Get ready for autumn
AT the time of writing the heat is showing no signs of abating and the newspapers are talking about an Indian summer stretching on for several more weeks. But with September now here, it is time to look ahead and plan for autumn and winter. Who knows what is waiting in the wings – there’s no complete protection from something like last year’s Beast from the East – but there are certain preparations you can make to give the garden a fighting chance of coming through as well as possible. Keeping plants healthy makes them less vulnerable to problems, so water and mulch but avoid feeding them now, as this will encourage fresh growth that may be killed by colder weather. One of the most important jobs is to cut back any perennials…