Gardening

MERRY BERRIES

Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

Following the combination of the hot summer and the nights in recent weeks starting to get cooler, plants are responding with subtle changes in colour of foliage, stem and, of course, ripening berries. Those colours now are well and truly formed and to me are a great delight.

Ornamental berries have been great on Hawthorns, Rowans, Cotoneaster, Spindleberry and Pyracantha. There are some really good varieties of Pyracantha grown not just for their great fruit but also because of their natural disease resistance. These are the Sapphyr range and include Sapphyr Orange, Red and Yellow. Pyracantha or Firethorn is best grown against a wall or fence, not because it needs the support or protection but because it is then easier to keep the plants under control using pruning and tying techniques.

Equally, Cotoneaster are often seen against the wall but with the vast range of habits and sizes, Cotoneaster is a very useful genus of plants and can be used in just about every situation in the garden. Some are evergreen, others lose their leaves and some sit in between the two as semi-evergreens losing their leaves in tough winters or at the end of the winter as new leaves form. Varieties range in growth from prostrate ground-hugging forms such as Queen of Carpets through semi-prostrate forms with arching branches (Cotoneaster Coral Beauty) up to large shrubs or small trees including Cotoneaster Cornubia, a large grower with red berries. There is also a similar-sized yellow-berried form C. Rothchildianus. A very useful variety, which will happily act as a lowgrowing wall shrub is Cotoneaster horizontalis.

There is also a remarkable range in the Euonymus genus. Many gardeners don’t connect the very useful low-growing evergreens E. Emerald ‘n Gold and E. Emerald Gaiety with the Spindleberries which are taller, deciduous and grown for their berries, autumn colour and stem interest. The latter include varieties such as, Red Cascade which has a mass of pinky-red fruit in the autumn. For autumn colour though the Euonymus alatus is superb with fiery red colours in the leaves which when fallen reveal a strange bark with winged edges giving interest throughout the winter. One of my favourites is Euonymus phellomanus, which combines the best of both varieties. It has winged bark, great autumn colours though butter yellow not red, and lots of fruit.

There are some very tasty new varieties of Hypericum with stunning berries. You may well have

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seen these in arrangements from florists as they make a great cut ‘flower’, brightening up bouquets. Look out for Magical Lightning with its red berries after yellow spring flowers and Magical Pumpkin with salmon pink berries. Both are compact growers and make a fabulous display in the late months of the summer through to early winter.

If these others are in the wrong scale range for you then berries can be found on a number of lower-growing plants, some of which are great for winter tubs. The berries of Gaultheria procumbens (pictured) commonly known as Wintergreen are red and will last through the winter months. This is an acid lover but will sit through the winter very happily with autumn and winter bedding before needing to be moved into a pot with some ericaceous compost should your soil not be suitable.

Berries have ripened early this year with the heat and some, such as blackberries, are over too soon which could make life difficult for wildlife. Perhaps, though the abundance as seen on my mum’s yellow-berried holly (Ilex Bacciflava) may be enough to last the winter.

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BACK FROM THE BRINK

Joelle Lindsay, Sherborne Turf

After a summer of heat and drought (and little that can be done for your lawn), it’s now time to get busy with repairs.

Autumn is an incredibly important time for lawn care and in many cases, October is the last opportunity to get your lawn ready for the winter ahead. With the days getting shorter, the temperatures getting cooler and the possibility of an increase in rainfall, it can seem as if there’s so much to do in so little time, but these six simple steps will help you to prepare your lawn for the winter:

Scarify Put simply, rake your grass. If you have a look at your lawn, you’ll probably notice a layer of light brown debris, called thatch, covering the soil that can easily be removed. This will have served a purpose during the hot summer we’ve had, protecting the roots from the heat of the sun, and helping to retain the little water left in the soil. As the weather cools, however, it becomes important to remove the thatch in order to let light, water, fertiliser and seed through.

Removing this layer is easy to do with a good quality rake. Simply rake away as much of the thatch as possible. For larger areas, an electric-powered scarifier may make life easier. If it’s the first time you’ve done this, it can be a little daunting to see how much comes away as you rake but persevere to give your lawn the best chance of recovery.

Removing the thatch layer from the lawn will minimise disease in the coming winter months by reducing the material pathogens need to thrive.

Aerate After scarifying, you’ll be able to see the quality of the soil beneath. There’s a strong chance it will be compacted due to heavy use over the spring and summer. This

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means it is solid and pressed together so water will struggle to reach the grass roots and will just run off the surface. This may in turn lead to water-logging. To prevent this, aerate or spike your lawn using a lawn aerator with solid tines or spikes. After a drought it is a good idea to use something with narrower spikes – items such garden forks with larger tines may not help. Make sure you aerate before fertilising your lawn.

