What to Do in the Garden in October
Enjoy the wonderful autumn colours this month and delight in the abundance of berries and bright fruits
October sees night frosts and beautiful hazy mornings giving way to a richness of colour not seen in any other month. The intensity of leaf colour is breathtaking so make the most of crisp autumnal days in the garden as the evenings draw in. Cut back shrubs, tidy your flower beds and prepare the soil for the onset of winter.
Sow sweet peas
Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea) can be sown in the autumn. Overwinter them in pots somewhere sheltered or under glass in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. By sowing in the autumn, you’ll get much sturdier plants which will withstand harsh weather conditions when planting out next March or April. Also, the longer the root system has to develop in a pot, the more vigorous growth you’ll get in the flowering season. A good tip when sowing the seeds in pots is to wet the soil at the bottom before adding more compost, as the moisture will be drawn up and help germination.
Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea) can be sown in the autumn. Overwinter them in pots somewhere sheltered or under glass in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. By sowing in the autumn, you’ll get much sturdier plants which will withstand harsh weather conditions when planting out next March or April. Also, the longer the root system has to develop in a pot, the more vigorous growth you’ll get in the flowering season. A good tip when sowing the seeds in pots is to wet the soil at the bottom before adding more compost, as the moisture will be drawn up and help germination.
Trim your buddleja
The wonderful buddleja is a butterfly magnet and you cannot be without one in the garden. They tend to get very tall and leggy and you can hard-prune them in the spring, but you may also want to cut them back to about a third now, to prevent wind rock damage in the winter.
This is what happens if the plant is tall, catches the wind and the stems break. You may get an unsightly hole around the base of the plant, which means that water can enter and the plant starts to rot. Also, if water gets in and then freezes, this will damage the roots. So give your buddleja a light chop now to prevent this risk.
Find out how to create a bee-friendly garden
The wonderful buddleja is a butterfly magnet and you cannot be without one in the garden. They tend to get very tall and leggy and you can hard-prune them in the spring, but you may also want to cut them back to about a third now, to prevent wind rock damage in the winter.
This is what happens if the plant is tall, catches the wind and the stems break. You may get an unsightly hole around the base of the plant, which means that water can enter and the plant starts to rot. Also, if water gets in and then freezes, this will damage the roots. So give your buddleja a light chop now to prevent this risk.
Find out how to create a bee-friendly garden
Harvest your pumpkins
This is the month of Halloween and pumpkins will be adorning many front door steps ready to entice children to play trick or treat. But pumpkins are also great in pies, pasta and other warming dishes, and you can roast their seeds for snacks.
When harvesting them this month – if you haven’t already – make sure you lift them carefully and place them in a dry area otherwise they will start to rot. If it’s warm, you can leave then in the sun for a few days to cure the skin. Try to leave about 2in of stem when you lift them and let this dry off, too.
Gourds are fun to grow, come in a variety of shapes and colours and, although not edible, make great autumnal decorations around the home.
Discover more ideas for growing vegetables
This is the month of Halloween and pumpkins will be adorning many front door steps ready to entice children to play trick or treat. But pumpkins are also great in pies, pasta and other warming dishes, and you can roast their seeds for snacks.
When harvesting them this month – if you haven’t already – make sure you lift them carefully and place them in a dry area otherwise they will start to rot. If it’s warm, you can leave then in the sun for a few days to cure the skin. Try to leave about 2in of stem when you lift them and let this dry off, too.
Gourds are fun to grow, come in a variety of shapes and colours and, although not edible, make great autumnal decorations around the home.
Discover more ideas for growing vegetables
Lift your dahlias
Now is the time to pull up your dahlia tubers – when they have finished flowering and the stems have started to turn black. Once lifted, store them in peat-free compost so that the top of the tuber or crown (the point where the stem meets the tuber) is above compost level in a frost-free area. Make sure you lift them carefully without damaging the roots and you get rid of all the soil.
