Growing
Propagating Strawberry Plants Using Runners: Get New Plants For Free With This Easy Process
IN THIS GUIDE Growing Strawberries Propagating Strawberry Plants When To Propagate Runners How To Grow New Strawberry Plants From Runners 1) Ensure Soil Contact 2) Cut The New Plant From The Parent 3) Plant In A Suitable Spot There is nothing more delicious than eating homegrown strawberries. They taste so much better than shop-bought, can crop for weeks and are incredibly easy to grow. Strawberries, or Fragaria x ananassa as they are botanically named, are perennial plants that usually crop well for 3 or 4 years – after which fruiting diminishes and the plants need replacing. Instead of buying new plants every few years, new plants can be propagated from the old plants by taking runners. Propagation can seem rather complicated and daunting, but don’t let this put you off. In this guide we’ll show you how to use runners to grow new plants for free. Growing Strawberries There are several different types of strawberries that you can grow here in the UK. The most common strawberries grown at home, which we’ll focus on, are summer fruiting varieties, that can fruit in either early, mid or late season. These are known as June-bearing plants. If you have room for a mixture of all three then you could be picking strawberries for weeks on end over the summer! Other varieties include everbearers or perpetual strawberries – which produce fruits on and off intermittently during the summer until the first frosts – and alpine strawberries, which crop tiny but delicious fruits from spring until autumn. Summer fruiting varieties are a great and easy plant to grow in the garden. They grow well in either containers or direct in the ground, and are a great plant to get children interested in growing. Early varieties will crop from late May, mid-season from mid-June and late varieties from early July. Propagating Strawberry Plants Strawberry plants can be propagated, either from seed or from runners. Growing from seed is relatively tricky with cold treatment often being required prior to sowing and new plants not coming true from hybrid parent plants. Strawberry plants or runners can often be bought cheaply from garden centres or community sales and are readily available, making it the preferred option for most gardeners. When To Propagate Runners Runners, or ‘stolons’ as they are also called, are the long leafless stems that the plants produce. Runners are often produced from year one, but these should be cut off in the first two years and only used for propagation from year three. These runners produce baby plants or plantlets at their ends and it is these that will create new plants. The best time to use these runners for new plants is after the plant has finished fruiting, however, anytime from late summer until autumn will suffice. How To Grow New Strawberry Plants From Runners Before making new plants from runners, it is important to make sure that the parent plant is a healthy specimen and free of disease. 1) Ensure Soil Contact The plantlets need contact with the soil to root and grow. Some plantlets may already have roots forming underneath, which need to be buried just below the soil surface. To enable this soil contact, u-shaped pieces of wire or wire pegs can be used to pin the stem and plantlet directly into the ground or pots already filled with soil. It is important not to cut off the stem from the parent plant at this stage, but to wait for the new plant to produce new leaves before doing so, usually after 4 – 6 weeks. You can either grow in the ground, or force the runner to establish itself in a separate pot. We recommend cutting off any additional runners extending from the one which you are propagating. This will allow the new plant to divert all its energy into developing new roots. 2) Cut The New Plant From The Parent Once new leaves have appeared and the new plant has been separated from the parent plant, it can then be transplanted to a new site, left where it is to grow or be potted up. These new plants will need watering until established, especially if planted in pots, which tend to dry out more quickly. 3) Plant In A Suitable Spot After only 4-6 weeks, the roots of the plant shouldn’t be too well established, meaning you should be able to dig around them and transplant your strawberry plant to a new, suitable location. With newly propagated plants planted out in spring, it is advisable to remove the flowers during the first season, in order to encourage root growth. A strawberry plant can send out multiple runners during the growing season, however it is recommended to only use 3 – 4 of them for propagation each year. If you are unable to wait until year three to take runners for propagation, then runners can easily be bought online from reputable suppliers in late summer or early spring. For the best chance of success, it is best to avoid planting them out during the winter months when the soil is wet and cold. “As tempting as it is to leave plants propagated by runners in place longer term, this can cause over-crowding and even a lawn of strawberry plants!” says Horticultural Consultant Peter Lickorish. “Moving them to somewhere else is important, such as another bed or container.” Propagation need not be intimidating, so why not have a go at growing some free strawberry plants this summer. Let’s be honest, is it ever possible to have too many strawberries?
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Growing Fruit Trees In Smaller Spaces? Use A Cordon System To Increase Your Yield
IN THIS GUIDE What Are Cordon Fruit Trees? Why Columnar Fruit Trees In Your Garden? Which Are The Best Fruit Trees To Cordon? Where To Grow Cordon Fruit Trees Support For Columnar Trees Planting Cordon Fruit Trees Fruit Tree Care & Pruning References Fruit trees can be excellent additions to any garden, and when you cordon fruit trees they can be grown in even the smallest of spaces. If you want to grow fruit trees in smaller spaces, a cordon system can be a good idea. “If you have a smaller garden or just want to grow many types and cultivars of fruit, cordons are a great way to optimise the number of different fruits in your garden,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “They are also a relatively low-labour option, only requiring pruning and mulching once a year.” When fruit trees are grown and trained in this specific way, you can grow far more fruit in a far smaller area – so this can be a great way to make the most of your space. Read on to find out more about cordon fruit trees: Learn why they can be a great idea in a small garden. Discover which fruit trees are best for treating in this way and where to position your trees. Get tips for providing them with support and how to plant and care for them in your garden. What Are Cordon Fruit Trees? Cordon grown apple trees Cordon fruit trees are trees which are grown to form narrow, columnar forms. They are kept compact, with once central trunk and short, fruit-producing spurs. They are not allowed to bush out into full standard or bush-shaped trees – nor are they allowed to branch out sideways significantly, as in fan-shaped or espaliered forms. Cordon fruit trees are usually grown on intermediate (moderately vigorous) root stocks. Because they do not have major side branches, cordon trees will not crop as heavily as standard trees or fruit trees with other forms. However, when you choose the right varieties and care for them correctly, trees pruned in this way can still provide a yield of up to around 10kg of fruit per tree. Why Columnar Fruit Trees In Your Garden? While cordon fruit trees are usually relatively small, when treated correctly they can produce a high yield. Since a number can be grown in close proximity to one another, you can increase the overall yield of fruit from your garden. Cordon fruit trees can be an excellent choice if you want to make your garden as productive as possible. You can grow several trees pruned in this way in the space that would ordinarily only be able to accommodate one fruit tree – and therefore get a lot more from the available area. Since cordon fruit trees have a relatively flat profile, they can be grown up against a wall or fence – making use of marginal spaces. They can also be