Posts Tagged ‘autumn planting’

Anemone

September 4th, 2023 | Plant Talk with Graham Rice | Comments Off on Anemone

Caption: Plant your anemone tubers in the autumn, as soon as you receive them.

Once a month, we take a look back to the way gardeners did things long ago. And this month I found an interesting piece that appeared in the issue of Gardening World magazine for 8 September 1906. The subject is planting the bulbs of that sparkling Mediterranean flower Anemone coronaria. The odd thing is this.

As I say, Anemone coronaria grows wild in the Mediterranean where the winters are mild and wet and the summers are hot and dry. These anemones start to sprout from their small black tubers as rain dampens the soil in autumn. They then grow through the winter, flower in spring and fade away and spend the hot dry summer dormant.

So the obvious thing for gardeners to do is the same: plant now for flowering in spring. But when I first got into gardening, before I knew any better, we planted them in the spring. I’ve just checked and my copy of the Reader’s Digest New Gardening Year recommends planting in March.

Gardening World magazine has other ideas. “They should be planted immediately,” we’re told in that 8 September edition. “it is not yet too late, however, although the roots should be in the ground as soon as possible…. These anemones like a cool, deep and rather moist soil,” we’re advised,” and the plant succeeds best in the open, fully exposed to direct sunshine.”

Gardening World magazine then goes on to suggest preparing by trenching or double digging and by adding compost to clay soil. That, I would say, is a complete waste of time. Any good garden soil that is fairly well drained will be fine. I planted a row about five years ago, and I’ve never dug them up. They still flower well every year – helped, I’m sure, by a couple of doses of liquid tomato feed in spring.

So, please do as Gardening World suggests. Order your anemones now, plant them as soon as you receive them, feed them in the spring, and enjoy them in early summer and for years to come.

Shop Anemone coronaria De Caen Bulbs

November Gardening Advice

November 1st, 2021 | News | Comments Off on November Gardening Advice

November Gardening Advice | Mr Fothergill's

By now, we’re all too aware the days are getting shorter, and nights are getting longer. But this won’t deter gardeners, who will be busy preparing their green spaces for the winter months ahead. Cutting away, clearing up and of course protecting plants and winter veg from the harshest of weather. Although the arrival of Jack Frost might make you shudder, his cold presence will sweeten up your Brussels sprouts and swede.

Of course, the yearly tradition of crackling bonfires and watching fireworks take to the skies as we kick up the fallen leaves trying to keep warm will come and go. And with the festive season just round the corner, growers will continue to care for their emerging veg, hoping it will make it onto the Christmas Day menu.

So, with a packed month ahead, wrap up warm, put on your boots and step into November.

In the flower garden

Hedges

From now until March is the bareroot season, when most plants are dormant, so it’s an ideal time to plant hedgerows and conifers. Before planting, sink the roots into a bucket of water for up to half an hour to rehydrate the plant. Dig over the chosen planting area, removing weeds and large stones, and incorporate well-rotted organic matter. Avoid placing it directly at the bottom of the dug hole, as this can cause the growing plant to sink. For heavy clay soil, you may want to add grit into the mix for drainage. You should notice on your bare root plant a soil mark on the stem. This will have occurred from where it was previously planted, so ensure you match your planting depth to this mark again. If the plant has a rootball then scrape away any excess soil, as this will help emerging roots to find the ground and anchor the plant. Once planted, it may need a support and tying in, just until it establishes itself. Water in well and mulch, as this will both retain moisture and protect the roots throughout winter.

Flowers

As well as hedges, it’s a great time to buy bare root roses. Not only are they cheaper than pot grown varieties, but there’s often more choice. Try to plant on a sunny, frost-free day.

Place your bare root rose in a bucket of water for up to an hour to rehydrate. Ensure the growing area is free of weeds and large stone. Dig the hole at least twice the size of the plant’s roots, and about 12 inches in depth (the length of a spade’s blade).

When planting, ensure you use plenty of well-rotted manure mixed into the soil. Backfill, firm in well and water. Finally, add a layer of mulch around the base of the plant.

If you have established roses, reduce the height by a third, tie-in and apply a layer of mulch to the base. All this will help prevent wind rock and see them through to spring.

