Arthur's top tips

• In your greenhouse or tunnel, you can sow seeds of parsley, chives, basil, dill, coriander, fennel, mint and sage.
• Prune spring-flowering shrubs after flowering, such as forsythia and kerria.
• Don’t allow your garden plants to exhaust their food reserves; act now for the very best results. Feed them generously to ensure that every garden plant performs to its full potential. If you can’t feed regularly, use a time saving, slow release formula that drip-feeds food over several months.
• Sow sweetcorn in deep pots, raising strong plants to plant outside in June.
• Tie in new shoots of blackberries and cane fruits to support wires.
• Plant out container-grown roses and shrubs.
• Keep newly planted trees and shrubs well watered until established.
• Place collars around the stems of brassicas to prevent an attack of cabbage root fly.
• Collect hellebore seeds from ripe pods, and store in an envelope in the shed or sprinkle over prepared soil.
• Pinch off strawberry runners as soon as they develop, to stop them competing with developing fruit for nutrients.
• Take swift action with emerging weeds, don’t let them become a problem.
• Spread shredded bark mulches around established shrubs and trees to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.
• Feed houseplants weekly from now until autumn.
• Wash dust off the foliage of houseplants, and apply leaf shine product to leafy plants.

Give it a try… If you are looking for an easy-to-grow plant that produces masses of scented flowers then the night-scented stock is ideal, its open sprays of pink, mauve or purple flowers, which are 2cm (0.75in) across, are fragrant at night. Position plants around seating areas and along paths in the garden so their scent can be enjoyed in the evenings. Plant in large clumps to get the full impact of their scent. Available to buy as a plant now if you’re not seed sowing inclined. 

One of the most popular garden styles is what call the “cottage garden”.  The cottage garden traditionally was essentially a working garden in which to grow ornamental and edible crops. Fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers, such as peonies, delphiniums and aquilegia's, were all combined. The flowers ensured a thriving population of beneficial insects to aid pollination and encourage a bird and wildlife population all of which helped produce vigorous and healthy crops. The quaint, homespun appearance of a cottage can look quite simply. Don’t confuse this simplicity with a mix of every kind of plant. Give some thought to your colour combinations, shades of the same colour will add depth, a mix of blue, purple, light pinks with a hint of silver foliage will look cool. While vibrant reds, oranges, bright pinks and a little maroon are hot summer colours. One of the best things with a cottage garden scheme is that you can correct your mistakes easily because you are using perennials (that is plants that die back in winter and reappear every year). Herbaceous perennials can easily be moved in the dormant season. Experiment, place colours together if they work great, if not try again. It’s the surprises that make it fun.

• Plant herbaceous perennials now for summer and autumn colour.
• Spray weeds and grass around trees and hedging before it gets out of hand.
• All trees and shrubs will respond to a feed now.
• Start thinking summer colour now.
• Continue planting potatoes and plant out vegetables.
• Have your protective fleece to hand just in case we get late frost.
• Take some time to enjoy the first flowers of spring.

Magnificent Cherries                                                                                                                         

I saw a report recently on what tourists found good about Ireland and it will come as no surprise that many are impressed with the beauty of our countryside and of course we take it for granted most of the time.  At the moment as we immerge from the winter the flowering cherries with their supplementary of colour and shape are heralding the arrival of summer.  You may not have room to plant all the varieties but one of the following will suit all gardens large or small.  Excuse the latin names but if you don’t use the proper name when you are shopping you may not get the variety you want.  Let’s start with the smallest one Prunus incisa ‘Kojo-No-Mai’ (the Fuji cherry), this flowers for weeks on end and can successfully be grown on a patio in a pot.  The ever popular weeping form Prunus ‘Kiku-Shidare-Zakura’ covered in double pink flowers in spring, perfect in any garden large or small.  Prunus ‘Amanogawa’, the flagpole cherry grows like a pillar, may grow 10-15 feet high but no more than 3 feet wide, well worth finding a home for.  One of my favourites has to be the flat-topped cherry known as Prunus ‘Shogetsu’ with its double white flowers on outstretched branches is a sight to behold. The ‘Blushing Bride’ Prunus ‘Shirofugen’ with its white tinted pink blooms is almost mystical.  Prunus ‘Royal Burgundy’ a recent introduction with double pink flowers has the added beauty of copper foliage for the summer.  Last but not least there’s a cherry for winter beauty which it only reveals when it has dropped its leaves to show off its peeling mahogany bark known as Prunus Serrula Nearly all the cherries have lovely autumn colour, Prunus Sargentii is unparalled... There’s a cherry for all seasons, plant at least one

