October is the month for planting bulbs if you haven’t already done so. When planting daffodils remember that foliage should remain on until the end of May so don’t put them in the front of a border or formal lawn. They will still show up at the back of the border because when they flower most herbaceous plants will be cut down or at least not be in leaf.
Tulips can be planted as late as November but most tulips will perish after flowering in the ground if left in. The exception to this rule seems to be yellow ones as they appear to be tougher. I like to plant tulips in containers as they seem to thrive there and can be moved into different positions, and once they have flowered, they can be put out of sight and something else put in their place. By buying different types of tulips you can have flowering pots from March to the end of May! They can be combined with pansies, violas, and wallflowers for a stunning display, and for late tulips, forget-me-nots always look good.
Now is the time to put muck or compost on vegetable beds, and you don’t even have to bother to dig it in as worms and birds will all help incorporate it into the ground. If you have enough, treat roses to a mulch of animal manure as they love it and respond well. When you go around gardens run by the National Trust or RHS you will see all the rose beds are mulched with muck or compost.
Any vegetable gardeners should be ready to put broad bean seeds in. My favourite panting time is the last week in October, but a week either side is okay. If it isn’t a really cold winter, beans will be ready to harvest in May. My winter greens on the allotment are all looking good. Any yellowing leaves on the sprouts I will pull out to leave air around the lower buttons.
I have got my cannas and arum lilies in the greenhouse before the frosts get them. I will stop watering now and leave them in the dry pots until next spring when I will get them out and repot in fresh material. The old compost will go on my vegetable garden to build up humus. Apart from checking my gladioli corms and dahlia tubers in store, I shall retire to my chair and browse the seed catalogues and decide what I am going to grow next year.
Our next two talks should prove interesting. First of all we have Dr. Ian Keith Ferguson talking about North American plants in British Gardens. Dr. Ferguson is a widely travelled botanist and author, retired Deputy Keeper of the Herbartum at Kew Gardens and former Head of the Pollen Unit. Our November meeting will see the return of lively speaker, Leila Jackson who came to our village two years ago – Leila will be talking to us about salvias - one of her specialities - and other perennials. Both events not to be missed and then we’re on countdown to our Christmas Dinner on December 7th – three dates for the diary then!
Pete Chamberlain
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.u
Tulips can be planted as late as November but most tulips will perish after flowering in the ground if left in. The exception to this rule seems to be yellow ones as they appear to be tougher. I like to plant tulips in containers as they seem to thrive there and can be moved into different positions, and once they have flowered, they can be put out of sight and something else put in their place. By buying different types of tulips you can have flowering pots from March to the end of May! They can be combined with pansies, violas, and wallflowers for a stunning display, and for late tulips, forget-me-nots always look good.
Now is the time to put muck or compost on vegetable beds, and you don’t even have to bother to dig it in as worms and birds will all help incorporate it into the ground. If you have enough, treat roses to a mulch of animal manure as they love it and respond well. When you go around gardens run by the National Trust or RHS you will see all the rose beds are mulched with muck or compost.
Any vegetable gardeners should be ready to put broad bean seeds in. My favourite panting time is the last week in October, but a week either side is okay. If it isn’t a really cold winter, beans will be ready to harvest in May. My winter greens on the allotment are all looking good. Any yellowing leaves on the sprouts I will pull out to leave air around the lower buttons.
I have got my cannas and arum lilies in the greenhouse before the frosts get them. I will stop watering now and leave them in the dry pots until next spring when I will get them out and repot in fresh material. The old compost will go on my vegetable garden to build up humus. Apart from checking my gladioli corms and dahlia tubers in store, I shall retire to my chair and browse the seed catalogues and decide what I am going to grow next year.
Our next two talks should prove interesting. First of all we have Dr. Ian Keith Ferguson talking about North American plants in British Gardens. Dr. Ferguson is a widely travelled botanist and author, retired Deputy Keeper of the Herbartum at Kew Gardens and former Head of the Pollen Unit. Our November meeting will see the return of lively speaker, Leila Jackson who came to our village two years ago – Leila will be talking to us about salvias - one of her specialities - and other perennials. Both events not to be missed and then we’re on countdown to our Christmas Dinner on December 7th – three dates for the diary then!
Pete Chamberlain
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.u