Seasonal jobs for the month: October

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October

1.

Begin planting garlic. Break bulbs into individual cloves and plant 2.5-10cm (1-4in) deep, spaced 18cm (7in) apart in soil enriched with well-rotted organic matter.

 
2.

Complete planting narcissi and other early spring-flowering bulbs. Leave tulips until November to avoid tulip fire.

 
3.

Lift and divide herbaceous perennials (here Leucanthemum) this month – two forks back to back help tease clumps apart.

 
4.

Plant up containers and hanging baskets with winter-flowering bedding such as pansies, violas, polyanthus or seasonal evergreen plants.

 
5.

Apply an autumn lawn feed. If moss is a problem in your turf, choose a formula with added moss killer based on ferrous sulphate.

 
6.

Complete orders for fruit trees and bushes, to enable planting while the soil is still warm.

 

Lawn

  • To establish new lawn sow seed or lay turf
  • Apply biological control, nematodes, against leather jackets and chafer grubs in lawns
  • Start autumn lawn treatments including scarifying, aerating, topdressing and re-seeding.
  • Increase moving height

Glasshouse & indoor plants

  • Insulate with bubble wrap before bringing in plants summering outside
  • Remove greenhouse shading to maximise the available daylight
  • Bring tender plants such as citrus into the greenhouse before frosts occur
  • Ensure the greenhouse heating is in working order and overhaul where necessary
  • Reduce watering of houseplants when grown in cool temperatures
  • Feeding should be reduced or stopped completely as growth slows
  • Dry off tuberous begonias and store cool and dry.

Ponds and wildlife

  • Refill birdfeeders regularly as hungry birds become reliant on food provided.
  • Leave grasses uncut, as insects will hibernate at the base of the stems
  • Install insect hotels and log piles where space allows for overwintering insects to hibernate
  • Remove excess pond weed from ponds now that amphibians and fish have stopped breeding
  • Net ponds to keep falling leaves from trees and shrubs from polluting the water
  • Reduce the food given to fish as temperatures fall and they become more torpid
  • Remove pond pumps and store dry after cleaning for the winter
  • Prevent toxic gases building up as a result of the water surface freezing, by installing a cheap electric pond heater

Kitchen garden

  • Apply fleece to late season crops where frost is expected
  • Lift and divide rhubarb ensuring each piece has two or three growth buds and replant into soil enriched with plenty of well-rotted organic matter
  • Cut back old, fruited, summer-fruiting raspberry canes and tie in new ones to their supports
  • In the south of the country broad beans can be sown for early crops next year
  • Clear away old foliage on strawberry beds to prevent build-up of pests and disease
  • Pot up herbs and bring into a frost free greenhouse or cool sunny room for use over winter
  • Complete planting over-wintering varieties of onion sets
  • Young spring cabbage plants can be planted in their final positions this month
  • Squashes and pumpkins can be harvested this month
  • Clear vacant areas of the plot and apply a two inch layer of well-rotted compost over the surface
  • Suppress weed growth on vacant plots by covering the soil with black plastic
  • Complete lifting main-crop potatoes this month

Flower garden

  • Continue sowing sweet peas under glass
  • Lift summer-flowering bulbs such as gladioli and store cool and dry over winter
  • Lift cannas and dahlias after frosts blacken the foliage and store cool and frost free over winter
  • Lily bulbs may be potted up or planted in the border this month
  • Cut back herbaceous perennials as they die back, leaving 15cm (6in) of old stem on penstemon and others

requiring some winter protection

  • Plant out wallflowers, polyanthus and other hardy, spring bedding plants now
  • Take hardwood cuttings of roses and other deciduous shrubs
  • Prune climbing roses
  • It is now too late to prune deciduous magnolias, Prunus species and conifer hedges
  • Check tree-ties and stakes, to prevent damage occurring from strong winds
  • Trim back bush roses to reduce their height and the risk of wind-rock over winter
  • Shrubs and trees can be moved this month, both deciduous (after leaf-fall) and evergreens

Pest and diseases

  • Remove yellowing leaves from plants particularly those under glass to avoid botrytis or grey mould from developing
  • Apply grease bands to the trunks of fruit trees as a barrier against winter-moth
  • Burn or bin diseased stems and foliage rather than composting them which will spread the disease spores when used.
  • Dispose of fallen apples and pears with brown rot which can go on to cause blossom wilt in the spring
  • Cut back and destroy the foliage of perennials with powdery mildew
  • Spray tender plants with insecticide when brought in from summering outside to prevent pests multiplying in the warmer conditions
  • Ventilate greenhouses freely on mild sunny days to reduce humidity and risk of fungal diseases