Tips for the garden - October

We’ve got the broom out for the autumn clean-up and we are flying with through this month’s jobs!

October seems to be full on as autumn starts to show its true colours. Leaves are falling from the trees, summer blooms are coming to an end and the autumnal hues of oranges, browns and reds replace the vibrant colours we’ve seen over the past few months.

There is so much to do in the garden whether you fully embrace planting new winter crops and plants or take a break and start planning for next season.

The weather has been very mild for this time of year. Rain, mini-heatwave, rain – lots of growing! The grass has grown long again, weeds are seeing a resurgence and some summer flowers are still hanging onto their beautiful blooms.

It seems October has cast its spell and tricking us with a charm offensive before the cold front hits us unaware, putting less hardier plants and crops at risk.

Never be fooled by October – for whilst we think the warm weather is a treat, the trick is to call its bluff and carry on with autumn and winter prep as normal as the days are getting darker and our time in the garden getting shorter.

Blooming autumn

• Tempting as it may be to keep those summer pots and baskets blooming to the very end, once the flowers start to fade, start to replace with autumn flowers to bring new colour into the garden. 
• Ideally before re-planting pots and baskets, completely change the growing media and re-use in bedding and borders. Take a look at the ‘Planting Pots for Autumn and Winter’ blog for more tips.
• Raise pots onto feet to prevent water-logging.
• Collect seeds and take hardwood cuttings to bring on next year. The ‘How to Take Cuttings’ blog will help with how to take cuttings as some are tricker than others.
• As the frost start to get harder, wrap fleece around plants for protection, especially tree ferns etc.
• If you haven’t already done so, lift dahlia and begonia tubers and store.
• Clear up fallen leaves and check for disease. 
• Tidy borders and bedding areas and mulch.  Bark provides good insulation for bulbs left in the ground over the winter months.
• Hardy annuals such as cornflowers can now be sown direct into the ground.
• Once flowering has finished, prune rambling roses.

Caring for houseplants

• Most houseplants that had been moved outside during the warmer months should now be moved back inside. Check for aphids to prevent an infestation inside.
• Ensure plants are situated away from radiators and heaters to prevent drying out.
• Most houseplants will require less watering and feeding during autumn. Use a good liquid fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 Liquid All Purpose Plant Food or for specific plants, use a specialist feed such as Orchid Growth Feed or Citrus Winter Feed.
• Plant amaryllis bulbs.
• Re-pot orchids.
• If you are looking for a new houseplant, take a look at the ‘Indoor Bulb Planner’ and blog for inspiration.

Winter crops

• It’s time to sow hardy crops of beans and peas for early harvest.
• Plant out spring cabbage, kale etc.
• Sow onion, shallot and garlic sets.
• Harvest onion and garlic grown during summer and pick late beans.
• Clear away old crops to prevent disease and remove pests. Remove straw around plants such as strawberries to improve ventilation.
• Raise pumpkin and squash to keep dry and help ripen.
• Bring unripe peppers and tomatoes indoors to ripen before the frosts arrive.
• Remove netting from fruit trees and canes.
• Check stored potatoes and fruit for damage and remove those that are damaged.
• Plant bare-root fruit trees.
• Apply a winter tree wash to fruit trees and apply tree bands and fruit tree grease to prevent infestations. Take a look at the ‘Protect trees in winter for summer success’ for more, handy tips on keeping fruit trees in great condition whilst dormant.

Other jobs around the garden

• The warm weather will have seen grass areas start to re-grow.  If dry, mow once more to take the top off before winter.
• Rake any thatch or moss out of dry lawns and re-seed dead patches.
• Spike compacted lawns to improve drainage.
• Check sheds and greenhouses for any damage and repair.
• Gather up canes and supports, clean and store for next season.
• Clean out bird boxes, bird feeders and bird baths with Greenhouse Disinfectant to remove old foods and debris and protect against bugs and disease. 
• Line greenhouses with bubble wrap to keep the warmth in.
• Remove summer shading with Summer Cloud Greenhouse Cleaner.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg on the jobs that can be done this month, but don’t be overwhelmed. The garden is slowing down and that means the jobs can too. Who knows what trickery October has in store, but as the days get shorter, we can spend some much-needed downtime looking through those bulb and seed brochures and plan for next season.