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Autumn signals a time of rest ahead, but not just yet. Autumn is a busy season for gardeners, even when the weather is a bit wet and windy! The leaves will be changing and falling, more and more perennials will begin to show their bare structure and seed heads, the last of the summer vegetables will be harvested and the breeze rustles the trees rather than the sound of buzzing bees. With boots and gloves on, and perhaps some waterproofs, Autumn is a beautiful time to get outside in the garden. A month of clearing, securing, mulching and seed saving along with bringing a little nature inside the home to enjoy over winter. From Strawflowers for decorations, dried flowers for vases and pumpkins to cook and carve, October is the month when we really do feel that winter is on the way.
On warmer days, some plants may still need some water – especially pots and containers along with anything moved into a greenhouse or cold frame for winter. As temperatures drop, plants don’t want to be sitting in cold, wet soil so do keep watering to a minimum but equally don’t let them dry out.
Sharpen your saws and shears! October is the perfect time to prune many deciduous trees and hardy shrubs. Always check the species before pruning and take a look at the knowledge base for information. Remove dead, diseased and damaged wood while trimming to create an open shape, create air flow and cutting back crossing branches and messy growth. It’s important to try and cut at an angle which is away from the main stem to ensure water doesn’t sit on the cut and therefore allowing the cut to heal which will minimise the chances of rot setting in. If you do remove any diseased material, this should be burnt on an autumn bonfire or taken to the local recycling centre.
Rambling and climbing Roses can also be pruned now and tied in with supports to prevent winter wind damage.
We need insects in the garden and they need our help. Keeping a tidy garden however, might not be the most beneficial way to help garden wildlife, plus it will save a job or two to simply leave some things be. Old, hollow stems and piles of twigs are ideal for creatures that need a hiding place and seed heads can be a really good source of food for some along with many simply looking stunning over winter with a touch of frost. Leave them be until next spring knowing they are providing help for insects we need in the garden.
The same applies as in my September calendar month, but by now if you haven’t got your tender plants moved into an undercover place such as a greenhouse, cold frame or conservatory along with a roll of horticultural fleece – now is the time. It’s good to have extra plant protection hand for any surprise cold weather. Recycling packaging is another great way to protect plants so keep any bubble wrap or insulation from parcels clean and safe for when it’s needed.
The exciting news is – it’s almost bare-root planting time! So if you are looking to plant new hedging, trees or shrubs take some time to put your feet up and get your order in. Bare root plants are only available for a short period over the winter months and when they are gone, they are gone until the following year. Planting with bare-roots is not only easy but it’s also a good option if you are on a budget. As bare-root plants are sold younger than other types of hedging such as rootball, potted and instant – they will take longer to grow but it’s worth the wait for the reduced cost.
It’s a good idea to prepare the ground ahead of time, since bare-root plants do need planting ideally within a few days of arrival. Clear the ground, remove weeds and dig a trench so you can easily plant up without too much of a delay and of course, if you can’t wait a few weeks longer try Instant impact hedges and potted hedging plants which can be planted out now as long as the ground is not waterlogged or frozen.
Depending on where you are based, October is likely to be the last month you’ll be mowing the lawn for sometime. If the weather is still warm but not for too much longer, the lawn can be scarified, aerated and given a top dressing of soil. I’ve been given conflicting advice about walking on lawns over winter and my conclusion is that if you have a small lawn, try not to walk on it too much when it is wet. Perhaps lay some stepping stones to the shed or greenhouse or access gate so the lawn doesn’t get too mushed up in wet, cold weather. Generally light footfall will be fine and lawns do recover very quickly, it’s just not so lovely to look out of the window at a trodden on muddy lawn and looking out into a pretty winter garden can be such a joy!
If you want to brighten up your lawn, create a cottage garden look and help pollinators in Spring – why not plant drifts of spring bulbs in the lawn. Miniature Narcissi, Crocus and Fritillaries all look stunning growing through the grass after winter.
