George Irvine: Plenty to do in the garden as winter nears

On Sunday, September 22, day and night will be approximately equal. After that we head towards the shortest day in December.

The equinox is all about light, not temperature, though as the daylight hours grow shorter the days will get colder. And soon, yes, winter will have arrived.

However, winter still supports growth. Crops will continue to grow in the coming weeks and months, including winter vegetables such as sprouts, leeks and cabbage. Daffodils can be planted into the soil; they will begin to grow, and will soon be pushing their small, green shoots above the soil. Shrubs growing in the ground will continue to thrive; only annual flowers will fade away and die.

Brussels sprouts, and other vegetables such as leeks and cabbages, will continue to grow in the winter months. (Image: Keenan Loo/Unsplash.com)

Certain shrubs, such as clematis, will flower in the spring, but need to be given copious amounts of water at this time of year so that buds will form during the winter. Do not fail to keep the water getting to them. Winter jasmine should also be kept watered.

Seeds can also be sown during the winter, although protection will usually be required.

Planting time for daffodils

As you lie back on your couch in pensive mood, as William Wordsworth told us in his well-known poem, think about daffodils. There are many different divisions, or kinds, of daffodils known to gardeners.

There are large trumpet daffodils, usually yellow in colour, but there are also much smaller varieties, which are mainly designed for the rockery and small borders.

The tall growing trumpet types usually need to be staked to support them during gales and strong winds, while the smaller types are good for the edge of borders. Popular varieties of the latter include jetfire and tete-a-tete: I remember showing pots of these in a flower show for several years, winning first prizes each year.

Jetfire daffodils are known for their bright yellow petals and orange trumpets. (Image: Mohammed Amin/Unsplash.com)

One advantage to growing daffodils is that they will flower for many years without too much input needed by the gardener. There are other types of daffodils which are a bit more specialised, including paperwhites, which flower six weeks after planting.

Some daffodils are known to flower quite early in the year, often as early as January, while others will not flower until late March or early April.

There is no need to provide any fertiliser when growing bulbs as the nutrients are contained within the bulb.

When you are purchasing your bulbs, choose only nice, hard and firm bulbs, and do not pick any which show signs of rot or disease.

For many years, Inverclyde Council staged a bulb show in Port Glasgow, with classes in many kinds of bulbs for various age groups, ranging from nursery groups to school-children, adults and pensioners. In addition to bulbs there were floral art and baking classes. Did you win a prize at the Port Glasgow Spring Show?

Garden talks resume

A new series of garden talks organised by Gourock Horticultural Society and held fortnightly at Cardwell Garden Centre is about to begin.

The first event takes place on Tuesday, October 8. Each talk begins at 2pm and usually lasts for about one hour. Readers are welcome to attend and meet with other green-fingered enthusiasts.

Further details can be obtained by telephoning 01475 633422.

Common problems from readers

During the summer recess I had many gardeners approaching me with a number of questions, hoping that I would be able to help them, or at least be able to discuss their problem with them.

One common question was how to keep their gardens free from pests and disease. The first thing to do is to take into account anything that appears abnormal, such as plants wilting prematurely.

One question I often ask in response is this: have you used the right compost?  Some plants are ‘lime-hating’ species and need what is termed an ericaceous compost. Rhododendrons and azalea fall into this category, and heathers also generally need acid soil.

Using the right compost is key to succesful winter growing. (Image: Nel Ranoko/Unsplash.com)

All soils sold at garden centres and other retail outlets must, by law, be peat-free or peat-reduced compost. But manufacturers have not had too much success with coming up with a steady and permanent formulation. What really matters is what they have used to replace the peat content of the old composts.

Peat-free composts – perhaps better referred to as ‘growing medium’, rather than compost – is not very good for seed-sowing. For seed-sowing it is better to use a loam-based material, such as John Innes, which contains various grades, with one used for seed sowing in particular. Success is much more likely.

Always use fresh compost, and keep the bags indoors once you take delivery of them. Doing this keeps the bottom of the bags from getting soaking wet.

Seeds and young seedlings do not want to become waterlogged. Seeds need moisture in the compost, but it must be controlled: rain which just happens to get into the bag is no good. If bags are sitting in a pool of water, the compost will soak up water and may become far too damp for the purpose of growing seeds and seedlings.

Seeds need moisture - but not too much! (Image: Jen Theodore/Unsplash.com)

Additionally, soaking wet compost can breed fungi and other disease. Keep pots, trays and other utensils clean, because in gardening your aim must be to remember that ‘cleanliness is next to godliness’.

Finally, if you’re growing plants in a greenhouse during the winter months, keep the greenhouse glass clean to maximise the amount of light getting to your plants, and also use a maximum/minimum thermometer.