used to provide some privacy or screening without casting excessive amounts of shade across the space. Which Are The Best Fruit Trees To Cordon? Apples Cordoned apple trees in an orchard In the UK, the best fruit trees for cordon fruit trees are apples. Apples are often one of the easiest fruit trees to grow here, no matter what form they take. They tend to like the growing conditions UK gardeners can provide, and will grow well in many gardens across the British Isles. Apples also respond well to different pruning regimes and it is usually fairly easy to find apple trees in cordon or columnar form. Pears Pears are another top pick for cordon fruit trees. Pears too can grow well in many UK gardens, and these trees can also respond well to cordoning or columnar pruning. They too can fruit well on the short fruiting spurs created with this shaping regime. While apples and pears are the best choices, you can also consider other trees too. Plum & Cherry Plums and cherry trees can also make good cordon fruit trees, as long as you select suitable cultivars for this type of pruning. Be sure to choose spur-fruiting cultivars. Choosing Fruit Trees It is far easier for most gardeners to purchase cordon fruit trees which have already been trained and pruned into columnar form. These are now fairly readily available from garden centres and plant nurseries. Remember, however, when choosing your trees, that you must choose cultivars that are suited to the growing conditions in your particular area. Remember to think about all the different factors in the environment which influence plant growth: sunlight, wind, water and soil type, pH and conditions. Where To Grow Cordon Fruit Trees Cordon fruit trees can be placed against an existing structure, such as a wall, fence or trellis, or they can be placed in another spot in your garden, with a new support structure. They can be useful when used to create partitions between different ‘rooms’ in a garden. Cordon fruit trees can be grown in the ground, but there are also fruit trees suitable for growing in containers, or large pots. For best results, they should typically be grown with support, and not as free-standing specimens. Location When choosing where to place cordon fruit trees, it is important to consider the types and varieties of fruit trees that you have chosen. Think about the needs of the plants, and whether the location you are considering will provide them with what they need. Sunlight is one important consideration – think about the orientation of the wall or fence you wish to place your cordon fruit trees against, for example, if you are placing the trees against an existing structure. Does it face south, east, west or north? How much sunlight does it receive? There are fruit trees suitable for structures of any orientation. But you need to choose the right varieties – especially when it comes to choosing cordon fruit trees for a north-facing or more shaded place. Support For Columnar Trees One important thing to note, whether you are training your trees against an existing structure, or making a new support structure, is that it must be strong enough to withstand gales, and support the weight of your trees in windy conditions. It should be sturdy and durable enough to meet the purpose. On an existing wall or fence, you will need to make sure that the structure is in good repair before you begin. And you will need to add support wires which are firmly anchored in place. Remember, fruit trees will be there for the long term – usually the next 30-40 years.1 So make sure your fencing wire and fixings are good quality, durable, and up to the task. Planting Cordon Fruit Trees Before planting your cordon fruit trees, make sure that you have prepared the area. If you are growing in the ground, make sure that you have amended the soil with plenty of organic matter, and provided fertile and weed-free soil. Below we have used some basic illustrations to map out the step-by-step process for planting your trees: 1) Preparing Your Structure If you choose to use one, prepare your support structure and place your well-secured training wires horizontally across this structure. 2) Space Out Your Trees Take long branches or sturdy bamboo canes (2.4m long is ideal) and tie these to the wires, at an angle of 45 degrees to the ground. This marks the angle and spacing of the trees, and is the support to which the main trunk of your cordon fruit tree will be tied. While not essential, it is a good idea to place trees on a 45-degree angle, because this will give you a longer trunk while keeping all the fruits at a comfortable picking height. The canes should be spaced around 60-80cm apart. This gives the spacing for your cordon trees. 3) Dig Planting Holes Next, dig your planting holes at the foot of each cane to accommodate your new fruit trees. Consider adding mycorrhizae to the planting hole to aid establishment.2 4) Plant Your Trees Place your cordon fruit trees in each hole, so they follow the same 45-degree angle as the canes. Tie the main trunks to the canes, and fill back in the soil firmly around each tree. 5) Mulch & Water Water well, and keep watering during establishment and during any dry periods. Mulch well with organic matter around the base of your trees. 6) Introduce Companion Plants Add fruit tree guilds of beneficial companion plants for best results. According to St Ives Community Orchard, some of the best companion plants for fruit trees include Nasturtium, Basil, Yarrow, Comfrey and Chamomile.3 Fruit Tree Care & Pruning Fruit tree care is largely the same no matter what form your fruit trees take. Columnar apple tree The only way that cordon trees differ is in their pruning requirements. In summer (usually August), cut back the leading stem to the height you want to maintain your cordon at. Prune back all straight new shoots to 3-4 leaves above the basal cluster of leaves (the group of leaves at the base of a stem). Prune back all spur growth to one leaf beyond the basal cluster. This means the tree will focus not on foliage growth but on flowering and fruiting in the spring. Though they need more careful pruning than other fruit tree forms, cordon fruit trees can still be a relatively low maintenance choice – especially if you keep them healthy by companion planting beneficial guilds which help keep them free from pests and disease in an organic garden. References 1. How long do fruit trees live? (n.d.). Dave Wilson Nursery. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.davewilson.com/home-garden/faq/question/how-long-do-fruit-trees-live/ 2. Role of mycorrhizae on mineral nutrition of fruit trees. (n.d.). ISHS. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.actahort.org/books/1217/1217_34.htm 3. Langley, E. (2020, April 20). Companion / Guild planting. St Ives Community Orchard. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.stivesorchard.co.uk/companion-planting-around-fruit-trees/
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Don't Damage Your Choisya Plant - Only Prune Once All Risk Of Frost Has Passed
