October Gardening

This is a good month to consider installing a polytunnel.
Position the tunnel in a sheltered,sunny position.
Orientate it east-west for maximum light transmission.
A polytunnel will allow you to garden in all weathers and seasons.
It will protect your crops from the ravages of damaging winds,protect them from pidgeons,rabbits.
You can start off an early crop of new potatoes,advance a crop of strawberries.
You can grow lettuce all the year round.
If you have your tunnel safely in place now you will be well poised for an early start in the Spring.
Choose a calm,dry sunny day for cladding your tunnel.
Tunnels come in a range of sizes-typical sizes include-12ft.x16ft.12ft.x24ft.&12ft.x32ft.

Bedding plants for Spring colour

Wallflowers,Pansies,Violas,Polyanthus are amongst the bedding plants that can be planted now to provide colour next Spring.
Use blood,fish&bone meal when planting-forked well into the soil prior to planting.
Wallflowers are planted at 9 inches apart,Pansies,Violas Polyanthus at 6-8 inches apart.
Firm well after planting.
All these bedding plants can be interplanted with bulbs.
Use the taller tulips such as Apeldoorn or Queen of the Night with the wallflowers.

Colour in containers

You can keep your containers looking very interesting from now until early next Summer in time for the Summer changeover of plants.Always use fresh compost such as Shamrock pot plant or Multi-purpose.These are available at 2 bags for euro 10.00 or 2 bags of Multi-purpose for 13.98 with a third bag free with every 2 purchased.

Add some Miracle-Gro slow release fertiliser to the compost prior to planting.This is used at the rate of 25g.per 10 litres of compost and should be well and evenly mixed throughout the compost.This has a lasting period of 6 months.

Make sure the containers have got adequate drainage prior to planting.Waterlogging will result in fatalities.

You can add colour with interesting foliage ,evergreen plants such as  Santolina,Cineraria Silver Dust,Thyme with aromatic gold and silver leaves.

Cyclamen with their dainty flowers borne over a long period are an essential ingredient of containers providing Winter colour.Many Cyclamen are delicately scented,they are long flowering and many have the added bonus of very attractively marbled silver foliage.

Christmas cherries will give many months of colour throughout the Autumn and away into the Spring in containers or indeed in the ground.

Bulbs offer tremendous value in containers.

Some of the frontrunners in terms of selection are-Crocus for the very earliest colour,followed by Hyacinths which are robust,reliable enduring and long lasting.Hyacinths stand up nobly to the ravages of cold Spring winds and rain.Colours include red,white,pink,blue and yellow.

The dwarf Narcissi are another excellent choice-we recommend Tete a Tete, February Gold, Silver Chimes, Lobularis,Pipit.

Choose the variety January for very early colour.

Scented varieties include-Silver Chimes, Bridal Crown, Cheerfulness white.

Anemone blanda is a lovely low flowering bulb coming in shades of blue,pink and white.

You can plant a multi-tier layer of bulbs in your pot or container and each layer will flower in succession.

An example could include Tulip Red Riding Hood, Daffodil Dutch Master,

Anemone blanda(blue)

All above could be planted through a carpet of blue pansies or Violas. Protect against slugs and mice.

Bulbs for Christmas

Amaryllis have just arrived into the Garden Centres and shops this week.They are terrific value this year.

Look out for varieties such as Snow Queen-large,spectacular,pure white.

Prelude is a red with white stripes.

Christmas Star is bright,vibrant orange with white at the centre.

Red velvet is a vivid,velvet red with prominent yellow stamens.

Flamingo is pink with white towards the centre.

Jewel is a head turning,double,majestic,pure white.

Lady Jane is a vivid double orange red,with flecks of white on some of the inner petals.

Use a moistened compost prior to potting.keep the upper third of the bulb showing above the pot.keep moist by watering around the edge.Dont overwater!

Once the buds are showing water on a regular basis.Once the flower buds start to show move the container to a cooler position.Turn the plant occasionally as the plant will grow towards the light.Stake and support if necessary.

Narcissi such as Paperwhite will flower in 7-9 weeks from the time of planting.

Autumn Lawn food &mosskiller-

Apply an Autumnlawn food and mosskiller before the first hard frosts arrive.Apply when the grass is dry but the soil moist.Dont apply in windy conditions.Wear gloves when applying.

Shrubs to plant for Winter colour-

Mahonias-yellow,scented.

Heathers-winter flowering flowering November to April.

Skimmias-red winter buds,evergreen.

Diary dates-

The Dandelion Puppet Theatre from Co.Clare perform at Hosfords Geranium&Garden Centre on Sunday 26th. October at 3.00pm.

Great pre- Christmas Farmers Market-harp recital-Sunday 7th.December 2008-12.00-5.30pm.