It’s still not too late to lift your dahlias and store them during the colder months. To do this, first dig up your plant and cut the stems down to an inch above the tuber. Then, turn it upside down and leave it to drain for a day or so. With the tuber dried, brush away any excess soil and place it in a box filled with scrunched paper.

Finally, store the box somewhere cool and dark. Another option is to take your cutdown dahlia and place it into a large pot. Cover over with used compost and, again, store somewhere cool and dark. Check on them regularly to ensure none have rotted.

Bulbs

As temperatures fall away and the ground cools, there’s now little threat from tulip fire, a fungal disease that can affect the leaves, forcing them to distort and create brown spots. Therefore, consider planting tulips bulbs into flowers beds, pots and containers. Avoid bulbs that show signs of decay, mould or damage, and plant three times to the depth of the bulb. If you’re planting into a heavy soil then add grit for drainage, as bulbs sat in water can rot. You may want to cover the area with netting or wiring to prevent mice and squirrels digging them up.

Lawn

Lawns will no longer need the attention of your lawn mower, but may need to be raked regularly from falling leaves. Not only will this stop leaves rotting on your lawn, it’ll prevent pests from taking shelter. Finally, if you wake to frosts then try to keep off the lawn, as you could potentially damage it.

If you can gather a lot of leaves, consider building a leaf pen to store them. Give it a year or so and the leaves will break down into a wonderful garden mulch.

Maintenance

From secateurs to shears, your tools could do with cleaning and sharpening after a season of use. Lawn mowers, and other unused petrol garden tools, should be cleaned, checked, and drained of any fuel. Clean and store pots and seed trays and sweep through greenhouses and sheds. As this is a wet time of year, clear gutters of leaves and ensure all water butts are in good working order.

If you’re leaving stone or terracotta pots outside over winter, make sure they’re standing on clay feet to raise them off the ground, otherwise a ground frost can damage them and cause them to crack. Being raised also helps drain off excess water.

Pots can be expensive, so protect them as best you can by grouping them all together in the sunniest part of the garden. You could also try wrapping them in bubble wrap.

On the veg patch

Broad beans and peas

If you’re hoping for an early crop next year, sow now. Ensure the ground is enriched with plenty of organic matter. With seeds planted, water in well and cover over with either a cloche or horticultural fleece. Not only will the seeds benefit from the extra warmth, but they’ll be protected from birds and vermin.

Brassicas

If you’ve sown brassicas several weeks ago, they should now be healthy young plants. With five to six sets of leaves, they’ll be ready to be planted out. Ensure the bed has been well cultivated with plenty of organic matter dug in. Whatever the season, brassicas are hungry plants, so will need all the feeding they can get.

Plant your plants deep, to just below the first set of leaves, to prevent damage from wind rock. Water in well and mulch. You may also want to protect your plants with horticultural fleece or cloches.

Harvesting

Whether its parsnips, swede or cabbage, try to harvest on a frost-free day when the soil isn’t frozen. Use a hand fork and lift gently so you don’t damage your vegetables. Crops such as swede and Brussels sprouts benefit from a good frost, turning their starches into sugars and improving the taste.

Christmas potatoes

If you’re growing spuds for the big day, check on them regularly. If they’re in grow bags or sacks, try to keep them somewhere, bright, warm and protected. As the stems gather height, ensure you earth them up. Not only will this encourage further tubers, but it will protect them from the cold. Finally, with dampness in the air and fluctuating temperatures, keep an eye out for blight.

Fruit trees

Pests will be looking for somewhere to rest up over the next few months, laying eggs and eating tender shoots which can have a devastating effect on fruit trees. Try wrapping glue bands around the trunk base of your apple, pear, cherry and plum trees to stop pests such as winter moth caterpillars climbing the trees to lay their eggs.

If you are considering a fruit tree, buy now. As this is a period of dormancy, bare root varieties are readily available from all good stockists. If you already have growing pear and apple trees, they can now be pruned.

Other jobs

  • Disconnect garden hoses and protect garden taps, as frozen water can burst pipes.
  • If you are planning to have a bonfire to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night, check the wood pile first for any wildlife taking shelter.
  • If you haven’t done so yet, fill your bird feeders. Ensure they’ve been thoroughly cleaned with warm soapy water, and rinsed.
  • Leave small piles of wood/garden debris in corners of your garden to allow wildlife somewhere to rest over winter.
  • Old compost from growbags and pots can be used as a mulch around garden plants.