IN THIS GUIDE Why Prune Choisya? Deciding When To Prune How Far Back Can Choisya Be Pruned? How To Prune Choisya ternata Choisya is a beautiful bush bursting with adorable white flowers. The delicate yet confident colour palette makes this plant a popular choice for British gardeners for a couple of reasons. Firstly, they’re charming to look at. Second, they pair well with all sorts of colours and shapes thanks to their non-dominating aesthetic, making them a flexible and versatile choice when planning your garden. With so many flowers though, some gardeners find themselves wondering how best to prune this buoyant bloom. If you’ve got a choisya and you’re unsure how to prune it without causing damage, or just need a little more info on the best time of the year for your pruning session, read on. We’ve pulled together some fantastic tips to help you take the best care of this luxurious plant. Why Prune Choisya? This is a common question amongst gardeners with choisya. First, let’s take a look at the reasons why you might want to prune this plant – Your choisya is getting too big, and is encroaching into other areas of your garden. Perhaps over pathways, making them tricky to walk on comfortably. Your choisya is growing out of its desired shape. As a shrub, keeping this plant a certain shape is not only possible but maybe even desirable. If you’ve got topiary ambitions, you’ll find yourself pruning more often. If neither of these concerns is relevant, you won’t really need to prune choisya much. The plant can do without it (unlike some other ornamental varieties that suffer if left unkempt). This plant can get a little unruly! Deciding When To Prune There are a couple of things to keep in mind when pruning: firstly, new growth will occur at the pruning site. Because one of the goals of pruning is to reduce the size of the plant whilst encouraging fresh new growth, you need to ensure you prune at a time of year where this will take place. This leads us to our second consideration: frosty spells will damage newly pruned sites, potentially killing off any new growth. With this in mind, the answer to the question of when to prune choisya becomes “after any risk of frost has passed!” How Far Back Can Choisya Be Pruned? This plant can take quite an aggressive pruning, up to a maximum of half of its size. It’s usually recommended to prune more frequently and less drastically, but you do have options if you’ve left it longer than the ideal amount of time between haircuts. How To Prune Choisya ternata Now we’ve looked at the whens, let’s take a look at the how. Pruning choisya isn’t too different from pruning other evergreen shrubs. You’ll just need a sharp gardening tool like pruning shears, secateurs – or, if you don’t have those, a good pair of scissors. Take care to use one clean cut where possible rather than hacking away. The more exposed the cut, the more likely it is that disease will take hold; a clean-cut has the smallest possible incision site. Once pruned, your choisya will appreciate a bit of fresh compost around the roots. “I always like to mulch a tree or shrub when I’ve completed a pruning job,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “Although not always strictly necessary, it feels right and ensures that plants that aren’t in a regular routine of annual mulching receive some organic matter over time. “On free-draining soils, it will help with moisture retention, whilst on clay soils, it will help with drainage.” It’s not just human visitors that will find this plant charming! This nutritional boost will expedite new growth, and should lead to a friskier, healthier bloom.
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What Do You Do With Lilies Once They’ve Flowered? Lynn Slackman Reveals All
IN THIS GUIDE Why Deadhead Lilies? What To Do When Your Lilies Are Done Flowering How To Get The Best Bloom From Your Lilies Take Good Care Of Those Lilies! There are thousands of types of lily, all bringing an individual charm to the attractive central theme. Depending on your skills and ambition as a gardener you can go for the easy-to-grow varieties you’ll find on the seed racks at your local garden centre, or you can give yourself a challenge and attempt to grow something a little more finickity. Whatever you go for, though, get it right and you’ll be rewarded with a colourful and sometimes fragrant bloom. Perhaps the archetypal lily aesthetic: white trumpet-like flowers with vivid yellow When it comes to lilies, one of the most common questions we hear from fellow gardeners is “what do you do with lilies once they’ve flowered?” It’s a good question – because while lilies won’t flower again once they’ve bloomed, there are a couple of convincing reasons to remove the flowers. Or, as it’s also known, to deadhead them. Why Deadhead Lilies? “Deadheading lilies will certainly enable the plant to direct its energy to the stem and bulbs instead of the flower,” says Lynn Slackman, from the North American Lily Society. “However, if you are a hybridiser, pollination of the flower is essential to furthering your hybridising goals.” Before we jump into showing you what to do with your lilies once they’ve finished flowering, we’ll quickly introduce deadheading, in case you’re not familiar. Put simply, deadheading is the process of removing flowers from ornamental flowering plants. Using scissors, secateurs or similar to snip each spent flower from the plant has several benefits: Some plants will grow new flowers in their place (not lilies, however!) If pollinated, seed production takes a lot of energy. Deadheading helps the plant to direct this energy elsewhere instead. With lilies, where you can reuse the bulb for next year’s growth, directing the plant’s energy into storing nutrients in the bulb is very useful. Some plants – like bushy roses, for example – leave a lot of mess as they die off. Deadheading quite literally nips this in the bud and saves you the hassle of cleaning up. What To Do When Your Lilies Are Done Flowering This all takes us back to the title, and to the question of what you should do with your lily plants once they’ve finished flowering and the bloom is starting to die off. The short answer: remove each flower as it becomes spent. “I don’t spend a lot of time deadheading in the garden but I will deadhead Lilies as they go over,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “The flowers are so large and I grow them in pots for prominent positions, so they’d really detract from the desired effect if I didn’t.” You’ll be able to tell when it’s time because the flower will discolour and wilt. Deadheading a lily with secateurs (This is another benefit of deadheading: the vibrancy of your garden is maintained through the removal of dull, fading blooms.) To deadhead either pinch hard the stem beneath each flower and pull it off with your fingers, or cut with a sharp gardening tool like the ones we mentioned previously. Secateurs are usually best. Then simply discard the flower, either into your compost, your garden waste bin or, if you’re feeling naughty, into the general waste. When deadheading, take care not to remove any leaves along with the flower, as the plant needs all of its leaves to collect sunlight and generate energy! The effectiveness of deadheading as a way to redirect energy to the bulb is reduced if you chop the leaves off. How To Get The Best Bloom From Your Lilies If you’ve found your way to this article, perhaps you’re keen to improve the overall quality and duration of your lily bloom. There are plenty of ways to do this, and whether you’re reading at the start or the end of their time of interest, these tips will help you to enjoy a more vibrant growing season. Firstly, we recommend planting your lily bulbs out in autumn. While you can plant them out through March, you’ll see better results with earlier burial. Exact conditions depend on the variety you’re growing, but as a rule, lilies enjoy full sun or partial shade. Soil should be rich and nutritious: John Innes ericaceous fertiliser with a little controlled-release chaser will do best, as these are hungry plants! You can also feed lilies while they’re growing. Fortnightly feeds are recommended. Your lily bloom will be stronger if the plant isn’t allowed to dry out, especially in hot conditions. Be vigilant with watering, taking care to strike the balance between not over-or under-watering. Take good care and you will be adequately rewarded! Some lily varieties are of interest to aphids and other pests: keep an eye out here as well and take steps to remove any visitations as quickly as possible. Squish any lily beetles you see (or remove and relocate far away, if you’re feeling pacifist). These visitors will spare no quarter causing damage, sometimes irreparable, to your lilies. Take Good Care Of Those Lilies! Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what to do with your lilies when they’ve finished flowering. The takeaway: deadhead them, taking care not to remove any leaves along with the flower. Do this and your plant will direct its resources toward storing energy in the bulb rather than creating new seeds, leading to a stronger and healthier bloom next year. As you get more familiar with lilies you’ll begin to get used to their rhythms and habits and, over time, you’ll achieve consistently beautiful blooms. The range of colours, shapes, and smells make this type of flower deeply rewarding to any gardener willing to invest the time and energy to get familiar. So go, grow, and enjoy!
