Pampering pots

By now your summer containers may need an extra boost to get them through the months ahead. Maintain flowering by regular watering, dead heading and most importantly, feeding. Dead heading plants regularly stimulates new flowers, preventing them from producing seed. You may have added a slow release fertiliser such as Ozmocoat when first planting them but they will require a high potash feed to continue flower production.

Regular watering over the summer months can cause nutrients to leach out from the compost. Tubs, troughs and pots outside should be checked regularly for water particularly on warm sunny days. Watering should be carried out early in the morning or last thing at night as the plants will hold on to the moisture, reducing the amount of evaporation during spells of hot or humid weather. Containers will still need checking if it rains as the mass of roots in the container and the foliage can often make rain penetration impossible. Test the weight of small pots by gently lifting them; if they are light, water is required. The heavier the pot, the more water has been absorbed into the compost and is accessible to the plant’s root system. Plants crammed in to containers can begin to look a bit straggly towards the end of summer and it is a good idea to go over your containers, pruning off shoots that are crowding out other plants; you can always make cuttings from the material you cut off.

Try and make some time now planning autumn, winter and spring containers. It should be fun browsing through bulb catalogues and planning colour combinations that will make a breath-aking display! It’s all a matter of personal choice deciding which plants to go for: be as bold or subtle as you dare.

The garden team at RHS Garden Harlow Carr is always a season ahead when planning displays. It often feels like summer has just arrived and we’re already thinking about next spring! We start thinking about spring bulbs early to get the best choice of varieties available, ready to plant in containers or in the garden in autumn. Bulbs are their own storage organ and get all the nutrients they require from the bulb itself. Plant them in a multi-purpose free-draining compost to prevent the bulbs from rotting. For a striking effect, plant them in layers; two to three layers will provide a showstopper container. It’s best to place the largest bulbs in first, layering up to the smallest bulbs and planting at a depth of three times the size of the bulb. You can then decorate the top with greenery or coloured dogwood stems of your choice to provide winter interest finished with a layer of horticultural grit on the top. This will also help deter squirrels from digging in your containers but have some chicken wire at the ready just in case extra reinforcements are required.

The great thing about containers is you can be as creative as you like from herbs to veg, small alpines to floral displays and climbers. Containers can be grown and planted to fit any garden space and location from full sun to shady conditions and are a great way to brighten and soften walls, fences

and hard landscaping. The type and style of container will depend on how much maintenance it will require. Often plants with silvery foliage or turgid leaves require less watering and are more drought tolerant. Examples include sedums and lavender.

August and September are traditional months for taking cuttings from tender perennials such as salvias, pelargoniums and argyranthemums. Take softwood cuttings from your containers if you are considering changing them to a winter/spring display. The earlier in the month this is done the better as the cuttings have more time to form roots before the cooler weather sets in. They should root and take as the days are warm and light levels are still good. This makes good use of the residual heat in a green house or cold frame. Place your cuttings round a pot or in a modular tray; you can pot them on once rooted but it may be better to leave them in their pots or trays over winter. These plants will then get a better start by being potted on in the spring when the days begin to lengthen again. If you have room, you can over winter in a cool utility room and take cuttings when the plants begin to shoot again in the spring. This will help reduce the cost of buying new plants and the fun of propagating your own plants ready for next summer’s displays.

Jobs for the Week

• Sow seeds of biennials like foxgloves
• Photograph your garden now for renovation work in the autumn       and winter
• Take soft wood or semi ripe cuttings
• With thanks to Tom White, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow        Carr

DIARY DATES

RHS Summer Advisory Service RHS members can get free face-to-face gardening advice from an RHS advisor from 11am - 3pm on the first Saturday of each month and every Monday from 1pm - 3.30pm from July to September. Come to our desk in the entrance conservatory with your questions. Normal garden admission.

Summer Sundays Bring a picnic and enjoy live music in the beautiful surroundings of Harlow Carr every Sunday throughout July and August from 1 – 4pm. Normal garden admission.

Until 4 September: Rocket Science Summer Family Fun The countdown is on to six weeks of summer fun at RHS Garden Harlow Carr. Families can embark on an out-of-this-world adventure this summer in Harrogate as the northernmost RHS Garden goes intergalactic. Youngsters can take part in their very own space mission to Mars on a space-themed garden trail, enjoy stratospheric storytelling with the Garden Detectives, create cosmic crafts, and discover how our feathered friends have influenced flight and space exploration during spectacular birds-of-prey flying displays. Normal garden admission.