Gardening with Pat Duke: One door closes while another one opens

In the Garden

There has been a mix of emotions this week with relief about finally seeing rain bouncing off the patio tempered with the realisation that the long summer days are on the wane.

The drought conditions mean that many of our late flowering perennials and herbaceous perennials have now gone over and the beds need clearing out of dead foliage. Usually we would be doing these tasks in November, but unless you’ve been watering them, crocosmia, penstemon and thalictrum needs cutting and dead foliage removing to the compost heap.

However mundane this can seem, it is an essential task to prevent bacteria and disease spreading to other areas. It also looks much neater than having brown wilted leaves covering the beds.

Biennials can be planted outdoors now to take advantage of all the rain that’s coming in autumn. Im trying not to be negative about rain after the summer we’ve had. Wallflowers will benefit from a slow growing period so they can keep flowering stronger and for longer. If you drop them in later in the year they won’t have the same strong showing.

Taking cuttings can fill some time this week, particularly rosemary or lavender. Choose shoots going off to the side from the main stem. Side shoots contain natural growth hormones. I like to think of them as teenagers awaiting a growth spurt. Strip them of their leaves below the top few and then plant around the outside of a pot. Keep things moist and you ll have roots in a fortnight and a decent gift for someone at Christmas that won’t end up in landfill.

Many plant nurseries are selling off perennials that look a bit unwell but can be saved with some proper care, ie right place right food. If you put them in now and look after them you ll have got yourself a bargain so keep a look out. I still have a peony I bought as a sickly, half dead pot that turned into a beautiful swan.

On the Plot

Now that September is here we can think long and hard about what cold hardy veg will keep us going through the winter. My favourite this time of year is the walking onion. Left alone it will sow itself and give you at least two harvests every year. It gives me a lift knowing things like this grow all year round. It doesn’t walk in the same way banana trees do, but leans over itself and takes root which is the nearest thing to walking any allium might do.

The soil is still warm now from storing all that heat for six months so the perfect time for sowing seeds outdoors . Get them in now and keep them protected from pests and they will germinate quickly. Even carrots can be sown now alongside spring onions. Whoever does n’t keep spring onions going all year round is missing a trick. Kale is made for autumn as it loves low light and cold, wet conditions. Cavalo Nero looks amazing even in a flower bed so grow that too.

Of the leaves that do well in cool conditions, mustard leaf, spinach and lettuce will provide greens all winter. Spinach is even a cut and come again crop.

If you have not grown potatoes for Christmas dinner then have a go this year by putting second cropping potatoes in . They are cold stored so as not to grow until later in the year and can withstand cold but not frost so need to be covered. If you are worried then they can be grown in a poly tunnel or greenhouse that might be unused in winter.

There is so much to look forward to at this time of year even if you might have a bit of sadness that summer is drawing to a close. One door closes while another one opens they say.

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