WHAT TO DO IN LATE SEPTEMBER

• Plant crocuses, fritillaries and dwarf narcissus in lawns
• Plant up patio pots for autumn interest
• Lift gladioli, clean the corms and store them in a shed or garage
• Prune rambling and climbing roses, and shorten long shoots on standard roses
• Plant spring bedding, including wallflowers and forget-me-nots, among tulips
• Net holly berries to protect them from hungry birds if you want them for Christmas
• Make a cross-cut in cabbage stems when harvesting to encourage a further crop
• Sow broad beans for early crops next May and June
• Pick apples and pears before the wind blows them down
• Finish pruning blackberries and autumn-fruiting raspberries
• Raise the cutting height when mowing the lawn
• Apply an autumn lawn food
• Cover ponds with netting to stop leaves falling in
• Remove pumps and filters from ponds and water features
• Line the inside of your greenhouse with bubble polythene and check if your heaters are working properly Plant new conifer hedges and evergreen shrubs
• Ventilate your  greenhouse on warm days and scrub off any shading paint and wash the glass thoroughly

Autumn Lawn care. It’s often the case that the very thing that makes Ireland special is the very thing we take for granted. Ireland is known as the emerald isle wherever you go it is hard to find a place in the world that has so many luxurious shades of green. You even notice it more this time of year as our trees and shrubs change colour, our lawns will still retain their lush appearance. A well-maintained lawn is the backdrop and I would go so far to say the basis for a beautiful garden, September is the best time to sow a new lawn, prepare the ground well and be careful of over compaction with heavy machinery, choose the type of seed with care, they may all look the same but there is a difference worth discovering. The same can be said for autumn lawn feed, it is the most important time of year to feed your lawn, even more so than spring. The natural growth is slowing down, your lawn has been trimmed many times during the summer further reducing its vigour. We will also probably get more rain and if left unattended, it’s reasonable to expect a moss covered brown lawn by spring. What you want to achieve is a green lawn that doesn’t grow too quickly and an easy controlled moss accumulation next spring, it’s important to use the proper autumn formulation. I find ‘Autumn Osmo’ fits the bill perfectly and it doesn’t cost the earth and it’s Organic. There are numerous types on the market whichever one you choose, apply from now to late autumn and your lawn will be green with pride not envy.