October: Autumn is here!
Hi ,
Autumn is officially upon us, and with it comes darker nights, cooler temperatures, and wonderful autumn colours. Make sure to enjoy the changing shades of foliage by taking a walk in your local area or gardens.
On the 7th and 8th of October, if you are in Northern Ireland I will be celebrating Coleman’s Garden Centre’s 60th anniversary with them! I will also be joined by fellow TV gardener, Frances Tophill. Most of the talks are non-ticketed, but to make sure you don’t miss out on Frances and me delivering our Gardening Masterclass together, book your tickets here.
Autumn is a great season to make sure your lawn is ready for winter. Make sure your lawn is winter-ready by scarifying to shift dead thatch, giving your lawn better access to air and water. You also should raise your cutting blades too, as the grass grows slower as winter approaches. Make sure to rake up any leaves to give your lawn more access to sunlight too.
I have a couple of competitions running on my social media channels. If you want a chance to win a Blower Vac courtesy of Yard Force, head to my Facebook channel at this link. You could also win a fantastic Yard Force Vita Tool Kit if you head to my Instagram at the link here.
This October, enjoy the start of autumn and the cosy, dark nights. For advice and my best gardening tips, visit my website and YouTube channel.
Happy gardening!
David
Gardening tip of the month
Play a classic game of Conkers
On walks in your local area, you may be finding those familiar, shiny conkers lying around. Make sure to collect them for this nostalgic game.
Forage for your Conkers
Head out on a nature walk! If you know that you have horse chesnut trees nearby, aim for those. Only ever pick them up from the ground, as if you pick them up from the tree they may not be ripe yet.
Drill a small hole
From your collection, pick conkers that don’t have any damage or soft spots. To test for duds, pop them in water. If they sink, they’re sure to be strong contenders! Get a drill, and make a small hole all the way through.
Measure & Cut String
Get some strong string or garden twine that will fit through the hole you’ve made. Make a double knot, to make sure your conker doesn’t fall off, and measure the string to about 60 cm, or 2 ft. This will mean you have more distance between your conker and your hand!
Get the game underway
Prepare a few so you have some backups. Now you can play! Take it in turns to swing your conker with your opponent. The winning conker successfully smashes their opponent’s. A fresh conker is called a none-er, but once it wins its first fight, it earns the title ‘one-er’!
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Congratulations! Keep your eyes peeled for other competitions in October.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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