In partnership with Claire Jones Gardens
At this time of year the garden is slowing down but there’s still lots to do……
- Apply a lawn feed high in potassium to toughen up grass for the winter, this is best done after scarifying and aerating.
- Autumn is a great time to divide clumps of summer ๏ฌowering perennials, unless the ground is very wet in which case wait until spring.
- Order your bulbs now ยญ- so that you can look forward to beautiful displays in the spring. Narcissus (Daffodils) are best planted as early in the season as possible. Tulips can be planted as late as December as long as the ground is not frozen, they wonโt start to put roots down until the temperature has dropped.
- If you havenโt done it already, deadhead and lightly clip your Lavender, avoid cutting into woody stems as they will not reยญgenerate reliably.
- Apply Vine Weevil control to pots if they show telltale signs of notched leaf margins.
- Sow hardy annuals such as Ammi, Corn๏ฌowers & Cerinthe.
- Collect ripe seed from your favourite ๏ฌowers and store in labelled envelopes ready to sow in the spring.
- Plant a container for autumn interest using Cyclamen, Heathers, Heucheras and colourful bedding.
- Plant evergreen shrubs and conifers while the soil is still warm.
- Reduce the height of shrub roses to reduce wind rock damage through the winter.
- Plant Wall๏ฌowers, Pansies and Forgetmenot and underplant with bulbs for a blast of Spring colour next year.
- Move tender plants into a greenhouse or conservatory.
Bulbs, Bulbs, Bulbsโฆ
Now is the time of year to buy and plant Spring ๏ฌowering bulbs.
Planted when dormant, bulbs are a small powerhouse that bursts into ๏ฌower a few months later, giving a stunning display of colourful ๏ฌowers. The term โbulbโ often refers not only to true bulbs such as daffodils and tulips but also tubers, corms and rhizomes. Most bulbs need a sunny spot with wellยญ-drained soil. However, some bulbs such as Snowdrops or Narcissi will also grow in part shade. Bulbs look good planted in drifts among perennials, spring bulbs are particularly useful planted under deciduous shrubs in borders.
If space is limited a pot full of bulbs near a door, or entrance can bring much joy. It’s important to plant bulbs at the right depth, too deep is better than too shallow. As a general rule, plant the bulbs three times their own depth. Pictured is Tulip โElegant Ladyโ planted on mass under crab apples in my garden. They have proved to be relatively perennial. I recommend buying bulbs early in the season, but if you plan to plant tulips they are best planted in November or December. The colder temperatures help to wipe out viral and fungal diseases that lurk in the soil and may affect the bulb. Planting late is a traditional means of protection.
Other spring ๏ฌowering bulbs can be planted anytime in the autumn with the exception of Snowdrops, these resent drying out completely and so are best bought and planted in the green after ๏ฌowering in the spring.
