Advice
Gardener's Calendar - September
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. Divide herbaceous perennials
2. Pick autumn raspberries
3. Collect and sow seed from perennials and hardy annuals
4. Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage spoils them
5. Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway
6. Keep up with watering of new plants, using rain or grey water if possible
7. Start to reduce the frequency of houseplant watering
8. Clean out cold frames and greenhouses so that they are ready for use in the autumn
9. Cover leafy vegetable crops with bird-proof netting
10. Plant spring flowering bulbs
September's weather
Glossary of terms
Cold frame
Garden hygiene
Mulching mower
Tender perennial
Fruit and vegetable garden
Fruit
Pick apples and blackberries for use in pies and desserts.
Pick autumn raspberries as they start to ripen.
Harvest cobnuts, hazelnuts and filberts when husks begin to yellow, but before they start dropping.
Finish tying in wall-trained sweet cherries. Pruning should have been completed during the summer.
Cut out fruited canes of summer raspberries and tie in new canes that will fruit next year. Select strong, healthy canes and cut out weak, forked or misplaced ones (such as those growing out into the paths).
Blackcurrants are often pruned commercially this month (straight after harvesting), but it is better for home gardeners to wait until the leaves have fallen, and to prune the plants while dormant during the winter. Valuable time is best saved for more urgent jobs that cannot wait beyond this month.
Water any new strawberry beds planted this season. If you have not yet planted new beds, this is really the last chance to do so, and only then in milder parts of the country. New plants need to establish before the cold sets in.
Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners from vigorous plants.
New trees can be planted once the autumn sets in and the dry weather is over. The soil will still be quite warm in September 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.
Pest & disease watch
Remove apples, pears and plums affected with brown rot to prevent the disease from spreading.
Prune out any dead, dying or diseased shoots on fruit trees that are affected by diseases such as bacterial canker, cherry leaf scorch, powdery mildew or other problems that can overwinter or continue to worsen. Avoid pruning stone fruits (e.g. cherries or plums) once they are dropping their leaves, as this can make them vulnerable to silver leaf. Peaches and apricots can be sensitive to cold, so for this reason are best pruned in spring and summer.
Towards the end of September, start fixing grease bands around the trunks of fruit trees in order to deter the wingless female winter moths from climbing up the trunks to lay their eggs in the branches.
Net or cage ripening fruits to protect them from birds.
Monitor yields on soft fruit crops, as older plants frequently become infected with viruses, which reduce yield. They may need replacing.
Vegetables
Continue to sow vegetables for overwintering, to mature next spring: turnip, spinach, winter lettuce, Oriental vegetables and seed of overwintering onions, both salad and bulb types.
Plant overwintering onion sets in late September.
Spring cabbages that were sown last month are probably ready for planting out. Cover them with horticultural fleece or netting to stop the pigeons shredding them.
Dig up potatoes before slug damage becomes a problem. Leave them out to dry for two to three hours before storing. Only store sound tubers in paper sacks or boxes.
Regularly pick fast maturing vegetables, such as French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, to prevent them becoming stringy, tough or bitter and to encourage further crops.
Remaining outdoor tomatoes should be picked by the end of the month and ripened indoors. The whole truss can be cut off to allow the fruits to ripen ‘on the vine’, perhaps under a cloche or on a windowsill. Any green fruits can be used in chutneys.
Aubergines may still be cropping in the greenhouse. Pick them once the fruits have coloured, but before the skins start to wrinkle.
Lift onions and shallots once the foliage has started to die back. Do not be tempted to bend over the tops by hand as this can reduce their effective storage time. Allow them to dry on the soil surface if weather permits, otherwise dry in a well-ventilated shed and store in a moisture-free place. Thick-necked onions should be used rather than stored, as they may be prone to rots.
In cold districts, carrots, beetroot and turnip are best lifted and stored for use over the winter. Only store intact roots. Parsnips should be left in, as they taste better once frosted.
Harvest sweetcorn as it becomes ripe. Push a fingernail into the kernel when the tassels at the end of the cob start to shrivel and brown. If the liquid looks milky, they are ready.