Fertilise With the cooler weather and heavier rainfall, autumn is the perfect time to apply fertiliser or conditioner. This will protect the lawn over the winter months. The best fertiliser will be lower in nitrogen and higher in iron. Now is also the perfect time to use soil conditioner, which purifies the soil, improving root mass and nutrient uptake while increasing resistance to disease and pests, protecting the lawn as it enters

Improve the surface If you have aerated your lawn and feel that the surface needs evening out, an application of top-dressing will smooth the lawn surface and correct any irregularities. A mixture of sand and compost will help improve drainage whilst stimulating healthy grass growth and improving the appearance of the lawn’s surface.

Re-seed Here in the South West we have a wider window of opportunity to sow grass seed should we need to, with October being the latest. Keep an eye on the weather as particularly heavy rainfall or cold temperatures will prevent germination, whereas light rainfall and warmer temperatures will encourage it.

Mow It is important to continue mowing your lawn throughout the colder months. I would recommend cutting little and often, then collecting the cuttings and any leaf fall to keep for compost and mulch. Don’t mow when the grass is wet as this can spread disease such as red thread, as well as potentially damaging your mower.

If your lawn is considered beyond repair and you’ve decided to lay new turf, autumn is the perfect time to do so. Thanks to the cooler, wetter weather, a newly laid lawn has the perfect opportunity to establish good root growth without growing too quickly (which it would do in warmer months). Higher rainfall means you would need to use less water. Shorter days mean people will be spending less time outside walking across the grass, avoiding compaction.

If you are planning on laying new turf, remember to prepare the ground thoroughly first, removing larger stones and applying a layer of fertiliser. After the turf is laid, remember to ensure it is well watered (so keep an eye on the weather), avoid walking on it, and give the lawn about three weeks to take root before mowing. When you mow for the first time, keep the mower at its highest setting to avoid stressing the grass, then cut little and often through the winter months.

Remember, establishing good lawn maintenance now will pay off as the weather warms up again next year.

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CLOSER TO NATURE

Simon Ford, Land and Nature Adviser

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We read in the papers and see television programmes promoting the value of nature to our well-being. It is quite hard to know what people mean by ‘nature’ and indeed what they perceive as ‘outdoors’. I guess it means different things to different people and perhaps we should not get too hung up about it.

Some people love to spend time pottering in their garden, others visiting the park or beach, while the more adventurous prefer to go for a long walk or climb a mountain. Some people are happy seeing a grey squirrel in a tree or seeing squabbling sparrows on the bird feeder, while others seek out a rare osprey or an endangered orchid. The main thing is whatever they do, they can switch off from their normal routine and the depressing news and enjoy the sights and sounds (and sometimes smells!) of the great outdoors. Apparently, your blood pressure immediately drops and you feel better. I can certainly personally vouch for that, whether being in the garden or up on Bulbarrow or Old Harry Rocks. I am not too bothered if it is blowing a gale or raining (providing I have a decent coat), and if I am being honest, the outdoors beats the indoors every time for me!

Maybe it was reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons as a child and all of the adventures they had, that did it, or was it something deeper? I also loved nature from a very early age and joined the Young Ornithological Club (YOC), volunteered with the Wildlife Trust carrying out coppicing and ‘scrub bashing’ and helped clear old shopping trollies and bicycles from our local canal.

I have been incredibly lucky to have spent 40 years in my dream jobs in nature conservation and the countryside, whether it was with the National Parks on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Australia, the Wildlife Trusts,

Natural England or the National Trust.

In England, we have an extensive network of footpaths and bridlepaths and in cities such as London, there are some amazing parks such as Hampstead Heath, St James Park, Richmond Park and Clapham Common. However, sadly for many people, there are very few paths or open spaces to visit and the only walks or cycle rides are along narrow pavements, buffeted by lorries and speeding cars.

During the Covid lockdowns, it became so apparent that people wanted to get out for fresh-air and exercise. I met people on paths where I had never seen a soul before and saw people cycling the byways and bridlepaths.

What depresses me is seeing ‘Private, Keep Out’ signs being plastered across the woods and countryside and well-used casual paths being fenced-off, stopping pleasant circular routes. Cyclists are being forced to go up busy narrow roads, where there are excellent alternatives away from any traffic.

Another outdoor activity I enjoy is canoeing which is a lovely peaceful way to enjoy the countryside and to see wildlife. Sadly though, access on foot or by canoe is only permitted on 3% of our rivers in England and Wales, meaning long journeys to find somewhere to enjoy.

In Scotland and in much of Scandinavia, there is a presumption in favour of open access to the majority of the land. Many people will have heard of Kinder Scout in the Peak District, where people from the large cities of Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and elsewhere became fed up with being unable to walk on the beautiful open hills and mountains and held a mass trespass, 90 years ago. This spawned improved public access to some of the uplands, but less so in the lowlands where most people live.

It is however vitally important that those visiting the countryside respect that it is a working environment where people make a living. Leaving litter, leaving gates open or letting dogs chase stock is not acceptable and understandably creates tension.

