Autumn flowering bulbs are appearing in shops and garden centres now. These have a very short period of dormancy and should be planted as soon as possible. Autumn crocus are excellent for naturalising in grass and will reproduce freely, while colchicums or naked ladies are best planted amongst shrubs.

Madonna lilies must also be planted during the next few weeks. These lovely white-flowered cottage garden favourites have to produce a strong over-wintering rosette of leaves before bad weather sets in if they are to perform properly next summer.

The dead-heading of roses and herbaceous plants is a regular task at the moment. Although a tedious job, it is vital to ensure a continued show of blossom. Removing faded flowers also prevents them from setting unnecessary seed, a considerable drain upon the plants' resources.

This is an excellent time to take cuttings of many hardy plants. Not only flowering shrubs, but alpines such as rock rose, dwarf phlox, coloured thyme and sedum. Short side-shoots of non-flowering wood provide the best material.

Prepare them by slightly reducing the leaf surface area and also any lower leaves that are likely to touch the compost and start to decompose. Insert in a mixture of equal parts by volume of peat and sharp sand or peat and perlite and rooting should be rapid.

A cold frame is ideal for rooting cuttings in at this time of the year, but if you do not have one, a cool window ledge is an adequate substitute, providing that it is not in the full glare of the sun all day.

Border carnations can be layered now. Simply select young non-flowering shoots that can be readily bent down to soil level and make an incision with a sharp knife at a leaf joint. Cover the cut area with fine compost and peg the shoot down. Rooting will take place in three to four weeks.

Seedlings of wallflowers should be transplanted into nursery rows and, once re-established, should have their tops pinched out to ensure the development of bushy plants. If young Sweet William plants do not begin to break naturally, then these should also be pinched back.

During the next two or three weeks, Japanese onions can be sown. These are small or medium sized onions that will be harvested during June next year. Express Yellow is one of the easiest varieties.

Sow them thinly in rows no more than a foot apart and leave undisturbed throughout the winter. In the spring, when they start growing away strongly, they can be thinned to four to six inches between plants, the thinnings being used like spring onions.

Perpetual spinach or spinach beet can also be sown now. The seeds of this valuable early spring crop are really capsules containing several seeds. Sow very sparingly as plants are likely to germinate and grow in clusters which will require very careful thinning. Birds love to attack the seedlings, so in the early stages of growth, protect with wire mesh pea guards.

WHAT'S NEW

Miss Lucy is the first double-flowered oriental lily. It is ivory white.

The Times series is the latest range of chrysanthemums for pot cultivation.

Electric Blue is the appropriate name for a penstemon which will be arriving in garden centres this autumn.

Q I have been given a colchicum bulb. Is it true that it will flower without soil and water?

A Yes, it has a food reserve which allows it to flower on the windowsill without attention. It depends upon the food reserve already in the bulb. If you wish to keep it, it must be planted out into the garden when flowering is over.

Q I have mulched around my shrubs with bark chippings. The leaves are not looking healthy and are yellowish. Is there something causing a problem in the mulch?

A If it is raw, uncomposted mulch, then as it decomposes it robs the soil of nitrogen. Apply a dressing of sulphate of ammonia and rake into the mulch.

Q My waterlilies are swamping the garden pool. Can I cut some leaves off without damaging the plant?

A Yes, it causes no problem if you trim back some of the leaves