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Experts Reveal How To Force Rhubarb For An Early Crop (Make It Grow Faster And Earlier)
IN THIS GUIDE What Is Forcing? How To Force Rhubarb 1) Prepare The Area 2) Add Some Compost 3) Cover Your Rhubarb Plants What Else Do You Need To Know? Depending on the circles you move in, rhubarb can be a criminally unsung crop. This vivacious vegetable (yes, it’s a vegetable!) grows big and proud, its characteristic pink-red stalks erupting out of the ground and into the sky. When picked and trimmed of its leaves, the stalks are delicious and versatile. Never a dull moment with rhubarb One thing that makes rhubarb a popular crop for those of us in the know, is how easy it is to grow. Rhubarb needs little care or attention, evidenced by how often you’ll find it in the wild if you know where to look. It grows well in warm and dark conditions, and has a long harvesting season that can start in winter if you know how – great for incorporating into your growing calendar to ensure you’ve got something ready to harvest for as much of the year as possible. In this article we’ll teach you how to force rhubarb: a technique that brings the start of the harvesting season forward slightly. This should be of interest whether you’re a long-time fan or a complete amateur. What Is Forcing? Put simply, forcing is a way to make rhubarb grow faster and earlier in the year than usual. Forcing is basically tricking the plant into thinking it’s spring, encouraging it to grow more quickly towards what it thinks is the warm springtime sun. This is achieved by simulating warmer growing conditions during winter, and it’s surprisingly easy to do. How To Force Rhubarb There are only a few steps to forcing rhubarb, none of which are difficult. 1) Prepare The Area First up you’ll want to clear the area at the base of a fledgling rhubarb plant. This means removing weeds, old leaves, and any garden detritus that may have gathered around. 2) Add Some Compost Next you need to spread a little compost around the rhubarb, taking care that it doesn’t actually touch the stalks. Doing so can burn the crop and hinder its ability to grow. Just put it in a ring a couple of centimetres away from the plant. 3) Cover Your Rhubarb Plants This is the crucial step: you’re going to cover your rhubarb with a pot, trug, bucket, or similar container. Choose something opaque to block out all-natural light, and ideally with only one hole to allow airflow. Terracotta pots make for great forcing If your covering is made of a light material that may get blown away in strong winds, make sure to weigh it down with a brick or something similar. Plastic plant pots and buckets will definitely require weighing down to prevent them from being blown around your garden once the wind picks up. How Long Does Forcing Take? It takes anywhere over three weeks to force rhubarb. When you check under the containers you’ll see thick pink stems, and these are ready to pick when they’re upwards of about 18cm. The longer you leave your rhubarb the bigger it will get, although check in occasionally to make sure things aren’t getting too cramped. Depending on how many rhubarb plants you have and the weight of the container, you may even see the stalks lifting the container off of the ground! As we said earlier: rhubarb is very enthusiastic. Remove The Leaves Before you do anything with your rhubarb, remove and dispose of the green leaves. What Else Do You Need To Know? Now we’ve introduced the technique for forcing rhubarb (we told you it was easy!), here are a few things that should help you to see better results. Number one: where possible, only force established rhubarb plants as the process is quite intensive, and younger plants can take longer to recover. Once you’ve forced a rhubarb plant and harvested the resulting crop, don’t harvest again from the same plant for the rest of that year, even if it grows decent-looking stalks. You need to give the plant time to rest to put it in best stead for a strong and healthy harvest in subsequent years. Follow these steps to keep your rhubarb crop in good condition Don’t worry about running out of rhubarb early if you force your crop though: it’s easy to stagger things to give yourself multiple harvests. To do this, just leave some plants uncovered to grow at their natural pace. Your forced crop will be ready within a few weeks of being covered, and you can harvest the remainder as and when it starts to look ready. For a plant with a long harvest season, sometimes up until late August, this gives you a lot of flexibility. You can also split rhubarb to give yourself a greater number of plants to grow. Once you start experimenting with rhubarb – both in terms of growing techniques and recipes for your harvest – we’re sure you’ll grow to love it.
