October is a good time to move shrubs as the soil is still warm and hopefully damp, ensure a generous watering at the time of planting and at weekly intervals afterwards if the weather is dry. It is better to water with a good bucket or watering can full – watering using a small quantity of water too often will not encourage the roots to grow deeper looking for moisture.
Continue to plant perennials and bare root shrubs while the soil is warm
Plant wallflowers and sweet wiliams for Spring colour.
Plant bulbs – daffodils, alliums, crocus and iris should be planted now. Leave tulips until the weather is cooler – at the end of November. Squirrels love crocus and tulip bulbs so cover the bulbs with chicken wire and remove as soon as you see growing tips showing through in the Spring.
Seeds of annual hardy plants can be directly sown now – poppies, nigella, cornflowers and marigold.
On the vegetable plot broad beans and onion sets can be planted now – ensure the onion sets are planted deep enough to prevents birds picking the tips out of the soil. The best broad been for winter planting is Aquadulce – cover with fleece to protect from birds.
To ensure that wildlife continues to appreciate your garden only cut back vegetation which is damp and rotting – try and keep most things in the garden and cut back from February.
Plants with tubers such as dahlias, cannas and gladioli should be taken up when the frost comes and kills the upper growth. If you don’t have anywhere to store the tubers they can be kept in the soil as long as the top of the plant is protected by a thick mulch.
