Advice
Gardener's Calendar - October
Fruit & vegetable garden
Flower garden
Glasshouse, conservatory and houseplants
Trees, shrubs, roses, climbers and hedges
Lawns and meadows
Ponds
Wildlife gardening
Garden structures
Gardening for children
Top 10 jobs
1. Clear up fallen autumn leaves regularly
2. Cut back perennials that have died down
3. Divide herbaceous perennials and rhubarb crowns
4. Move tender plants, including aquatic ones, into the greenhouse
5. Plant out spring cabbages
6. Harvest apples, pears, grapes and nuts
7. Prune climbing roses
8. Order seeds for next year
9. Last chance to mow lawns and trim hedges in mild areas
10. Renovate old lawns or create new grass areas by laying turf
Plant lily bulbs in pots (step-by-step)
October's weather
Glossary of terms
Bedding plants
Compost
Half-hardy
Saprophytic
Fruit and vegetable garden
Fruit
Pick grapes when ripe.
Pick nuts (hazelnuts, cobnuts and filberts) when the husks begin to yellow, but before they start to drop from the tree.
Harvest apples and pears for eating or storing. Only store unblemished fruit to prevent it rotting in storage.
Pick blackberries, hybrid berries and autumn raspberries.
Provide winter protection for wall-trained outdoor figs to help successfully overwinter the embryonic green figs that will form next year's crop. Cover the plant with plastic netting and fill between the plant and the netting with a loose layer of straw, bracken or other open material. This covering should remain on until danger of frosts is past.
Cut down the fruited canes of blackberries and hybrid berries and tie in new ones.
Lift and divide old crowns of rhubarb.
Take hardwood cuttings of currants, gooseberries, figs and grape vines after leaf fall; only use virus-free plants.
Order fruit trees and bushes from mail order catalogues and nurseries, and prepare the ground well before planting.
New trees can be planted as soon as the autumn weather sets in. The soil will still be quite warm in early October, even if the weather is cool, and the roots of new plants will benefit from this. This is particularly important for peaches and nectarines. Other fruit trees may have a higher tolerance of cold at the roots, and can be planted later in the dormant season.
Keep an eye on any newly planted strawberry beds, watering them if necessary - using stored rainwater wherever possible.
Pest & disease watch
Prune out any dead, dying or diseased shoots on apple and pear trees that are affected by canker or other problems that can continue to worsen over the winter. Don't prune stone fruits after midsummer, though, as this can make them vulnerable to silver leaf.
Collect fallen apples and pears affected with brown rot. Pick off any affected fruit that remains on the tree otherwise the fruits become mummified and form a source of infection for next year.
Do not let fallen apple and pear leaves infected with scab or European pear rust lie on the ground at the base of the tree. Garden hygiene is crucial in the control of these common problems.
Put up sticky grease bands on fruit trees to protect them from female winter moths. Tree stakes will also need grease-banding if they provide a route up into the branches.
Spray peaches and nectarines against peach leaf curl just as the leaves begin to fall. Trees can then be covered with polythene supported on wooden posts, to prevent re-infection next year by spores carried in rain droplets.
Clean up old strawberry beds, removing yellow foliage, old runners and any plants that look as if they may have virus.
Keep nets or cages over ripening fruits to protect them from birds.
Place mouse controls near stored fruit.
Monitor yields on soft fruit crops, as older plants frequently become infected with viruses, which reduce yield. If this happens they may need replacing.
Vegetables
Harvest pumpkins and squashes when ripe. Leave them in the sun, or in a greenhouse or garage, to let the skins harden and dry off, before storing them in a cool, dry, dark place.
Continue lifting carrots and beetroot, plus any remaining potatoes still underground in mild areas. Only store healthy, intact roots. Parsnips should be left in, as they taste better once frosted.
Pick the last of the remaining runner beans. Any really late and stringy ones are better composted than eaten.
Dig up outdoor tomato plants and hang them upside-down in the greenhouse to allow the fruits to ripen. Any that don’t ripen can be used green in chutneys.
Sow overwintering broad beans in situ (mild regions only). Covering the trench with fleece or cloches will provide insulation in colder areas, as well as protection from pigeons.
Carrots and peas can still be sown in cold frames, but only in mild areas.
