September has its own group of flowering shrubs; plants of a hardier nature, and the heathers are at their best at this time of year. The autumn plants need less water and less general care, but this is a good time to feed your shrubs and hardy perennials in order to promote bud growth for next years flowers. Your lawn would also benefit from a light dusting of low nitrogen fertiliser at the end of the month. This application promotes root growth before winter; the nitrogen level is kept low to avoid excess leaf growth.

If you want a few bright red rose hips for the winter, now is the time to leave a few dying flowers on the rose bushes. But do not leave too many per plant, seed pods take a lot of plant energy.

Also see SEPTEMBER GARDENING QUESTION AND ANSWER.
SEPTEMBER GARDENING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PAGE 2
SEPTEMBER GARDENING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PAGE 3

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October     The mists of Autumn. Fall.     ------------

Now is the time to plant spring bedding plants, wallflowers, polyanthus, primroses, forget-me-nots, sweet williams and Canterbury bells. As usual, dig well and add plenty of fertiliser.

Lilies and tulips can be planted now, plant the lilies slightly deeper than tulips and daffodils. Lilies will benefit from peat mixed in to the soil to aid drainage. Tulips can be planted well into November, so no need to rush if other distractions take up your time.

Late apples and pears are now ready for the autumn harvest and any you intend to store are best wrapped in individual sheets of tissue to help prevent any rot spreading to other fruit.

If you are planning to plant further fruit trees now is the perfect time, the tree has time to settle in before the severe frosts. Always place a substantial stake alongside the tree, secure the tree to the stake with tree-ties, available at the garden centre, this prevents the tree rocking in the wind and loosening the roots.

Plant hygiene is the main requisite for successful fruit growing. Destroy all dead leaves at the end of the season these carry infection over the winter, keep the area around the base of the trees clear of vegetation, put a grease band (a widely available horticultural product for fruit trees) around the base of the trunk of the tree to trap and prevent various creepy crawlies from reaching the buds and eventually the leaves and fruit.

If you have grown potatoes now is the time to lift the tubers, choose a drying day and dig up the potatoes. Then leave the tubers on the ground for a couple of hours to dry, a wet potato will soon rot in store, when dry collect into suitable containers and store in a frost free store.

If you wish, spring flowering bulbs can be grown in pots in the greenhouse. These will come to flower early and can be brought into the house when ready. If you are keeping heat in the green house for the winter, your geraniums and fuchsias from outdoors can flower throughout the winter alongside more exotic indoor plants.

See OCTOBER QUESTIONS & ANSWERS PAGE ONE
PAGE TWO OCTOBER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
PAGE THREE OCTOBER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
PAGE FOUR OCTOBER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
For lots more Autumn gardening information, advice and help.

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November     Autumn, Fall, turns to winter ------------

If your lawn is in a sad state of repair, now is the time to repair with turf, at this time of year when turf is laid it stays moist and the grass roots can grow into the underlying soil. Turf can be laid at any time of year, but in summer the turf can dry out and then the grass dies off in patches, as often seen on new housing estates.

When laying turf always prepare your ground in advance, then when the turf arrives it can be laid immediately. Laying turf is not the easiest of jobs and if a large job is contemplated employing a professional should not be ruled out. If you do wish to do it yourself, there are many exellent publications available, dealing with the subject in greater depth.

Your ornamental trees and bushes and fruit trees, should be checked over at this time of year for broken branches and other damage. Any damaged limbs should be removed; this prevents further damage when the winter winds do blow. Use a sharp pruning saw.

Also any ties holding the tree to the stake, should be adjusted while you can see them. As the tree grows, the ties can constrict the growth and cause problems if not slackened off slightly on yearly intervals.

In the vegetable area, broad beans can be planted now for an early crop. If you have grown carrots and parsnips, they can be lifted and stored now. But with global warming and more hardy strains of the two crops, most growers leave the crop in the ground and harvest as needed.