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Propagate Hydrangea Through Softwood Cuttings In Summer For Best Results
IN THIS GUIDE Why Take Hydrangea Cuttings? When to Take Hydrangea Cuttings Taking Softwood Cuttings 1) Prepare Your Materials 2) Take Your Cutting 3) Remove Lower Leaves 4) Dip In Rooting Hormone 5) Place Cutting In Potting Mix 6) Re-Pot Your New Plant Taking Semi-Ripe Cuttings Taking Hardwood Cuttings Hydrangeas are popular garden plants, and the good news is that it is relatively easy and straightforward to make new plants from cuttings. Hydrangeas can work well in many gardens – they are hardy and versatile shrubs that can look good and perform well in many different settings. Taking cuttings from your existing hydrangea can be a great idea. You might even be able to arrange to take cuttings from a hydrangea in someone else’s garden that you admire. Why Take Hydrangea Cuttings? Taking hydrangea cuttings is a great way to make new plants – and there are a number of reasons why you might wish to do so. Taking your own cuttings from a hydrangea in your garden (or someone else’s garden) that you like can allow you to create additional shrubs to fill garden beds or borders. One of the benefits of taking your own cuttings rather than buying new plants is, of course, that it will save you money. But it is also worthwhile remembering that it can also be a far more eco-friendly choice. When you take your own cuttings from existing plants, you will not need to buy new plants in harmful peat-based compost or in plastic pots – so it is a win-win for you and the environment. You might also wish to take hydrangea cuttings to give away as gifts, or even to sell. Difficulty Moderate Equipment Required Gardening knife or secateurs, potting mix, pots, windowsill propagator or greenhouse When To Take Cuttings Ideally June – September When to Take Hydrangea Cuttings It is possible to propagate hydrangeas by means of softwood cuttings, taken in around June, or semi-ripe cuttings taken in mid-late summer. Both of these strategies can yield excellent results. You can also take hardwood cuttings from hydrangea in the winter months, though softwood and semi-ripe cuttings generally have the best chance of rooting successfully. So, let’s look in a little more detail at exactly how to take hydrangea cuttings at different times of the year: Taking Softwood Cuttings 1) Prepare Your Materials Take a pair of clean, sharp secateurs. Prepare a container with a suitable potting mix, as softwood cuttings must be potted up as quickly as possible to avoid wilting or moisture loss. Make sure that you use a free-draining potting mix, such as 50% peat-free potting compost and 50% sharp sand. 2) Take Your Cutting Collect a young, non-flowering shoot of around 10cm in length, cutting off the material just below a node on the existing hydrangea shrub. It is best to collect this material early in the day when it contains plenty of water – don’t collect shoots from plants whose leaves are turning brown. 3) Remove Lower Leaves Remove the lower leaves from the cutting, leaving just a couple, and cut the remaining leaves in half to reduce moisture loss if they are large. 4) Dip In Rooting Hormone While softwood cuttings may root successfully without this step, you will usually obtain the best results if you dip the bottom of the cutting into a rooting hormone. You can make your own rooting compound using willow water. 5) Place Cutting In Potting Mix Place the cuttings you have taken into the potting mix, inserting them around the edge of the pot or container you have prepared. Cover the container with your cuttings with a cloche or plastic bag to retain moisture, or place them in a greenhouse or polytunnel out of direct sun and keep them relatively cool and moist until they root successfully. 6) Re-Pot Your New Plant The cuttings should have rooted successfully within around a month. At this point they can be potted on into their own individual containers and placed out in the garden towards the end of the summer months. Taking Semi-Ripe Cuttings The process for semi-ripe cuttings is the same as above. Cuttings are just taken a little later in the year, in mid or late summer. These should also root relatively successfully and rooting is generally quick for cuttings that are taken during the summer months. Semi-ripe cuttings are a little sturdier, and less prone to wilting than softwood hydrangea cuttings. The only difference with semi-ripe cuttings is that once rooted, these should generally be overwintered in pots on an unheated greenhouse, cold frame or polytunnel before being planted out in late spring the following year. You can also try placing semi-ripe cuttings from hydrangea directly in the soil, but these will not usually be rooted completely until late spring next year. Taking Hardwood Cuttings Hardwood cuttings are not the easiest way to propagate hydrangeas. However, since these are taken during the dormant period when there is less to do in the garden, you may find it easier to find the time for this job later in the year. As above, choose a sharp, clean pair of secateurs for the job. Prepare somewhere to place the hardwood cuttings that you take. With hardwood cuttings, you can prepare a site in the soil outside in well-drained, fertile soil with plenty of organic matter. However, with just a few cuttings, you can also place these in pots as above. Choose a vigorous and healthy shoot of this year’s growth from your hydrangea shrub. Remove the soft growth at the tip. Cut the material into sections around 15-30cm long. Cut with a slope across the top to shed water, just above a bud. And cut flat across the base just below a bud. Dip the end in rooting hormone, which also contains a fungicide to protect against rotting. Cinnamon is one DIY fungicide option to consider. Take the cuttings and place them in the soil of the area you have prepared. Two-thirds of the cutting should be below the soil surface. There should be at least 10-15cm between each hardwood cutting if they are in the ground. The cuttings should remain in place in the soil or in their pots to form roots until the following autumn, and care should be taken not to allow them to dry out through the summer months. Mature plants can grow to quite some size! And that’s it! Simply follow the steps according to the type of cutting you’re taking and watch your new Hydrangea grow and flourish!
