Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.
Maria Robinson |
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Garden Week October 2008
Uttoxeter Dot Com Gardening Week - Our exciting new weekly feature
29th October 2008
After the first autumn frost and subsequent cold snap it is once again time to dig up the dahlias and store them for next year, but it also gives you the opportunity to take stock in the garden and tidy up in preparation for the winter and plan for next year.
I must confess that I have been more than a little impatient this year when dealing with the straggly remains of my late summer border and my dahlias were chopped back and protected last weekend. Like me, many people now choose to risk leaving their dahlias in the border, well protected by a thick layer of mulch, however if you prefer to dig up and bring in for winter protection, then now after the first frost has blackened the foliage is the time to do it. This year I am going to risk leaving most of them in the ground, as it tends to be the winter wet that does the most damage rather than the cold, only the dahlias grown in pots will obtain the prized space within my greenhouse.
If you haven’t already, there is still time to give your greenhouse some extra protection for the coming lower temperatures, and the easiest option is bubble wrap secured with clips. The other alternative is to protect individual potted plants and fleece jackets can give borderline plants that little bit of extra protection; I like the jackets with pull cords and toggles to secure a snug fit at the base of the pot. Many of the local garden centres will supply both the materials and the advice to help secure your prized plants against Jack Frost.
My favourite part of gardening is planning for next year and the best time to do this, is in front of the fire after a cold bright day spent in the garden. So, with a couple of pieces of Graph paper, I have spent several hours drawing and re-drawing my plans for next year, most of which are centered around the top area of wilderness in the back garden. It is going to take a lot of work to turn these plans into reality, but having the time now to make the plans will mean that once I get around to doing the work, if I have changed my mind on paper it won’t result in a costly mistake later on.
So, whatever the weather brings in the coming week, enjoy working in your garden. IsixX