• Clean up garden pools, start feeding your fish
• Now is the best time to plant trees and shrubs

You can easily guess what question I am asked most often at this time of year. Yes, you’re correct – how do I get rid of moss on lawns?  The first thing I would say is, you can control moss but you will never get rid of it for good.  It’s a problem that must be tackled on a yearly basis.  Moss has been growing on your lawn since October but you don’t really notice it until this time of year when you are giving it its first cut. 

Most people tackle the problem by going to the local store, getting whatever is available over the counter, applying it in a lot of cases incorrectly and ending up with a black mess that entails hours of raking and the lawn getting worse by the year.  There is an alternative to the above scenario, it’s called Pro Green Osmo Moss remover.  It’s relatively new in Ireland, it approaches the problem of moss control in a different manner to anything else I have found on the market. Very simply Osmo contains what grass likes and what moss dislikes, what’s new about this you may ask, let me explain.

Growing grass successfully entails knowing the type of fertilizer it likes and for the fertilizer to work properly your soil must have the correct PH level (PH is the technical term for the amount of lime in your soil). Grass likes a PH level of between 6 and 7 where moss is thriving the PH is much lower, that means if there’s moss in your lawn you need to bring up the PH. PH adjuster applied at this time of year does 2 things, it shocks the existing moss, releases the fertility that is applied to be taken up and used by the grass resulting in a green lawn. The ingenious bit about Osmo is that as well as containing fertilizer which is specially formulated to feed your lawn over the whole season, it also contains an enzyme which attacks the root of the moss thereby killing it and the remaining moss disintegrates slowly and actually turns into beneficial fertilizer. Osmo will not turn your lawn black or stain your patio and it’s organic so you don’t have to keep your pets off the lawn. Apply the PH adjuster first, it takes 2 weeks to work itself into the soil then apply the Osmo moss remover. The result is a super moss free lawn all season with no back-breaking raking needed.

One note of caution, Osmo is not a magic wand, it will not solve years of moss build up in one application.  I have been using it now for 4 years and I can honestly say moss is no longer a problem.

• Now is the best time to plant trees and shrubs.
• Give your lawn a light trim and apply a PH adjuster to bring up the level of lime in the soil.
• In two weeks time, your lawn will then be ready for moss treatment.
• Apply Hero to paths and patios now, no scrubbing is needed.
• In next week’s article I will concentrate on getting your lawn back into shape.

I don’t know about you but I have been eagerly awaiting spring.  Last week’s snow may have put a damper on things but the rising temperatures of the last few days will leave even the most casual observer in no doubt that spring is here.  February the first maybe considered officially spring but I think nature has opted for the first of March.  The buds on the trees and the birds in the air are busy and after our winter recess gardeners find themselves looking at their watches after work and quickening their step with the realization that they will get a couple of hours done before dark.  The next couple of weeks are crucial, all bare rooted planting must be completed and any plants that need to be moved or divided should be attended to soon.  Fruit trees and roses should be pruned immediately.  Evergreen hedges or large shrubs that weren’t pruned in the autumn are best pruned now before birds start nesting.  When it comes to pruning shrubs in the garden the following rule of thumb will give you an indication, as with everything there are exceptions and if you are not sure, check in your gardening books or you can always bring me out a sample to the garden centre and I will be only too happy to advise you – Now here’s the rule of thumb.  Any shrub that flowers before the longest day of the year (21st June) should be pruned immediately after flowering, thereby giving those plants time from June to October to make flower buds for the following season.  Any plants that flower after the longest day should be pruned in early March thereby giving them ample time to produce flower buds.  Don’t over prune as to do so will result in an abundance of soft new growth at the expense of flower.  A little bit of pruning every year will give you best results but if a plant has outgrown its space by all means prune now, it will be more beneficial in the long run.  Most importantly all plants will reward you if you give them a feed now.  Use a good quality multipurpose fertilizer, the one I use is called PRO 8, it's brilliant and it comes in big bags that are more economical.  So get going spring won’t wait.

