AUTUMN IS APPROACHING
This month as autumn approaches it is time to give some thought to getting the garden ready for the colder months ahead. It is an ideal time to begin getting plants ready for the winter and to plant spring bulbs, harvest fruit and vegetables.
Plant bare-rooted, deciduous trees and shrubs now, during their dormant season. Some people have a fear of buying bare rooted plants, but if you buy them as soon as they appear in the shops/garden centres, there is no problem at all, they are much cheaper than potted ones and will establish quickly, especially if care is taken in soil preparation.
Plant spring bulbs as long as the ground is workable
If any major tree pruning is required to remove large branches, now is the time to do it. Remember, major jobs require a tree surgeon.
Keep an eye out for unwanted seedlings of native trees and pull them out while still small. This will save a lot of trouble later on.
The bulbs of spring flowering tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus are planted during the autumn months of September, October and November. Select good firm, disease free bulbs. Plant the bulbs three times deeper than the greatest diameter of the bulb. For example, crocus bulbs that usually have about a one-inch diameter should be planted three inches deep. The bulbs will grow and flower best in well-drained soil.
Pot up some spring flowering bulbs for indoor colour during the winter. Store the pots in a cool, dark place, until new growth emerges from the soil, and then move them to a bright window.
Take semi-hardwood cuttings of holly, cherry laurel and evergreen conifers. Select a stem- tip from the current season's growth. Cut straight above a node to give a cutting 10-15cm in length. Remove all but the top two leaves. Slice 3cm of bark from one side of the cutting at the base. Dip the wound in hormone rooting powder, then insert into cuttings compost or a free draining mixture of peat and bark. Ensure the cutting will stand upright. Firm in and water well. Kept humid and frost free (in a cold frame or propagator) cuttings will root in the winter and can be potted on in spring. A good hint for you, put your cuttings around the edge of the pot, this way, they will not get too water bound, and will root better and quicker.
As perennials fade away, mark their locations with small sticks. Some might not be apparent after the winter and might be disrupted by spring cultivating.
Herbaceous plants can be tidied up and cut back now. Don't be in too much of a hurry, though, as the 'skeletons' of many plants can be very decorative in their own right. If your soil is light, you can lift, divide and replant many perennials over the next couple of months, but only when it's not too wet.
Plants divided in very wet weather or planted in heavy soil are prone to rot.
Plant spring bedding now so that it gets a chance to establish. This will give an earlier display next year.
If you want to add some colour to the garden this winter, try pansies. The pansies are particularity nice to plant when planting bulbs, because they reach their peak of beauty in the springtime, just about the same time the bulbs bloom.
Perennials can be started from seed this month. Simply scatter the seeds in a row or in open beds. Then the young seedlings can be transplanted into a permanent spot next spring.
Put in new heathers. Plant them an inch deeper in the soil than in the pot so they are nice and sturdy.
IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN
Dig up your rosemary, basil, tarragon, oregano, marjoram, thyme, parsley, and chives to grow them inside as houseplants. Keep them in a cool, sunny spot, and allow the soil to dry out before watering. Snip off the leaves as needed in the kitchen, but do not strip them completely
Tidy up your mint, I have mine in a pot, and every year or so, I empty out, and remove the older part of the plant, and pot up the younger growth.
Cut and store marrows before the frosts.
Put cloches over late salad crops such as lettuce and radish to keep them cropping. Look out for slugs
Horticultural.
No comments:
Post a Comment