.
How do I attract wildlife to my garden?
People have become more aware of natural habitats. Rather than spraying everything, as they might have done in the past, they are seeing garden pests in a different way.
They’re prepared to live with a bit of damage to plants and veg.
Create piles of logs to attract hedgehogs, and plant single flowers such as daisies and the poached egg plant, Limnanthes douglasii, for insects.
Plant herbaceous geraniums for other pollinators and introduce bird boxes. If you don’t have much room plant a buddleia, which will attract the butterflies.
How do I get the best tomatoes?
You don’t necessarily need a greenhouse, you can grow them next to a sheltered, sunny wall once the danger of frost has passed.
They need feeding regularly with a tomato fertiliser. People say water twice a day, but if it’s very hot they will need watering more. Keep the soil continuously moist to avoid splitting fruit.
You also need to take the side shoots out. These are between the main stem and the leaves. You pinch them off with your finger and thumb.
What vegetables and salad can I grow in a raised bed in a small space?
People today are more conscious about what they are eating. You can grow pretty much everything for a salad in a small space: Beetroot, lettuce, turnips, spring onions, carrots. These can be grown in most containers if there are drainage holes in the bottom and they will contain compost. Buckets, wine boxes... just avoid metal containers as they heat in the sun and cook the roots.
What can I grow with my children?
Parents and teachers want to show children where food comes from and children love growing bright flowers which attract insects they love to investigate.
Nasturtiums are good as they have pretty flowers which can be eaten in salads. And anything from seed, like packets of colourful annuals, are great because then kids see the germinating process. It’s magic.
What can I grow in alkaline soil?
Plants in this soil, which is often thin and chalky, will dry out quickly, so we need to look to where in the world is hot and dry and take our guide from nature.
Think of the Mediterranean – plants that love the sun and dry conditions.
Lavender, and herbs like sage, oregano, many thymes, fennel and dill, a bay tree. ‘Rock’ roses, with white and pink saucer shaped flowers – and bulbs such as tulips.
What can I grow in clay soil?
Clay gets a really bad rep. On the one hand it gets muddy in the wet, and on the other it is brick-like in the summer.
But many roses will grow in clay, such as golden-flowered Graham Thomas and Etoile de Holland, a red climbing rose.
Lots of late summer-flowering plants, like the daisy, will grow there, as will some honeysuckles and Mexican orange blossom.
How do I grow strawberries?
There are so many varieties you can grow – the alpine strawberry for example, is lovely for children. And you can grow them in all sorts of containers, even hanging baskets to keep them from slugs. Although strawberry barrels aren’t actually great as they don’t give enough room for the roots. Start by buying good quality stock, plant them in the spring in a sunny spot in rich, moisture retentive soil, and add compost to help that if necessary. You can plant them in a threeyear rotation. You can even pollinate them yourself and do the job of the bees. Dip a paint brush in a flower and move the pollen to another.
When do I re-pot my house plants?
House plants are having a definite resurgence. I remember in the 1970s when everyone had a spider plant hanging from the ceiling. Now, it’s all back in.
A house full of plants is a completely different place and many, like the peace lily, will remove chemicals from the air.
Most will need re-potting in the spring. If you are watering a plant and the water is coming over the top, rather than soaking in, the roots are too cramped.
I also gently lift my plants from the pot to check how tightly packed the roots are in the spring. Then, just re-plant them into a pot the next size up.