Any remaining globe artichokes should be harvested now, before the buds start to open.
Marrows, pumpkins and squashes may be ready for harvesting. Leave them in the sun, or in a greenhouse/garage, to let the skins harden and dry off, before storing them in a cool, dry, dark place.
When asparagus foliage turns brown, it is time to cut it down. Take care of the spines, and give the plants a good mulch afterwards. Any new asparagus beds can be prepared at the same time, adding grit if your soil is poorly drained (e.g. heavy clay).
Celery can be earthed-up for the final time this month, leaving just a tuft of foliage sticking out of the trench or collar in order to blanch the stems. Self-blanching types are less hardy, and should be harvested before the first frosts. Trench cultivars can be left in the ground, although do have some horticultural fleece or straw handy to throw over the tops if severe frosts are forecast in your area. Beware celery rash when handling the plants, especially in sunny weather - gloves and long sleeves are necessary.
Irregular watering can lead to problems with blossom end rot on tomatoes, splits in root vegetables and pea and bean flowers aborting. Help prevent this by watering during dry spells. Recycled grey water is not recommended for edible crops, but stored rainwater is ideal.
Keep up too with watering winter squash and pumpkins: this will prevent their growth from being checked. Use stored rainwater wherever possible.
Sow green manures, such as mustard and Italian ryegrass, to prevent autumn weeds establishing and to act as a soil improver once dug in during winter or spring. Alternatively, place black plastic over bare ground after clearing old crops to suppress weed growth.
Pest & disease watch
Keep up with potato blight and tomato blight control. Outdoor tomatoes are more vulnerable than greenhouse ones. Blighted potato haulms can be cut off and burnt, or placed in the rubbish. The tubers can still be harvested. Precautionary spraying may be beneficial, if the weather is conducive to fungal spread; suitable products are Bordeaux Mixture, Dithane 945 and Murphy Traditional Copper Fungicide.
Potato powdery scab is prevalent in wet weather at this time of year, especially on clay soils. Dispose of affected tubers and rotate crops to prevent the problem building up in the soil.
Common scab and other potato skin problems can be prevalent in dry Indian summer weather, particularly on well-drained sandy soils. Watering is key, and the use of acidic fertilisers may help if you have alkaline soil (which worsens the problem).
Be sure to clear debris created when lifting potatoes, and take care not to damage the haulms. Potato debris left out in wet weather could cause the development of fungal diseases such as black leg or fluffy grey mould.
Herbs
Take cuttings of rosemary, lavender, bay and hyssop.
Cut back flowered herbs, such as marjoram, to encourage a second flush.
Divide herbs before they die back in the cold, in order to keep clumps potted up in the kitchen for winter use.
Flower garden
Sow sweet peas in a cold frame or the greenhouse for early summer blooms next year.
Sow other hardy annuals (e.g. Consolida, Calendula, Centaurea, Limnanthes and poppies) in situ. If you have very heavy clay soil, you may get better results by sowing under cover in containers or plug trays, as the seedlings are less likely to rot.
If you sowed any spring-flowering biennials such as Viola, Digitalis (foxglove) or Erysimum (wallflowers), earlier in the summer, they will now need planting out.
This is a good time of year to plant new perennials, especially towards the end of September, as the soil is still warm, but moisture levels are increasing. There is still time for them to establish before the real cold sets in.
Bring inside any tender perennials, such as Fuchsia, Gazania, Lantana and Abutilon, before frosts cause damage.
Wait for the first frosts to hit dahlias and cannas before lifting the tubers or rhizomes. In warmer regions, they may be alright left in the ground, but do cover the crowns with a protective layer of straw or bracken.
Buy spring-flowering bedding plants, such as Bellis, Primula, wallflowers, and violas.
Buy or order spring-flowering bulbs. Try to plant daffodils (Narcissus) by mid-September for the best results. Tulips are best left until November. Remember that there are many other bulbs to choose from: Muscari (grape hyacinths), Chionodoxa (glory of the snow), Scilla, Ipheion and crocuses are all possibilities among many others.