Some people like to leave their dahlias in the ground – and they’ll grow happily without losing too much of their vigour for about four to five years. However, if you do choose to leave them, make sure you give them a very thick mulch with straw or compost. Once they do begin to become less vigorous, you can still lift them and store them as above, for division or cuttings for the following spring.
Now is the time to pull up your dahlia tubers – when they have finished flowering and the stems have started to turn black. Once lifted, store them in peat-free compost so that the top of the tuber or crown (the point where the stem meets the tuber) is above compost level in a frost-free area. Make sure you lift them carefully without damaging the roots and you get rid of all the soil.
Some people like to leave their dahlias in the ground – and they’ll grow happily without losing too much of their vigour for about four to five years. However, if you do choose to leave them, make sure you give them a very thick mulch with straw or compost. Once they do begin to become less vigorous, you can still lift them and store them as above, for division or cuttings for the following spring.
Clear your lawn
Rake fallen leaves; if you let them sit for too long on the grass they will start to kill it off, leaving bare or black patches. If you don’t pick up the leaves on lawns you may encourage unwanted slugs and snails too, so it’s better to collect them, make a pile and let this rot down to become a rich leaf mould, a wonderful soil improver.
It’s very easy to make a container for your leaves with four wooden stakes and chicken wire netting. If space is a problem, rake leaves up, place in a black bin bag with a few holes punched in and tie the top. The leaves will rot down as they would in the net cage and within 18 months you’ll have your own homemade leaf mould. It is especially important to rake – but not use for leaf mould – any dead leaves that have dropped from rose bushes as many may contain black spot spores. These leaves should be burnt or binned to prevent the spread of the disease.
Rake fallen leaves; if you let them sit for too long on the grass they will start to kill it off, leaving bare or black patches. If you don’t pick up the leaves on lawns you may encourage unwanted slugs and snails too, so it’s better to collect them, make a pile and let this rot down to become a rich leaf mould, a wonderful soil improver.
It’s very easy to make a container for your leaves with four wooden stakes and chicken wire netting. If space is a problem, rake leaves up, place in a black bin bag with a few holes punched in and tie the top. The leaves will rot down as they would in the net cage and within 18 months you’ll have your own homemade leaf mould. It is especially important to rake – but not use for leaf mould – any dead leaves that have dropped from rose bushes as many may contain black spot spores. These leaves should be burnt or binned to prevent the spread of the disease.
Clean the greenhouse
October is the perfect time to give your greenhouse an autumn clean in time for the onset of winter. If it is still warm outside then it makes cleaning the greenhouse easier as you won’t have moved all your tender plants inside yet.
Give the glass a good scrub inside and out: cleaner glass takes advantage of lower light levels in winter and creates a healthier environment for the plants stored inside. Use disinfectant on any benches and make sure you get in to all the corners as this is where a lot of pests like to make a home for the winter. Check any heaters, too, to make sure they are working for colder days.
Take a look at this beautiful kitchen garden
October is the perfect time to give your greenhouse an autumn clean in time for the onset of winter. If it is still warm outside then it makes cleaning the greenhouse easier as you won’t have moved all your tender plants inside yet.
Give the glass a good scrub inside and out: cleaner glass takes advantage of lower light levels in winter and creates a healthier environment for the plants stored inside. Use disinfectant on any benches and make sure you get in to all the corners as this is where a lot of pests like to make a home for the winter. Check any heaters, too, to make sure they are working for colder days.
Take a look at this beautiful kitchen garden
Plant out potted climbers
Hardy container-grown climbing plants can be transferred to your flower beds this month. When you dig the hole, make sure the container fits before you remove the plant so that the hole is the same depth as the pot and that the surface of the rootball is level with the surface of the soil.
However, clematis need to be planted much deeper, with some of the stem below the surface (otherwise they may be susceptible to clematis wilt). Plant clematis so that the top of the rootball is around 6in below soil level. To give the roots a good start, dig some organic matter into the hole along with some bonemeal.