Every moment spent in the garden and greenhouse in February can literally save you hours later on in the spring. Grab every opportunity to do a bit of gardening. Clean your pots and trays ready for sowing and cuttings. Now is the very best time to mulch your beds and borders, as the recent rain has completely soaked the soil. If you need to apply mulch at any other time then always soak the area first, preferably with rainwater, unlikely but maybe good to know.

• Clear away old plant debris from around the margins of ponds, and scoop out leaves that have fallen into the water.
• Snowdrops look great in clumps around the base of shrubs and in borders and are a welcome sign that spring is on its way. If you want to spread them around your garden then now's the time to lift and divide clumps and replant your new plants wherever you want.
• Sprinkle sulphate of potash fertiliser around fruit bushes and trees.
• Prune back shoots on Mophead and Lacecap Hydrangeas to a pair of buds.
• Apply slug pellets around emerging spring bulbs. If you can use the organic animal and bird friendly pellets as many birds will be on the lookout for an easy meal at this time of year.
• Prune Mahonia, removing old stems to make room for new growth.
• Use netting or bird scarers to protect fruit bushes from hungry birds, which can strip off swelling buds.
• If you like you can sow the following crops in pots or trays in your greenhouse ready to transplant outside later: Brussels sprouts, spring cabbage, cauliflower, onions, leeks, lettuce and salad leaves.
• Place some bird nesting boxes around the garden on suitable trees.

Get ready for spring. Did you know that the number of daylight hours has a dramatic effect on plant growth? Ten hours day light is the magic switch, the soil is warming up and plants are starting to grow and will be taking nutrients from the soil. Even though this may not be noticeable yet when you look at the plants in your garden, but it’s all going on underground. With that in mind, there are a number of things to be done in the garden right now. Shrubs that require pruning in early spring should be done now, be careful not all shrubs are pruned in spring the general rule is anything that flowers before June is pruned immediately after flowering and anything that flowers after June is pruned now. Make sure before you start that your secateurs blade is clean and sharp.  This week you need to start feeding roses, fruit bushes and herbaceous borders they will all benefit from a good top dressing of farmyard manure. The good news is that farmyard manure is now available in pellet form supplied in a re sealable bucket with no weed seeds and a greatly reduced smell. If you didn’t put on potash on your trees, shrubs and fruit yet put it on now. It’s still a little too early for fertilizer containing nitrogen but for anybody growing vegetables the secret to sweet crops is in an organic fertilizer called Rock dust, it contains all the essential minor elements to produce premium vegetables, the difference I have tasted for myself is unbelievable. Rock dust for best results should be applied three weeks before planting.

• Continue pruning of fruit trees and soft fruit.
• Plum trees and cherry are best pruned in July/August.
• Clean borders and rake up any remaining leaves.
• Roses and herbaceous perennials benefit from a good top dressing of farmyard manure now.
• Winter wash on fruit trees and roses with Armillatox on a dry frosty free day.
• Beech hedging which suffered from aphid attack last summer should be given a winter wash now with Armillatox to prevent reoccurrence of the problem.
• Move plants growing in the wrong place.
• Mulch the crowns of tender plants.
• Prune summer-flowering clematis.
• Prune the oldest stems from blackcurrant.
• Check crops that are being stored and clear old crops from the veg plot.
• Sow hardy annuals for early flowers and use cloches to warm the soil for early sowings.

Hope springs eternal, there’s a little bit of a stretch in the days and the new season supplies of bulbs and seeds are starting to appear in the garden centres and garden shops.  Everybody with an interest in gardening wants to get going.  Even though it is quite mild at the moment sowing seeds and bulbs outdoors is a little premature.  If you have a green house or polythene tunnel or even a large cloche there are a number of plants that you can now sow, sweetpea, broadbeans and garlic will all grow quite well afforded some protection. 

If you’ve made a new year’s resolution to take up gardening and enjoy the delights of home grown food, you do need to hasten slowly. My advice would be to start off with a little bit maybe one raised bed where you can grow some salad crops. The last thing you need to do is dash off, dig up half the garden, spend a fortune on glasshouses and end up with a mess, this is guaranteed to put you off for life, as with most things in life practice makes perfect  and success leads to success. 

