The kids are all back to school in this house. The silence is strange, I can finally hear myself think! At least until 3pm when they come barrelling back in the door.
I love this time of year. As things get more Autumnal, Nature begins its slow down, the angle of the sun changes the lighting and the colours melt from vibrant greens to murky hues of red and orange. The usual refrain can be heard from every neighbour, “there is a big shortening of the evenings now.” However, September weather can often be good with the potential for an Indian Summer as the kids head back to school. I’m hopeful that we’ll have that this year. After the Storms over the last couple of weeks we all deserve some nice weather.
Cutting Back
With Storm Francis & Storm Ellen last week there might be a few extra jobs for the garden this month to tidy up any damage caused. My perennial lobelias, for example, were cut off at their toes last week.
If you have any branches or shrubs that were damaged by the storms, just cut off anything that is trying to hang on. This way the plant will put its energy into new growth, giving it the chance to recover. If you are feed your plants, don’t over-do it. A light feed is all that is necessary at this time of the year. Too much growth now will leave your plants vulnerable as we head towards colder months.
Planting Bulbs
Now is a great time to plan ahead for a festive and colourful Spring in the garden. Bulbs such as Daffodils, Crocus and Snowdrops can all be planted during September. It is possible to have a rainbow of colours in your garden from January through to May by planting bulbs during September.
Bulbs are really easy to plant and require little work. They can be planted in the garden or into pots for a splash of Wow during the Spring months.
Vegetable Patch
If you have potatoes planted, then you are advised to lift them now before slugs get the chance to do any damage. For your tomato plants, remove as much of the leaves as possible, in this way the energy of the plant will be ripening the tomatoes rather than growing the leaves. Harvest your onions for drying, if you haven’t done so already.
I hope you enjoyed these few hints to get the most from your garden. If you’re looking for any advice, or if I can help in any way, don’t hesitate to call and see me at Rockbarton.
Lynda