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Pruning Wisteria Can Breathe Life Into Mature Plants - Here Are Chris O’Keefe's Top Tips
IN THIS GUIDE Why Prune Wisteria? When To Prune Wisteria Summer Maintenance Pruning Winter Maintenance Pruning Pruning For Shape And Form Espaliered Wisteria Training On Structures Pairing With Mature Trees Standard Training Dramatic Pruning To Renovate Older Wisteria Learn how to prune wisteria to keep it healthy and looking its best. Wisteria is a beautiful climbing plant – take care of it and it can really have a strong impact in your garden. But learning how to prune your plants is important – wisteria, like many other plants, will look better and be healthier if you prune it annually, at the right times and in the right ways. This might seem a little complicated at first, so in this article, we will aim to demystify and help you understand the process, so you can do it correctly in your own garden. Why Prune Wisteria? Wisteria The main reasons to prune wisteria are: Stop them becoming too large – wisteria can outgrow their location. Improve light reaching new growth – so it grows well and flower buds form as they should. Better flowering – reducing the amount of foliage growth and encouraging short, flowering spurs means you will have more flowers on your wisteria. Neatness and practicality – pruning can keep wisteria on its support structures, not overly reducing light levels or preventing egress to different parts of your garden. And it can breathe new life into old, mature plants in need of renovation. For pruning, Chris O’Keefe from The London Wisteria Company says you need: A pair of clean, sharp secateurs A safe ladder If possible, a 2nd person to hold the ladder Garden ties to tie in any new leader shoots Good weather Garden bags When To Prune Wisteria Wisterias are typically best pruned twice each year. Once in the summer – in July / August – and once in the winter – in January / February. Renovation pruning when the plants are cut back much more dramatically can also be undertaken any time over the dormant period. (Considered after leaves have fallen in autumn, and before new growth emerges in spring.) Summer Maintenance Pruning Standard summer maintenance pruning takes place after the wisteria has finished flowering. “Summer pruning normally happens between late July to August,” says Chris. “We just prune back to 5 buds. This allows airflow through the wisteria and more sunlight is allowed in, which helps ripen the buds, creating larger flowers the following year. “We also prune out any stems which have grown into roof gutters and downpipes.” The main goal of this summer pruning is to control the size of the plant. You might wish to control the size of the plant to prevent it from getting into the guttering of your home, to prevent it from covering windows, or to prevent it from outgrowing a support structure on which it grows. Summer pruning will also ensure that light reaches the growth and that the plant does not put on excessive foliar growth at the expense of flowers. In July or August, cut back each of the green, newer shoots of the growth from the current year to 5-6 leaves each. Look for the position where the softer growth joins the main branches and count the leaves from this joint. Winter Maintenance Pruning Winter pruning is mostly about making sure that the plant is tidy, in shape and healthy before the growing season begins. “With any wisteria, winter pruning is key,” says Chris. “We always hard prune between January and March back to 2-3 flowering spurs. “We then remove any dead wood and tie in any new leader stems. This is also the correct time to add more support for your wisteria if it is needed. “In some larger jobs, we totally remove the wisteria from the wall, barn, or house and strip all old supports. “We then supply new supports such as vine eyes, rope wire, and turnbuckles.” This work can be undertaken at any point while the plant is not in leaf and is within its dormant phase, but January or February is usually best. Firstly, look for the three ‘D’s. Remove any branches or shoots which are dead, damaged or diseased, leaving the healthiest shoots behind. Then, you can also cut back the same shoots which were pruned in summer once more, to leave each one with just 2-3 buds. This will help to keep the size and shape of the plant in check, and also help to reduce foliage shading on the flowers of the following season. Pruning For Shape And Form As well as thinking about the normal summer and winter maintenance pruning, you can also think about pruning for a specific shape or form. Wisteria can be grown in different forms, and can be pruned in specific ways to suit the situation. Espaliered Wisteria For example, you might grow wisteria on walls and train it as an espalier. Espalier forms are a popular choice for fruit trees, but they can also work for many climbing plants – including wisteria. “I find the espalier system is especially neat for Wisteria, as it gives flowers space to hang,” shares Master Horticulturist Peter Lickorish. “I have trained wires the whole length of a fence, tensioned at each post, to achieve this look.” Pruning for an espaliered wisteria should also be undertaken as above, twice a year. And over time, a strong spur system can be formed through selective pruning. New growth from the base of the plant can be cut off at the base, or trained for replacement shoots. Training On Structures Wisteria which have long flowering racemes will look best if they are trained on structures that allow them to hang without being impeded by foliage or branches. Training these onto pergolas, or arch structures therefore can be a good idea. “If you have an arbor or pergola, then the wisteria will naturally grow in and around it and will most likely only need attaching in key areas,” says Chris. “If you’re planting young wisteria, it’s quite fun to twist the young stems so that in time they become gnarly, twisted stems. “Always be aware of overhanging wires, roof gutters, and downpipes, as wisteria is a climbing plant and will climb if left unsupervised.” Wisteria arch As well as thinking about the maintenance pruning described above, it can also be helpful to think about thinning racemes to give the best space to develop and dangle down to create a good display. Pairing With Mature Trees Wisteria can also be positioned at the base of large, mature trees and grown into them. Pruning in these cases, however, can be challenging. It can be difficult to distinguish and reach the shoots you wish to prune when these are entangled in a canopy. In such cases, wisteria may largely be left to their own devices. However it should be noted that the species can affect the growth of each other. A large and sprawling wisteria can swamp smaller trees, and when a tree has a dense canopy, this can affect how much the wisteria flowers. Pruning in such cases will often be hampered by practicalities of reach. But you should prune both the wisteria and the tree so as to maximise light levels for both and ensure their continued health. Standard Training If you are training a wisteria as standard, in a container or in the ground, it is important to make sure there is a sturdy central support. The stem should be trained vertically up the support rather than twined for greater strength. Once the growing tip reaches the top of the central support, remove the tip in February. This will encourage the formation of side shoots. The following winter, prune the side shoots to around 15 to 30cm. Repeat this process every winter to start to form the head of the standard form. As the head forms, prune shoots that are not needed to extend the head. Cut them back to 7 leaves each summer and cut them back harder in the winter as required. Dramatic Pruning To Renovate Older Wisteria In the case of older wisteria plants, more dramatic pruning may be required to renovate them, and to make sure they do not grow out from walls, or over windows, or spill off their supports. A wisteria that has not been pruned for some time may be overgrown and need some work. You will have to begin by identifying and removing sections of the plant which are not performing as well, or which are in the way. You can cut back sections to a young, strong branch or shoot that is lower down, or, in extremes – even cut them back drastically to the main trunk, or even to ground level, where necessary. Take some time, and make a plan about which branches and shoots you wish to keep before you begin. Your aim should be to create a healthy and open framework of spaced out branches. New growth can be trained in to replace older ones you have removed and used to fill any gaps in the framework. Once you have a framework you are happy with, you should then simply continue the maintenance pruning as above.