Encourage your children to plant some seeds, in doing so they will learn a respect for our environment, get a fantastic sense of achievement from seeing something grow not to mention discovering the superior taste of home grown fruit and vegetables.

• Carrots and parsnips that are still in the ground will remain there perfectly happy for another month.  Just make sure that the crowns are covered by 2-3 inches of soil
• Check crops that are in store and discard any that are showing signs of rot.
• Clear away dead foliage from perennials, this can be added to the compost heap.  Is important when removing the dead foliage not to cut it back too far as to do so will expose the new, emerging shoots to wind and frost
• In the case of some plants, the dead foliage is used to protect the crown from winter damage.  Gunnera is an example, the large leaves are just bent back over the crown and secured with some soil or stones.  Sedums are best left unpruned as are ferns
• The very mild weather has resulted in the growth of some perennial plants such as lupins, I’ve seen damage in my own garden from slugs so take appropriate action

Reasons for Getting out & Doing it in January! 

No 1, It’s the best time and No 2, you won’t be playing catch up in February when there’s so much to be done and every year by the end of February when I don’t have time I lament not doing more gardening in January.  I don’t know why but I find it hard to get stuck in, in January but this is what you can be doing now. Wisteria will flower better in spring if it gets its winter pruning now, to get the best from wisteria you have to prune it twice in the year.  First in July, the new season’s growth is shortened back to 5 buds and this is further reduced in January to 3 buds, usually not more than 6-9 inches in length of the current season growth.  By doing this the plant will put all its energies into the reduced amount of buds with longer and bigger blooms for you to enjoy in spring. 

Trim back vines grown indoors now.  Now is the best time to prune apple trees, this mystifies most people but if you keep in mind the following principles, it should simplify the operation.  No 1, pruning is carried out to reduce the size so therefore any branches that are growing way too high are removed.  For fruit to ripen and to reduce disease apple trees should have an open airy central structure, what I mean is a bush with no branches in the middle.  Try and encourage this from an early age, to achieve this on an old neglected tree can be quite difficult and should be done over a number of years.  If you do it in one fell swoop you throw the whole tree out of kilter and it will produce an abundance of soft new branches; as I said do it gradually by taking out a small number of mature branches every year.  Also, branches that are crossing or rubbing off one another should be removed as the damaged tissue resulting from this can cause canker and canker should be removed yearly.  Do not leave these affected branches on the ground beside the tree. 

When pruning, try to cut just above outward facing buds, this will result in new growth growing outward thus creating the desired shape.  Always use a very sharp secateurs when pruning, you need a clean cut rather than a crushed stem, no painting is necessary with pruning-compound.  Trees will recover from pruning naturally.  A winter wash, now with Armillatox will reduce insect populations next season and help to control the spread of canker.  I will be giving a talk and demonstration on all aspects of pruning in early February.  I will let you know the exact date later.  Pruning apple trees is one of the jobs I enjoy on a sunny winters day probably because I am envisaging the fruits of my labour

• Prune wisteria side shoots to 10-15cm from their base, then tie in leading shoots to create a framework
• Collect fallen rose leaves that could carry diseases over to next season
• Transplant shrubs or small trees
• Prune away stems of autumn-fruiting raspberries at soil level
• Take hardwood cuttings from currants and gooseberries
• Net cabbages and other brassicas to protect them from pigeon damage
• Force rhubarb by digging up a crown and replanting it in total darkness or place a large bin over the existing crop
• Sow hardy annuals, like calendulas, in pots for early displays
• Check bulbs, corms and tubers in store for signs of rot Give fruit trees a winter wash now
• Plant new rose bushes, make sure you prepare the planting hole well, adding in some farmyard manure before you plant
• Empty pots of spent annuals and compost the remains
• Transplant shrubs that have outgrown their position
• Collect and empty hoses and sprinklers to store in the shed over winter
• Build log piles to provide winter hibernation sites for insects and small animals
• Check tree ties and loosen any that are too tight
• Established apple trees can be winter pruned this month once the leaves have fallen off.