Written by Ade Sellars, garden writer and presenter.

October Gardening Advice

October 1st, 2021 | Garden Diaries | Comments Off on October Gardening Advice

October Gardening Advice 2021 | Mr Fothergill's

It’s the time of year where we reach for our woolly hats and jumpers, fold away shorts and t-shirts, and say a reluctant goodbye to summer. The season of harvests is here; when bright pumpkins can be whizzed into warming soups, leftover green tomatoes can be turned into chutneys, and carrots make a welcome addition to the Sunday roast.

The clocks go back this month, plunging us into darker mornings, but there’s still so much to enjoy, from searching for conkers to savouring those beautiful autumn colours.

As the wildlife starts gathering and storing food for the colder months ahead, we should take the opportunity to do the same. Braided bunches of onions, sacks of potatoes stored somewhere dark, and carefully cured pumpkins can see you through the autumn.

So, enjoy the changing season and all the harvests that come with it.

In the flower garden

Tender plants

As the nights draw in and temperatures begin to drop, it’s time to bring in your tender plants and give them some winter protection. Cannas are not made for colder weather, so when the first frosts strike, find a spot in your shed to store them. Dig up the plants, cut away dead flowers and foliage to help prevent rot, and place in pots with old compost. You also might want to consider wrapping them in fleece. Check plants regularly, over the colder months, for rot and decay.

Consider digging up your dahlia and gladioli bulbs. Be careful as you lift them, using a garden fork to prevent damage. Once lifted, foliage should be cut back to several cms above the tuber, turned upside down and left to drain for a few days. Once dried, these can be placed somewhere cool, dark and frost free. It’s a good idea to label the tubers, so there’s no confusion when you plant them next spring. Wrapping them in newspaper will also give them that extra bit of protection from the cold. Again, check regularly throughout the colder months to ensure none have decayed.

Next spring

Speaking of bulbs, now’s the time to plant daffodil and allium bulbs. Whether they’re going into pots, containers or into the ground, the golden rule is plant them to the depth of three times their height. Ensure the soil is well drained, as sitting in water over winter will encourage them to rot. Consider adding grit for drainage.

There are so many ways to plant bulbs, whether individually, in clumps, or among other plants. If you’re planting in pots, you might want to consider the ‘lasagne’ method. This is where you layer different bulbs on top of each other, according to when they flower. For example, first to flower would be snowdrops, so they would sit in the top layer of your ‘lasagne’. The next layer would be crocuses, and so on, until finally, tulips. It’s a great way to get the most from one pot or container, giving you continuous colour throughout the spring.

If you’re looking ahead to next spring, then consider sowing hardy annuals. Cosmos, marigolds or cornflowers can either be sown directly into the soil or into seed trays with sieved seed compost. Place in water-filled tubs, and let the trays soak up the water from the bottom, as watering overhead will disrupt the soil and spoil the seed. Place carefully in a warmed greenhouse, and keep an eye on them throughout winter. You can also sow sweet peas in pots and let them grow on in the greenhouse. Use empty toilet rolls to help them establish a lengthy root system; you’ll be able to plant them all out together the following spring as the cardboard is biodegradable.

Lift and divide

Perennials may now be looking past their best, but they’re still important as food and shelter for winter wildlife. If you decide not leave them for the winter, cut the plants back to the base. If they’re summer flowering perennials, this is the time to divide and re-plant to increase your plant stock and produce more blooms next year. Ensure you mulch around the plants to protect them against cold temperatures, but don’t cover them over or touch the stems, as this will encourage rot. You can also collect their seed. Make sure you label the seeds properly and store them somewhere cool and dry, then you’ll have more seeds to sow when the time is right.

As the ground is still warm, it’s a great time for digging up and moving shrubs and hedges. Once they are in their new growing position, ensure they receive plenty of water regularly to help them bed in and establish a root system.  

Finally, foxgloves, wallflowers, forget-me-knots and other biennials are easy to move and will bed in easily to a position of your choice.

