GARDENING

CHECKLIST

FLOWERS: Split the roots of older herbaceous perennials such as phlox, delphinium, Shasta daisy (marguerite) and peony. Dig up overgrown clumps, cut off sections from the edge, each with a few shoots and some roots attached, and plant these. SHRUBSAND TREES: Plant new roses, hedging, shrubs and trees. Water camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas thoroughly if the ground is dry. Shortage of water during early and mid-autumn can cause the flower buds to drop next spring. LAWNS: Spiking in autumn is highly beneficial. This opens up compacted lawns, improving drainage, reducing moss and weeds, and encouraging grass growth. Use a hollow-tine aerator or, as a second best, a garden fork. Spike 10cm (4in) deep in rows 10cm apart.Apply autumn lawn fertiliser, which is high in phosphate (not highnitrogen spring lawn fertiliser). PONDS: Prepare ponds for winter by removing the dying leaves of water lilies, taking out any blanket weed or algae and clearing fallen leaves from the surface before they have a chance to sink to the bottom. Pools under trees are best covered with fine mesh netting to catch the leaves. Clear the netting regularly. VEGETABLES: Save seeds of runner and French beans to sow next year. Leave old pods to dry on the plants then pick them before they split. Store the seeds in a dry, frost-free, mouse-proof place. FRUIT: Tie the new canes of summer-fruiting raspberries to supporting wires. When autumn raspberries have finished cropping, cut down the canes to ground level. Tie the long, new shoots of blackberries and loganberries to supports. Cut down stems which fruited this year. HERBS: Split well-established clumps of perennial herbs such as tarragon, chives and mint. HOUSEPLANTS: Remove dead leaves and flowers and move plants closer to windows so they receive enough light as the days grow shorter. Sponge shiny-leaved plants with water or a proprietary leaf-polish. Don’t sponge ferns and hairyleaved plants but brush off dust with a soft-bristled paint brush. Mist ferns with tepid water regularly to maintain humidity.

COLOURFUL DAYSAHEAD: winter snowdrops, tulips like Stressa, centre, or China Pink, and iris unguicularis

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AS YOU head for the garden centre to buy spring bulbs for autumn planting, spare a few seconds to consider the miracle you will be purchasing.

Inside each bulb is everything needed to produce the daffodil, tulip or hyacinth on the packet – not only all the food it needs to grow for its first year but also a tiny version of the flower.

Bulbs planted in pots or borders during autumn can provide colour and scent from February to May.

Crocuses planted in pots in September give a delightful, if short-lived, indoor display in the New Year.

Outdoors, you can have a sparkling succession of bulbs from snowdrops and winter aconites in January, crocuses and dwarf irises in February (Iris unguicularis, Iris reticulata and Iris histrioides are the species to go for), daffodils and hyacinths from March onwards and tulips fromApril.

Different kinds of daffodil bloom from February to May and weather conditions play a part in flowering time.

When buying, choose bulbs which are firm, have clean, dry skins and are not showing more than a short, thick bud at the tip. If the skin is missing or the bulb shows signs of softness, damp or mould, reject it.

For outdoor planting, choose a situation in sun or light shade with well-drained soil though snowdrops prefer dampish ground and moderate shade. Plant aconites and crocuses as soon as possible, daffodils before the end of October and tulips in November.

There is a wide range of tulips including lilyflowered kinds like China Pink, and smaller varieties such as Stresa, as well as the more familiar cup-shaped types.

Snowdrops are best planted in late winter after flowering while still in leaf but bulbs can be planted now.

Bulbs of many kinds can be left to naturalise— snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses and blue or white scillas (squills), for example. Not even tulips have to be dug up, as is often thought.

To improve bulbs’ long-term performance, plant the best species for the soil and situation; feed annually, especially in thin soil, spraying a foliar feed on to the leaves after the flowers have died and sprinkling a general fertiliser on the ground around the bulbs; allow the foliage to die back completely before cutting it off; and keep chemical sprays well away from them.

For indoor bulb displays early in the new year, plant as soon as possible in pots large enough to prevent the bulbs touching each other or the pot’s sides. Bury the pots 15cm (6in) deep in the ground, marking the spot, or keep them in a cool, totally dark place.

When they have shoots 5cm (2in) or more long and are showing their pale shoots, usually in early to mid-November, take them into a very cool, dimly-lit room until the shoots turn green and the flower buds show colour, then move them to a slightly warmer place in brighter light for a fortnight before taking them into normal light.

Once they flower, they will last longest if kept cool.

It is too late in the season to plant bulbs in pots for flowering indoors by Christmas but some can be bought as well-established clumps in pots.

The best varieties for such early blooms are hyacinths – in blue, pink, red, yellow or white –and a few varieties of tazetta daffodil of which Paper White and Grand Soleil d’Or are among the best.

These bulbs will have been cold-stored in summer and planted in August, tricking them into thinking spring is coming early.

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EXPERTS from GardeningExpress.co.uk have collated the best ways to turn your outdoor space into a paradise for birds.

Shrubs and hedges

Every bird needs a place that they can call home and many varieties love snuggling in a shrub, hedge, and tree that has sturdy branches. Different varieties of birds all build their nests differently.

While different preferences are common, all birds need structure and cover to start building. Having cover is especially important, to protect birds and their babies from predators.

Flowers

Planted shrubs that flower with nectar-rich blooms are great for bringing insects into the garden for birds to nibble on during the spring and summer months. Sunflowers are also a top choice for birds, due to their large seed heads. The seeds provide oil-rich nourishment particularly for finches, long-tailed tits, and nuthatches.

Boxes

Having shrubbery in your garden can provide a great place for birds to hide away from predators and build their nests. However, this isn’t possible during seasonal leaf sheds or in smaller gardens due to space constraints. Wooden bird boxes will provide shelter when there is nothing else available. Come spring and summer, the boxes will become a brilliant breeding ground and place to rear baby birds.

Berries

Berries are particularly important when the temperature drops, as they help birds build up their fat reserves.Attractive shrubs like cotoneaster, pyracantha and berberis are especially good for a wide range of birds. Native berry-bearing species like holly, hawthorn, honeysuckle, and ivy are easy to look after and will feed birds during their most difficult food gathering months.

Feeders

Birds can’t always find food from nature, so a little helping hand never goes amiss. Birds are creatures of habit, once you start to put food out, you will gain some regular garden guests. To help the creatures maintain a balanced diet, leave fat blocks, and pre-made bird mixes out for them. They are also partial to kitchen titbits, like cheese, bacon rind and fruit. It is vital to remove any unwanted food from the garden after the birds have had their dinner, as it could attract pests like flies and rats.

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