THE neat and tidy gardener finds autumn quite a bore. As I leaves swirl downwards the foliage and stems of many ground cover and border plants in the herbaceous line are ink decline.
What looks an utter mess to one gardener presents a picture of charm to another who finds beauty in dead stems, faded seed heads and colouring foliage. While one gardener will be content to leave matters rest for the time being, another will be overzealous in his determination to clear all away with speed.
Decaying and dead foliage on herbaceous plants can offer valuable protection in colder areas, insulating roots from excessive frost, so delaying tidying until late winter can be a sensible option. Those who cannot face the untidiness this entails must wait until all stems have died back - leaves blackened, brown or collapsed. That way the roots will be allowed build up reserves for the next growing and flowering season.
The harvested debris will be excellent added to the compost heap. Others, like me, simply chop it up leaving it as a mulch on the beds. A sprinkle of bonemeal and a generous scatter of peat will help make a nice feed for roots and give some semblance of order and tidiness.