| Eighteenth edition - October 2002
Autumn, the season of falling leaves and faltering sun, copper tints
and subtle colours. This month trees and shrubs take on a new look and give their final
fling before winter`s onslaught - a spectacular sight. It is a time for walking in the
woods, shuffling along in the crisp, crackling, fallen leaves, searching for chestnuts
with grandchildren, or just walking the dogs..
A sure sign that autumn is upon us is when next year`s seed catalogues
plop through the letter box with a resounding thud. It is always a pleasure to curl up in
front of a log fire on a winter`s day doing some armchair gardening, planning next years
displays and making a note of any changes to be made to the garden. I sign up for as
many news letters and catalogues as I can and enjoy them all!
The last decade has seen longer summers with shorter, milder winters. I
can`t remember when, here in the Midlands we last had a significant snow fall. The new
milder climate appears to have upset the flowering schedules of many of my plants and
shrubs, which now have extended flowering times. I have spoken to other keen gardeners who
tell me the same phenomenon has occurred in their gardens. For example, I have several
Mahonia Charity shrubs which would normally flower from late autumn through to early
spring, approximately November through to February. But they have been flowering their
heads off since the third week in August and look set to continue for weeks
yet.
Our dogs are settling down together now but seem to have made some new
paths through our flower borders, which I intend to block off by some strategic planting
of tough miniature conifers that need moving from elsewhere. I hope this will deter them
from charging through where they shouldn`t go...
Keep the e-mails with
your gardening problems coming
October Spotlight
The four main
winter months each year can seem pretty drab and colourless in the garden, so this month I
shall be explaining how you can make your winter garden more appealing and colourful
Jobs for the month - October
 House plants
If you took any house plants outside for the summer, now is the time to
bring them back in, before any early frosts kill them. Reduce watering to a minimum this
month. Check all houseplants for any pests and diseases and treat accordingly referring to
your gardening books.
Lawns
Have you given your lawn it`s autumn `weed and feed` and a good
raking? Follow instructions regarding the composting of treated clippings. Try not
to walk on worm casts, instead wait for a dry day when you can brush them with a stiff
yard brush to disperse them. Don`t try to discourage worms, they are the good guys..
Herbaceous borders
Continue dead-heading, weeding and hoeing, to keep the borders looking
neat. The mild weather has ensured a stunning late display of Chrysanthemums and Dahlias
which are mixing with the still flowering bedding plants, combining to make the garden
packed full of summer colour.
 Vegetables
The runner beans have become woody, but if you leave a few to ripen on the
plants, you will get seed for next year. This is the main month for preparing the soil for
next year`s crops. Finish lifting all root vegetables and protect cauliflower heads from
any unexpected frosts.
Ponds
 Put a wire mesh lid over the pond to keep the falling leaves from adding
to the rotting plants and producing gases that can harm the fish. This is a good month for
building an extension to an existing pond, or creating a new one. It can then have a
chance to overwinter and be ready for occupation next spring. The frogs in my garden are
still active due to the very warm weather we have had recently.
Wildlife
Dozy hedgehogs can be encouraged to spend the winter in your garden if you
provide shelter in a container for hibernation. They can be fed on worms and milk..
Squirrels hibernate on and off, sleeping for long periods, but waking when refreshed.
Rabbits, foxes and moles don`t hibernate at all, but forage what they can during the
winter months. Foxes are now becoming an every day sight as are the gulls which used to be
seaside birds. Why not take a look round your garden and see if you can identify which
birds have nested there this year - identifiable by their nests. An old nest will look
tatty and unused, whilst one that has been recently occupied will look comparatively fresh
with an area of droppings around it and even maybe an infertile egg remaining..
Some websites of interest to gardeners:-
www.alantitchmarsh.co.uk
Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and thoroughly nice person.
Just a few choice words to describe the peoples` favourite TV gardener. See his
website....
 Thompson and Morgan:
A growing
resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes the international online seed
catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK only), the wholesale seeds catalogue, together
with the award winning Germination Times and a host of other useful information.
www.carryongardening.co.uk
 Gardening is an important part of many people's lives. You don't have to
give up gardening because of accident or illness, the onset of disability or the problems
associated with growing older. The information on their website is designed to provide you
with the information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on
Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity Thrive
and is funded by the National Lottery Charities
Board. It brings together information on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23
years by Thrive and research carried out since the early 1970s by Mary Marlborough Centre,
Oxford, on tools and equipment for disabled and older people.
www.edenproject.com 
The
living theatre of plants and people
The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and people. A meeting place for
all to discover how we depend on plants and how we can help to manage and conserve them
for our mutual survival.
The founder
of www.maple-landscapes.com
is my eldest son.. give him a call if you live in the Leicester area of the UK and have
need of his services..
Good reading:-
"The Yellow Book" contains information of
all Gardens of England and Wales open for charity, and can be bought priced £5 from
National Gardens Scheme www.ngs.org.uk
National Trust Gardens Handbook is £6.99 and
the new edition is out in May Telephone 01394 389 950 or see their website www.nationaltrust.org.uk
RHS Garden Finder is £12.99 from Dorling
Kindersley www.dk.com
Have a look at previous
editions of Gardener`s Diary
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