Maybe when you are on a walk, take a bag and pick up any rubbish you see and some secateurs and trim back any brambles on the path. Hopefully we will in time see improved access and there will be more opportunities for everyone to ‘get outdoors and closer to nature’.

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LIVING THE GOODDEN LIFE

Nico and Chrystall Goodden

Image: Nico Goodden

October last year was the time we really got into fungi and decided to step up our knowledge of this misunderstood and often demonised food group.

Back in France where I grew up, people just learn to recognise the good ones and the bad ones. After all, one would not pick just any berry while out on a walk and eat it as it could be poisonous. Instead, we learn what a blackberry looks like and we can safely eat them. Why can’t it be the same with fungi?

While we built up our knowledge of mushrooms through books and observation, we decided to begin cultivating mushrooms at home in order to diversify the food we grow and also have a meat substitute available. However much we enjoy meat, we try to eat less and mushrooms have that great meaty texture.

We ordered pre-inoculated bags of grain spawn so we could grow pink oysters, yellow oysters, pearl oysters and enoki mushrooms indoors. We bought inoculated wood dowels which we’d hammer into holes we’d drilled into freshly cut logs from recently felled trees. In fact, we inserted 390 of them into 13 logs. They include shiitake, Lion’s Mane, reishi and I somehow forgot the fourth. And finally, we created a mushroom bed outdoors with semi-composted organic matter from the garden and the kitchen which we inoculated with Wine Cap mushrooms.

The indoor mushrooms did very well – we followed instructions to the letter and were rewarded with many flushes of delicious and fresh exotic mushrooms. This opened up new avenues in our cooking through their unique taste and texture.

The outdoor ones, time will tell. At the time of writing, no mushroom has emerged. It can and often does take longer than a year to produce fungi.

My valid concern is the lack of rainfall we suffered from in the past year. Admittedly this was the worst year to begin outdoor mushroom cultivation and we should have watered our logs profusely to help the mushroom mycelium populate the wood. I didn’t fancy wasting water spraying logs all summer long while waiting for the rain. It felt somewhat wrong and therefore they may have

dried up and not produce anything.

Time will tell and in the grand scheme of things, it barely matters since we made an incredible discovery. One autumn morning after a light frost I went out for a walk and ventured into a corner of the woods I’d never been to before. There was really no reason for me to step out of my usual territory and that particular area was hard to access but I pushed through. It was as if I was called by something, attracted by some sort of magnet.

Then it presented itself to me. Like a beacon, THE most gigantic white mushroom growing on a fallen tree across a stream. In fact, this was no ordinary mushroom. I’d stumbled upon the largest Blue Oyster mushroom I’d ever seen and the first I’d ever found in the wild. I could barely contain my excitement and probably let out a little scream of joy.

There was no jumping over the stream, it was simply too wide. I went home and got my ladder which I extended across the stream and proceeded gingerly across while whistling to myself the Indiana Jones theme tune, which felt appropriate.

The mushroom was perfect, not just big but pure white with an almost gunmetal blue/grey cap. It smelt strongly of aniseed, a dead giveaway for Pleurotus Ostreatus. I picked it and saw another behind it, and another, and another… My basket quickly became full.

I spent the following days looking for other spots and found a total of six locations with incredibly large flushes of pearl oyster mushrooms. I yielded probably 10 pounds in one picking. It blew my mind that such delicate and delicious food would grow within a relatively short walk of my house – shorter than driving to the shops that’s for certain.

It woke me up to the fact that there is an abundance of fungi (and food) everywhere. Not all are edible but once you start looking you will see more, I guarantee you.

Other edible mushrooms we enjoy foraging are the parasol mushroom, velvet shank mushrooms (a wild form of Enoki), meadow waxcaps, wood ears, St George mushroom for food but also turkey tail and birch polypore for medicinal use and immune system-boosting properties. Turkey tail is omnipresent and the only fungus from which a recognised anti-cancer drug is produced.

Of course no mushroom discussion can be without the usual warning to only eat what you are 100% sure of. Don’t be in a rush to eat just anything you find, buy a good book (Mushrooms by the late Roger Phillips), be thorough in your identification, and use common sense. In doubt, even the smallest, don’t eat.

Simply knowing two of the most dangerous mushrooms (the subtly named death cap and the destroying angel) can save your life since they are responsible for over 95% of all mushroom-related deaths.

Be a little adventurous and embrace the bounty mother nature offers. Locally foraged food not only feeds our hungry stomachs but also provides the best medicine. It is packed full of the good things we need and that’s because it grows where we exist – there’s a reason it grows here. We (should) look after the mushrooms by protecting their environment and the mushroom will provide us with health benefits. This is how the world should run – a symbiotic relationship between all things where all benefit from each other.

We hope our love for fungi will convince a few of you to look at mushrooms differently and perhaps if you don’t enjoy eating them, start by spotting them for fun, document them with a camera and your appreciation will grow, as did ours.

Happy October foraging!

Nico: @nicholasgoodden Chrystall: @thegooddenlife creativebritishgarden.com

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