Fallen leaves

As the leaves begin to fall, it’s important you keep on top of them and rake them up from your lawn. Any build-up can harbour pests, stop light getting to your lawn, and create a ‘browning off’ effect. It’s especially important to keep paths and patios leaf-free to prevent slips and falls. If you’re not placing leaves on a compost heap, create a wired pen to store them in. They’ll rot down in six to twelve months, giving you a free supply of mulch for your plants. If space is an issue, use bin liners which can be tucked away in small spaces, but make sure you create several small holes in the bags to prevent your leaves from becoming a foul-smelling slush.

On the veg patch

Garlic

Garlic needs a good cold period to help develop its cloves, so buy your bulbs now. Don’t be tempted to use bulbs from a supermarket as they may harbour disease. Instead, buy them from a garden centre or online supplier (like us!).

In well-drained, fertile soil, place the individual cloves 20cm apart, in rows 30cms apart. The clove tips should be all you see of the garlic, with the flat part of the clove at the bottom. For extra protection from birds, cover the area over with fleece or netting.

Fruit

Now’s the time to lift and divide rhubarb crowns. Using a sharp spade, divide the crown, ensuring each section contains at least one growing point. Re-plant in well-drained, fertile soil, ensuring each crown is well-spaced. Water in well.

Harvest the last of your apples and pears, storing what you won’t use immediately. Ideally use slatted shelves or boxes for storage, placing the fruit carefully on them. Check that the fruit is not bruised or damaged, and try not to let it rest against another fruit. Place in a frost-free, dark, but well-ventilated cool room, such as a larder or cellar. Check regularly, and remove any fruit that has spoilt.

Cut away old strawberry foliage, allowing new leaves to come through and develop. If your strawberries were resting on straw, ensure this is also removed, as it could be harbouring pests.

Herbs

Herbs, such as basil, parsley and coriander, are not frost hardy, so pot them up and bring them inside. Place them on a well-lit windowsill, watering occasionally to keep them happy over winter.

Greenhouse

If you’re hoping to use your greenhouse over the colder months, but an electric heater is not an option, then consider insulating it with bubble wrap. It’s a cheaper option and it won’t reduce the light. As the days get colder, make sure doors and vents are kept closed and any damaged panels are quickly repaired.

Veg plots

Instead of removing your bean plants, cut the plant to the base and remove the foliage. The roots produce nitrogen as they breakdown which will invigorate the soil for next season.

Or, if you’re leaving vegetable beds empty over winter, turn the soil. This will not only get air into the soil, but will expose hiding pests. You can also add a thick layer of well-rotted manure, or compost. The worms and weather will help break it down over the winter, and integrate it into your bed.

Green manures are also great for adding nutrients and soil structure to a bed. By letting them grow over winter, they will help suppress seeds and prevent soil erosion.

Other jobs

  • If you’ve had houseplants outside, now’s the time to bring them back inside. Ideally, let them slowly acclimatise to indoor temperatures, otherwise the shock could damage them.
  • If you’ve been growing tomatoes in growbags in the greenhouse, remove the plants and cut open the bag to expose the compost. Water the soil, create shallow troughs and use them to sow winter salad, such as lamb’s lettuce and miner’s lettuce.
  • Give nature a helping hand. Fill your bird feeders and hang fat balls. With cold days ahead, your garden birds will need all the help they can get.
  • If you have a pond, place a ball on the surface. This will keep the water moving, prevent ice forming and ensure any fish can still get oxygen.
  • As this is the month of Halloween, it’s time to carve your pumpkins! This is a great opportunity to get children involved with the allotment or growing patch. Not only will they have seen the pumpkin grow from seed, but they’ll get to harvest and enjoy it. Don’t waste the flesh though; pumpkins make tasty autumn soups and risottos!

Written by Ade Sellars, garden writer and presenter.

October Gardening Advice

October 1st, 2018 | News | Comments Off on October Gardening Advice

october-gardening-advice

The clocks go back later this month, as we wave goodbye to what has been a scorching summer. Now’s the time to enjoy the autumnal colours. From vibrant leaves, to ripe pumpkins, these are precious moments to savour.

And as the wildlife begins storing supplies to sustain them through the colder months, we should do the same. Keep harvesting, and if you can’t eat it, store it. You’ll appreciate it on a cold day when homemade soup is calling.

