The
Dartmouth Gardener
this autumns palette. the royal Horticultural Society predicts a spectacular display of autumn colour this year due to the wet summer and recent warm sunny weather. rHS garden wisley Curator, Colin Crosbie says, “the
California Dreaming A
wet weather over the summer helped trees produce large volumes of leaves and rather than shed them, as they would do in a dry year, they have retained them. increased sugar levels in trees as a result of the recent lovely warm sunny days we have been enjoying will also boost autumn colours. “As the weather
starts getting cooler and the chlorophyll that gives leaves their green colour begins breaking down it will expose yellow, orange and red pigments that, as long as we don’t get heavy rain or winds, should provide an
ll the leaves are brown will surely not be a fitting analogy of what we can look forward to in
By Alex Webster
Sowing and planting • in sheltered spots you can sow over wintering broad beans in situ. Cover the trench with fleece or cloches to provide insulation in colder areas, as well as to protect from pigeons. • Carrots and peas can still be sown in cold frames, but only in mild areas.
• Plant out spring cabbages if not already
done. remember to net them for protection from pigeons.
• Finish planting autumn onion sets for a crop in early to mid-summer next year. • Plant garlic cloves.
General care
The Royal Horticultural Society predicts a spectacular display of autumn colour this year due to the wet summer and recent warm sunny weather.
incredible display of colour from trees this autumn.” i have noticed the cold temperatures at night and
warm days have started the process of leaves turning in the gardens and woods around the South Hams. Ornamental trees will begin to show glorious autumn colour first, with natives such as oak and beech providing further spectacular sights later on in the season. So an afternoon cruising along the river Dart or
walking at gallants bower above Dartmouth Castle or a romp through longwood in Kingswear will be richly rewarded. but what to do with all of those leaves for surely a
vast amount of sweeping and leaf blowing is on the cards. well don’t burn them, though the smell can evoke memories of childhood, the best advice is to compost as many as you can get your hands on. leaf litter is nature’s way of taking care of its own.
Just scrape away the top few inches of soil in the woods to discover how the soil is fed. A leaf mould bin is easily constructed from four
• Dig up outdoor tomato plants and hang them upside-down in the greenhouse to allow the fruits to ripen. Any that don’t ripen can be used green in chutneys. • Cut back asparagus foliage if not already done last month. take care of the spines, and give the plants some mulch afterwards.
• now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring. • when clearing old pea and bean plants,
simply cut off the tops for the compost heap, and dig the roots into the soil. they return valuable nitrogen to the earth, acting as a natural fertiliser.
• October is a good time to tidy up the plot by digging over vacant areas of the vegetable plot, and composting any green waste but avoid any seed heads of plant like poppies and tenacious weeds as these will not die off in a cold heap.
wooden posts and four metres of medium gauge chicken wire, fill the cage with leaves and keep topping up as leaves are gathered. it’s a good idea to cover the top with a square of old carpet to stop the gathered leaves blowing out. good quality, well-rotted leaf mould (more than two years old) can be used as seed-sowing compost, or mixed equally with sharp sand, garden compost and good quality soil for use as potting compost. Poor quality leaf mould, or leaf mould that is less than
two years old can be used as mulch, soil improver, autumn top-dressing for lawns, or winter covering for bare soil.
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