I always like to caveat that a ‘pest’ isn’t really a ‘pest’ to me, just like a ‘weed’ isn’t a ‘weed’. Weeds are simply plants we don’t want growing in a particular place. Pests as we call them are simply creatures that we don’t want to ruin our plants or harvests, but each and every species has it’s place and will be part of the delicate ecosystem. So when I say pest, I really do just mean something you want to prevent from ruining your plants, but not to completely eradicate them.
In the greenhouse especially, red spider and others may well be hiding out in all the nooks and crannies. It is well worth giving any undercover areas where you will be growing and where you have moved your tender plants to, a really thorough clean. A large sponge and warm soapy water will help or you could get in everywhere with a small brush as well. This will help next year when you are ready to sow and have a lot of spring jobs to do.
I love watching the squirrels go about their business and even mice – they are cute after all! But they will dig up your bulbs if given the chance. Always make sure you plants spring bulbs at this time of year at the correct depth for the bulb and if you do have any sign or possible bulb thieves, cover over the ground with something to keep them off digging them up, especially in pots which can be covered with some chicken wire.
If you are a Dahlia grower, it will very soon be time to cut back and mulch or lift tubers for winter protection. If you live in a warmer area of the country and have a good well drained soil, leaving tubers in is perfectly doable with a heavy mulch. On my allotment in Norfolk, I have left a big Dahlia bed with about 25 Dahlia plants in over winter for years.
Cut back the foliage for the compost around about the first frosts and use well rotted organic matter, compost or wood chip to thoroughly cover the tubers. Last year after a particularly long, wet and cold winter – I lost 2 Dahlias. I’d rather that than lift them, so I will take the risk. However, if you do have a heavy soil or get long, cold winters – cut back the foliage, lift the tubers and remove any dead, diseased or damaged material and all soil before drying out and storing in a dry box of sand, dry soil or vermiculite. Put them somewhere cool and dry where you can check on them every now and again over winter.
Flower seeds to sow in October
Fruit and vegetable seeds to sow in October
I’ve mentioned it already but now is the time to order your bare root hedging plants and trees which are in demand.
Spring bulbs can still be ordered now and planted out. Most spring bulbs will need to be planted by the end of the month, apart from Tulips which can be planted all the way through to Christmas as long as the weather isn’t too bad. Bulbs can be dug up by garden wildlife so you might want to give them some protection.
Move all tender plants in to the greenhouse to be overwintered, open the door on warmer days if needed (but always remember to close it back up again)! Clean out the guttering to make sure the rainfall can drain away and into a waterbutt.
Make sure bird tables and baths are clean, regularly topped up and sheltered so garden birds can safely feed over the winter months. Along with planting plenty of native trees and shrubs, leaving seed heads on over winter and having a few piles of logs and twigs, supplementary feeding is important.
Banana plants and tree ferns will need protecting as we head into a colder few months ahead. If you have the option to move them undercover, even better but many will be too big and can remain in situ over the winter. Ideally they will be in a sheltered place already and will need a good few layers of horticultural fleece and/or straw to help them survive winter.
If you haven’t already mulched, I can’t recommend enough to do it soon! Mulching vegetable beds now will help to improve soil structure, suppress weeds and the winter weather will help the nutrients make their way down into the soil. Plus it’s one job you won’t need to do in springtime, when there is a lot of other jobs to do.
If you have sown winter lettuces, they will need protecting with some fleece or cloches as the temperatures dip. There’s something so special about harvesting salads in winter!
It’s the month of Halloween, so it will soon be time for Pumpkin carving and pie. Roasted Pumpkin is delicious and something I really look forward to at this time of year. If you are growing any kind of squash, lift them up onto a block of wood or a brick to ensure they don’t rot where they are sitting on the ground.
If your pots and containers are empty, either put the compost into the compost heap or replenish it by mixing in new compost and mulch so you can plant up some winter colour. Think textures, varying height and as much colour as you can to lift the garden, patio or balcony. Skimmia, Heathers, Cyclamen, Pansies, Hellebores and Snowdrops.
Mulch, mulch, mulch!
Happy October!