Winter Houseplant care.  Warmth, light, water, humidity, food, rest, fresh air and grooming.. a long list of needs but success with houseplants calls for neither hard work nor great skill. It is simply a matter of satisfying the particular basic requirements of each plant. The natural home of most indoor plants lies in the tropics but most plants will be happy in normal room conditions. As we all turn up the heat for the winter this can produce air with the relative humidity of the Sahara dessert! Very few plants actually like this and will suffer if you don’t do something to increase the humidity around the leaves, misting every couple of days with tepid water should help. In the winter nearly all indoor plants need a dormant or resting period. It’s important to reduce the frequency of watering and feeding. However there is an important exception to the need for a winter rest period. Winter flowering pot plants must be fed and watered regularly for as long as they are on display. Remember if we get frost to remove your plants from windowsills, just incase they get frost bite.

Apple trees are happier when grass is kept away from their area. Grass roots have a breath which shrivels the tender root tips of the tree. When planting apple trees, plant clumps of chives around the trees which will help prevent apple scab. Wallfowers are natures planting companions with apple trees. The sweet scented wallflower and the apple tree do all the better for growing near each other. If you plant foxgloves in the area it greatly improves the keeping qualities of the harvest.  It makes sense to keep your trees happy; a happy tree equals a heavy crop.

• Keep off lawns in frosty weather
• Prune apple and pear trees to control their size and shape
• Plant fruit trees trained as cordons, fans or espaliers to make use of limited space
• Check greenhouse heaters daily to ensure they are working efficiently and that fuel levels don't need topping up
• Force rhubarb by digging up a crown and replanting it in total darkness or placing a large bin over the existing crop
• Use rainwater to keep the compost of potted indoor azaleas constantly moist
• Plant bare-rooted hedging, roses, trees and shrubs
• Pick faded flowers and yellowing leaves from pansies and winter bedding
• Prune the tops of standard roses to reduce wind rock
• Trim back ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers on walls that are close to gutters and window frames .Cut back overgrown honeysuckle
• Spread compost on to flower beds for worms
• Collect fallen leaves showing signs of blackspot
• Net crops to protect them from pigeons
• Remove pond pumps and filters to wash and store

Gifts for gardeners. If you are giving plants as gifts this Christmas, or have received one yourself, then make sure you get the very best from each and every one. Winter flowering plants have been carefully nurtured to be at their best for Christmas, keep them looking wonderful by pandering to their needs. Poinsettia are a favourite at Christmas time. They now come in arrange of colours, lime green, pink, cream or white but the classic red variety is by far the most popular still. Poinsettia needs a light position away from direct sun, ideally kept at a constant temperature and away from draughts. Water regularly allowing the soil to dry slightly between watering. Be careful not to get water on the coloured bracts. Feed every couple of weeks using Indoor Plant Food to keep  your Poinsettias flowering well. My favourite Christmas flower is the Christmas cacti; they can be kept successfully for a great many years if treated correctly. Plants should be kept in a bright spot but out of direct sunlight. Water regularly allowing the soil to dry a little between watering. 

• Check variegated shrubs for plain green shoots and prune them away
• Check stakes and ties are secure on trees and climbers
• Continue planting trees and shrubs, the ground is at its warmest
• The bare rooted season will start next week, it’s the ideal time to plant beech, prepare the ground and spray off any weeds now
• Apples which you intend to store should be picked now before they are fully ripe on a dry day
• Apples were traditionally stored in boxes wrapped in paper, you can also put 7 or 8 pounds of fruit in a plastic bag, put a few slits in the bag and your fruit will store perfectly, blemished fruit will not store
• Cut back roses, floribundas and hybrid teas by half, shrub roses by one third, climbers tidy up and tie in, they will look better and prevents wind rock which causes suckers
• Accumulations of leaves on heather beds and lawns are to be avoided
• Sad front door pots could do with a winter makeover, remember to change your compost to prevent diseases
• Plant your tulips now, taking care to add grit for drainage.
• Check forced hyacinths for water
• Check heaters are working properly in your greenhouse
• Clear out old crops and growing bags, adding material to the compost heap

