Advertisement

The jobs to do now for a thriving garden this autumn

gardening jobs august thriving garden autumn 2021 - GAP Photos/Marcus Harpur
gardening jobs august thriving garden autumn 2021 - GAP Photos/Marcus Harpur

Tom explains how to prepare amaryllis in pots for autumn and get creative with veg and herb gluts

Gardening jobs to prepare for autumn

SWEETCORN

There are very few sensations in the garden that can rival freshly picked and eaten sweetcorn – the taste is a world away from those cobs that you can buy in the supermarket.

Sweetcorn is ready to pick when the “silks” or hairy tufts at the end of the cob are brown and brittle and the end of the cob is more rounded than pointed; if you then reveal the kernels and push your fingernail into one, the juice should run a milky colour.

Homegrown sweetcorn's taste is miles better than any cob that you can buy in Tesco - Getty
Homegrown sweetcorn's taste is miles better than any cob that you can buy in Tesco - Getty

AMARYLLIS

I’m often asked how to treat hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs. They simply need to be allowed to go through their seasonal cycle. Once the bulb has finished flowering, allow the leaves to come through and feed the bulb. Around July, reduce watering and feeding to allow the bulb to start to die down and the leaves to turn a straw colour.

Then place the pot in a dark shed and leave it until autumn, when the bulb can be brought into the light to start the growing process again. Water and feed once growth restarts – there’s enough nutrition in that bulb to get things started so don’t act until the amaryllis does.

Most varieties of the amaryllis flower will start to bloom within six to eight weeks after planting - GAP Photos/Friedrich Strauss
Most varieties of the amaryllis flower will start to bloom within six to eight weeks after planting - GAP Photos/Friedrich Strauss

GREENHOUSES

Greenhouses can be inhospitable places during the early afternoon in the height of summer, reaching extraordinarily high temperatures, so you’ll be forgiven for not spending too much time in there. This is a good time of year to check over the structure for any missing or damaged panes of glass and get them replaced before we head into autumn and winter. During heavy summer downpours, check for any leaks, make a note, and sort out the problem when the rain subsides.

HOME PRODUCE

Now is the time of year for gluts of produce, whether it’s runner beans, courgettes or even herbs, so we have to be ready with creative ways of using them. Picking and drying herbs such as oregano, rosemary and basil doesn’t have to be overly time consuming. The American superstar gardener P Allen Smith has a very straightforward video on YouTube which demonstrates how to dry herbs in the oven and then transfer them to an airtight jar (search “how to dry herbs” on his channel). This enables us to use our own dried herbs all winter. Give it a go; it takes less effort and time than you might think.

Two projects to plan

Trim your hedges

Nesting season should be over now but double-check your hedges. If all is clear, give them a trim; their growth rate is low, so that crisp shape will last until next spring. Trimming now lets the hedge grow just enough to cover the pruning cuts but retain its shape. Try to cut back to the start of this year’s growth. This may look harsh but without it, year on year the hedge gets wider and taller to the point where you have a monster on your hands. If you already have a monster then consider a harder cut in spring to rejuvenate it. Hard spring pruning allows a hedge a full growing season to recover.

Sow lettuce seeds

Lettuce seed struggles to germinate in warm temperatures but it should be sown little and often – say, a few modules each month. Find a cool windowsill or a spot under the canopy of a tree where temperatures are cool and constant. Fill a tray with small cells or modules to the top with peat-free compost and water well. Sow three seeds per cell and then cover with sieved compost. If you have a sheet of glass or a plastic bag, cover to retain humidity until germination. Thin to one seedling per cell when they’re large enough. Realistically, it will be early October before plants are ready to go out into pots or a sheltered spot. For that reason, select winter varieties which are happier in cooler conditions and lower light. Try ‘Valdor’, a tough little butterhead type.

Tom Brown is head gardener at West Dean Gardens, West Sussex; Follow Tom Brown on Twitter @HeadGardenerTom