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How To Create An Espalier Fruit Tree Screen, With Advice From A Forest Gardener
IN THIS GUIDE What Is An Espalier Fruit Tree Screen? Positioning A Fruit Tree Screen Choosing Your Fruit Trees Preparing & Planting Espalier Fruit Trees 1) Choose A Structure 2) Install Your Framework 3) Prepare A Planting Bed 4) Plant Your Fruit Tree(s) 5) Tie Side Branches Pruning Espaliered Fruit Trees References An espalier fruit tree screen can be a great way to grow fruit in your small-space garden. It can also help you improve privacy, create a windbreak, or screen an ugly wall or fence or an unsightly view. Espalier trees may take a little more maintenance than standard trees, but will take up less space, and often cast less shade, than fruit trees in other forms. Their simple, flat form can also make it easier for you to harvest the fruit from your trees. Read on to discover all about these screens and how to make one yourself. What Is An Espalier Fruit Tree Screen? The term ‘espalier’ is a French word, which means ‘something shoulder support’.1Definition of espalier. (n.d.). In www.dictionary.com. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/espalier Originally, the word was used to refer to the framework against which trees or plants were trained, but it has now come to refer to both the structure and the plants themselves. Any fruit tree that is trained to grow flat against a wall, fence or other support structure can be referred to as an espalier fruit tree. A pleached fruit tree is a related concept – this is also all about growing fruit trees on a flat plane. But with pleached trees, the horizontal branches start higher up the trunk – forming a kind of raised screen that can work very well to improve privacy when positioned in front of a lower wall or fence. Horizontal branches eventually grow together to create a single form, which can be great as a summer privacy screen. Positioning A Fruit Tree Screen An espalier fruit tree, or multiple trees, can be placed up against a wall or fence. The orientation of the wall or fence is important because it will determine which fruit trees can successfully be grown. South or west-facing structures are sunnier and will allow a wider range of fruit trees to be grown in this way – but there are also fruit trees that are suitable for growing against shadier east-facing or even north-facing walls. Another interesting thing to consider is that espalier fruit trees don’t just have to be restricted to the outer edges of your garden. By erecting a trellis as support, or a series of sturdy posts to hold the supporting wires, you can potentially create an espalier fruit tree screen to separate one part of your garden from another – to hide recycling bins, or provide privacy for a patio or seating area, for example, or to create a series of garden rooms. You might think that placing an espaliered fruit tree screen across your garden would make it feel smaller. But sometimes, partitioning your garden can have the opposite effect and actually make it feel bigger when placed in the right position. Just be sure to think about the shade that it will cast, and make sure it will not have a detrimental effect on other plants you are growing or wish to grow. Choosing Your Fruit Trees Most fruit trees commonly grown in the UK can be espaliered to grow flat against a wall, trellis or fence. However, if you are trying to create an espalier fruit tree screen, it is important to choose the right fruit tree or trees for the location. Trees that will do best on a sunny, south-facing wall include: Apricots Nectarines Peaches On any south, west or east-facing wall, you will usually be able to grow: Most Apples Damsons Most Pears Most Plums Sweet cherries And on a shadier, north-facing structure you can grow: Cooking apples or crab apples (‘James Grieve’ is one dessert and cooking apple that can cope very well with shade) Sour cherries (‘Morello’, ‘Nabella’) Some plums (‘Czar’, etc.) A few cooking pears (‘Catillac’, etc.) Typically, to create an integrated screen of trees, the trees you choose should be positioned around 3m apart. Preparing & Planting Espalier Fruit Trees There are two options if you would like to create an espalier fruit tree screen. The first option is to purchase maiden whips and train these yourself into a flat form. By far the easier option, however – and the most common – is to purchase young trees which have already been trained into this form. Ready trained trees already have branches which have been trained horizontally on their side of the main trunk. You can buy these as bare-root specimens over the winter months, or buy pot-grown fruit trees from garden centres throughout the year. Usually, pre-trained espalier fruit trees have two layers of horizontal branches, and will quickly grow to create three or four. To prepare your espalier fruit tree screen: 1) Choose A Structure Choose your existing wall or fence, or erect a new trellis support. 2) Install Your Framework Install a framework of around 4 horizontal wires, which match the distance between the horizontal branches on the tree you have chosen. Secure these horizontal wires firmly to the structure, using eye bolts or similar. 3) Prepare A Planting Bed Prepare a bed (or place large containers) at the base of the structure, a little out from the base to avoid any rain shadow. Dig holes for your fruit trees, around 15cm out from the structure (if growing in the ground). Or place your containers in the same position. 4) Plant Your Fruit Tree(s) Plant your fruit trees, making sure that they sit at the same level in the soil or growing medium as that at which they were originally planted. Water well, and firm the soil or growing medium well around the trees. Mulch well with compost/well-rotted manure or another organic material. 5) Tie Side Branches Use twine to tie side branches at several places onto the horizontal wires you have placed. If possible use natural twine rather than plastic for environmental reasons – hemp/flax twine is one good option to consider for an eco-friendly garden. “There are now many natural twines to choose from and there are thicker twines now available that are perfect for tying in larger branches,” adds Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly. “These will last 2-3 years and can be checked during pruning to see if they need replacing. “Alternatively, leather strips also make a long-lasting alternative.” Pruning Espaliered Fruit Trees The main job when creating and maintaining an espalier fruit tree screen is pruning. After planting your espalier fruit tree, leave the main stem to grow through its first spring/summer. The following winter, prune the central shoot down to the next support wire. Leave three healthy buds to form your central leader, and two side branches, which can then be tied into this next support wire. Repeat this process the following year, so branches can be tied into the upper support wire. Between July and September, maintenance pruning involves pruning the shoots growing from horizontal branches. Leave just 3-4 leaves on each. Shoots growing from the main stem should also be shortened to around 3 leaves. Over time, continue to tie down new growth at the end of horizontal branches to the wires on your support, to stop them from growing vertically. Continue to prune, water and provide nutrients for your espalier fruit trees over time and you should be able to keep them in check, healthy and productive. They should provide a screen while the leaves are on the trees, and an attractive – though bare – architectural form in winter. And they should provide plenty of fruit for you and your family, even in the smallest of spaces. If you want to make the most of all the space that is available to you, then choosing trained trees can certainly be an interesting option to consider for your garden. And remember, the trees won’t just provide an edible yield – they can also deliver a range of other benefits and can improve the amenity in your garden.
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You Can Keep Your Hydrangea Blue With An Acidifying Routine, But Is It Really Worth It?
