See Other Months

Within the next couple of weeks I shall be emptying my compost heaps, ready to put the autumn leaves in them towards the end of the month. Any unrotted material can be put to one side and returned to the bottom of the heap when you have emptied it.

Keep hoeing - the recent dry weather has helped to keep the unusual flush of annuals under control.

October is the time to renew the plants in window boxes, baskets and pots. Sometimes summer-flowering plants still look colourful into October but I’d harden your heart and get rtid of them now as the autumn-planted ones need to establish before winter. Think Polyanthus, forget-me-nots, Bellis, wallflowers, hardy cyclamen, winter violas, heathers. Don’t get tempted to buy plants in full flower as they may well have come out of a greenhouse having been 'forced on’ to flower, but they will suffer if there are hard frosts.

Ivies offer trailing growths and weather protection. Also small Hebes, Laurel, Skimmias, Lavenders and Sage as ‘dot’ plants. In the spring you can plant these shrubs out into the garden to grow on.

Below are a few local beauties that I have spotted in late September:

Lonicera nitida. Trim before winter

Fuchsias. Compost round, but not up, the base to protect roots in winter.

Remember these being sold at our Summer Show? I potted mine up and now it has produced many ‘babies’ ready to drop onto the soil and root. Devil’s backbone aka Mother of Millions or Mexican hat plant - Bryophyllum (formerly Kalanchoe) diagremontianum.

And finally, A wonderful large Hibiscus (moscheutos?) growing in Beechwod Avenue, Kew. Well done the grower!

Richard Ward