Jobs in the garden this week

Cuttings of summer bedding plants

Take cuttings from all your half-hardy bedding plants such as fuchsias, bedding geraniums, marguerites and osteospermums to ensure you have plenty of plants for next year. Take the cuttings just below a leaf, remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the end in hormone rooting powder or liquid. Then insert the cuttings in pots of cuttings compost. Cover the pots with a polythene bag or put them in a propagator and place somewhere warm and sheltered. Don’t forget to pick up everything you need for successful cuttings including pots, compost, dibbers, rooting hormone, labels and propagators.

Force bulbs for Christmas display

Now is the time to buy your prepared hyacinth and other bulbs to guarantee flowers for Christmas. Plant them in pots or shallow bowls, leaving the neck of the bulb just exposed above the compost. Then place somewhere cold and dark for 10 to 14 weeks. They can be moved into the light and warmth when the flower buds start emerging. Remember to pick up your bulbs, bulb fibre or compost, pots and containers and labels to ensure beautiful bulbs for Christmas.

Greenhouse care

Greenhouses and cold frames should be prepared now ready for overwintering tender plants. Start by cleaning it with Jeyes Fluid or Armillatox then put up bubble wrap double-glazing to keep it warmer during the winter and to help cut fuel bills. Horticultural fleece can also be draped over plants to help provide a few extra degrees of frost protection. Check your heaters to ensure they’re in full working order or buy a more efficient replacement and buy in plenty of paraffin or gas if you use these types of heaters.

Houseplant care

This week you should give your houseplants some tender loving care. Most houseplants will need less water than in summer and you can stop feeding foliage houseplants. Autumn and winter-flowering houseplants will benefit from feeding with a high potash liquid fertiliser every seven to 10 days. If your plants have been enjoying the summer outdoors bring them back inside before the weather deteriorates.