What to plant now (August)

time2deal

Hi,

I am new to gardening, but managed to get some really nice flower displays this summer from plug plants and have really enjoyed it.

I would like to keep going over winter, but not sure what to plant now for both winter flowering (if thats possible) and to prepare for spring and summer next year.

The garden is just raised flower beds around a courtyard. About, say, 20m of planting space - only about 1.5 feet wide. Plus a good few pots. Its mostly full of plants now, but presumably some of these will start to die back soon. Soil is good for about 15cm, then turns into rocky rubble/soil mix (builders seemed to fill with backfill!). There are sun and shade areas.

I don't have a greenhouse, but I can put some plants inside for a while if needed to get them going.

So, any ideas on what to plant? I want stuff that looks nice, and potentially a bit of food if possible - like berries etc.

Thanks!

poorly_scammo

You might want to think about planting spring bulbs around now or wait until a bit further into autumn - tulips and the like.

As far as veg goes you could try some winter purslane, winter hardy turnips such as golden ball.

time2deal

Thank scammo.

This might be a silly question, but for turnips do I need good deep soil? My soil isn't that deep until it gets very rocky and rubbly. Would I just end up with very oddly shaped turnips!

I was looking at tulips the other day, which I will get as we get into Autumn proper. Are most of the bushy flower type things planted in Spring?

Leif

time2deal wrote: »

This might be a silly question, but for turnips do I need good deep soil? My soil isn't that deep until it gets very rocky and rubbly. Would I just end up with very oddly shaped turnips!

They would probably excite Esther Rantzen, but you could always dig your soil and remove the larger stones. Local tips will take them. Then dig in some sand and compost, if the soil is clay, or compost if sandy. For digging use a fork, not a spade, the latter will be useless until you get rid of the stones.

ColinFishwick

You could grown radish and salad leaves etc as they are quick growing. I think you can grow winter veg now and garlic

blossomhill_2

time2deal wrote: »

Hi,

I am new to gardening, but managed to get some really nice flower displays this summer from plug plants and have really enjoyed it.

I would like to keep going over winter, but not sure what to plant now for both winter flowering (if thats possible) and to prepare for spring and summer next year.

edit

I don't have a greenhouse, but I can put some plants inside for a while if needed to get them going.

Well done for getting started in what has been a bad year for most people

Coleus (flame nettles) are a traditional overwintering plant to keep gardeners busy - sow seeds now and bring indoors before first frosts, if they get leggy on windowsill then trim down to lowest growth, and just keep them ticking over. Trim off stems in spring and root the stems in water to make new houseplants or plenty for bedding

Grown for foliage not flowers, so pinch out any buds

time2deal

blossomhill wrote: »

Well done for getting started in what has been a bad year for most people

Coleus (flame nettles) are a traditional overwintering plant to keep gardeners busy - sow seeds now and bring indoors before first frosts, if they get leggy on windowsill then trim down to lowest growth, and just keep them ticking over. Trim off stems in spring and root the stems in water to make new houseplants or plenty for bedding

Grown for foliage not flowers, so pinch out any buds

Thanks, I'll have a look at them now.

I suspect what I have grown this year is pretty simple stuff! Petunias (I love how they flower and flower and flower!), begonias, lots of fuscia varieties, plus a few other odd things. What I am pleased about is a late planted (June) rose bareroot, that has given us our first beautiful red rose today. I will see if I can at least get that to survive the winter.

Any advice where to get good quality bulbs? I bought lots of things from van meuwen this year via Groupon vouchers, but I have no idea if they are good quality or not. Plus, does it do any damage to buy them now and plant later?

time2deal

While I am here, could I trouble you experts to tell me what this is?



I think I planted a variety of begonia, but I can't remember what was in the set that I bought. I thought it was the same as this



until the flowers came out so different. Any ideas!

Linda32

The first photo looks to me like impatiens new guinea, the second does look like a begonia, maybe seach for something like tiny wings or angle wings.

azzabazza

I tend to buy bulbs from my local garden centre and I have started buying now for planting in a month or so. Just make sure you store them in a dry place where they can't be eaten by mice etc.

Lidl have an offer on just now - large sacks of daffodils and tulips.

I have just planted autumn crocus which hopefully will flower in a few weeks. These bulbs produce leaves in the spring/summer and the flowers in the autumn.

GardenGnome

Hi I am also new to gardening (and new to forums!) so I thought I'd post my questions here on this thread too - hope thats Ok!

I am trying to tame an overgrown garden in my new home; I'm getting there with the grass but there is a patch at the back I want to start growing veg in. At the moment it is full of weeds and bark chippings; should I dig in the bark chippings or see if I can get most of them out? And should I be looking for a specific type of weed killer if I am planning on planting veggies? I don't want to poison myself!!

Thanks