Still things to do in your garden
August can be a funny month in the garden - summer is drawing to a close and Autumn is fast approaching. But don’t be fooled, there is still plenty you can be doing in the garden.
Have you noticed those planters and hanging baskets have begun to look worn out and aren’t showing much colour? They have performed well all summer but it is time to choke them on the compost heap and get ready for the looming winter season.
There are plenty of options when it comes to planters and pots for the winter season - heathers, chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbage, viola but by far my favourite two are the cyclamens and pansies. I mean, nothing flowers more than a pansy, and they can bring you from now right up to this time next year with a few simple tricks.
One, keep dead heading. I know how fond everyone is of this tedious task but a well dead-headed pansy will keep flowering for 12 months. Feed (tomato feed is fine) every three weeks is good for pansies; I find they aren’t extremely hungry plants, and, lastly, good drainage.
And good news, you can even get trailing pansies for those hanging baskets.
Now is also the ideal time to take stock of your fruit bushes/ trees and get planting. Planting new fruit bushes before autumn allows them to get rooted in well before the winter hits and the plant goes dormant. When they wake up next spring full of energy they will burst into bud and be ready to make fruit.
It is also a great time of year to take stock of your shrubs and perennials. Everything is in full growth at this time of year so you will see those gaps much easier. It is worth popping down to the garden centre and seeing what perennials would fill that space nicely.
If you are not sure what to plant I would suggest simply taking a photo of the area where the gap is in your border and bring it along. One of the team will be able to make some suggestions.
Fin Hayes,
Fin’s Garden Centre, Macroom