In Gardeners World episode 26 2015, as autumn unfolds in the garden, Monty Don has plenty to be getting on with at Longmeadow. And in his quest to track down some of the nation’s most remarkable allotments, Joe Swift visits a tropical paradise in Runcorn.
Gardeners World episode 26 2015:
Plant up dwarf irises in pots
Not only is it time to put bulbs into the border, you can also plant them in pots. Bulbs like the dwarf iris, Iris reticulata, can provide stunning colour early next year. Place some very gritty compost in the bottom of a pot and place the bulbs on top, spacing them evenly apart. Cover them with compost, ensuring they are planted two or three times their depth. It’s a good idea to top dress them with grit and this will help prevent the petals from being splashed by the compost when it rains.
Transplant rooted hardwood cuttings
If you took hardwood cuttings this time last year, they should now have developed a good set of roots. You can either move them to their final spot or pot them up if you haven’t decided where to put them yet.
Sow hardy annuals
Summer may seem a long way off, but you can get ahead now by sowing some hardy annuals. Ammi majus, pot marigold and cornflowers are all good candidates and you can either sow these direct in the ground (with protection if the weather gets really harsh) or in seed trays under cover. If you decide to grow them in a greenhouse, remember to harden them off in a cold frame before planting them out next spring.
Agapanthus gall midge
As Rachel discovered when she visited Wisley, the RHS is always on the lookout for new garden pests. It’s not always clear how these alien invaders arrive here, but the more we know about them, the greater our chances of keeping them under control!
The agapanthus gall midge is a case in point. It was first discovered in 2014 in someone’s back garden and is so new to science, it hasn’t even got a Latin name yet! Dr Hayley Jones is monitoring its spread across the country and, as a result, would love to receive any photos or samples you might have of the unopened flower buds. For more details on where to send them, check out the link below.
