Wednesday, 12 September 2012

What to plant in autumn



As the first crisp leaves hit the ground and the frost is still at bay, it’s the perfect time to channel your green-fingered goddess and sow seeds for next year. From vegetables to fruits and flowers, here are a few ideas to get you going, some of which are surprisingly easy to plant.

Garlic
Take cloves from a bulb you already have and scatter them about 5cm deep. Come spring, you should have your own home-grown crop. Simple!

Broad beans
Sow the seeds 5-7.5cm down, in single rows and about 15-23cm apart. Keep an eye out for weeds which you’ll want to keep the beans free from. With a little soaking (should there not be enough rain) you should be able to harvest the pods as soon as you see them swelling.

Raspberries
Plant summer-fruiting raspberries from now until November. Try growing yours in small containers with multi-purpose compost and using a small wooden cane, guide the plants as they grow. A little slow-release fertiliser in early March will make for juicy, delicious fruits come June.

Tulips
September into early October is prime-planting-time for tulips. Make sure you bury them about 15cm deep (measured from the bottom of the bulb) and space them about five inches apart. Water and a little straw mulch from now and then will see them through to flowering

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