Plymouth Garden Centre, plant nurseries in Devon, gardening advicePlymouth Garden Centre, garden centre in Devon Cornwall UK,

October

Prepare to reap the rewards of early planting for the coming spring

Very often we leave the summer bedding plants in our gardens and pots until the last petal drops or until the winter frosts blacken them. By acting early and replacing them with spring bedding we can get a far better show of colour in the spring.

In the South West the soil tends to stay warmer for longer and this helps to promote a strong root system and leads to larger well established plants which outperform those that are planted as a last resort in mid winter.

Modern breeding of new and improved bedding varieties also means that you do not have to stare at seas of green any more. Good varieties of polyanthus and primroses now flower both in late autumn and again in the spring. The new strain of Aida dwarf wallflower has an autumn flush of flowers and a later one in May. The Miracle cyclamen have also been improved to be pretty winter hardy almost anywhere and will flower continuously through the winter. The old universal pansy has also given way to modern strains such as Ultima to give a longer lasting and more weather resistant plant. All of these can be under planted with bulbs to prolong displays and give added height.

The feeding of these plants is important. Too much nitrogen will give a soft and less weather resistant plant. It is far better to give them either a slow release organic fertiliser such as bone meal or a controlled release fertiliser such as Osmocote. This one is temperature released and gives out very little when the soil is cold and the plants are dormant.

If you have mostly pots then it is worth while remembering that most modern varieties are dual purpose and can be planted out in beds or in containers. You do have to remember though that dwarf bulbs need to be planted with them as the taller garden varieties will look out of proportion in the container.

Question

When is the best time to plant fruit in the garden?

Answer

The best time to plant any fruit, including soft fruit bushes such as gooseberries or currants is in the late autumn. Top fruit like apples and pears will grow well if planted at this time but the stone fruits such as cherries, plums and peaches are best planted in the early spring as they may fail in the winter due to the wet climate in the South West.

Things to bear in mind when planting fruit:

  • If a tree such as an apple or pear, ensure that you have a self fertile variety or that there are plenty of apple or pear trees in the vicinity.
  • Choose the correct rootstock. Dwarf, Medium, or Full sized orchard tree. This depends on your garden size. Choose a really dwarf rootstock for pots such as m27 for apples.
  • Prepare the planting hole well with Westcountry compost or similar suitable planting compost.
  • Stake if in an exposed position.
  • Add bonemeal to the planting hole to slowly give off its nutrients to stimulate good root growth.

Follow these instructions and ask the staff at the Garden Centre for additional advice.

Plant of the month

growing blueberriesBlueberries

Blueberries are simple to grow. They belong to the heather family and require acid soil but this is not a problem. Specialised fertilisers can ensure that they get the correct feed.

If you wish to grow them in pots you will need an ericaceous compost. Soil based is preferable. Some varieties are in need of a pollinator but many are self fertile. Most of the modern varieties that are on sale are self fertile. Ask advice if you are unsure.

There are varieties that are now ripening over a period of time .July August and September. A small bush can yield over a kilo of fruit. They are suitable for pots or in the garden or in the allotment.

Buy, grow and enjoy eating the muffins.

Jobs in the Garden

There are many tasks that can be carried out now.

  • Roses benefit from a one third trim to reduce size and therefore reduce wind rock of the bushes.
  • Old leaves need to be picked up in case they harbour pests and diseases.
  • Olive tree owners need to spray with a copper fungicide to reduce fungal infection.  
  • Lawns that are looking a bit long need a final cut.
  • Gladioli corms should be lifted and stored dry in a garage or a store room. Begonia tubers likewise and Dahlias need to be lifted, cut back to 6 inches of stem and store upside down to drain out excess moisture.
  • Scruffy looking herbaceous plants need to be cut back to ground level.
  • If you are the proud owner of the banana Musa insetti you should take it indoors or into the greenhouse just in case.  

 

 
Plymouth Garden Centre, Fort Austin Avenue, Crownhill, Plymouth PL6 5NU Telephone 01752 771820 Fax 01752 767152 Email: