Who knows what to expect weatherwise this month? The year seems to have been quite a mix and not too great for the gardener - still things have caught up and even though there is rain in the forecast for September there is lots to enjoy and plenty to keep you busy in the garden this month.
The approach of Autumn is a fantastic time of year to plant your spring bulbs, feed your lawn or prepare for your winter vegetable planting. Sow hardy annuals now for spring flowers the following year. The seeds can be sown in spring but sowing in autumn often results in earlier flowers and more robust plants. Sowing hardy annuals is easy - either sow in rows, or broadcast the seed on a prepared seedbed. Particular favourites are Love-in-a-mist - a cottage garden favourite, Corn Flowers - makes an excellent cut flower, California poppy brings swathes of bright orange-yellow to borders, self-seeds readily so once sown you will enjoy them every year and lastly Poppies - opium, field and ladybird poppy can all be sown now.
It's is a good time to take cuttings of many plants. Some plants, such as half-hardy perennials or tender shrubs, may not make it through the winter, so by taking cuttings you can ensure that you can enjoy them the following year. Taking cuttings in autumn is also a good way to increase your stock of your favourite plants and save money. Take semi-ripe cuttings, from this year's growth. They are woody at the base and soft at the tip. In autumn, hormone levels are high, so plants should root and grow well, the hard base makes the cuttings less likely to rot and, if you have some, hormone rooting powder helps. Give it a go! There are no gardening mistakes only experiments.
Tomatoes and outdoor lettuce should be in abundance and the winter vegetables should be coming into their own. There should be plenty of fresh garden vegetables to enjoy if you have managed to get some planted as long as the caterpillars, slugs and birds leave you some. Make room in your greenhouse or windowsill and pot up your parsley, mint and chives and they will keep growing over winter. Whatever you have - garden or just pots - just make sure you enjoy what has grown, learn by your mistakes and never give up.
Gardening is too precious and plants gives us more than we realise.
Alan Caswell
The approach of Autumn is a fantastic time of year to plant your spring bulbs, feed your lawn or prepare for your winter vegetable planting. Sow hardy annuals now for spring flowers the following year. The seeds can be sown in spring but sowing in autumn often results in earlier flowers and more robust plants. Sowing hardy annuals is easy - either sow in rows, or broadcast the seed on a prepared seedbed. Particular favourites are Love-in-a-mist - a cottage garden favourite, Corn Flowers - makes an excellent cut flower, California poppy brings swathes of bright orange-yellow to borders, self-seeds readily so once sown you will enjoy them every year and lastly Poppies - opium, field and ladybird poppy can all be sown now.
It's is a good time to take cuttings of many plants. Some plants, such as half-hardy perennials or tender shrubs, may not make it through the winter, so by taking cuttings you can ensure that you can enjoy them the following year. Taking cuttings in autumn is also a good way to increase your stock of your favourite plants and save money. Take semi-ripe cuttings, from this year's growth. They are woody at the base and soft at the tip. In autumn, hormone levels are high, so plants should root and grow well, the hard base makes the cuttings less likely to rot and, if you have some, hormone rooting powder helps. Give it a go! There are no gardening mistakes only experiments.
Tomatoes and outdoor lettuce should be in abundance and the winter vegetables should be coming into their own. There should be plenty of fresh garden vegetables to enjoy if you have managed to get some planted as long as the caterpillars, slugs and birds leave you some. Make room in your greenhouse or windowsill and pot up your parsley, mint and chives and they will keep growing over winter. Whatever you have - garden or just pots - just make sure you enjoy what has grown, learn by your mistakes and never give up.
Gardening is too precious and plants gives us more than we realise.
Alan Caswell
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