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Fifty second edition - September 2005
Autumn once more!
The recent rain, after quite a dry summer, has quickly
'greened up' the lawns round and about and it is amazing to see how
resilient the summer bedding plants are, for one minute they are totally
bedraggled and sodden, the next flowering their heads off again.
This month I shall remind you about
harvesting and storing seeds so you can have a glorious floral
display in your garden and save money in future years at the same time.
Make the most of the last few weeks of summer by visiting
some late flower shows, having a barbecue, or just plain lazing in the
garden, for all too soon the days will be shorter and summer will be just a
memory.. Me, I am following the dogs` example and watching the butterflies
flying haphazardly around the garden.
Jobs for the month - September
A
mellow month hopefully, and the time when those of us who have fruit and
vegetable gardens can reap the rewards of our labour....
Houseplants
 Reduction in the watering and feeding rates should now
begin gradually until the winter minimum is reached. Give the leaves of
houseplants a misting with tepid water to clean them, and use a special
houseplant leafshine for plants such as rubber plants and swiss cheese
plants. Check that your houseplants are in tip top condition to see
them through the winter months and ensure they will be in a comfortable
situation away from hot radiators or draughts, yet with enough natural
daylight.
Bulbs.
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Bulbs are starting to come into the garden centres at
this time of year, and September is the main month for planting them, with
the exception of tulips which wait until October. If you are not planting
bulbs straight away, store them in a dry, dark place with plenty of
ventilation, using paper bags not polythene.. I`ve quite taken to the
packets of miniature mixed bulbs that can be bought in supermarkets, see
photo here:
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Lawns
Now is the time of year to raise the blade of your
mower and rake the lawn to remove excess debris, and runners of creeping
weeds. Apply an autumn fertiliser which you will find in your
local DIY store. Read instructions carefully if you have animals or
children.
 Greenhouse
This month I usually fill the greenhouse with cuttings
of plants such as shrubby salvias, artemisia, sage, hebes, pelargoniums and
anything else I may lose through frost over winter. I keep the greenhouse
doors open, and shade the cuttings from the sun until the weather turns
damper and cooler, then transfer them into the conservatory before the first
frosts, to be overwintered.
Hedges
Complete the annual cutting of older hedges.. Towards the end of September is a good time to plant evergreen
hedging shrubs and conifers but the site may be prepared now with lots of
fresh compost added.
 Fruit
and vegetables
Prepare the ground for autumn fruit bush planting and
make sure to harvest any produce in the vegetable garden before the birds
and rabbits get it.
Flowers for cutting
Keep cutting flowers for the house and at the same
time dead-head any faded blooms. Chrysanthemums are delightful this month as
are dahlias which together with some greenery will give you a good floral
display for indoors.
Herbaceous plants
Take time to dead-head any flowers that have faded,
and cut down any plants that are finished for the year. At the end of this
month any bedding plants left in the borders should be removed to the
compost heap and replaced with biennials such as wallflowers, sweet William
and stocks.
Ponds
and water features
Clear your pond of any decaying vegetation and cover
the pool with netting to prevent falling leaves from going into the water.
Reduce the quantity of fish food you give your pond fish. You will see that
as the weather cools and the days shorten they will want to feed less and
less. By the end of October they will have stopped feeding altogether for
the duration of the winter. Depending on the weather, water features can be
left going until the end of October.
Wildlife
Give bird feeders a good clean, by knocking out any
congealed peanuts, and washing in a mild disinfectant. From now until the
spring months make sure you always have a constant supply of bird food
available to attract a wide variety of birds to your garden. They will also
come to rely on you for food so do keep them topped up in all weather..
RHS gardens
Their four flagship gardens not only provide
year-round interest and offer a wide range of courses, talks and
demonstrations, they also demonstrate the best gardening practices, new
techniques and exciting new plants to try in your garden.
Or go to their website for a diary of all other events
at:-
http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/index.asp
 Thompson & Morgan
Visit www.thompson-morgan.com
where full information is available on their product varieties and orders
can be taken on-line. Have a look to see what is new and any special
seasonal offers
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The National Botanic Garden of Wales