Plant out spring cabbages if not already done. Remember to net them for protection from pigeons.
Finish planting autumn onion sets for a crop in early to mid-summer next year.
Garlic can still be planted in mild areas having free-draining soil. Otherwise it can be started in containers or modules, and planted out when more mature.
Radishes, mustard cress, and winter lettuces can be sown in growing-bags under glass or on a windowsill; the ideal temperature is 16°C (61°F). Old, used growing-bags from the previous summer are fine for this, as long as regular liquid feeds are given. After this second use, they can be emptied over the beds as a soil improver. (Don’t, however, spread compost used for tomato growing over your potato beds, as these crops can share many pests and diseases).
Earth up, or add to the cardboard sheath over any remaining trench celery plants that have not yet had their final top-up. Only a tuft of foliage should show at the top. In cold areas, the plants may benefit from being covered with fleece and straw (or bracken, paper, etc.) in case of frost. Self-blanching types are less hardy, and should be harvested before the first frosts. Beware celery rash when handling plants, especially in sunny weather - gloves and long sleeves are necessary.
Chicory (e.g. Witloof), and seakale, can be forced to provide salad leaves into the winter. The blanched, forced leaves are produced when an upturned pot, for example, is placed over the plant to block out the light.
The dying tops of Jerusalem artichokes can be cut back to ground level. Tubers can be cleared from an area of ground if the plant is becoming invasive, as they will re-grow readily.
Cut back asparagus foliage if not already done last month. Take care of the spines, and give the plants some mulch afterwards.
Now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring. Plenty of organic matter and grit will help to improve drainage to the level required by asparagus. A raised bed could be a good investment on heavy clay soil, to make it more asparagus friendly.
When clearing old pea and bean plants, simply cut off the tops for the compost heap, and dig the roots into the soil. They return valuable nitrogen to the earth, acting as a natural fertiliser.
October is a good time for digging over vacant areas of the vegetable plot, as the approaching cold weather may help to improve the soil structure by breaking down large clumps into crumbly particles. After digging, any vacant ground can be covered with black polythene to prevent re-colonisation by weeds, or smearing of the surface structure by rain-splash (this is known as 'capping').
In the south of England, green manures can still be sown until the middle of the month. Plants such as field beans, winter tares and Italian ryegrass will prevent autumn weeds establishing, and will act as a soil improver.
Pest & disease watch
Keep an eye on Brussels sprouts, removing yellowing leaves to prevent grey mould from becoming troublesome.
Remove all plant debris from the vegetable patch or allotment, to reduce the spread and the overwintering of disease and pests.
Refrain from composting diseased material, as the temperatures in domestic heaps may not be sufficient to kill pests and diseases. Burning the waste, burying it deeply, or placing it in the domestic rubbish are alternatives.
Flea beetle can still be a problem until the end of October, so keep nets in place, but the potential damage caused is unlikely to be as severe as it was in the spring.
Place mouse controls near your stored vegetables.
Herbs
Lift and divide sections of selected herbs. Once potted, they can be brought into the kitchen to provide easy supplies over the winter.
Basil will not survive outside during the winter, so bring it into the greenhouse, or to a heated conservatory, to protect it from the cold. Keep pinching off any flower heads that appear, to keep the plant focussed on foliage production.
Flower garden
Cut back faded herbaceous perennials and add to compost heap.
Lift and divide poor flowering or overcrowded herbaceous plants such as Achillea, Artemisia, Aster, Campanula, Crocosmia, and Phlox. This will revive them for next year. Division is also a cheap way of increasing your stock of favourite plants.
Wait for first frosts to hit dahlias and cannas before lifting the tubers or rhizomes. They may overwinter in the ground in warmer regions if covered with a protective layer of straw or bracken, but flowering may be late and/or poor next year.
Lift tender bulbs if you live in a cold area; Galtonia and Tigridia bulbs, for example, need lifting and storing over the winter.
Any remaining summer bedding plants struggling on in milder areas are best cleared and replaced, for a fresher display. They make excellent additions to the compost heap, but avoid composting diseased material.
Don't neglect hanging basket maintenance - a little deadheading, watering and feeding can keep them going until mid-autumn. Once they are past their best, then re-plant with spring-flowering bulbs, winter heathers, trailing ivies and spring bedding plants.
