Now is the time to prune (From Gazette Series)

Now is the time to prune

IN my experience, there are two types of gardeners; there are the planters and propagators, and there are the pruners and weeders. I am very much in the first of these two groups, and it is at this time of year that I enjoy the fruits of my autumn labours when all my spring flowering bulbs were planted and whose greenery is now poking up through the late winter earth, without the guilt of having let the weeds take over (again).

My father-in-law is very much a weeder,. In the summer months I dread his visits because I know that, much to my chagrin, rather than admiring the hollyhocks and lilies, he will be seeking out (and yes, even counting!) the many wonderful dandelion specimens that my garden has to offer. And yet, despite this ritual humiliation, you will always find me using my precious hours in the garden to pot up another basket rather than root out the couch grass.

And so, now is the time to take control of the situation early, while the earth is still visible around the perennials, and the young weeds are vying for prime position amongst the primroses.

The other advantage of getting to grips with weeds at this time of year is that the ground, once it starts to warm up a little, is damp enough to give up the deep tap roots relatively easily and without too much disturbance of the "real" plants around them. This is particularly true of brambles, which root themselves all over the place if not stopped early on.

Aside from the digging, the one bright spot of the past week was the appearance of the tiny alpine iris, Iris reticulata Harmony, which are small but perfectly formed, and look lovely grouped together in a pot at this time of year, or in a sunny rock garden mingling with the crocuses. The main disadvantage of this particular Iris is that you are unlikely to see flowers again for another seven years - the bulb splits into tiny bulblets after flowering and so a few new bulbs planted each year is the only way to guarantee flowering year after year.

The crocuses, on the other hand, are very easy to grow, requiring minimal maintenance, and are relatively disease free - which is probably why they're so easy to forget about and come as such a pleasant surprise when they pop up. They can be used at the front of a border, naturalised in lawns or under and around trees. They also look good when grown in containers, as the prequel to the forthcoming glories of the daffodils and then tulips.

Crocus bulbs can go in any time from late September to November, planted relatively deeply (about 6cm to 10cm deep/3in to 4in) and the same distance apart. The main reason for planting deep is to deter the squirrels, rabbits and rodents which love to dig the bulbs up. If this is a particular problem for you, then some chicken wire is a simple but effective deterrent, and some growers even give the bulbs a quick dunking in paraffin prior to planting.

Other than a good water just after planting, that is all the attention they need - there is not even any need for deadheading, although if they are in containers they will need a feed every two weeks or so (tomato food does the job well). It is just a shame that the weather is not this dependable.

Jobs for the week

*Plant up stored dahlia tubers in trays of compost which, when placed in a warm position, will encourage new growth. You can then take cuttings or give the whole plant a head start.

*It is not too late to carefully move any shrubs that are currently in the wrong place.

*Summer and late-flowering varieties of clematis (Group 3) should be pruned now. Cut away the old stems or prune down to the developing buds on old stems. C. Jackmanii (corr) and C. Ville de Lyon (corr) are just two of the varieties in this group.

*Onions and leeks can now be sown in a heated propagator or greenhouse, while parsnips, broad beans, peas, radishes and spinach can all be sown outdoors under cloches. It is important to always use a new packet of this year,s seeds for a good parsnip crop.

*If you like early strawberries, don't forget to bring any pots inside.