Trees and shrubs with attractive bark will now take centre stage.  You will find that trees with weeping branches against the diminishing light of late autumn take on an architectural beauty.  One of my favourites is a weeping beech, a mature specimen is unsurpassable, I’m afraid not for the small garden though, but you can get a smaller variety called Purple Fountain, an excellent tree especially where space is limited.  Weeping birch with its white bark is well worth planting.  Betula jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch) with its creamy white bark that peels & flakes with age is one of the most popular trees in Europe and you can see why.  Another beauty is Acer Griseum, having just shed its glorious autumn foliage  revealing a ruffled chocolate mahogany bark is worth seeking out, as is the coral barked maple (Acer Sanko-kaku) which deepens its coral red colour as winter progresses, under planted with snowdrops, it’s a January treat.  Salix Aucutifolia with its blue black branches covered in winter catkins should be planted more often especially in a wet garden where it will thrive. Parrotia persica (Ironwood) is prized for its autumn foliage but it also produces the most distinctive multi-coloured striped bark.  Not the easiest plant to come across and it takes a number of years to reveal its beauty but I think it’s well worth waiting for.  The dogwoods as they are known with their yellow and red bark are so easy to grow and give a good winter display when mass planted.  The variety called Cornus alba Siberica is the most intense red, they all will grow in very poor soil even wet.  In fact if they weren’t so easy to grow they would be more sought after.  The planting season is in full swing, there’s nothing like a good bark to brighten up the winter!

• Cut back autumn fruiting raspberries to ground level
• Continue to trim hedges
• Continue to plant new fruit trees and bushes
• Tidy strawberry beds, cutting back old foliage and congested runners and removing weeds
• The strawberry runners can be planted now in well-prepared soil
• Strawberry runners planted in containers in your greenhouse will give you a bumper early crop next season
• Rake autumn leaves as a build up will damage your lawn
• Fallen leaves added to a compost heap are high in nutrients
• Fallen leaves raked into a pile in a dry sheltered corner makes the ideal home for overwintering wildlife
• Sow sweet peas in pots, and overwinter under cover
• Prune suckers away from the base of ornamental trees
• Treat your lawn with an autumn feed
• Cut back and dig up dahlia tubers, leave upside down to dry in a well-ventilated area

In the greater scheme of things all plants have a purpose and sometimes their purpose is not readily recognised.  So we tend to pick plants for the beauty of their flowers or the perfume they exude.  As we get into autumn one has to look more closely at plants to see their beauty.  It may be in the form of leaf colour, stem colour, berry or seed head.  Personally, I choose plants for how they look in the off-season rather the height of their glory and there are always exceptions of course.  Some plants only flower for a very short time and must be included in the garden.  I’m thinking of Romneya coulteri for instance with its silk like blooms but back to my favourite time of year autumn,

The simple Virginia creeper which has been green all season is now at its most glorious.  The best variety to plant is known as Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy), it’s the best on for clinging to a wall, will grow in any reasonable soil not too wet.  Rhus typhina or Staghorn sumach as its often known as is an old, old favourite, glorious autumn colour, grows in any reasonable soil, can sucker a little but these suckers can be dug up this time of year to spread the colour in your garden or a friends.  Acer Bloodgood is fiery red just now, suitable for the smallest of gardens or a large tub.  Acer Sango-kaku (Coral Bark Maple) is a splendid mix of pink, orange, gold and red at the moment, again suitable for any sized garden.  If you have room for a medium sized tree Liquidambar has to be considered.  If your garden is small a small tree called Stewartia is well worth seeking out.  Next week I will cover plants with interesting fruits and berries for colour into the winter.

• Plant crocuses, fritillaries and dwarf narcissus in lawns
• Plant up patio pots for autumn interest
• Lift gladioli, clean the corms and store them in a shed or garage
• Prune rambling and climbing roses, and shorten long shoots on standard roses
• Plant spring bedding, including wallflowers and forget-me-nots, among tulips
• Net holly berries to protect them from hungry birds if you want them for Christmas
• Make a cross-cut in cabbage stems when harvesting to encourage a further crop
• Sow broad beans for early crops next May and June
• Pick apples and pears before the wind blows them down
• Finish pruning blackberries and autumn-fruiting raspberries
• Raise the cutting height when mowing the lawn
• Apply an autumn lawn food
• Cover ponds with netting to stop leaves falling in
• Remove pumps and filters from ponds and water features
• Line the inside of your greenhouse with bubble polythene and check if your heaters are working properly Plant new conifer hedges and evergreen shrubs
• Ventilate your  greenhouse on warm days and scrub off any shading paint and wash the glass thoroughly