Pick over alpines regularly, removing any autumn debris and covering died-back patches with extra grit to encourage their re-growth.
Lily bulbs can be planted up in pots this month. Next year, they can either be brought inside for an early display in spring, or left outside as summer patio plants.
Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs, but leave tulips until November.
Plant wallflowers, forget-me-not, Bellis, Primula, Viola (including winter pansies) and other spring bedding plants in prepared ground or pots. Keep them well watered if no rain is forecast, using stored rain or recycled water wherever possible.
Now is a good time to plant new herbaceous perennials, as the soil is still warm, but moister than it was during the summer.
In mild areas, it is still just possible to sow hardy annuals outside, to overwinter for a display next year.
Raise patio containers on to bricks or purpose-made pot feet to avoid them sitting in water during the winter.
Move alpine troughs to a covered porch or lean-to to protect them from the rain (if you do not have a suitably ventilated and unheated greenhouse). Alternatively, shelter the troughs with transparent acrylic or plastic sheets suspended above them.
Make sure you have finished bringing all tender plants into the heated greenhouse or conservatory for the winter. Abutilon, Gazania and Lantana are all suitable examples.
Half-hardy fuchsias are best given a rest period over the winter, allowing them to dry out slightly and drop their leaves, rather then forcing them into active growth with lots of heat, water and feed. Just keep them alive with gentle heat in the glasshouse, or in a cool room, and they will reward you with strong growth next spring.
Remove stakes and other supports as herbaceous plants die down for the winter.
Check any bulbs being forced in darkness. If they show signs of top growth and have a healthy root system when knocked out of the bowl, bring them into a cool, light room to induce flowering.
Continue collecting and storing seed from perennials still forming seedheads.
Pest & disease watch
Check chrysanthemums regularly for signs of white rust and treat where necessary.
Discoloured leaves on herbaceous plants such as Chrysanthemum, Anemone and Penstemon, could be leaf and bud eelworm.
Grey mould (Botrytis) can be problematic in wet weather. Remove affected leaves and other parts as soon as the symptoms are seen.
Powdery mildew may still be a problems in dryer, warmer regions having a good 'Indian summer'. It is best to control this disease by cultural methods or by cutting back fading growth, rather than by spraying, which is less effective at this time of year.
Avoid feeding plants late in the season, as this will encourage soft, sappy growth that is more vulnerable to damage by frost and by wet, and can encourage fungal diseases to develop.
Remember garden hygiene at this time of year - regular clearance of fallen leaves and debris will do much to prevent the spread and overwintering of pests and diseases, so reducing problems the following year.
Digging the soil, especially bare patches or newly cultivated land, will expose many pest larvae and eggs to birds and frosts, as well as clearing weeds and improving soil structure. Don't leave soil uncovered for too long, however, as it runs the risk of erosion and washing away of valuable nutrients. Black polythene sheeting will protect it in the absence of planting or mulch.
Glasshouse, conservatory and houseplants
Reduce watering of houseplants as the days shorten and growth slows.
Stand tropical houseplants on trays of wet gravel to counteract the drop in humidity when the central-heating comes on. Grouping them together can also help to create a more humid microclimate.
Pot up prepared hyacinth bulbs if not done last month. This way you will have them flowering for Christmas or New Year.
Plant up containers with Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs for a New Year display.
Sweet peas can be sown early, in the glasshouse, for next spring.
Remove any shading paint applied earlier in the season, in order to maximise reducing light levels late in the season.
Greenhouses can be insulated using plastic bubble wrap. This will cut down the heating bills for the winter, but do make sure to attach the polythene in such a way as to minimise the amount of light blocked out by strips of tape etc, as the wrap itself will reduce light levels somewhat.
Check that the greenhouse heater is still working. Replace any spent wicks or broken parts on paraffin heaters, and get electric or gas heaters serviced if necessary.
Ventilate greenhouses and conservatories during the remaining warmer days, but reduce ventilation once cooler, gusty autumn weather sets in.
Damping down becomes unnecessary as the month progresses. It is best to water or damp down the floor earlier in the day, so that the greenhouse is dry by evening. Dampness during the cool nights could be a recipe for fluffy grey mould (Botrytis) and damping off of seedlings.
