by Dennis Meredith
Now that September is here, it’s time to start thinking about preparing garden pots for winter.
Garden centres are brimming with seasonal plants, with plenty of pansies and bulbs available to create a vibrant display.
Some of the most popular choices for autumn planting are santolina, helicrysum, cineraria, and variegated euonymus—all favourites among gardeners, as they will continue to flower throughout the winter.
In winter, it’s best to keep container planting to a minimum. Pots can be difficult to maintain in cold weather, and reducing their number makes them much easier to manage.
Garden Pot Preparation
When preparing a pot, use good quality compost which is available at most garden centres.
Add some crock to the bottom of the pot before filling it with compost, leaving about an inch at the top for watering.
Make sure the compost is moist before planting. If you choose to plant with daffodil bulbs, place a few daffodil bulbs deeper in your pot, followed by your chosen plants and water well.
Watering in September.
Make sure to water your plants twice a day – this helps them stay healthy and prevents them from wilting.
Bed preparation.
Prepare your beds for the coming Spring by clearing old summer plants, adding compost and some bonemeal fertiliser.
There are plenty of winter plants available such as wallflowers, pansies and sweet Williams which will provide a lovely display.
Plant daffodil bulbs and tulips for extra colour in the Spring.
