AFTER the excitement of spring and mid summer, many gardeners lose enthusiasm, distracted by other things, allowing the garden to sink into slow decline. With the freshness gone and a faded look appearing in places, it can be difficult to maintain such enthusiasm. A little effort now will keep the place in good order and restore confidence in both gardener and garden.
Tidying and dead heading, a watchful eye to keep the place looking as nice as possible, will repay the effort. Annuals, bedding and container plants still require regular cosseting to give of their best, so there should be no let up in dead heading and feeding - a liquid feed once a week will keep the containers looking cheerful and healthy and will ensure a continuing success of flowers. We need to be ever mindful that showery weather is never enough to keep containerised plants really happy, so we must water.
Meantime, salad crops can still be raised from seed to give healthy young produce into late autumn. It is easy to forget this. Regular small sowings of lettuce seed will be so much more sensible than a great splurge all at once.