Pest & disease watch
Check and pick over plants regularly, removing pests, yellowing or dead leaves and faded flowers before rots develop. Slugs are often found lurking underneath pots.
When bringing plants inside, check carefully for pests and diseases they may have picked up in the garden, particularly red spider mite, mealybug and scale insect.
Unhappy looking plants can always be tipped out of the pot to examine the rootball for signs of over- or underwatering, or for soil-based pests like vine weevil.
Clean the glasshouse if not done last month, to prevent pests and diseases from overwintering in nooks and crannies.
Take care when watering indoor plants, not to wet the leaves (although this is not a problem with foliage houseplants where you are trying to increase humidity around the leaves). They will take longer to dry out in the cooler weather, and dampness could promote development of fungal disease. It is also best to water in the morning, so that the plants have time to dry off before the cold nights.
Trees, shrubs, roses, climbers and hedges
Last chance to trim deciduous hedges to keep them looking tidy over the winter.
Prune bush roses now, if not done already, as reducing their height will prevent wind rock. These plants are generally shallow-rooted and can become loose in the soil if buffeted by strong winds.
Climbing roses should be pruned now if not done last month.
Shrubs normally pruned hard in the spring such as Buddleja davidii, Cornus alba, and Lavatera, can be cut back by half now, to prevent wind rock and to neaten their appearance.
If the weather is dry, keep watering early-flowering shrubs such as camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas, so that flower buds are initiated successfully for blooms next spring. Use recycled or stored rainwater wherever possible.
Take hardwood cuttings of plants such as Rosa, Cotinus, Salix and Forsythia.
Check softwood and semi-ripe cuttings taken earlier in the season. They may need potting on, or selective removal of individual plants that have succumbed to rots (in order to prevent cross-infection).
Berries, fruits and seeds can be gathered from trees and shrubs, once ripe, for immediate sowing. Colutea (bladder senna), Laburnum, Morus (mulberry) and Sorbus (rowan) are all suitable examples.
Check tree ties and stakes before winter gales cause damage.
October is an ideal time for moving and planting trees, shrubs and climbers, as well as for hedge planting.
Bare-rooted deciduous trees and shrubs, as well as root-wrapped evergreens, become available towards the end of the month, so you could think ahead and prepare the ground for them now. They are cheaper than containerised plants, and are the perfect choice whenever large numbers are needed - perhaps for a new hedge, woodland or rose bed.
You can still order containerised trees and shrubs, and large semi-mature specimens, for planting over the winter.
Place fallen leaves on the compost heap or into separate pens for rotting down into leafmould. Shredding leaves first with a shredder or mower will help them break down quicker.
Pest & disease watch
Garden hygiene helps prevent pests and disease being carried over from one year to the next. Rake up and destroy (do not compost) any affected leaves. Diseases such as black spot on roses, leaf blight on quince, and scab on apples and pears can all be partially controlled in this way.
Honey fungus toadstools begin to appear in late September and early October, indicating possible areas of infection. However, there are also many harmless, saprophytic fungi appearing at this time of year, living purely on dead material and pose no threat to garden plants. If the plants look healthy, then there is unlikely to be cause for concern.
Watch out for fungal diseases such as grey mould (Botrytis) or powdery mildew. Although less common on shrubs than on herbaceous plants, they may still cause problems when the weather is conducive. Cultural controls are more effective than sprays at this time of year. Pruning to increase ventilation, and prompt removal of affected leaves, flowers or fruits is crucial.
When pruning, take the opportunity to examine branches for signs of disease. Small cankers, die-back, and rotten, hollow stumps at the centre of old shrub bases, are best removed early on, before they spread.
Lawns and meadows
In many colder areas, this month is the last opportunity to scarify, aerate and top dress lawns. Scarification removes layers of thatch and can be done with either a spring-tine rake or a powered scarifier.
Afterwards apply an autumn lawn feed; these are low in nitrogen, so discouraging lush green growth that would only succumb to cold and diseases over the winter months.
This is definitely your last chance to sow grass seed in mild areas of the UK. Cover newly sown areas with clear polythene to protect them from cold or fierce rain, if these are forecast in your area. Light to moderate rain will aid germination.
Rake fallen leaves off lawns before they block out light and air penetration to the grass. On large lawns a leaf-blower will make the job much easier, but only powerful models are capable of shifting leaves from damp lawns.