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, re-plant as winter/spring hanging baskets with spring-flowering bulbs, winter heathers, trailing ivies and spring-flowering plants as above.
Continue to deadhead plants such as Dahlia, Delphinium, Rosa and Penstemon to prolong the display and give colour well into the month.
Continue cutting back perennials that are fading and dying down.
Now is a good time to divide any overgrown or tired looking clumps of alpines and herbaceous perennials such as crocosmias. This will invigorate them, and improve flowering and overall shape, for next year.
Continue collecting and storing seed from perennials still forming seed heads.
Take cuttings of tender perennials, such as Pelargonium and Osteospermum. These plants often do better grown from new cuttings each year, rather than being overwintered in pots as adult plants. If you do not have a greenhouse, then use a light windowsill to grow them on.
Some tall late-flowering perennials, such as asters, may still need staking to stop them being blown over in the wind.
Most perennial weeds are vulnerable to weedkiller in early autumn. Applying a product containing glyphosate will ensure that the roots, as well as the top growth, are killed. Glyphosate is carried down to the roots and can carry on working through the winter. It is, however, non-selective, and treasured plants must be protected with plastic sheeting.
Pest & disease watch
Inspect chrysanthemums for signs of chrysanthemum white rust and take immediate action.
Distortion on Phlox could indicate the presence of phlox eelworm.
Discoloured leaves on herbaceous plants, such as Chrysanthemum, Anemone and Penstemon could be leaf and bud eelworm.
Powdery mildew can still be a problem in dry, warm Septembers.
Glasshouse, conservatory and houseplants
Plant up containers with Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs and prepared hyacinths for a Christmas display.
Ventilate conservatories during the remaining warmer days to prevent soaring temperatures, but reduce ventilation once the cooler and gusty autumn weather sets in. Use shading paint or blinds to help keep them cool, but be ready to reduce shading towards the end of the month as light levels fall.
Damping down usually becomes unnecessary as the month progresses. It is best to do any watering or damping down 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.
Start to reduce watering of houseplants as light levels drop.
Pest & disease watch
September is an ideal time of the year to apply biological controls for use on vine weevil. Grubs will be starting to hatch, and soil and compost temperatures are now suitable for the nematodes to be effective. Target vulnerable plants, such as fuchsias, succulents and containerised plants.
When bringing plants indoors, check carefully for any pests and diseases they may have picked up outside, in particular red spider mite, mealybug and scale insect. Inspect rootballs and compost for vine weevil larvae and treat where necessary.
Trees, shrubs, roses, climbers and hedges
Climbing roses can be pruned once they have finished flowering; sideshoots from the main framework of branches are cut back to a couple of buds. Any dead, diseased or spindly growth is cut out and the new young shoots are tied in to the supports, from the base. If there is an old, thick and woody, unproductive stem, it can be removed from the base to stimulate more vigorous growth.
Late-summer flowering shrubs such as Helianthemum (rock rose) can be pruned this month. Some shrubs that should have been pruned earlier, but were forgotten, will still benefit from being pruned now rather than left until next year. Ribes (flowering currant) and Lavatera (shrubby mallow) are examples, but do be aware that other shrubs will resent untimely pruning and may flower less next year as a result.
Give evergreen hedges a final trim to make sure they are in shape for winter.
Keep early-flowering shrubs, such as Camellia and Rhododendron, well watered during dry periods to ensure good flower bud initiation for blooms next spring. Use recycled or stored rainwater wherever possible.
Thoroughly soak drought-stressed plants and shrubs, especially newly planted ones. As the weather becomes cooler and damper, the soil will better absorb and hold any extra water you give it. Use recycled or stored rainwater wherever possible.
Collect tree and shrub seeds for sowing next spring, such as Colutea (bladder senna), Laburnum, Morus (mulberry) and Sorbus (rowan). See collecting and storing seeds and germinating tree seeds.
Take semi-ripe cuttings of evergreen shrubs such as Cistus, Ceanothus and Viburnum.
Take hardwood cuttings of roses, choosing well-ripened, healthy shoots.
