Autumn will bring its own special attractions

Overnight temperatures are down to single figures, increasing amounts of herbaceous foliage dying back, and ripe apple cultivars on freefall from the trees.

Autumn has arrived. But the change of season is not without its attractions. There are vegetables, fruits, and flowers aplenty, and first view of the day is of multitudinous cobwebs on the lawn highlighted by morning dew. A pity there wasn’t more time to stand and stare!

My extended salvage operation begins with the rooting of potential stem cutting material on the penstemon and hardy fuchsia collections, of which I see an abundance. Even at this stage of the year they are capable of rooting in trays of gritty compost with domed covers which stand on the greenhouse bench.

Later in the month, we’ll be preparing hardwood stem cuttings of shrubs and certain soft fruits. A Lavatera ‘Barnsley Baby’ that has done so well in the mixed border and continues in bloom, is a certain candidate. Black and redcurrant stems are in line for this, gooseberry, too. Rooting young growths that

Penstemon, ideal for cuttings.

appear on older bushes is one way of restoring vigour and fruit production.

The propagation theme continues in November when certain dahlia tubers are dug, cleaned and planted in boxes that stand on the greenhouse bench. New shoots in March are ideal rooting material, and chrysanthemums will go through the same process. Some herbaceous perennials that have developed a large clump will be divided up, but not immediately.

We prune their spent top growth to ground level first, and that is often a revelation. Nearby plants breathe a sigh of relief at the sudden increase in light and space as specimens of the moment are revealed. Last week, the cutting back of a fading lemon balm clump revealed a group of Cyclamen hederafolium in full bloom. Similarly, the removal of a wigwam that supported sweet peas throughout summer, focused attention on Choisya ternata in full, repeat, fragrant bloom. What happens to all the spent plant material? Bonfires are certainly out as far as this gardener’s concerned. They’re not only of detriment to the environment and potential nuisance to neighbours, but also a sheer waste of perfectly good composting material. Successful composting comes from getting a balance between the brown and green materials, and throughout summer we’ve had so much green plant matter. Here’s a chance to even the score!