W2D-015 Homes and gardens-4.txt
Get your garden ready for spring

SEPTEMBER sees a change of emphasis in the garden, a change which gains impetus as the autumn advances, writes Craig Wallace.

During the summer months the emphasis is mainly on maintenance and the keeping up of appearances - the lawn, hedges, the roses, the general flower borders, hanging baskets, window boxes, container plants, the vegetable plot.

With attention being paid to watering and feeding, a colourful flower display can be maintained to the end of September and beyond.

Fillip

And with such a sunless summer a fine "back-end" would be a real fillip. However, as the light evenings get shorter and the days draw-in, harvesting and planning ahead become increasingly important.

Bulb planting now means a welcome display from February through to May next year. The bulbs have been in the nurseries and garden centres since the end of August.

Choice

Even if planting has to be spread out, purchases should be made as soon as possible. Otherwise as the bulbs get picked over, and the boxes emptied you might have to take the leavings and second choice. And it's not unknown for bulbs to get mixed with all the handling and sorting, the longer they are on display.

Daffodil planting comes first, repeat first. Expert growers make a point of getting in their daffs before the end of September, earlier if possible. Generally the taller and larger the daffodil variety, the bigger the bulb - dwarf and miniature types produce quite small bulbs.

Virus

I have seldom seen poor quality bulbs on offer from local garden centres or from the reputable bulb firms, but beware of the cheap mail-order bargains as they can prove to be very disappointing what with virus, eel-worm, narcissus-fly affecting the bulbs.

Tulip planting can take the hindmost, even well into November, with all the others, the crocuses, snowdrops, irises, aconites, scillas, hyacinths, puschkinias, etc. coming in between. It's all about looking forward and planning.

Work on the lawn also has an element of looking ahead - for a better sward next spring and summer. Autumn lawn dressings tend to contain less nitrogen and greater proportions of potash and phosphate.

Hence the immediate greening-up effect is less noticeable, compared to spring and summer lawn foods. On the other hand the slower acting ingredients work over the autumn and winter months so that the grasses get off to an early spring start.

The manual tasks - scarifying, raking, aerating, spiking, top-dressing - all are aimed at long term improvements as well.

Autumn is also a time for "putting to bed" the summer flowers - the gladioli, dahlias, begonias, the early chrysanthemums, fuchsias, geraniums.