If the weather is already autumnal, you can now plant and move shrubs and trees without having to worry excessively about their survival and establishment. Shrubs planted now will get off to a flying start next spring, as they will have had all winter to settle in. See moving established trees and shrubs, planting root-wrapped trees, planting trees at the right level and care of newly planted trees.
Order mature or large plants now for planting in October or once the rains have moistened the soil.
Clear dead leaves promptly once they start to fall, as rotting leaves can be a source of disease in the garden. They are, however, useful on the compost heap and can be shredded first with a shredder or mulching mower, to help them break down quicker.
Pest & disease watch
Good garden hygiene helps to prevent disease carry-over from one year to the next, so it is vital to rake up and destroy (or throw out) any affected leaves. Do not compost them or leave them lying, as this could spread the disease. Instead, burn them or place them in the domestic refuse bin destined for landfill. Diseases such as black spot on roses, leaf blight on quince, and scab on apples and pears can all be reduced in this way.
Honey fungus fruiting bodies will begin to appear in late September and early October, indicating possible areas of infection. However, there are many harmless fungi that appear at this time, so don't be overly alarmed. Saprophytic fungi (i.e. living entirely on dead matter) pose no threat to living garden plants. Honey fungus may be more common in areas of woody planting, whereas harmless fungi often pop up in areas of damp lawn, for example.
Powdery mildew can still be troublesome in warm, dry, Indian summer weather. Unless it is severe, it will probably clear up once the rains arrive.
When doing any 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 before they spread further.
Lawns and meadows
Mow less frequently, and raise the height of cut as the growth rate of the grass slows down. This will help the lawn to withstand the last of the warm, dry weather, and also keep it resistant to treading as the wet weather arrives.
You can now start to think about autumn lawn care, including scarifying, aerating and top dressing.
You can harden your lawn up for winter by applying an autumn lawn feed, which is high in potassium. Do this after scarifying and aerating but before applying a top dressing. Do not give summer feeds that are high in nitrogen as this will only result in weak, soft growth, which will be prone to disease in the autumn weather.
Loam and sand top dressings are usually applied at a rate of 2kg per sq m (4.5lb per sq yd), working them into the lawn with a stiff brush or the back of a garden rake. If the proprietary product you use has specific application instructions, then do follow these closely.
This is an ideal time of year to create new lawns from turf or seed.
Troubleshooting
Rectify summer damage by repairing a patchy lawn with turf or seed.
This month is your last chance to use a lawn weedkillers to control perennial weeds such as daises and buttercups.
Any brown patches caused by drought will quickly green up by themselves when the rain comes and the temperatures fall - usually towards the end of the month.
Good autumn lawn care will do much towards solving patches caused by problems such as fungi (e.g. fairy rings), moss and weeds. These problems usually develop on lawns that are already weakened by poor conditions - waterlogging, drought and compaction, for example.
Ponds
Continue to remove blanket and duckweed using a net, rake or scoop. Pile the weed by the side of the pond for 24 hours to allow pond life to crawl back into the water and then put it on the compost heap.
Top up water levels when necessary, particularly during warmer weather.
Cover the surface of ponds with netting to stop fallen leaves from entering. Accumulated debris in the pond can encourage growth of algae and weeds, which will eventually harm the fish by reducing available oxygen levels.
Remove dead leaves from waterlilies as the foliage dies back.
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, repot the whole plant in fresh compost after first removing all rotten looking bits of root, stem and leaf.
Now is a good time to divide waterlilies and other pond plants, both floating and marginal, in order to increase their 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.
You may need to thin out submerged oxygenating plants, as they can quickly build up and crowd the pond.
If there is any risk of frost or ice in your area, then do prepare yourself by preventing ponds from freezing over.
Wildlife gardening
Jobs for the month
- Clean out birdbaths
- Keep birdbaths topped up
- Replenish birdfeeders. The breeding season is not yet over, so avoid large chunks and peanuts.
- Leave some seedheads standing, rather than cutting them back, to provide food and shelter for wildlife.
- Give meadows a final cut before the winter, aiming for 7.5cm (3in) height, and letting the clippings lie for a couple of days before raking (to allow wildlife to crawl back into the sward).
