It was indeed a long hot summer and the rain in recent weeks has been very welcome. Everywhere, grass that went blonde for the summer has now returned to a rich green. This is a very rich time of year, rain has refreshed the parched plants, autumn colours are starting to appear and the hedgerows groan with fruit.
It’s now fine to cut the grass, ideally on a dry day. If we normally cut your grass, please call to book a visit. If you need someone to take on this task for you, give us a call on 01825 791979 and we can discuss your needs.
If you have herbaceous perennials that are getting bulky, consider dividing them to increase the number of plants and provide more ground cover. Plants that are suitable include Agapanthus, Anemone, Aster, Elephant’s Ears), Lily-of-the-Valley, Delphinium, Sea Holly, Hosta, Primula and Verbena.
Just lift the plant with a fork and pull the roots apart. Larger root balls might need to be levered apart with two forks back-to-back. Then replant the divided sections where you want and water in. The process of division gives the plants extra space to grow and gives you a more lush garden for absolutely no cost.
I mentioned Hostas above. Although they are beautiful plants, many people are put off planting Hostas because they are very attractive to slugs. If you have ever been to a formal garden and marvelled at the Hosta display and despaired at your efforts, maybe it’s time to rethink your approach to slug control. The days of putting down slug pellets and hoping for the best are over. Many of the chemicals used in slug pellets are no longer on sale. This is a good thing. Putting down poison in the garden can never be a good idea.
The RHS explain the new thinking on slug management on their website. Link. The biological approaches to slug management are much kinder to the garden and to life there.