Amateur Gardening

BOOST YOUR BEDDING

How to get a succession of bright flowers

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THE winter/spring bedding I put in a few weeks ago has grown and flowered well. However, as temperatur­es drop and the weather deteriorat­es, things will start to slow down.

There are a few things you can do to bedding now, to help it through the winter months in good condition.

Deadhead spent flowers, because the last thing you want is lots of ripe seedheads and little seedlings. We are entering a tough time and plants need to muster their resources, rather than wasting them on reproducti­on.

A warm, damp autumn like the one we have experience­d is also perfect for weeds. Remove them as soon as you see them, and check for pests and diseases. The leaves of low-growing pansies and bellis provide cover for slugs and snails, and if it is damp and mild, fungal problems such as pansy/ viola leaf spot can take hold.

You can still plant bedding now, though don’t expect to see much more growth before spring. Plants will put on root growth, which helps developmen­t next year, but colder air temperatur­es will stall top growth.

 ??  ?? Careful husbandry will help bedding survive the winter
Careful husbandry will help bedding survive the winter

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