By Isle of Wight Observer
A drop in temperatures has certainly brought us into autumn at last. Chilly nights, and we’ve even seen some wet and windy weather, and while we are still yet to see a frost, that will come in the coming weeks, no doubt.
It’s fair to say that there isn’t much colour about in the garden. Dahlias are giving us their last splash of colour, but generally damp off before they are fully open.
Even though we are coming into the down season in the garden, it doesn’t mean that there are no jobs to do. Quite the opposite in fact. October and November is the perfect time to have a good clear-up ready for next year. Before the weather turns for the worse, it’s a good time to clean up the vegetable garden of all the summer crops.
Spring bulbs need to be planted now. It’s not too late to be planting daffodils, especially if you want them for the Island’s horticultural shows, with many lovely varieties available in our garden centres.
Tulips are best planted in November, and these will bloom as the daffodil season comes to an end. Now is the time to be planting Christmas-prepared hyacinths; planting now will give you a lovely display by then.
If you are lucky enough to have a polytunnel, you can always start sowing some sweet peas, which you can grow on in the tunnel, for early blooms in May.
Hedge-cutting and -mowing need to be done now, but leave herbaceous perennial borders for the wildlife to enjoy before cutting back in the spring. The seed heads not only look pretty but are a valuable source of food during the winter
Don’t forget, there’s still one flower show to look forward to. You may not have seen late- flowering Chrysanthemums before, so why not head down to the Wilberforce Hall,
Brighstone, on November 7. You’ll see some lovely blooms on display, along with seasonal vegetables, floral art, crafts, home-baking, and photography. Doors will be open 1pm-3.30pm. Contact darreneverest@ymail.com for entry details.