Text by Carol Bucknell. Illustrations by Pippa Fay.September’s checklist
RoseIt’sthefloweroflovers,poets and playwrights and
probablythemostwell-knownof all ornamental blooms.
It’salsooneofthelongestin cultivation, meaning there
arethousandsofhybridsandcultivars from all around the
worldavailable,in a hugerangeof colours, shapes, scents
andforms(bush,floribunda,patio, standard, rambling,
climbing,miniatureetc).Feeding roses is vital for plentiful
flowers;startin lateAugustorearly September as leaves
starttoappearandrepeatagainin mid December. Other
essentialsforgreatrosesarewater, especially during dry
months,andlotsofairmovement (ie plenty of space)
Floweraroundplantstoreducefungaldisease.OUTDOOR DIARY+ Now is a good time to take
hardwood cuttings of frangipani.
Cut pieces of stem about 50cm
long and leave them somewhere
dry outside for about a week.
Once the cut end forms a callus
pop it into a mix of sand and
potting compost and place in a
warm, sheltered spot until roots
have formed.+ Watch out for aphids on new shoots in spring.
If you want to use a pesticide spray check the
label as some are not recommended for soft
young growth or young seedlings. Organic
methods for aphid control include squashing
with fingers (a bit icky but effective), hosing off,
or dusting plants with flour which constipates
the pests. Wiping or spraying leaves of infested
plants with a mild solution of water and a few
drops of detergent often works well, too.
Grey skies and rainy days may be far from over
at this time of year but don’t let that stop you
celebrating spring in the garden. Make yourself
a list of spring tasks that need doing outside and
gradually ease into garden mode by choosing the
easiest ones first. Spreading mulch for instance.
Not too difficult or dirty but very beneficial to
plants as it will help keep soil warm (thereby
encouraging more growth) and reduce weeds
meaning less work for you.
If you invest in a good-quality
shredder/mulcher you can make
your own mulch from garden
waste such as the woody
branches from trees and shrubs,
hedge clippings and so forth. Mix
it with some homemade compost
or some well-washed seaweed,
spread around the base of plants
and your garden will be all setfor
super spring growth.
Who doesn’t love a sweep of bold, colourful
irises in the garden? To help bearded irises
produce plenty of flowers in late spring or
early summer feed with a low-nitrogen general
granular fertiliser. Avoid animal manure for these
perennials as it can rot their rhizomes. Watch
out for rhizome rot in spring, too. It can start at
the bottom of the stem and travel down into the
rhizome, turning the plant soft and brown. If you
spot it, immediately cut away affected parts and
dust rhizome with fungicidal powder.
Beardless irises that die back
in winter such as Iris sibirica, Iris
pseudacorus, Iris ensata and Iris
versicolor should also be fed in
early spring with a handful of
general garden fertiliser around
plants as shoots start to emerge.
- Delphiniums and other herbaceous perennials
can be split now if they have become too large.
Divide clumps into as many sections as you
can, each with a good amount of roots and new
shoots, discarding the older centre. This will
rejuvenate plants and ensure better flowering.
It also gives you new plants to spread around
your garden or give to friends.
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