Amateur Gardening – 24 August 2019

24 AUGUST 2019AMATEUR GARDENING 5

Catchingup:Innextweek’sAG(intheshops 27 August)

I take alookat thoseessentialgardeningjobsthat

need doing as summer draws to a close.

Planting a late-summer container

2

Ifyouarereusinga container,wash

it outwelltoremoveoldcompost,

pest eggs and disease spores.

3

Putcrocksatthebottomandfill

withcontainercompost.Addthe

central plant, loosening the roots first.

5

Standthepotonfeetandwater

well.Keepcompostdamp,

watering each day if necessary.

1

Standplantsin waterforatleast

30 minutessotheir roots have a

thorough soak.

Step

by step

4

Addtheotherplantsaroundthe

edge,teasingouttheirrootsand

infilling between with more compost.

Jewel-brightindoorcyclamen

(Cyclamenpersicum) area delightin

winter,andif youhavestoredyours

throughsummer now is the time to

restartthem.

Whentheirleavesyellowand

witherin spring,stopwateringand

storesomewherecool,dryand

frost-free(theyarenothardy).

In latesummerorearlyaugust

theywillthrowoutnewshoots,so

repotthemandstarttowateragain.

If youwaterbeforenewgrowth

appears,holdoffanymorewatering

untilyouseesignsof life.

Placesomewherecoolandlight,

waterwhenneededandthey should

flower after Christmas.

Restarting

cyclamen

RestartwateringCyclamen

persicumin latesummer

or when shoots appear

Cyclamenwillflower

after Christmas

Beat pests and problems

Plantslookbetterandlastlongerwhenthey are healthy

S

UMMERis a boomtimeforpest

anddiseases,sogettoknow

yourenemyand you can keep

thematbay.

Vineweevilsarea particularproblem

forcontainers.Theadultsbitenotches

outof theedgeof leaveswhilethe

youngcauseevenmoredevastationby

eatingtheroots(a seriousproblemin

severeinfestations),whichwillkillthe

plantif actionis nottakensoonenough.

Treatmentsincludeliftingplants,

washingtherootsthoroughlyandthen

repottingin freshcompost– whichmay

notguaranteeanendtotheproblem

• orusinga chemicalornematode soil
  drenchtokillthepests.
  If youhavea vineweevilproblem
  withcontainededibleplants,onlyuse
  thenematodes,thoughthechemicalis
  fineforornamentaluseaslongasthe
  manufacturer’sinstructions are
  followedtotheletter.
  Adultweevilscanbepicke
  offat nightandsquashed,
  andslugsandsnailscan
  alsoberemovedbyhand.
  Lacewing,hoverflyand
  ladybirdlarvae,aswellas
  gardenbirds,willpredate
  aphidsandtheirilk.
  Fungaldiseases,including
  chrysanthemum white rust and powdery

mildew,canbea problemandmay

needa fungicidespraytocombat

Alternatively,removeand

poseof affectedplants

ndplantmaterial,and

uarantinenewplants.

Avoidproblemswhen

lantingin futureyearsby

vingeachplantplentyof

ace,asgoodairflowanda

betweeneachonewill

ly reducethe risk of

fungal problems.

Vineweevilgrubswilleatplantroots

and kill plants unless they are treated

Chrysanthemum

white rust

Pickoffsnails

and slugs

Feedwithliquidtomatofood weekly

and deadhead regularly