Hardy container-grown climbing plants can be transferred to your flower beds this month. When you dig the hole, make sure the container fits before you remove the plant so that the hole is the same depth as the pot and that the surface of the rootball is level with the surface of the soil.
However, clematis need to be planted much deeper, with some of the stem below the surface (otherwise they may be susceptible to clematis wilt). Plant clematis so that the top of the rootball is around 6in below soil level. To give the roots a good start, dig some organic matter into the hole along with some bonemeal.
Get your soil ready
Prepare the ground for planting now, while the soil is still fairly warm and workable, as you may want to put in new shrubs, bare-root trees or even hedging. Remember that it is easier to dig over a larger area than create individual holes and you can also hire a rotavator to make life easier. Dig in plenty of organic matter when you work the soil as rain will wash away any nutrients. You’ll want to give newly planted trees and shrubs the best start.
If you order new fruit trees early you have a better chance of getting the varieties you want as the rarer specimens often sell very quickly. All the fruit trees will have a different root stock which means the top fruit-bearing part of the tree has been grafted onto the root of a different tree, which then creates the tree’s vigour, size and determines when it will begin to bear fruit. For a small garden look for dwarf root stocks, usually labelled M9; these will grow to a maximum of 10ft.
Prepare the ground for planting now, while the soil is still fairly warm and workable, as you may want to put in new shrubs, bare-root trees or even hedging. Remember that it is easier to dig over a larger area than create individual holes and you can also hire a rotavator to make life easier. Dig in plenty of organic matter when you work the soil as rain will wash away any nutrients. You’ll want to give newly planted trees and shrubs the best start.
If you order new fruit trees early you have a better chance of getting the varieties you want as the rarer specimens often sell very quickly. All the fruit trees will have a different root stock which means the top fruit-bearing part of the tree has been grafted onto the root of a different tree, which then creates the tree’s vigour, size and determines when it will begin to bear fruit. For a small garden look for dwarf root stocks, usually labelled M9; these will grow to a maximum of 10ft.
Know your mushrooms
A perennial organism, mushrooms can live for many years. Most of their body lives underground as a series of web-like filaments with the visible ‘fruit’ above the ground. A moist autumn day is a perfect time to go out foraging for mushrooms in the woods and fields, but be absolutely certain you know what you are picking as many edible varieties look very similar to poisonous fungi.
General rules are never to pick a mushroom that you do not recognise in some way. But unless you’re experienced, join a local group and go with a guide or have a book with you to help identify edible varieties. If you fancy growing your own mushrooms, there are plenty of kits available to buy.
TELL US…
What will you be doing in your garden this month? Share your tips in the Comments below.
A perennial organism, mushrooms can live for many years. Most of their body lives underground as a series of web-like filaments with the visible ‘fruit’ above the ground. A moist autumn day is a perfect time to go out foraging for mushrooms in the woods and fields, but be absolutely certain you know what you are picking as many edible varieties look very similar to poisonous fungi.
General rules are never to pick a mushroom that you do not recognise in some way. But unless you’re experienced, join a local group and go with a guide or have a book with you to help identify edible varieties. If you fancy growing your own mushrooms, there are plenty of kits available to buy.
TELL US…
What will you be doing in your garden this month? Share your tips in the Comments below.
Autumn leaves are breathtaking, and when the sunlight shines through trees and shrubs in October, casting long shadows, there is nothing more magical. Look at your garden and make sure you plant trees that give you those wonderful burnt oranges, mellow yellows, deep russets and reds if you don’t already have them.
This is a good month to plant bare-root trees, and even some container-grown varieties. Look for Amelanchier lamarckii, which can be grown both as a tree or shrub and, with its white blossom, is also pretty in spring. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ is a deep magenta colour, Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’ is mid yellow and Acer palmatum ‘Corallinum’ a lovely red. Look out also for Prunus sargentii, a flowering cherry which has beautiful autumn colour, plus other lovely shrubs, such as Cotinus ‘Grace’, Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea and Ceratostigma willmottianum.