Plant now for a colourful garden

Sep 27 2008 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Although most of us are looking towards the dark winter months, keen gardeners are already planning for next spring, as Laura Davis discovers

WITH Christmas still three months away, and the nights just starting to draw in, it seems a bit early to be planning for spring.

But the green-fingered among us know that the work starts now if they want to enjoy a colourful garden when April comes round next year.

October is the best month for planting, reveals gardening expert Rupert Precious, of Mont Rose.

“It’s the time of year when some bedding plants still have good colour and you’re loath to plant your bulbs, but this is the best time for it,” he says.

“The ground is still warm from the summer months, and by planting now you get extended root growth, ready for them to burst into life during the spring.

“If you leave them much later, then you can end up with the plants rotting and sitting dormant throughout the winter.”

Before you start planting bulbs, it is important to carefully prepare the ground.

“If you’re putting them in an established border, still try to dig the ground a little bit where the bulbs are growing. A bit of fertiliser helps get them going,” explains Rupert.

“If you’re planting bulbs in containers, I would have a soil-based compost rather than a peat-based because it won’t dry out so readily, and you won’t have to water all the time.

“Just make sure you put some crocks, in the bottom of the container to give drainage so the soil isn’t sitting waterlogged during the winter months and the bulbs won’t rot.”

Mont Rose is giving Daily Post readers a special offer – 125 spring bulbs, worth £25, for just £3.99 packing and postage.

They include Muscari Armeniacum, Anemone De Caen, Narcissus Miniature Sweetness and Allium, all of which Rupert says are very hardy.