Ask the RHS EXPERTS
SEASONAL COLOUR
Q Can you suggest some beautiful blooms to give autumn colour?
A Asters are among the best autumn flowers, bearing masses of daisy blooms until spoilt by November gales and frosts. Bees and other insects relish their flowers, which provide welcome last-minute nectar and pollen before winter. Good ones include ‘Wunder von Stäfa’ with yellow-centred violet flowers and ‘Mönch’ with lavender-blue flowers that gleam in the soft autumn light.
Second-chance spuds
Q My potato crop has done well – can I save some of the smaller tubers to use as seed next year?
A Only seed potatoes certified to be nearly free of pests, viruses and other diseases can be sold in Britain. If your potatoes were raised from bought seed tubers, and your plants showed no sign of disease, they can give nearly as good results as bought seed, particularly if you live in cool northern regions, where virus-carrying aphids are fewer than in warm southern areas. Don’t be tempted, though, to try again for another year – severe loss of yield is almost certain.
CUTTING THE GRASS
Q I’ve heard that planting yellow rattle will reduce the need to mow the grass on my steep wild-flower
