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Autumn is a special time of the year
The temperatures are cooling and for some it’s a welcome relief, there is some earth-refreshing rain and the leaves are beginning to change colour.
Somehow there is stability in the weather – it seems more settled, but busily brewing too – the calm before the storm – literally!
As the seasons begin to change, its time to batten down the hatches in the garden. Get outside now, before it’s too cold, wet and ugly to fossick about amongst the greenery.
To Do...
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Sweep up the leaves – add them to your compost bin, along with some blood & bone to help it all along. Complete this with some grass clippings where possible and it’ll really be cooking. |
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If it’s just too ugly outside, or like me, you can’t bear to accept that summer is over for another year; spend some time planning where to plant annuals for winter colour. Remember to plant up some pots too, particularly around your entranceway – what better way to cheer yourself up on a dreary day as you venture outside… |
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Sow seeds now for winter colour (pansies, polyanthus, etc), and spring (poppies, stock, larkspurs and the like) too. |
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Collect seeds of whatever you wish to propagate from around the garden. Dry them in the sun, and then store them in paper bags (with some silica gel to ensure they stay dry). |
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Take time to enjoy the changes that occur with various seed pods in your patch. What was once so cheerfully splashed in colour gradually turns sombre and develops rusty hues… |
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Take hardwood cuttings of roses |
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Do some layering of plants that are normally difficult to propagate – particularly of rhodos. |
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Lift, pot up or move cold sensitive plants in colder areas – for example bromeliads, and favourite sub-tropicals. Reduce watering to encourage them to enter a dormant state. |
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Trim, tidy up and clip perennials as they need it. This task should be done according to the needs of the plant and the situation it finds itself it. |
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Move trees or shrubs that need to be repositioned, especially evergreens that can’t abide drying out. Remember to water them thoroughly |
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Plant your new purchases now – particularly shrubs and trees – autumn may appear foreboding, but can also be such an exciting time. |
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