If you are planning to grow a lot of flowers and you know that spring will be extremely busy for you then you can get a head start now. Autumn sown plants such as sweet peas are often larger and taller with nice long stems for cutting. Another bonus is that they’ll flower slightly earlier. So, if you are itching to get cutting your home-grown flowers then sow them now!

Start planting before it’s too cold

You will need to get your plants going before it becomes too cold for them to grow. The aim is to get your plants to produce good foliage and roots before winter, so it’s best to do this as soon as possible in the autumn. You’ll always get the strongest plants with the most flowers by sowing in autumn and you’ll save precious time in spring when there are lots of other jobs to do.  If you can’t sow them outside now because it’s too cold and wet then you can sow them in an unheated greenhouse or a cold frame.

Seed and bulb sowing in Autumn

Country Garden UK suggests planting wildflower seeds from November. Just ensure newly germinated seedlings are protected from frost. The British field poppy are a good bet and also provide the role of pollinator, ticking that box too.

Hardy perennials will flower year after year and many, such as Ajuga and Corydalis, can be sown from November.

As well as seed, now is a great time to plant bulbs. The National Garden Scheme recommends planting bulbs after the first frost, to kill off any viruses. Tulips can be planted well into December for a good show of flowers next spring. Plant in dense drifts for best effect or plant bulbs closely packed into large pots for a spectacular colour display.

For those lovers of home produce, garlic and onion bulbs can be planted at this time of year too. 

How Frogheath can help:

If you would like to improve your soil quality or install new borders or beds, please contact the Frogheath Office on info@frogheath.co.uk to discuss in more detail and book in a free home visit. 

Have a look at this garden where we built lots of raised beds and borders for lots of different flowers and vegetables.