This is the last chance to mow recently sown grass areas, to neaten them up before the winter. Don’t cut lower than 2.5cm (1in). Topping with the mower will also prevent weeds getting out of hand.
Troubleshooting
To assist walking over lawns plagued with worm casts or muddy areas, consider laying paths or stepping-stones across main routes of access, so that the lawn is not spoiled by treading in the winter weather.
Toadstools and fairy rings appearing in the lawn may be a sign that scarification and autumn lawn care is necessary.
It is too late to apply a weedkiller now - effectiveness will be much reduced. A final mow will keep weeds in hand until the spring, when weedkillers can again be used.
Ponds
Continue to place nets over small ponds to prevent autumn leaves falling in.
If you did not tidy up the pond last moth, then clear out any debris, weeds, and excess oxygenating plants now, leaving them on the side for 38 hours before composting them, so that wildlife has time to escape back to the pond.
Rescue tender water plants such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and lotus (Nelumbo). Remove any dying foliage and place the plants in trays of deep mud or damp sand, or even in a bucket of water, keeping them in a frost-free place such as a conservatory or greenhouse, until the risk of frost has passed.
Remove dead leaves from waterlilies as the foliage dies back.
Now is a good time to divide waterlilies and other pond plants, both floating and marginal, in order to increase stocks or to control over-vigorous growth.
Overgrown marginal plants can just be cut back, if further stocks are not required. A maximum of 50% of the water’s surface should be taken up with planting.
Remove pumps or fountains and removable lighting systems, clean them, and store over winter in a safe place.
Give winter protection to Gunnera by cutting off old leaves and placing them over the crown of the plants. Use gloves when handling Gunnera foliage as it is covered in vicious spines. Protect Zantedeschia (arum lily) by covering with a layer of straw or bracken.
If there is any risk of frost or ice in your area, then take precautions to prevent the pond from freezing over entirely.
Troubleshooting
Waterlilies can be prone to fungal problems such as crown rot and leaf spot, so nip any problems in the bud by dealing with them promptly. Remove affected leaves, reduce watersplash from fountains and, if necessary, re-pot the whole plant in fresh compost after first removing all rotten looking pieces of root, stem and leaf.
Wildlife gardening
Jobs for the month
- Clean out birdbaths
- Keep the birdbath topped up
- Replenish birdfeeders (see below). All feeds, including peanuts, are safe, as the breeding season is now over.
- Leave some seedheads standing, rather than cutting them back, to provide food and shelter for wildlife.
- Leave mature ivy uncut if possible, as it is an excellent late source of nectar for insects.
- Make a leaf pile for hibernating mammals and ground-feeding birds overwintering in the UK.
- Try building a hedgehog hibernation box (see below)
Birds
Don’t let bird-‘flu fears stop you from enjoying birds in your garden. You can watch the behaviour of birds without coming into any physical contact with them. Wear gloves, apron or overall and a paper face-mask when re-filling the bird feeder, scrubbing out the bird bath, or attending to domestic birds, and the risk of infection will be so low as to be almost negligible. Obviously, if you live in a high-risk area where the H5N1 strain of bird ‘flu has been found, or in a restricted zone as designated by DEFRA, then you should take extra precautions as advised (please see www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/).
Summer migrant birds visiting the UK for the summer continue to set off on their journeys back home in October. Swifts and swallows may have left already, as may have the willow-warblers, blackcaps and pied flycatchers (depending on the weather and region). Housemartins often stay until mid-October in a warm year or in a mild area.
Winter migrants to the UK start to arrive from colder, northern regions. You may see geese and ducks arriving in droves, particularly if the weather is cold, and you may start to spot redwings, bramblings and fieldfares in your own garden.
You may spot jays carrying off acorns to bury in underground winter stores. They can relocate these stores even late in the winter, when germinating shoots become a memory aid for marking buried stashes.
A birdbath can be a vital source of drinking water for birds, especially during the coming winter months when natural water sources can freeze over. Ensure that your birdbath is kept topped up. Models are available to attach to windows, walls and sills, if you are limited for space. Do be aware of hygiene: change the water regularly and scrub the bath out with a mild detergent (available from bird food suppliers) to help prevent the spread of disease.
