SEPTEMBER CLIPPINGS

PLANT SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS

such as hyacinth, daffodils, chionodoxa and Dutch iris promptly so they can put down good root systems before winter. Leave tulips until November.

ADD BULBS TO THE LAWNS.

Purple flowered Crocus tommasinianus is a classic and multiplies happily as long as the leaves are allowed to die back naturally before the patch of grass is cut.For longer grass, taller camassias with blue or white flowers are perfect and will tolerate damp clay soils.

GIVE A LAST GENERAL PURPOSE FERTILISER

to bedding plants and dahlias still going strong. In agood autumn, they will flower until the first frosts. Don’t feed trees and shrubs or they might put on sappy new growth vulnerable to winter frost damage. They are best fed in spring.

PLANT NEW CLEMATIS

but if soil is still dry, soak the planting hole first and water them in well afterwards. Set the roots a little deeper than they were in the pot.

CHECK THE MESH COVERS PROTECTING BRASSICA PLANTS

from egg-laying cabbage white butterflies. There is often a late hatching of caterpillars that will make a mess of your cauliflower and purple-sprouting broccoli plants.

REMEMBER NOT TO TIDY UP TOO VIGOROUSLY AND DISTURB WILDLIFE.

Leave some areas untouched, add to log piles and if cutting meadow grass, leave some of it long for cutting next year. Let seed heads stay in place and add fruiting plants such as holly and rowan (Sorbus‘ Hilling’s Spire’ is good for small plots) as food for birds.