In the flower garden

BEDDING PLANTS

It’s fair to say that summer bedding plants have had their moment in the sun. However, we can still enjoy colour in our gardens, so think about polyanthus, pansies and primroses.

HARDY ANNUALS

If you’re looking ahead to next spring, then now’s the time to sow hardy annuals. Cosmos, marigolds or cornflowers can either be sown directly into the soil or into seed trays with sieved seed compost.

Place in water-filled tubs, and let the trays soak the water up, as watering overhead will disrupt the soil, and spoil the seed. Place carefully in a warmed greenhouse, and keep an eye on them throughout winter. You can also sow sweet peas in pots, and let them grow on in the greenhouse.

TENDER PLANTS

It’s been a great summer for sun-loving plants. But as the nights draw in, and temperatures begin to drop, this is the time to bring in your tender plants and give them some winter protection. Cannas are not made for colder weather, so find a spot in your greenhouse or shed, where it’s light and frost-free.

Cut away dead flowers or leaves to help prevent rot. For further protection, you may want to consider wrapping them in fleece. Over the colder months, check plants regularly.

october-is-when-you-can-begin-to-think-about-planting-tulip-daffodil-and-allium-bulbs

BULBS

Finally, you can think about planting your tulip, daffodil and allium bulbs. Whether they’re going into pots, containers or the ground, the golden rule is plant them to the depth of three times their height. Ensure the soil is well drained, as sitting in water over winter will increase their chances of rotting, so consider adding grit for drainage.

There is so much you can do with bulbs, whether planting in clumps, individually or among other varieties. If you’re planting in pots, you may want to think about using the ‘lasagne’ method. This is when you take different flower types and layer them one above the other. For example, first to flower would be snowdrops, so they would sit at the top of your ‘lasagne’. The next layer would be crocuses, and so on, until finally, tulips. It’s a great way to get the most from one pot or container, giving you continuous colour throughout the spring.

LIFTING BULBS

If you haven’t done so yet, then now’s the time to lift both dahlia and gladioli bulbs. Once lifted, foliage should be cut back to several cms above the tuber, turned upside down and left to drain for a few days. Once dried, these can be placed somewhere cool, dark and frost free.

its-important-to-rake-fallen-autumn-leaves-and-clear-your-lawn-to-prevent-pests-and-other-problems

FALLEN LEAVES

As the leaves begin to fall, it’s important you keep on top of them and rake them clear from your lawn. Any build-up can harbour pests, stop light getting to your lawn, and create a ‘browning off’ effect. It’s especially important to keep paths and patios leaf-free as with a layer of frost, it can be easy to slip and hurt yourself.

If you’re not placing them on a compost heap, think about creating a wired pen. Leaves make for a great leaf mould, so by leaving them to rot down for six to twelve months, you’ll have free leaf mould which is great for mulching plants. If space is an issue, use bin liners which can be tucked away in small spaces. Make sure you create several small holes in the bags, however, or your leaves will quickly become a bag of badly-smelling slush.

PERENNIALS

By now, they may be looking shabby, but these plants can still offer benefits for winter wildlife. If you’re not going to leave them for the winter, cut the plants back to the base. If they’re summer flowering perennials, this is the time to divide and re-plant, to increase next year’s summer blooms. For protection against dropping temperatures, ensure you mulch around the plant. Don’t cover them over, or touch the stems, as this will encourage rot.

On the veg patch

FRUIT

This will be the final opportunity to harvest the last of your tree fruit, such as apples and pears. What isn’t going to be used straight away, can be stored. Ideally use slatted shelves or boxes, and place the fruit carefully on them. Check that each fruit is not bruised or damaged, and try not to let it rest on another fruit. Place in a frost-free, dark, but well-ventilated cool room, such as a larder or cellar. Check regularly, and remove any fruit that has spoilt.

Now’s the time to lift and divide rhubarb crowns. Using a sharp spade, divide the crown, ensuring each section contains at least one growing point. Re-plant in well drained, fertile soil, ensuring each crown is well spaced.

october-is-the-best-time-to-plant-your-garlic-bulbs

GARLIC

Garlic needs a good cold period to help develop its cloves, so now’s the time to plant it. Don’t be tempted to use bulbs from a supermarket as they may harbour disease. Instead, buy them from a garden centre or online supplier.