There is a huge range of birdfoods available on the market, but household scraps and fallen fruit from the garden will do just as well. Choices include wildbird seed mixes, black sunflower seeds (the birds will remove the outside casing, and the inner seed is soft), mild grated cheese, sultanas, raisins and currants (best soaked overnight), pinhead oatmeal, apples, pears and other fresh fruits from the garden (blemished ones are fine), mealworms and waxworms. Alternatively, you can buy fat balls from garden centres and bird food suppliers.
To maximise the numbers of different bird species that you attract to your garden, it is a good idea to cater to their different feeding habits. Hanging bird feeders attract species such as finches, tits and sparrows. There are many models available, designed to help keep out rats, cats, pigeons and squirrels, or to fit onto walls, windows, windowsills and balconies. Bird tables attract robins, house and tree sparrows, doves, pigeons, bullfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches and bramblings. Food scattered on the ground, and leaf piles full of sheltering insects, attract blackbirds, thrushes, dunnocks and wrens.
Hanging bird feeders are best sited over a paved or decked area, which can be regularly swept clear of debris. This may reduce problems with squirrels and vermin, if they prove a nuisance.
Bird tables are best sited a few feet clear of cover or high vegetation, so that cats and other predators cannot launch themselves onto unsuspecting feeding birds. Tables can be quite close to windows or patios, as many birds get used to human activity, and are not put off by us.
Insects
Bug life should be encouraged. Without insects and other invertebrates, there would be no birds and mammals, and many flowers would fail to pollinate, set seed or produce fruit. Bugs help to keep each other in check. It is often when one pest in the food chain is killed with chemicals that others are suddenly free to multiply unchecked, so creating further problems for the gardener.
Pond skaters and water boatmen are still seen skating on the pond surface in search of food.
Many butterflies, including the tortoiseshell, are still evident, as are hoverflies and ladybirds. These last are good ‘pest-catchers’ in the garden. Hoverflies do not sting even though they look similar to wasps - this is just the scary camouflage they use to deter predators. Gardeners have traditionally planted marigolds around the vegetable patch to attract hoverflies as pest control.
Holly blue butterfly larvae can be seen as little caterpillars feeding on ivy at this time of year.
Wasps, despite their reputation as fruit blemishing, stinging pests, are good controllers of many garden pests, including flies and grubs, as well as being useful pollinators. They are still evident in the last rays of autumn sunshine in all but the coldest areas.
Gardens with nooks and crannies, and a few areas where debris is allowed to accumulate (perhaps a woodland area or a meadow within a more formal design), are often more insect-friendly than gardens composed entirely of paving, pots, lawn and bedding.
Put out log and twig piles made from old prunings and felled tree branches. These provide valuable shelter for wildlife, and can be made into attractive features by planting up with ferns, primroses, or other suitable plants. A site well away from the house should ensure unwanted creepy crawlies do not stray into domestic areas.
Piles of slabs or rockery stones act as a suitable wildlife habitat, as do old bales of straw or hay.
Mammals, reptiles and amphibians
Foxes continue their nightly foraging, and can become a pest in urban areas as other food sources become scarce.
Other mammals start going into hibernation this month. You may see squirrels building up their nut stores, or discover a hedgehog making its winter home under a pile of old leaves or debris.
You could try constructing a hedgehog hibernation box to encourage this. Some wildlife enthusiasts have reported success with a constructed wooden box buried under a pile of old leaves. A small entrance hole (10-12sq cm or 4-5sq in), and a covered tunnel leading to the entrance, will help to prevent foxes and other predators from raiding the nest. A tunnel can easily be constructed using old bricks with a wooden plank as a cover. You can then watch the hedgehogs come and go from a known location.
Corrugated iron or plastic laid on the soil can provide warm tunnels for small reptiles, amphibians and mammals to hibernate in. Once it becomes covered with moss, algae, weeds and earth, even metal retains heat through the winter, providing a warm and secure hiding place.
Plants for wildlife
Mature ivy tends to become shrub-like, developing larger leaves and a more shrub-like (rather than climbing) habit. It flowers late in the season, so is an excellent source of nectar for butterflies, hoverflies and other insects. You may see adult tortoiseshells and caterpillars and pupae of the holly blue butterfly (which feeds exclusively on ivy at this time of year).
