I normally quote that immortal saying at the first signs of Christmas, usually seen around the end of August. Well it’s time to make you all groan; yes summer is on its way out. “What summer” I hear you say, it’s not been too bad for the gardener some sunny spells and a steady recurrence of rain means that plant growth has been good, lots of fresh flowers and the lawn has not turned that straw like brown we normally see. I consider myself an optimistic gardener, you know the principle, ‘Watering can half full’. Failures in the garden should be seen as a lesson learned an addition to your gardening experience, and a challenge for the next year. Let’s face it, if it was that easy I would be out of a job.
September is a traditional time to turn our attention to lawn repairs; they have normally taken quite a beating throughout summer with bare patches and broken edges a common sight. Perhaps the easiest way of dealing with them is with turf, carefully cutting out the damaged area and setting in a new piece of turf. A cheaper option where there is a large area of damage is to seed, however this requires a little more ground preparation. I start by removing the old grass and lightly forking the area, mix a little soil based compost into the surface and water well if it is dry. I start the seed off in a polythene bag (old compost sacks are ideal. Mix a handful of seed with four handfuls of slightly moist potting compost and loosely tie the top of the bag. Place under the staging in the greenhouse or shed and wait for about seven days, by then the seed should have sprouted, carefully spread the seed and compost mix over the area to be re-seeded and lightly water in. (The birds don’t tend eat sprouted seeds).
It’s also time to plant bulbs to flower next spring, traditionally Daffodils (Narcissus) and Tulips, and many woodland bulbs are available from local nurseries and garden centres. For those looking for a newer cultivars or that something a little different, specialist and online suppliers offer a wide range. For those without a large garden planters are a great option, I will explain how to get the best out of container displays next month.
As flowers fade and plants flop, it’s time to start tidying up. I am always pottering in the garden removing flowers and scruffy damaged foliage as keeping on top of fading displays means less to do later. I find it also keeps the garden fresher for longer too.
September is also a time for reflection in the garden taking note of what worked well and where the problems were. Keeping a journal is the best way of recording your activities and issues providing reference in future years of such things as flowering, sowing, feeding etc. It’s also a time when our most dedicated gardeners pit their wits against the competition at our local shows.
Keep an eye out in your local area and even if you don’t feel confident enough to enter go along and see what others have done this year. You can also pick up tips and advice about how to improve your knowledge and understanding.
If there is one show you should try to visit it’s the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show (18th-20th September) it’s packed to the rafters with all manner of gardening treasures, stunning exhibits of vegetables, flowers and fruit and yes, lots of goodies to fill your garden and your shed. There are bargain bulbs, perennials and shrubs for sale that can be planted as soon as you get them home. I will be in the ‘Dig it’ theatre answering questions so please pop along and let me know how you are getting along in your garden.
(See our article below on foraging and further information on the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show)
I know how frustrating it can be when you need advice and guidance so we are inviting readers to send in their ‘horticultural headaches’ or ‘Cultivation conundrums’ and we will select two or three questions to answer each month. So if your lawn is lethargic, your pot plants are puny, or your displays are disappointing drop us a line at gardening@yorkshirereporter.co.uk, ideally with a high resolution photograph and we will try to include them in a future issue.
Happy gardening,
Martin