IN THIS GUIDE Why Common Solutions Are Not A Good Idea Is Blue Hydrangea Really Right For You? How To Keep Soil Acidic For Potted Hydrangeas Alternative Shrubs With Blue Flowers Don’t Be Blue References Some hydrangeas will be pink or blue depending on the pH of the soil in a garden and its mineral composition. For blue flowers on your hydrangea the soil needs to have an acidic pH level of between 5.2 and 5.5. It will also need soil that has a high level of aluminium in its chemical, mineral composition. It is possible to keep a blue hydrangea blue, even when the soil will not naturally allow it, but you’ll need to keep up an acidifying routine over time. And it will not be the most eco-friendly or sustainable choice. Why Common Solutions Are Not A Good Idea 1) Blueing Agents / Aluminium Sulphate Do not be tempted to buy ‘blueing agents’ like aluminium sulphate! Effects are fast – and these will certainly keep blue hydrangeas blue over time. However, a lot of this substance will reduce pH more than you wish, and it can also potentially affect phosphorus levels in soil. Since phosphorus is one of three key nutrients required for plant growth, this can have detrimental effects on the garden.1 Applying aluminium sulphate can also lead to excessive and potentially toxic levels of aluminium in soil.2 This not only makes it difficult to garden successfully but also damages the precious ecosystem of the soil which – as organic gardeners – we should be doing our very best to protect. 2) Synthetic Fertilisers You should also avoid synthetic fertilisers – those which contain ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate for example. These may be somewhat effective in making soil more acidic, but the costs are too great to countenance. Avoid these harmful products at all costs to ensure that you are not contributing to our climate crisis or environmental destruction.3 The ammonia industry, from which synthetic nitrogen fertilisers are derived, is one of the most problematic and polluting industries, and one of the main contributors to global warming.4 3) Peat Don’t use sphagnum peat moss / peat to add acidity either. As an eco-friendly gardener, it is important to remember that peat bogs are an important carbon sink.5 Contributing to their destruction through your gardening practices is never a sustainable choice. Is Blue Hydrangea Really Right For You? Trying to keep blue hydrangeas blue in an area where they are not naturally this shade is a lot of work. And really, you need to ask yourself whether it is really worth the bother. Pink Hydrangeas Can Look Good Too You may prefer the blue to the pink blooms that would naturally occur on a hydrangea in the garden. But in that case, you might be better simply to select a different plant. There is nothing wrong with pink hydrangeas either. These can be attractive in a garden too if this is the natural hue for these plants where you live. So you are better to embrace the pink, or, if you really dislike the pink flowers, to remove the plant or plants and opt for a different planting scheme instead. If you do decide to grow a blue hydrangea in a garden with more neutral or alkaline soil, think carefully before you decide to bother with this. Honestly, it is far, far better to choose plants that are already ideally suited to the natural soil conditions where you live. If you really are dead set on having a blue-flowered hydrangea, it is best to grow it in a container, so you can more easily manage the intense ongoing routine and make sure you can maintain the right acidic and aluminium-rich conditions which are required without causing as much damage in the surrounding ecosystem. How To Keep Soil Acidic For Potted Hydrangeas To make sure that you maintain the right, acidic conditions for a blue hydrangea grown in a pot or container, you will need to use an ericaceous compost, and replenish it regularly. Adding sulphur, and acidic organic materials may also help to a degree, though these will only acidify soil very slowly, and will not always do so to the degree required to keep your hydrangea blooming blue. If you do consider adding sulphur to the soil, or to a growing medium you are using, remember that its efficacy will vary depending on the composition of the soil or potting mix. The acidity of the mix will also depend on the water you use to water them, and on the natural rainfall in your area, so this is another important factor to take into account. Fertilisers which are low in phosphorous and high in potassium can also be helpful in producing good blue colouration. A good fertiliser ratio to aim for is 25/5/30 NPK, though remember that you should always seek out organic fertilisers (or make your own). You will need to monitor and maintain the pH of your soil – usually through the use of soil testing kits. It might also be worth checking out other companion plants that also prefer acidic soil conditions. Alternative Shrubs With Blue Flowers If you are struggling to keep your hydrangea blue, then you may be better simply choosing an alternative shrub with blue flowers. Blue flowers can be beautiful in a garden – and hydrangeas certainly aren’t the only option. Some other shrubs with blue flowers to consider include: 1) Buddleja (e.g. ‘Empire Blue’) 2) Ceanothus (Californian lilac) 3) Caryopteris x clandonensis (Blue mist bush) 4) Hibiscus syriacus (Blue Rose of Sharon) 5) Lavenders 6) Syringa vulgaris (Lilacs, e.g. ‘Nadezhda’) 7) Rosemary Of all of these, Ceanothus is perhaps the best alternative shrub for blue flowers for areas where there is alkaline or neutral soil. It will thrive in many gardens as long as it is in a sunny spot, with moist but well-drained or well-drained soil, and will not require an intensive regime to maintain its blue blooms over time. Its blooms are even more impressive than those on a hydrangea, and there are varieties that can be chosen for true blue blooms throughout much of the year. There are also plenty of other blue flowering perennials to consider for the space vacated by a hydrangea whose blooms are somewhat variable in a garden. Don’t Be Blue If you choose the right plants for the location then you can enjoy blue blooms in the garden over a long period of time, without having to do a lot of maintenance work. Remember, it is always better to choose plants suited to the garden, rather than trying to amend conditions to suit specific plants. Choose the right plants for the right places and you can create a far more low-maintenance and eco-friendly garden. References 1. Cho, R. (2013, April 1). Phosphorus: Essential to Life—Are We Running Out? State of the Planet. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2013/04/01/phosphorus-essential-to-life-are-we-running-out/ 2. Panhwar, Q. A., Naher, U. A., Radziah, O., Shamshuddin, J., & Razi, I. M. (2015). Eliminating Aluminum Toxicity in an Acid Sulfate Soil for Rice Cultivation Using Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria. Molecules, 20(3), 3628–3646. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules20033628 3. Buckler, L. (2018, April 1). The Hidden Dangers of Chemical Fertilizers. Occupational Health & Safety. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://ohsonline.com/articles/2017/12/07/the-hidden-dangers-of-chemical-fertilizers.aspx 4. Ammonia emissions from agriculture continue to pose problems for Europe. (2019, June 28). European Environment Agency. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/ammonia-emissions-from-agriculture-continue 5. Peatlands store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests. (2019, February 1). United Nations Environment Programme. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/peatlands-store-twice-much-carbon-all-worlds-forests
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