November 2022 – brimfields.com

This year there is a new planting plan for the raised beds bordering the patio. This will be the first year I have not planted tulips here instead there are Wallflowers Persian Carpet, Digitalis Suttons Apricot and Forget-me-nots’. These have all been grown from seed a considerable saving on plants along with not buying tulip bulbs.

I have saved tulip bulbs from last year, these will all be planted in pots, then if they do not perform well they can be moved out of sight.

The tulip bulbs have spent the summer in the greenhouse they are now clean and ready for the planting.

The Foxglove, Digitalis ‘Pam’s Choice’ has been grown for the main border.

What have you planted for spring colour?

One of the gardening jobs that has concentrated my mind this autumn has been preparing the growing pelargonium collection for the winter. I have been following the Pelargonium Society’s Website Here. advice on reducing the size of the plants so that they will fit into the space available. They recommend to reduce the risk of botrytis infecting plants
when they are cut back to a node to ensure the growing medium in the pots has dried out.

Having followed this advice it is disappointing to be seeing infected plants even after treatment with yellow sulphur.

The pelargonium society has recently posted on their YouTube Channel that this is one of the worst autumns for this problem due to the extremly mild, wet weather in the UK this autumn.
A gardening friend has recommended spraying with a fungicide.

Young plants growing on for next year.