Hedges, including non-natives and conifers, are a good resource for wildlife, providing shelter, nesting sites and food.
Deciduous trees and hedges, particularly natives like oak or coppiced hazel, are excellent wildlife choices, providing many insect breeding sites in addition to food and shelter for a range of wildlife. Deciduous trees, also support more plant life underneath them than do evergreens, and the bulbs, annuals and perennials underneath them provide knock-on benefits for wildlife.
Don’t deadhead roses that produce hips. The colourful hips are decorative and a useful source of food for wildlife.
Wait for the seedheads of wild flowers and insect-attracting blooms to ripen (usually when they start to shed seed naturally), then pluck off the heads and shake them over a chosen area of bare soil where you would like to have wild flowers next year. Many flowers - poppies for example - take easily from this kind of casual sowing.
Meadows
Annual wildflower meadows will have finished flowering, set seed and be dying down or dead by now. If you are lucky, some of the plants will have re-seeded themselves and may come back next spring. However, you will probably need to supplement this with new sowings. Once it seems most of the seed has fallen, you can scythe the old stalks. Leave the cuttings to lie for a few days to let any insects and seeds fall to the ground, then rake and remove the debris for composting or disposal.
You can still plant a new perennial meadow using plug plants (mild areas only). Plugs are planted into cleared patches in the existing grass. Beware tough rye grasses, as they can easily overwhelm less robust meadow grasses and wildflowers. Yellow rattle (a wildflower parasite of grasses) can be useful to sow in such situations, as it will gradually weaken existing grasses, while being an attractive addition to the meadow itself. RHS members can contact the members’ advisory service for more details.
Newly planted or sown meadows will not need mowing until about six weeks after the start of the spring growing season.
Garden structures & tools
Clean water butts by emptying them and spraying out with a jet nozzle on the hose. They will then be ready to catch the extra water expected at this time of the year.
Drain out standpipes and irrigation lines to avoid damage caused by water freezing inside them. Roll up and store plastic hoses.
Get your lawnmower, hedge trimmers (plus any other power tools not needed over the winter) serviced now in preparation for next year.
Turn the compost heap to speed its decomposition.
Repair any broken or rotted pieces of wood in the structure of the compost bin, or in slatted wood garden furniture, if not done last month.
Consider building a post and chicken wire leaf pen for autumn leaves. They turn into leafmould - very useful as a soil improver or as an ingredient in potting and seed composts.
If you have not yet fixed or replaced any shed roof leaks, broken glasshouse panes, or worn glazing putty and lost glazing clips, then now is your last chance to do so before the greenhouse is full of tender plants for overwintering.
Gardening for children
As well as being able to take part in many of the above activities, here are some extras especially for them.
Plant up a ‘pet’ pot garden: Involve children in all stages of the process, from choosing the pot and plants, filling it with crocks and compost, planting and watering in. Encourage them to check and take care of their ’pet’ garden themselves, noticing how the plants change through the seasons. You can choose any plants, from winter bedding through to permanent shrubs or trees.
Mulching is fun!: This is a good job for children who quickly grow impatient of dextrous and fiddly jobs, and who just want to have fun, get muddy, and throw muck around the garden. Gloves and wellies are a must, with strict instructions as to good hygiene around faces and mouths. You will need to check afterwards that no woody stems have been ‘collared’ by mulch, as this could cause their bark to rot, with consequent dieback later in the year.
Mixing up compost: Some children love to get their hands dirty, and will enjoy mixing up buckets of multi-purpose compost with perlite or grit. Mess need not be frowned upon in this context, and there is little risk of ‘doing it wrong’, or need for supervision.
Design a new area of the garden together: Encourage children to draw their own designs on paper, and introduce them to novel ways for generating ideas. Simple areas of the garden can be measured out and mapped onto a scale drawing. Cut-out shapes can then be arranged on the paper plan, playing with different shapes, arrangements and designs. Discussion of what makes for a good design can be stimulating, and the child is drawn into learning about how to turn their chosen design into viable areas of planting. It is always interesting to compare the paper plan with the final result, and you will both learn an awful lot about design and the effects of growth and seasonal change in the process.
In addition, many of the previous month’s activities can still be enjoyed in October.