Oct 26 Combined JW - Flipbook - Page 23
Community update Hayling Herald
Hayling Island Horticultural Association
By Liese Holden
FOLLOWING such a hot and
dry summer many of us will find
ourselves in unfamiliar territory
in our gardens and allotments.
Some plants will have given
up and others will have kept on
flowering and producing fruit.
We have been told to expect a
cold winter, but if we have learned
nothing else, it is to be adaptable to whatever comes our way
regarding the weather and to be
prepared.
Make a note of the flowers that
have done well this summer in the
drier and hotter weather. Collecting seeds and taking cuttings from
your perennials and hardy annuals ensures an ongoing supply of
new plants next year for little cost.
Seeds are normally ready to
collect two months after flowering and have dried off and turned
brown. Try and collect the seed
heads on a dry day and store for a
couple of weeks in a bag or a box
before shaking off the seeds.
Once excess plant material has
been removed, store in an envelope or a bag in a cool dry place.
Another autumn task is to
divide any herbaceous perennials
that have got too large or you just
want to spread around the garden.
Plants moved in autumn will usually survive the experience well
and have time to establish a good
root system ahead of next year’s
growth.
Establishing a good root system
will help plants survive drought
conditions. Dig around the whole
plant, and if you cannot separate
it with your hands, then cut in
half or more with a spade, before
replanting in its new position.
It doesn’t matter if you sever
some of the roots.
As leaves fall and plants die
back, continue to tidy up the
garden and put these in your
compost but some plants can be
left to provide interest in winter
such cornus stems and seed heads
on thistles etc. You can leave piles
of leaves and twigs in discreet
corners for wildlife to use over the
winter months.
Geraniums are very easy to
propagate and indeed they never
really become dormant.
You can take cuttings at any
time and some of them should
root successfully. Just take care
not to over-water them and they
do not need to be covered.
If you do not have a greenhouse,
this is an excellent to way to keep
your favourite plants for the next
year as they will survive well
Bowl of beauty peony, above, and a stunning dahlia, left
indoors. Overwintered plants generally need very little attention.
Hedges need a good tidy up
now, especially if they’ve been
neglected over summer. It’s also
time to prune your fruit trees to
stimulate the formation of fruit
buds and flowers.
This should be followed by a
final prune in November before
winter sets in.
One of the most helpful things
we can do to help our plants
survive the drier conditions is to
improve the soil by mulching, so
any old soil from pots and growbags can be used to this end.
We have some excellent events
lined up as well so do come along!
n Thursday, October 15th 2.30pm
– URC Church Hall, Hollow Lane
Talk by Bird Aware Solent.
A fascinating and informative
talk by a ranger from the Bird
Aware Solent to raise awareness
of the birds that spend time on
our Solent coastline. They aim
to encourage people to share our
special shores and wildlife.
More information on our website hihs.co.uk
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