It's still September and there's lots to do in the Garden - says Jane Dale

As I write this the weather is starting to break, daytime temperatures are not quite so high and we’ve had some thundery showers - which have been very welcome for the gardens. However, don’t be fooled into thinking watering is not needed - the ground is rock hard after the long dry spell and the rain will find it difficult to penetrate the soil (it will help if you spike the soil with a fork to open up the ground a little); also, invariably the downpours are followed by strong sunshine which evaporates the water nearly as quickly as it fell.

Without a doubt there will inevitably be plant casualties as a result of the dry weather we have had, most noticeably lawns, and fleshy perennials; annuals and newly planted trees and shrubs, this may include any planted within the last 5 years as their root systems will not have developed deep enough into the soil. So looking ahead, what should we be doing if summers like this year become the norm?

• Choose plants that are drought tolerant - and consider planting them in autumn (as was done before the advent of container grown plants) or in spring, giving them chance to establish a little before the onset of dry weather.

• Consider harvesting more rainwater in butts.

• Mulching borders - this helps prevent water evaporating.

• If watering is required - then do so economically. Do not waste water on your lawn - as soon as rain falls it will ‘green up’, in dry spells cut less frequently and I have long been an advocate of not cutting it too short, even in normal conditions. Only water plants that are ‘suffering’ - do this by directing the water to the stem base, soaking the soil not the foliage. It is pointless giving the plants frequent sprinklings of water, it will not soak into the root zone and if plants are newly planted it encourages shallow root growth.

  Tasks in September are all about starting to gear up for a change in season and getting prepared for the months to come.

• Borders - continue to dead head flowers that have faded - you are unlikely to encourage any new flowers at this stage of the season, but not having them around will allow those in full flower to be shown off at their best. Start clearing up leaves and debris to prevent disease and pests ‘settling in’ for the winter.

• Hedges - trim them for the last time this season, but don’t feed them as this will encourage ‘soft’ growth. If you’re considering planting a new hedge over the coming months prepare the site before the really bad weather sets in and the ground is too wet to work.

• Lawns - September is a good month to seed a new lawn, but do so earlier rather than later and reseed any bare patches. Established lawns should be aerated and an autumn weed/feed applied.

• Containers - continue watering, feeding and dead heading seasonal plants in containers, if you do so they should last until the first frosts. However, if they are past their best clear them out and replant with spring bedding plants and under plant with bulbs.

  • Bulbs - buy and plant your spring flowering bulbs. If you are planning on forcing hyacinths for Christmas then this month is your last chance to do so.

• Ponds - continue to feed fish and thin out any pond and marginal plants that have become congested (or started to take over the pond). Lift the plants and leave them on the side of the pond for a few days before removing them completely - this will enable any pond life to safely make their way back into the pond. Cover the pond with netting BEFORE the leaves start to seriously fall.

September is the month when we see the first signs of autumn, I am inclined to think that autumn will arrive quite early as trees are already showing browning of their leaves, especially the ‘Horse Chestnuts’.

Jane Dale of ‘Designed Gardens’ Tel: 07983 392 411