Bank Holiday catch-up

Water and smart feeding make stronger plants, says Peter

- Peter Seabrook

IT is not just the days and weeks – the months are just flying by, and while I look forward to the Bank Holiday weekends, for a chance to catch up with gardening at home, this weekend we have the rose bed display on show at the NEC to staff and then to clear. Dahlias are coming into their own, and in addition to the dahlia shows at RHS Gardens Hyde Hall (2nd-5th Sept) and Wisley (7th-12th Sept), if you are anywhere near the M1/M25 junction be sure to allow time to visit the Aylett Garden Centre Dahlia Festival (28th Aug to 12th Sept). I like to disbud most dahlias, so the stems are longer and individual flowers larger, additionally disbudding high up on the plant encourages side-shoots from lower down making plants more compact and less susceptible to damage by autumn gales. Dahlias are hungry plants and will respond to watering well and adding general fertiliser to this water every week or two.