October 2022
New fruit arrivals
We’re Tickled Pink with our new arrivals of Scrumptious, Bountiful apple bushes and half standards. They’re Bramley worth a look, treat your garden as it is getting closer to Christmas Pippin (see what we did there…I know, we apologise…..extremely bad dad joke). Seriously though, these are just a handful of the many varieties that have just arrived, including blackcurrants, gooseberries, plums, figs and pears. Or would you prefer a grapevine to rival our Muscat in the greenhouse?
If planting on our heavy clay, ensure that you add plenty of organic matter to the whole planting area and some slow release fertiliser. Give young fruit trees some support until established and water deeply during dry spells (especially throughout the main growing season from April to September).
Looking after your lawn
Now is the time to lavish your lawn. Give it some care and attention……. it’s probably looking a little jaded.
Scarify to remove any undesirables such as weeds, thatch and moss which sadly haven’t been deterred by our exceedingly dry summer. These compete with the good stuff for nutrients and root space. This will also create space for any new grass seed.
Now improve the drainage and aerate the ground to allow good air flow and prevent waterlogging. This is especially relevant in our area which is predominantly clay. Make roughly 5cm deep holes every 10-15cm or so with a garden fork.
Level any uneven areas with topsoil and reseed with a grass mix to suit your site.
Now is the perfect time to tackle these tasks whilst the ground is softer and still warm and of course the autumnal rainfall should mean that at least some of the watering in is done on your behalf!