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 the DEFRA Website ).
Many summer migrant visiting birds begin their journey back home this month. Swifts and swallows are often the first to go, and you may see them swooping and dive-bombing as they gather for departure. Willow-warblers, blackcaps and pied flycatchers also start to leave this month, but housemartins often stay a little later, often staying until late September or early to mid-October, depending on the weather.
Native adult birds are more evident this month, having recovered from the summer moult and come out of hiding. Birdsong is back to its usual summer volume and variety. Young birds are still out exploring their new environment.
A birdbath can be a vital source of drinking water for birds. Ensure that yours 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.
In hot, dry weather, many birds delight in ‘dust-bathing’ as well as splashing in the birdbath. It seems that the dust and the many insects that the birds encourage to crawl over them help to control irritating itchy mites living within their feathers.
Avoid peanuts and large chunks when putting out birdfood, as there is a still a risk that large pieces could be fed by adults to fledglings, and they could choke.The breeding season in the UK is over by the end of August, so after August 31st you can put out peanuts and chunks of bread. In the meantime, safe foods include wildbird seed mixes (but not those containing peanuts or dog biscuit); 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 soft fresh fruit; mealworms and waxworms. Alternatively, you can buy fat balls from many garden centres and bird food suppliers. This is an easy alternative, and you will be confident that you are doing no harm.
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 tits, finches 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 attracts 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.
Damselflies and dragonflies are still evident near ponds and water features. Damselflies have a lazier, zig-zagging pattern of flight, whereas dragonflies take a faster and more direct flight path. The third generation of adults emerge around this month.
Pond skaters and water boatmen are still seen skating on the pond surface in search of food.
Hoverflies and ladybirds are still evident. They are good garden ‘pest-catchers’, so are to be encouraged. 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.
Wasps, despite their reputation as fruit blemishing, stinging pests, are good controllers of many garden pests, including flies and grubs. They are also useful pollinators of flowers.
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
Mammals are still very visible in the garden. Young woodmice, shrews, voles, foxes and badgers are still out exploring and learning necessary life skills. The evening is the best time to spot most mammals.
This is still good bat-watching season, as the evenings are still warm enough for both nocturnal mammals and insects. British bat species are garden-friendly, eating midges and tiny insects that cause annoyance on summer evenings.
You may see or hear young hedgehogs and badgers foraging for food at night. Hedgehog and badger food is available for sale. It is not a good idea to feed hedgehogs with bread and milk, as this is unhealthy for them. Good quality cat and dog food, or raw minced meat mixed with egg, are suitable alternatives.
You could construct a hedgehog hibernation box for later in the season. Although hedgehogs are often happy to choose a pile of old leaves and twigs, some wildlife enthusiasts have reported success with a constructed wooden box buried under 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 hide in.
Plants for wildlife
As a general rule, single flowers attract more insects than double blooms. Bear in mind that insects are attracted to particular plants for their nectar (Sedum spectabile), their pollen (Lavatera), the shelter they provide (ornamental grasses and many other species) or their suitability for breeding (many native species and weeds, even the common nettle). A variety of insect-friendly planting from all these groups is likely to attract more insects than a mass planting of flowers providing only nectar or pollen.
There are still many butterflies about in September, and you may spot the small tortoiseshell, peacock or the speckled wood butterfly (in wooded areas).
Hedges, including non-natives and conifers, are a good resource for wildlife, providing shelter, nesting sites and food. Deciduous trees, particularly natives like oak or coppiced hazel, are excellent choices. Some insects that happily feed from a variety of plants are more selective about their breeding territory, and show a preference for native plants. Deciduous trees additionally support much more plant life underneath them, with bulbs, annuals and perennials thriving in the dappled shade. This is not the case underneath dense conifers.
Be less frequent with your hedge trimming to provide greater shelter and food 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 seed heads 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
Late summer meadows are ready for cutting and mowing this month, and all meadows may benefit from a final tidying trim at the end of the season. Scything of clippings is all that is necessary, but closer mowing allows the area to be used as lawn for the rest of the summer. Leave cuttings to lie for a day or two so that wildife can return to the sward below, and then rake up and remove the cuttings. Meadow cuttings were traditionally used for making hay, but they can also be used on the compost heap - just remove any pernicious or flowering weeds, so that they don’t spread in the compost.
