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| Go greener |
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| With a growing number of gardeners eschewing chemicals in favour of natural alternatives, we can suggest some effective products from our organic gardening selection |
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| Relax and refresh |
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| Good food freshly prepared daily, aromatic coffee, chilled wine and a grassy play area for the children. What more could you need? |
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| Food heaven |
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| Our Farm Shop is heaven for food lovers! Delicious handmade food, top quality groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables and stylish cookware and gifts. |
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| The Discovery Walk |
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| As thousands of daffodils herald the spring, stroll or stride around our Walk while the youngsters enjoy the Nature Trail |
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Autumn v. spring planting
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| Thursday, 11th September 2008 |
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IN THE GARDEN WITH PETA MARSHALL
As one of my favourite comedians, Harry Hill, might say on his show TV Burp, “Autumn planting or spring planting – which is best? There is only one way to find out. Fight!”
It’s a serious question, however. You can of course buy pot-grown trees, shrubs and perennials at any time of year, and in my mind there is no doubt at all that they will get established a lot quicker when planted in the autumn. But spring is when most gardeners start to think about new subjects for their gardens, and the plant centre is heaving between March and May.
Technically, however, autumn is better for planting, mainly because the soil is in its optimum state. In autumn the soil is warmer than in winter or spring (both times when frosts can set plants back when in their ‘establishment phase’), and wetter than in summer (which means that the plants don’t dry out so much).
Between late September and early November conditions are often just right for putting in plants. It will give them a chance to settle in and start growing new roots before the ground gets too wet and cold. The more roots they can grow in the autumn, the stronger the plants will be produced for the following year.
But never put in plants if there is a hard frost, or during heavy rain – it is so much better to wait until the conditions are just right. If the ground is too wet it is difficult to firm in the plants; this is most important with trees and shrubs as their existing roots may rot away due to sitting in holes of soggy soil.
Preparation of the soil – whenever you plant – is crucially important. It should be free of roots of perennial weeds, such as ground elder, nettles, couch grass or bindweed. It is worth taking extra time to fork over soil really well to ensure that every piece of root from these troublesome weeds is removed as it is almost impossible to eradicate them if their roots intermingle with the roots of the plants you are growing.
Once the weeds are removed, fork well-rotted manure, compost or bonemeal into the soil; this will give the plants a good start, especially if your soil is poor or very free draining. But there are even more problems if your ground is clay, or wet and heavy, as many varieties of trees and shrubs hate to sit with their roots in cold, wet soil. They will be very slow to get going, and might even die after several months of trying to grow in the wrong conditions.
Again it is worth taking time to improve the drainage of clay soils, as they need to be lightened. This can be done by forking over the clay quite deeply and at the same time incorporating plenty of gravel, forest bark, or open peat or peat-free compost, all of which are available, bagged, from the plant centre. This can be quite hard work, but if done regularly you will, in time, improve the soil greatly.
If you’re not able to tackle this kind of job, there are several trees and shrubs that will tolerate clay, including roses, berberis, hollies and hypericums.
More problems arise if your soil is chalky. This type of soil is always hungry and needs to be kept well fed if plants are to grow properly. On solid chalk it is best not to keep digging because this brings up chalk to the surface – instead it is better to keep applying thick layers of mulch (of well-rotted manure, compost, forest bark, bagged peat or peat-alternative). When this is done regularly every spring and autumn you will then build up a good depth of soil over the chalk.
As far as soil preparation is concerned there is one last thing to remember: check that the soil is moist. We sometimes have quite dry weather in September and October, and if this happens, give the planting area a really good soak with the hosepipe the day before planting.
Plants sold at Priory Farm are container-grown. This means that they are sold already growing in pots (of varying sizes depending on the type and age of the plant). Buying plants like this is so much better than the alternative – so called ‘bare root’ plants sold mainly by mail-order companies. These were plants growing in fields, lifted when ordered, and delivered often with bits of dry compost falling off the roots. They need to be planted as soon as you are sent them, even if weather conditions are bad. And, of course, you don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing the best-looking specimens.
Come to the plant centre, however, and you can ‘cherry pick’ the nicest, most balanced-looking plants and take them home. Then, if the weather is bad, you can wait – several weeks if need be – before planting.
Of course there is another major planting opportunity during the autumn months: that of spring bulbs. Buy them from the plant centre now and take them home. But put them in the ground, or the containers you want them to grow in, as soon as possible after getting them. When left lying about in sheds they will often go mouldy. Or if kept in too dry a place they will shrivel away. If either of these things happen, it is likely that you will not get good blooms in the spring.
So, all-in-all, I think by now you will have got the message. Autumn planting is best. It is certainly OK to plant in spring, and for some things (like summer bedding, summer-flowering bulbs, and gap filling) spring-planting is unavoidable. But when it comes to basic good-quality general planting, autumn is tops. Happy planting!
This week in your garden
Under cloche protection sow suitable varieties of carrot, radish, onion and lettuce for winter salads; and sow turnips for harvesting as turnip tops.
In the greenhouse sow sweet peas, cyclamen and freesias; keep the young plants cool to prevent lush growth.
Apply an autumn lawn fertiliser high in phospahtes and potash to invigorate grass over winter.
Peta Marshall is the plant centre manager at Priory Farm in Nutfield. Website: www.prioryfarm.co.uk
NEXT WEEK: Hardy succulent plants
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