Autumn Lawn care. It’s often the case that the very thing that makes Ireland special is the very thing we take for granted. Ireland is known as the emerald isle wherever you go it is hard to find a place in the world that has so many luxurious shades of green. You even notice it more this time of year as our trees and shrubs change colour, our lawns will still retain their lush appearance. A well-maintained lawn is the backdrop and I would go so far to say the basis for a beautiful garden, September is the best time to sow a new lawn, prepare the ground well and be careful of over compaction with heavy machinery, choose the type of seed with care, they may all look the same but there is a difference worth discovering. The same can be said for autumn lawn feed, it is the most important time of year to feed your lawn, even more so than spring. The natural growth is slowing down, your lawn has been trimmed many times during the summer further reducing its vigour. We will also probably get more rain and if left unattended, it’s reasonable to expect a moss covered brown lawn by spring. What you want to achieve is a green lawn that doesn’t grow too quickly and an easy controlled moss accumulation next spring, it’s important to use the proper autumn formulation. I find ‘Autumn Osmo’ fits the bill perfectly and it doesn’t cost the earth and it’s Organic. There are numerous types on the market whichever one you choose, apply from now to late autumn and your lawn will be green with pride not envy.

• Collect fallen leaves smothering alpines and other plants
• Plant spring bedding, including wallflowers and forget-me-nots, among tulips
• Pick apples and pears before the wind blows them down
• Prepare area to plant roses
• Sow green manure crops over soil
• Prune out fruited blackberry canes and tie in new shoots to replace them
• Pick and lay out green tomatoes  or place in a paper bag with a banana
• Put cloches over tender herbs like basil and coriander
• Pot up mint, chives and parsley to keep on a bright window sill
• Sowing seeds of sweet pea in autumn means that plants are not only more robust in spring, but that they flower earlier.
• There might be a lot of berries in the gardens and hedgerows but the wild birds need as much support as they can get. Supplement their wild harvest with quality food to boost them before the weather changes. If you choose your bird food carefully you can actually attract different species to your garden.

Autumn Natures Natural time to plant. Nowadays, of course, you can plant all year round as most plants can be planted from containers at any time of the year. It’s not that long ago that planting could only be done in the dormant season, traditionally any month with an ‘R’ in it. There is an old saying ‘throw them into the garden in autumn and they will grow but you must plant them carefully in spring’ it makes sense, the ground is quite warm in autumn after the summer and plants planted now will have bedded in much more equipped to weather the winter and poised to benefit from the rising sap in spring which actually starts in mid-January. When planting is furthest from our minds, September evenings are still long enough and hopefully some gardening weekends still to be enjoyed. Another advantage with autumn planting is that you are choosing plants when you can appreciate their autumn shades as some plants only come into their own this time of year. I’m thinking of trees like the mountain ash with their pink, red, yellow or white berries. Ornamental crab apples are looking good, even the sight of juicy red apples on an apple tree is one of the joys of autumn. Pride of place right now must go to a relatively new variety of tree called Autumn Blaze, it does exactly as the name suggests. There are numerous shrubs coming into flower just now to prolong your colour season in the garden or containers. It seems too soon to be saying get out and plant your tulips and daffodils for spring colour, but it’s time to get planting.

How to properly store dahlia tubers. Gardening as we all know is not done to the exact time of the year but by on conditions prevailing at the time, so I leave my dahlias in the ground until the first frosts whenever they may be. So using a secateurs, cut down your dahlia stems to a few centimetres from ground level and throw the leaves in the composter. .Dig all around the dahlia clump and lift the tubers with a fork, taking great care not to damage them with the spikes. Shake off as much soil as you can. Rinse off the soil, and then stand the tubers upside down to dry. Pack the tubers in a box lined with newspaper, as this helps to draw out any moisture and cover them with dry compost. Store them in a frost-free place, such as under the greenhouse staging or a dry shed. Or given our past winters under your bed! Don’t forget to label your dahlias, for ease of planting next year.