What to do in October
In October, autumn is well and truly underway and the garden begins to slow down as the days get shorter and temperatures cool. It’s a month for tidying up, finishing off harvesting, preparing for winter and planning for next year’s growing season:
Things to do in October:
- Rake up fallen leaves and make leafmould.
- Continue clearing up the garden and burn any diseased material.
- Dig over empty areas of soil.
- Lay turf to make new lawns.
- Collect any leaves that have fallen into ponds.
- Finish planting evergreen shrubs.
- Take hardwood cuttings from shrubs.
- Collect berries from trees and shrubs for sowing.
- Give conifer hedges a last trim if needed.
- Plant climbers, perennials and lily and tulip bulbs.
- Divide any overgrown perennials.
- Protect alpines from winter wet.
- Lift and store dahlias, gladioli and summer-flowering bulbs making sure you label them first.
- Cut down the dying tops of perennial vegetables.
- Lift and divide rhubarb.
- Fix grease bands to apple and pear tree trunks.
- Insulate the greenhouse and check heaters are working.
Last Chance:
- Saw grass seed in milder areas.
- Finish planting spring bedding.
- Harvest apples and pears before they are damaged.
- Lift and store your potatoes and carrots.
Getting Ahead:
- Prepare the ground for planting bare-root stock.
- Make early sowings of broad beans and sow sweet peas under cover.
The Weather
- Cooling rapidly as autumn settles in, with chilly nights and frequent rain. Average day time temperatures ranging from 12°C to 14°C and night time temperatures between 6°C and 9°C. Early autumn weather can be mild, but temperatures drop significantly as the month progresses.
- October tends to be a wetter month, with more frequent rain and sometimes storms.
- Shorter days, with less sunshine.
General Tasks
Vegetables & Herbs
Fruit
The Flower Garden
The Greenhouse
Containers
Trees & Shrubs
Hedges
The Lawn
Wildlife and the Pond
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