September Top Tips

SHRUB BORDER
 - The nights are getting longer and a little cooler a sure sign that autumn is fast approaching, so there will be a danger of moulds of one kind or another appearing in many of the bedding plants, particularly begonias.

 - It is important that dead flower heads are picked off bedding, dahlias and flowering herbaceous plants as these may act as centres of infection from which fungus can affect stems and leaves and spoil any late flowers.

 - Cuttings can still be taken of bedding geraniums, ivy-leaf geraniums and pelegoniums. The stems of fuchsias will be hardening up alittle but cuttings can still taken for over wintering the greenhouse or conservatory.

 - Cuttings of lavender can be taken now. They are quite easy to root in a shelterd place outdoors lined in a shallow trench in which some sharp sand has been added to the bottom of the trench.

 - Reduce the growth of herbaceous plants that have finished flowering, but do not cut off too much foliage, allow it to die down naturally, continue to tie and support other plants such as dahlias and chrysanthemums this is necessary as protection against wind and rain that we must expect at this time of year.

 - Cut flowers are being used more and more for indoor decoration, it is well worth the while to plant a few rows of daffodils in a spare part of the vegetable garden or allotment, solely for the purpose of cutting for the house in the spring.
 
SPRING FLOWERING BLUBS
 - A sure sign that autumn is here, is the range of spring flower bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocus, hyacinths. alliums, along with all the dwarf spring flowering bulbs such as snowdrops, aconites, iris reticulata, chionodoxa, grape-hyacinths, dwarf tulips and narcissus are now available to buy in our Garden Centre.

 - If you are wishing to plant prepared-hyacinths for Christmas flowering, get them planted in bowls using bulb planting compost as soon as possible to avoid disappointment as supplys of prepared hyacinths sell out very quickly.
 
LAWNS
 - September is a busy month, as the autumn programe begins now, with increasing intervals between mowings and raising the heigth of the cut to the autumn level, a quarter of an inch above the summer cutting height.

 - Worms may become active at this time of year, use Autumn Toplawn which will actively control cast-forming worms, prevent fusarium patch, red thread and dollar spot diseases.

 - An autumn lawn feed will help build up the grass and roots for the coming winter. Carry out any lawn repairs during showery weather, bumps, hollows and broken edges can all be rectified during this month.

 - The September routine for all lawns is to scarify first, then spike any compacted areas and finally top dress with an 'Autumn Lawn Weed and Feed'. September is the best period for sowing a new lawn from seed. Dig the area for the new lawn first, if the area is very wet them it is advisable to 'double-dig the soil first adding some course-grit for drainage.

 - Remove any stones or weeds, rake the surface to a fine tilth, add a top dressing of Bonemeal fertilizer which needs to raked well into the soil before sowing the lawn seed.
 
HOUSEPLANTS
 - Bring in to the house or conservatory any plants that have been outside for the summer, before the nights get too cold, these include, non hardy Azaleas, Cymbidium Orchids, Clivias, Citrus, tender Palms and others. Clean them up before you bring them into the house or conservatory. Also check them over for any pests such as aphids,vine weevil, slugs and snails hiding in the foliage or pot.

 - Now is also the time to finish off any potting on or repotting that needs to be done before the plant growth naturally begins to slow down in the autumn.

 - In the house make sure that plants are getting enough light now that the days are getting shorter, perhaps move then nearer to the window, but make sure they do not scorch in the sun, if it comes out bright.

 - Continue to feed your houseplants until the growth slows down in October, water as necessary when required but do not over water, more house plants die from over watering than any other reason.

 - Our house plant areas are now full of beautiful flowering plants to brighten up the home or office, Orchids, Chrysanthemums, Cyclamen, African Violets and many more.
 
HERBACEOUS BORDER
 - Some plants have now finished flowering, dead head them and reduce some growth to tidy up the border. Remember to leave enough growth to allow them to die down naturally so as the nurishment in the old foliage returns to the crown of the plant. Asters (Michaelmas Daisies) are now in flower and when they become wet the large sprays of bloom get very heavy. For this reason they need secure staking. They also tend so suffer from mildew so an ocassional spray with a fungicide will help reduce this problem.

