Hello Ladies,
It is October already !
I am under no illusion that you are all going to get out there in miserable winter weather and start double digging, well the good news is that that is so passe. Apart from the preparation of virgin ground for a lawn, veg patch or flower border it is quite unnecessary and just brings new weed seeds to the surface so they can germinate, and disturbs roots in borders and destroys the soil structure.
If you need to dig for any of the above you will need to borrow or pay for a strong young man or if that fails diy! Just watch your back, do a little patch at a time and do not lift too much soil at once, the spade should be the right size for the user, and preferably a sharp stainless steel one so it cuts through turf and the ‘sod’ (the earth, not him indoors) slides off easily. Also pick your weather, wet clay soil is darned heavy so if it does not crumble easily wait for a better day.
It is October already !
I am under no illusion that you are all going to get out there in miserable winter weather and start double digging, well the good news is that that is so passe. Apart from the preparation of virgin ground for a lawn, veg patch or flower border it is quite unnecessary and just brings new weed seeds to the surface so they can germinate, and disturbs roots in borders and destroys the soil structure.
If you need to dig for any of the above you will need to borrow or pay for a strong young man or if that fails diy! Just watch your back, do a little patch at a time and do not lift too much soil at once, the spade should be the right size for the user, and preferably a sharp stainless steel one so it cuts through turf and the ‘sod’ (the earth, not him indoors) slides off easily. Also pick your weather, wet clay soil is darned heavy so if it does not crumble easily wait for a better day.
Herbaceous plants i.e. those which die down in winter and reappear in spring can either be left to die back naturally, or cut back after the first frosts and tidied up. Some argue leaving them alone provides shelter and food for wildlife, but it also provides a winter food bank for pests and diseases like slugs, snails and various rots, mildews and viruses. A good compromise is to cut back and clear away the soft growth which goes black and slimy after frost and leave the upright things that look attractive with frost on. Obviously clear away weeds at the same time. Most of this rubbish can go on your compost heap – what compost heap I hear you say, more of that later when I get on my compost soapbox – but seeds and roots of pernicious weeds should be burned or binned. (That is why I would not buy council compost!)
Winter is a good time to divide herbaceous perennials, dig them up, chop with your sharp spade, discard scruffy centre and plant chunks of the young outside growth back in the border to increase your display, or give away to innocent friends.
October is a good time to cut back bush type roses by about a half to reduce wind rock. If they wave about in winter gales, a hole develops round the stem, rain and frost get in and cause damage to the plant. Tread them in if they are already loose in the ground.
Also roses trained on walls and trellis need the new young growth tied in, you can take the opportunity to dead head and cut out some very old or diseased wood especially if there are plenty of new shoots to take their place. In training climbing roses you are aiming for a fan shape, though invariably it does not quite work out like they show in the books. Bending long shoots over encourages the buds along the stem to break into flowers. You should end up with a frame of strong growth tied into the wall with lots of little spurs sticking out along the stems. Clear up old leaves and debris which will have blackspot spores on them, burn or bin these.
Winter is a good time to divide herbaceous perennials, dig them up, chop with your sharp spade, discard scruffy centre and plant chunks of the young outside growth back in the border to increase your display, or give away to innocent friends.
October is a good time to cut back bush type roses by about a half to reduce wind rock. If they wave about in winter gales, a hole develops round the stem, rain and frost get in and cause damage to the plant. Tread them in if they are already loose in the ground.
Also roses trained on walls and trellis need the new young growth tied in, you can take the opportunity to dead head and cut out some very old or diseased wood especially if there are plenty of new shoots to take their place. In training climbing roses you are aiming for a fan shape, though invariably it does not quite work out like they show in the books. Bending long shoots over encourages the buds along the stem to break into flowers. You should end up with a frame of strong growth tied into the wall with lots of little spurs sticking out along the stems. Clear up old leaves and debris which will have blackspot spores on them, burn or bin these.
Wisteria probably has masses of long bits waving about in the air, this is extension growth. Now the leaves are off you can see what you are doing. If you want the plant to expand in any direction, tie in the long shoots where you want them to be. The rest can be cut back to 2 or 3 buds , i.e. stalks about 15cm long and these will provide next years flowers.
October is the month to plant the daffodils and other bulbs you ordered. Daffodils, crocus etc. in the ground, nice and deep in a hole at least 3 times the height of the bulb.
Tulips next month.
Any lillies pot up in multi purpose compost, 3 or 5 to a pot, nice and deep, protect from rodents and plant in the borders next spring.
Happy Gardening
Caroline
Tulips next month.
Any lillies pot up in multi purpose compost, 3 or 5 to a pot, nice and deep, protect from rodents and plant in the borders next spring.
Happy Gardening
Caroline