Annual wildflower meadows do not need mowing. Just leave them to finish flowering, set seed and die down naturally. Be aware that they will only last one year, and will die back completely at some point in the autumn. 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.
This is a good time to start thinking about sowing or planting a new meadow. Planning and seed sowing is best done this month, but plug plants can be planted a little later into the autumn (mild areas only). Plug plants can be planted into cleared patches in existing grass. Beware tough ryegrasses, 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.
New meadows will not need mowing until about six weeks after the start of the spring growing season, and a monthly mow is beneficial after that, to control weed growth as the meadow becomes established. Regular cutting also removes soil nutrients, a desirable thing for meadow cultivation, as wild flowers tend to thrive and show increased diversity in nutrient-poor soils.
Garden structures
Take advantage of remaining dry weather by painting fences, sheds and other wooden features with a preservative. Water-based ones are kinder to the environment, and many of the older oil-based products (such as creosote) no longer have approval for domestic use.
Clean up patios and hard surfaces to get rid of moss and algae. Doing this job now will prevent them becoming slippery during the winter.
Replace any broken glass panes in the greenhouse and also take the opportunity to check for lost glazing clips or worn putty.
Fix leaky shed roofs before the autumn rain comes.
Install a water butt to collect water from your down-pipe, where it can be stored for use in the garden. Rainwater is particularly beneficial for watering potted ericaceous plants (e.g. rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias), and also conserves mains water, which is in short supply in the southeast UK.
As temperatures fall, greenhouse shading paint should be removed, and any blinds lifted or removed as light levels are steadily decreasing. Don’t deprive your plants of light once the risk of overheating is over.
Make and repair compost bins so that they are ready for the autumn, when fallen leaves will quickly fill them.
Clean and store away garden furniture when it is no longer in use.
Cleaning the greenhouse is best done before bringing in all your tender plants for the winter. Pests and diseases can hide in tiny nooks and crannies, only to come back to life the following spring. Hose down the structure with a forceful jet of water, and then use a safe cleaning products such as Citrox, and a non-abrasive scourer specifically recommended for cleaning glass.
Gardening for children
As well as being able to take part in many of the above activities, here are some extras especially for them.
Sow hardy annuals into garden soil: young children will enjoy shaking poppy seed heads over bare soil, as they make a pleasing rattling noise.
Go seed gathering with your children: this will open up their understanding of how the plant world works, and will focus their attention on interesting seedheads that they might otherwise miss. Cardiocrinum seedheads are particularly dramatic if you have one in flower, and tree seeds are fascinating with their various ‘wings’ (sycamores and maples) and spiny cases (horse chestnuts, for example). Get children to thresh and crush dried up Tagetes flowers and collect the seed in a bucket, or set them to mashing Sorbus berries through a sieve to extract the seeds from within.
Sow sweet peas, oaks and sycamores: Sweet peas are large and easy to push into dibbed holes in a deep pot of compost; sycamores have ‘winged’ seed cases, and can be sown whole with the wings still attached; acorns are easy to handle and fun to sow. Tree seeds should be sown into deep pots of soil-based seed compost, covered with fine grit, and kept in a cold frame or sheltered spot for next spring. They should be potted on once large enough to handle, hardened off to outside conditions, and then planted out in their final positions once robust enough to survive.
Make a hedgehog hibernation hotel: Although hedgehogs are often happy to hibernate in a pile of old leaves and twigs, some wildlife enthusiasts have reported success with a constructed wooden box plus an entrance tunnel, buried under old leaves. This project will capture the imaginations of both young wildlife lovers and young construction enthusiasts. A wooden box with a small entrance hole (10-12sq cm or 4-5sq in) makes the nest, and a covered tunnel leading to the entrance helps to prevent foxes and other predators from raiding it. A tunnel can easily be made from old bricks with a wooden plank laid over them. You can then watch hedgehogs come and go from the box in a known location.