'Garden Column - August 2008'

Start planning for bulbs!

This month is the ideal opportunity to start planning on how your garden is going to look next spring especially when it comes to planting spring flowering bulbs.
In early spring the garden can seen a bleak and barren place and whilst at the moment standing still in the garden seems the most unlikely thing to be doing.
It is worth scanning your perimeters and find ideal areas to plant bulbs for the coming months.
There are a wide variety of plants which can be used but study your books and literature to ensure that the varieties you have decided on will be suitable for their positions. If you are not sure nip down to the garden centre and we will be glad to advise you.
Some bulbs once planted will naturalise and slowly create a carpet of colour to brighten large areas especially orchards and large areas of turf.

Continue to increase stocks for next year.

Start to take cuttings of half-hardy bedding plants which you wish to grow and nurture for next year.
With a majority of hanging basket plants like Geraniums, Fuchsias, Marguerites etc. can be cropped from.
Take fresh growth from the growing tips. Cuttings should be around 10cm in length. Remove any flower buds and remove the leaves at the bottom then make a fresh cut at the base of one of these leaf joins. Dip the base then into some rooting powder or liquid then place the cuttings into a 50/50 mixture of peat and perlite. Water then place into a propagator. Check the cuttings for condensation allowing them to air every 2-3 days this will hopefully deter them from damping off.
Once you notice signs of growth and the cuttings seem to have rooted pot them on into individual pots ready for next year.

Fill gaps with a plunge!

Certain bedding plants now will start to look tired and will have signs of going-over.
Some of these should be removed and placed upon the compost heap others you may able to pinch back to entice some fresh healthy growth and hopefully a late flush of flower.
Areas that have been cleared of plants that are beyond help may well look barren and it will be at least another 4 weeks before winter bedding like Pansies etc. will be widely available.
So the puzzle is what to plant whilst waiting for the Autumn/Winter colour?
There is a wide range of herbaceous plants and summer flowering shrubs which can fill gaps though if you want those spaces for winter colour then plunge these into the garden in their pots then lift when the Pansies etc. become available.

Trim Coniferous Hedges.

This month, if you possess a conifer hedge then you should spend some vital time & energy into giving the hedge its annual trim to prevent it from overgrowing and sending its height out of control and reach.
It will also allow new growth to ripen ready for winter.
Try and not leave a flat top to the hedge but round it off.
This will help your screen through the winter months especially if we have a sprinkling of snow. The rounded top will allow large amounts of snow to fall off the top of the hedge as with a flat top will allow the snow just to sit and then cause the growth to fan out and spoil the appearance of the screen and cause irreparable damage.
Tapered sides can also help with this. Try and not trim too far into the old growth as coniferous plants sometimes can find it hard to replace growth on older and tired stems.
Once trimmed give the hedge a good feed with Vitax Pelleted Conifer & Shrub Fertiliser and mulch well with Levington Water Saving Bark to help with suppressing weed growth and water retention.