Amateur Gardening – 10 August 2019

12 AMATEUR GARDENING10 AUGUST 2019

Sowin latesummerorautumnforspring,saysRuth

T

HEREaretwoschoolsof
thoughtwhenit comesto
sowinghardyannuals.Some
saysowin springwhenthe
weatheris startingtowarmupand
there’slesschanceofseedsrottingin
cold,wetsoilorbecoming snacks for
hungrypests.
Theothersaysthatautumnis a good
timetosowbecausethesoilis stillwarm
fromsummersoseedsgetestablished,
starttogrowandwillhavea headstart
comenextspring,producinglarger
plantsandearlierflowers.
Idobothtocreatea successionof
bloomsfromlatespringthroughto
autumn.I keepclochesandfleeceto
handtoprotectseedlingsfromfreezing
in winter,andpatrolforslugsandsnails
whenseedlingscomethoughin spring.
Hardy annuals that can be sown now

withoutprotectionincludequaking

grass,calendula,nigellaandpoppies.

Thosethatmayneedprotectingfrom

frostincludecerinthe (honeywort) and

Californiapoppy.

Scatterseedsthinlyontosoilthathas

beenweeded,clearedof debrisand

watered.Coverthem with a thin layer

of soilafterwards.

Alternatively,sowin straightlines

called‘drills’thataremarkedwith

lengthsof twinesecuredbetweentwo

sticks.Thisis idealif youaregrowing

colourfulflowersforcuttingand

arrangingastheyareeasiertoaccess.

Beforesowing,checkthesuitability

forautumnsowing:HAstandsfor‘hardy

annual’seedsthatcanbesownnow.

HHAstandsfor‘half-hardyannuals’–

thesearenotfrost-proofsoshould be

sown undercover next spring.

10-11:MeettheExperts– Carnivorous

Plants:RHSHarlowCarr,CragLane,

Harrogate,NorthYorksHG31QB.

✆ 0203176 5830,rhs.org.uk/

gardens/harlow-carr

11:LocalProduceShow:RHSGarden

Rosemoor,GreatTorrington,

Rosemoor,Torrington,DevonEX

8PH.✆ 0203176 5830, rhs.org.uk/

gardens/rosemoor

12:RHSMembersGardening

Advice:RHSHarlowCarr

16:AnIntroductiontoHandstitched

Patchwork:RHSGardenHydeHall,

CreephedgeLane,Rettendon,

Chelmsford,EssexCM38ET.✆ 0845

265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/

hyde-hall

16-18:RHSRosemoorFlower

Show:RHSGardenRosemoor

16:RHSMembersGardening

Advice:RHSHarlowCarr

17:BeekeepingDemonstration:

RHSHarlowCarr

17:NaturalDyeingwithKitchen

Botanics:RHSGardenHydeHall

17:IntroductiontoDryStone

Walling:RHSHarlowCarr

18:ClassicCarShow: RHS

GardenHydeHall

19:RHSMembersGardening

Advice:RHSHarlowCarr

21:Walkiesat Wisley:RHSWisley,

WisleyLane,Woking,SurreyGU

6QB.✆ 08456121 253, rhs.org.uk/

gardens/wisley

23:RHSMembersGardening

Advice:RHSHarlowCarr

23:WisleyLiveLates:RHSWisley

24:BeekeepingDemonstration:

RHSHarlowCarr

26:ReallyWildLearningwith Kim

Insull: RHS Rosemoor

■Senddetailsandimagesof

[email protected]

■Alldetailsaresubjecttochangewithoutourknowledge,

sopleasecheckthat the event is still going ahead before

leaving home.

Things to

do near you

Thereareclassiccarsonshow

at RHS Hyde Hall (18 August)

What’s

on

Keeping seeds and seedlings safe

2

Usea clocheorfleecetoprotect

yourseedlingsfromwinterfrosts

andcoldsnapsin late spring and

early summer.

1

Chemicaldeterrentsstopcats

usingtheseedbedasa toilet,

whilea layeroftwigsoverthetop

will keep off birds and mice.

Sowannualseedsonto

soilthathasbeen

weeded anddampened

with water

Nigellacan

withstand

cold weather

Drillsowingis ideal

for a cutting garden

Morguefile