In well-drained, fertile soil, place the individual cloves at 20cm apart, in rows 30cms apart. The cloves tips should be all you see of the garlic. You may want to cover over with either a fleece or netting, just to stop birds from pulling them up.

HERBS

Herbs, such as basil, parsley and coriander are not frost hardy. Therefore, pot them up and bring inside. Placing on a well-lit windowsill, should keep them happy over winter.

GREENHOUSE

If you’re hoping to use your greenhouse over the colder months, but an electric heater is not an option, then consider insulating it with bubble wrap. It’s a cheaper option which won’t reduce the light entering your structure. As the days get colder, make sure doors and vents are kept closed and any damaged panels are quickly repaired.

SOIL

If you’re leaving vegetable beds empty over winter, turn the soil. This will not only get air into the soil, but will expose hiding pests. You can also add a thick layer of well-rotted manure, or compost. Over winter, the worms and weather will help break it down, and integrate it into your bed.

pumpkins-make-tasty-autumn-soups-and-risottos

Other Jobs

If you’ve had houseplants outside, now’s the time to bring them back inside. Ideally, let them slowly acclimatise to the indoor heat, otherwise, the shock may damage them.

With boilers and central heating starting to kick in, keep house plants away from direct heat sources. Place them in a draught free area which is cool but with good light.

As this is the month of Halloween, it’s time to carve your pumpkins! This is a great opportunity to get children involved with the allotment or growing patch. Not only will they have seen the pumpkin grow from seed, but they’ll get to harvest and enjoy it. Make sure you don’t waste the flesh though; pumpkins make tasty autumn soups and risottos!

 

What to do in the garden in October

October 1st, 2016 | The flower garden, The vegetable garden | Comments Off on What to do in the garden in October

On the whole September was warm and pleasant in our part of Suffolk, and many of the flowers on the trial ground have looked good right through the month. Not surprisingly, our tuber-raised dahlias have been the stars with their magnificent blooms in so many colours and bicolors. Seed-raised dahlias also perform really well, and we know it still surprises some customers that they can be raised from seed, and will easily flower in their first year. While many gardeners tend to treat them as half-hardy annuals, they are actually half-hardy perennials and will produce tubers which can be lifted after the first frosts and stored somewhere cool and dry until next spring, when they can be replanted. All that for the price of a packet of seeds!

October - Sweet PeasFlowers
It’s October, so we make no apologies for making a big mention of sweet peas. This is the best month to sow sweet pea seed in pots to over-winter in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. The stocky little plants can then be planted out in March or April to produce an early and long-lasting display of these beautiful flowers.

Our range of sweet peas is one of the best and widest you will find anywhere. In recent years it is true to say the sweet pea has almost become our ‘flagship’ flower, and we are proud of the worthwhile and exclusive introductions we make every year. Among our new ‘exclusives’ ready for sowing this month are two which we feel deserve special mention.

Chelsea Pensioners were on hand at our trial ground recently to name a blend of sweet peas in red shades aimed at raising funds for the Royal Hospital Chelsea. It has been called Scarlet Tunic, after the Pensioners’ distinctive apparel, following a ballot of the residents of the Royal Hospital Chelsea and a public online vote. We will donate 25p to the Royal Hospital Chelsea for every £2.19 packet of 20 seeds sold.

We hope Britain’s gardeners will help us to raise more funds for the Royal Hospital Chelsea with the launch of Scarlet Tunic for the 2016/17 season and in the years ahead. Our great customers have already helped raise more than £50,000 for the Royal Hospital Chelsea through sales in 2015 and 2016 of poppy Victoria Cross. A very big ‘thank you’ to you all.

We are also pledging our support for Greenfingers, the charity dedicated to creating magical gardens for children’s hospices, by naming another new and exclusive sweet pea after it. Sweet pea Greenfingers has an old-fashioned grandiflora flower form and the strong, memorable scent associated with those types in their Victorian heyday; its blooms are a rich cream with a delicate wire rim or picotée of pale violet. The climber is well suited to both garden display and as a cut flower, when its fragrance fills a room.

