Gardening Tips in October

This month brings a fantastic display for those gardens that have plants that give Autumn foliage. It usually brings a multitude of different hues. This month you really notice the change in temperature and the sudden shortness in daylight ( How depressing) but the days when sunny bring a sharp freshness.

Maintenance

It is a great time to visit gardens that have Autumn colour such as Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire and Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent.

Rake up fallen leaves and either place them on the compost or pile them up to make leaf mould.

If you have not started clearing up its time you did, burn or bin any perennial weeds or debris that shows signs of fungal infection.

Dig over empty beds

Finish planting evergreen shrubs

This is the best time of the year to take hardwood cuttings and collect any berries from trees and shrubs for seed sowing.

Give conifer hedges a last trim for the winter sets in.

Plants new climbers and perennials.

Protect alpines from winter wet.

Lift and store dahlias, glodioli and summer flowering bulbs.

Tidy ponds and remove pumps for the winter.

Make new lawns from turf.

Cut down the dying tops of perennial vegetables.

Lift and divide rhubarb.

If you have any fruit trees fix grease bands to there trunks to catch pest as they crawl up.

Insulate the greenhouse and if you have whitewashed remove it and if you don’t have a heater get one if you do have check that its in working order.

It is probably your last chance to sow grass seed.

Fiish off planting spring bedding for next year.

Pick up the last of your apples and pears before they get damaged.

Lift and store the reminder of your tender perennials.

Lift and store potatoes and carrots in a dry and darkish cool place.

You should start to prepare the ground for planting bare rooted stock for next month.

Sow sweet peas for next year under cover.

It is best to do all the jobs in the garden sooner rather than later as with the shortening days you will only have the weekend to do things.

If you have heavy soils like clay make sure you dig them so the frosts, rain, wind and snow can break it down.

Incorporate as much organic matter as possible to improve the structure of the soil.

Plant trees at this time of the year while the soil is warm for the roots to take hold.

Only store fruit that is not damaged or diseased.

In the greenhouse make sure you wash down the benches with disinfected.

Keep collecting ripe seeds, dry them out and place them in a brown paper envelope in a air tight container in cool place.

Plant garlic before the weather gets to cold.

There is probably only one or two cuts of the lawn left unless your right down south.

Secure any climbers or any other plants that are vulnerable to the winds of Autumn.

Plant container grown climbers. Plant up new herbaceous perennials and lift and divide overgrown and plant.

Lift and store dahlia tubers.

Protect alpines from the winter wet also clear leaves from around there base these will only encourage rot and disease.

Put netting over your ponds to prevent debris from falling in and if you are lucky enough the same goes to the swimming pool.

Lift and store tender summer - flowering bulbs.

Good time now to go to your garden centre and buy plants that give a good winter colour.

Reduce the feeding of fish now the days are getting shorter and the fish are becoming les active.

Remove form the pond any tender plants.

Also it is a great time to tidy up that pond before the water gets to cold for you to handle.

It is also a good time to take out the submersible pump give a good clean up and store for next year.

With an established lawn rake out thatch, aerate and top – dress.

Finish planting Autumn onion sets.

Sow broad beans but cover them with cloches in colder parts of the country.

Lift parsley and mint and pot to put on the window sill.

Open the vents in greenhouses on warm days.

Insulate the inside of your greenhouse with bubble polythene or any other insulating material that lets light through.

Water the plants in the greenhouse and indoor plants less.

Constantly remove any yellow leaves from and sround plants as this encourages disease and pests.

In the greenhouse grow radishes, mustard and cress for winter salad either in pots or recycle those tomato grow bags.

Plants that look good this time of the year