Dahlias, Cannas and Large Flowered Begonias

Once the first frost has blackened the foliage of dahlias it’s time to carefully lift the tubers for overwintering in a cool but frost-free place. Remove any loose soil and hang them upside down for a few days to drain any water in the stems. Then remove all dried soil, label and store them in just damp compost. The tubers of cannas and large-flowered begonias will also need lifting. Canna tubers are also stored in just damp compost, but begonias should be stored dry in nets.

Soft fruit plants available now

Create your own fruit garden – now’s an excellent time to plant fruit trees and bushes, and we have a superb range available.
To ensure bumper crops, plant with plenty of organic matter and slow-release fertiliser. Make sure you train bushes where necessary, and use stakes and ties for fruit trees. 
Our 2014 soft fruit range is now in stock. Imagine all the blueberries, currants, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries you could grow for tasty treats next year - yum yum!

Composting

Don’t throw away your spent bedding plants, kitchen waste and other plant material – turn them into valuable compost for improving your soil and mulching your beds.
Fallen tree leaves can be turned into leaf mould – the perfect soil improver and mulch, especially for rhododendrons, azaleas and other woodland plants.
Making good compost and leaf mould is easy with our wide range of compost bins, compost and leaf mould accelerators, leaf rakes and collectors. We sell everything you'll need at our Exeter garden centres and new this year at our Old Rydon Lane garden centre are composter aerators - a hand tool that enables you to turn and mix your composter easily.

Brrrrr it's getting cold - time to wrap up

Tender plants won’t appreciate being kept out in the cold – so move them somewhere protected from frost and cold winds.

We have an excellent selection of cold frames and heaters to give protection and beat off the worst of the winter weather.

Plants that are hardier but still sensitive to winter cold will appreciate a thick mulch of bark around their stems to keep the soil (and therefore their roots) warm. You can also cover plants with fleece and bubble wrap in the coldest weather. Make sure you don't wrap them in with any pests.

We've got all the equipment you need at our garden centres and many are on sepcial offer at the moment.

Remember all our tender plants come with a pink (rather than a white) label. Unfortunately our tender plants don't come with our plant guarantee so make sure you wrap them up.

Pest Watch

Although most pests and diseases are less active in autumn and winter, be vigilant for problems, and deal with them as soon as they’re seen.
Houseplants and plants overwintered in greenhouses and frames are especially susceptible to pests, but can be quickly helped with a pesticide spray.  Maintaining a high humidity around most foliage houseplants – especially those in centrally heated houses – will help keep them strong and healthy and help reduce red spider mite attacks. The reverse is true in greenhouses and frames where high humidity can lead to problems with grey mould and other diseases.