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Gardening Journal October 2021: Plant of the month – Persicaria affinis ‘Darjeeling Red'

October 1st, 2021
A great time for bulb planting and a great time for transplanting deciduous shrubs that are in the wrong place or have outgrown their current position
As winter approaches, we often feel October is time to pack up and retreat indoors to a warm hearth. While this is very tempting there are plenty of jobs that could be done through both autumn and winter that will make your life easier in spring. Its also a great time for bulb planting and a great time for transplanting deciduous shrubs that are in the wrong place or have outgrown their current position. Seeds can also be collected from hardy perennials, such as astrantia, achillea and red valerian, ready for sowing now or left until spring. October isnt all about autumn colour on our trees and shrubs, there are plenty of flowering plants that will provide blasts of colour until the first frosts arrive and knock them back down to the ground for the winter.

Many persicarias are long flowering and provide lovely spikes of colour in the garden. However, persicaria can often carry a lot of foliage for the small firework flowers and take up a lot of space in a border. Persicaria affinis ‘Darjeeling Red’ is a little different to its cousins, it provides very low spreading mats of neat green leaves, which turn rich russet brown in autumn, remaining all winter too. Larger spikes of pink flowers quickly deepen to red and despite flowering from midsummer, it carries all the way through to Autumn.

Persicaria is a genus of flowering plants in the knotweed family (Polygonaceae). Plants of the genus are known commonly as smartweeds, knotweed, fleece flower, or buckwheat. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species occurring nearly worldwide. The genus was recently segregated, so some of us old folk probably know it as Polygonum. The genus Persicaria has many weedy species and somewhat of a bad reputation. However, as with any family, there are always some good members.

Persicaria affinis will tolerate almost any soil conditions; it will be happy at acid, neutral or alkaline pH levels, in loam, clay, chalk or sand based soils, preferring a west, east or south facing exposed or sheltered aspect. They requires little to no maintenance however the flowers may be dead headed to prolong the flowering period and large clumps can be propagated by division in spring or autumn.

Persicaria Darjeeling Red is a workhorse in the garden, providing showy spikes of flowers for weeks on end. Despite this long flowering season they require little attention and are great planted on the edge of the border where they slowly cover the ground and provide a show stopping display of flowers, and foliage, almost all year round. Because of this, and many other attributes it has been Awarded the RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit). A great little plant which will spread a little joy to the edge of your borders and your life.

Jobs to do this month include:
Ornamental Garden:

• Mulch borders with compost if not done in the spring.
• Continue deadheading if weather is mild.
• Remove fallen leaves from Roses to prevent blackspot.
• Continue to tidy borders of weeds and leaves.
• Transplant any plants that need to be moved.
• Plant spring bulbs such as Daffodils etc. But NOT tulips – wait until November to avoid tulip blight.
• Lift and divide perennials.
• Plant up containers etc for winter bedding displays.
• Apply autumn lawn feed etc.
• Now is a good time to plant trees and shrubs – the soil is moist and warm.
• Sow sweet peas under glass.
• Can lift summer flowering bulbs/tubers and overwinter in greenhouse or can heavily mulch plants and leave in the ground. E.g. gladioli, dahlia, canna.
• Cut back herbaceous perennials as they die back.
• Prune climbing roses to avoid wind rock.
• Refill bird feeders regularly.
• Install insect hotels/log piles.

Vegetable Garden:
•Begin planting garlic.
• Apply fleece to late season crops when frost is forecast.
• Lift and divide rhubarb.
• Clear away old foliage of strawberries to prevent pest ad diseases.
• Pot up herbs and take into frost free greenhouse or windowsill to continue through the winter.
• Complete planting onion setts and plant out spring cabbage.
• Harvest squash and pumpkin if not already done so.
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