 - As the flower spikes of red hot pokers (Kniphofia), Pentsemons, Rudbeckias, Crocosmia, Hemerocallis, Heleniums and others cut off the dead heads as this may encourage a few late late flower buds to form. Regular dead heading of dahlias will also help new bud formation.

 - Enjoy the last days of summer with a riot of autumn colour in the herbaceous border.
 
FRUIT GARDEN
 - Complete the planting of strawberries other wise they will not have time to establish themselves and build up strong crowns for fruiting next year.

 - Loganberries should be pruned by cutting out the canes that have just borne fruit and training in their place all the young canes that should fruit next year.

 - Grapes on outdoor vines should be exposed to as much sun as possible to aide rippening, by either removing some of the leaves or folding back some of the leaves.

 - Autumn gales are often severe and badly tied growths of blackberries and loganberries may often be broken which means loss of fruit next year.

 - If you have no proper storage for apples and pears, get some strong boxes now , make sure they are clean. Wrap the fruit up individually in tissue paper and lay in trays. Remember to store only the best fruit, any blemishes soon becoming rotten. Many fruit shops are only too happy to pass on fruit storage boxes and trays to save on them the high cost of disposing of packaging material.
 
VEGETABLE GARDEN
 - The lifting of potatoes should be completed by the end of this month, lift any remaining onions, continue to gather and enjoy french and runner beans watch out for any cold nights towards the end of the month.

 - Carrots and beetroot should be lifted and stored before the roots commence to split which they will do very quickly once the heavy autumn rains begin.

 - Spring cabbage can be planted toward the end of the month.

 - Leeks can be fed with quick acting nitrogenous fertilizer to give then a boost.

 - Celery leaf spot can be a troublesome disease. It causes spotting on the foliage which will shrival and die in a bad attack. Spraying with a proprietary copper fungicide will help prevent this disease.

 - Marrows, tomatoes and sweetcorn should all be havested before the weather changes.

 - September is a very busy month in the vegeatble garden or allotment.
 
BEDDING PLANTS
 - Summer annuals will be finished flowering towards the middle of the month. It will be time to think about replacing them. Dig the soil over first and add some slow release fertilizers such as bone meal to the soil before replanting. Pansy and violas will be available for planting now, together with wallflowers, sweet williams, bellis daisy, and mysotis. Planting autumn bedding with spring bulbs such as daffodil and tulips is a great way to add a splash of colour to your garden now for next spring. Miracle Cyclamen, Erica Gracilis and Yoder Chryanthemums will add an instant splash of colour to any border or container they will flower from September right through until the middle of November. Lift gladioli once the foliage has died down, dry the corms and store in frost free place for the winter
 
GARDEN POND
 - As the summer draws to a close now is the time of year to re-pot pond plants. Be prepared to get stocks of baskets, hessian liner and aquatic soil.

 - Re-pot when the weather starts getting cooler. Vacuum out any excess sludge from the bottom of the pond.

 - Fish feeding can continue using a 'staple diet food'.

 - Make sure all pond equipment is functioning and well maintained.

 - If any early frosts are expected protect any floating plants.
 
TREES & SHRUBS
 - The growth of rampant climbers, such as some varieties of clematis, wisteria and ampelopis, can be pruned back now if the plants are taking up too much room. Tie in the long shoots that have grown during the past few weeks by climbing roses. They are shoots that will freely flower next year.

 - During September rambling roses should be pruned and trained. Remove all of the this years flowering wood, prune to ground level or just above a strong new growth, train and tie to supports all of the new growth that the plant has made this for is this the growth that will flower next summer.

 - Many shrubs will still be in full flower this month. Shrubs such as Abelia, Buddeja, Caryopteris, Ceratostigma, Calluna Vulgaris, Fuchsias, Hibiscus, Hebes, Hydrrangea, Pervoskia, Potentilla and Romneya. Climbers such as Campis, Clematis, Fallopia, Passiflora Pileostegia and Solanum. These are just a selection of shrubs and climbers that are still adding colour to the garden, soon the garden will take on a new look as all the leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs begin to change colour from green to yellow, them orange and red before the are blown away by October gales.
 
SEPTEMBER TOP TIP
Enjoy late summer, the evenings will be getting shorter so make the most of your free time in your garden, harvesting the fruits of your labours. Visit our Garden Centre, where a large selection of spring flowering bulbs, a selection of spring flowering bedding plants and many autumn offers await you.