We have guaranteed 25p to Greenfingers for every packet of 20 seeds priced at £2.45 we sell during the 2016/17 gardening season. Greenfingers is a national charity dedicated to supporting the children who spend time in hospices around the UK, along with their families, by creating inspiring gardens for them to relax in and enjoy. The charity makes beautiful, well-designed outdoor spaces for children to share with family, friends and siblings, whether through play and fun, or therapeutic rest and relaxation. To date Greenfingers Charity has created 51 such gardens and outdoor spaces, and has a further waiting list of hospices that need its help.

October - TulipsMost summer-flowering bedding and container plants will be ‘going over’ this month, and can be lifted and composted. Once the ground is clear and has been forked over, why not plant some spring-flowering bulbs and start looking forward to the first colourful display of 2017? We offer a terrific range of tulips – surely the most flamboyant of all spring performers. Plant them in October or November, and you can just about forget about them until they burst into bloom next April and May. This year we are offering many collections of tulips in complementary or contrasting colours, and plenty of single varieties for those of you who prefer to do your own colour-coordination.

Hardy perennials can be cut back during October to within a few inches of the ground. Discard the cut stems and any foliage strewn around the plants, as this will discourage pests and diseases which may otherwise lurk there during the winter. Once dahlia foliage has been blackened by the first one or two frosts, carefully lift the tubers with a fork, as you would potatoes, leave three or four inches of stem and store them somewhere dry, cool, but frost-free until you want them to burst into growth again next spring.

As buddleias finish flowering, it is advisable to cut them back to around half their height so they do not become rocked by autumn and winter gales, causing them to become loose in the soil. Next March they can be cut back much closer to the ground to encourage new growth and plenty of butterfly-attracting blooms.

Vegetables
October - Broad Beans AguadulceWinter-cropping brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, kale and savoy cabbages will benefit from the application of a general-purpose fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone to help them grow a little more before the weather deteriorates. Hoe it in carefully round the stems without damaging the plants.

Seed of hardy peas and broad beans can be sown during October to provide a really welcome, early summer crop next year. Pea Meteor is one of the best for autumn sowing, and it does well with minimal support, even in cold, exposed locations. There are several excellent over-wintering broad beans from which to choose. Bunyards Exhibition and Aguadulce (formerly Aquadulce) are probably the two most widely grown, but The Sutton is a great choice for small gardens or windy sites, as the plants remain dwarf and compact throughout their life. Broad beans do best in well drained soil and in a reasonably sheltered position.

If you have not already done so, lift any remaining maincrop potatoes still in the ground as soon as possible. This will save them from either slug or frost damage. Store the tubers somewhere cool, dark and dry. Once the tops of Jerusalem artichokes start to turn yellow, the plants can be cut back close to the ground, leaving the tubers beneath the soil to be harvested as required in the weeks ahead.

If any parts of the garden or allotment are currently fallow after earlier crops have been harvested, sowing a green manure can do the soil a power of good. Depending on what is sown, it is possible to improve soil structure, increase its fertility, prevent the leaching of nutrients, and they will all help to suppress weeds. Among others, we offer crimson clover, lucerne (alfafa) and winter grazing rye.

Whether you are growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers or aubergines in the greenhouse, it is a good idea to pick all you can this month and discard the plants. By the end of the month it should be possible to clean it out with warm water and a proprietary disinfectant to ensure it is not harbouring any diseases through the winter.

Fruit
October - Raspberry Polka canes from Mr Fothergill'sIf you like the idea of a fruit bush or two in the garden or on the allotment, remember we are despatching our bare-root currants and gooseberries from this month onwards. We are very keen on the new blackcurrant Ebony, which is the sweetest one we know. The currants are larger fruited than other varieties and contain up to 15 per cent sugar, giving them a lovely full, rounded flavour. Ebony does well in our climate and has some resistance to mildew. In gooseberries, Xenia is one of the sweetest in our experience. This early season variety can be picked from June and into July, and the berries are sweet enough to be eaten straight from the bush.

Freshly picked raspberries take some beating in our book, and the new autumn-fruiting (primocane) Paris is one of the very best. The large berries can weigh more than 5gm each, and they are wonderfully sweet, aromatic and juicy. You should be picking Paris from August through to October. We begin despatch in 9cm pots from November, so now is the time to order this rather special new variety.