While the soil is still warm October is a good month to put your plants into well-prepared ground. They will settle in quickly, and put on lots of roots growth before winter sets in. October’s weather is a mixed bag and as days become shorter, cooler nights bring the possibility of frost, so make sure that vulnerable plants are protected.

Fruit and vegetables

Pumpkins: support them on bricks or tiles so the sun can ripen them, improving their colour before you carve them on the 31st, or you can store for the winter. They will keep up to 6 months in a cool, dark  place, at a temperature range of 10-16 degC. Store them in a single layer. 

Sow broad beans: “Aquadulce” and “Meteor” are good for overwintering and a spring harvest. Sow them directly in the ground.

Plant autumn onions: choose autumn-planting variety such as “Radar” or “Electric”.  Plant the sets into well-prepared, fertile soil.  Onions need a lot of moisture. You shouldn’t have to water in winter but in spring and summer provide extra moisture if necessary. 

Plant garlic: garlic is best planted in free-draining soil in late autumn or early winter, as the cloves need a period of cold weather to develop into bulbs. To protect the emerging bulbs from birds, lay netting over new plants. 

Rhubarb: new crowns can be planted now and established clumps can be divided. Remember, splitting your rhubarb plants is essential for a lush harvest year after year. 

Bare-root fruit trees: October/November is the ideal time to plant fruit trees. Choosing where to plant your tree and good soil preparation are vital. Choose a site in full sun with enough room for the branches to grow and develop over time.

Improving soil: add mulches, garden compost, spent pot compost and manure to bare soil patches. Soil preparation is vital when growing vegetables. The best time is in autumn for heavy soils and spring for light sandy soils. Digging well-rotted organic matter or manure into clay soil will improve the structure and make it easier to work. 

Green-manure can also be used to cover bare patches between crops. An over-wintering green manure mixture sown in the autumn will help to smoother weeds and prevent soil erosion from winter rain. It will be ready to be dug up in spring releasing nutrients and improving the soil structure. 

Flowers

Hardy annuals: October is your last chance to sow hardy annuals direct into the soil. They’ll survive over winter and get a head start in spring.

Dahlias: with little care and attention dahlias will keep flowering for several weeks. Deadheading, keeping plants well staked and clearing up any fallen leaves and debris.

Spring-flowering bulbs: October is the best times to plant daffodil, crocus and iris bulbs, tulips can wait until November. 

Bare-root shrubs, rose and peonies: plant them this month and enjoy their bloom in spring.

Herbaceous perennials: herbaceous perennials can become less productive over time and it’s best to divide the plants every 3 to 5 years. October is a good time to divide and move plants around or to share them with friends.

1. Lift the plant carefully digging around the rootball.
2. Divide the clump using your hands or garden tools to break it apart and to obtain smaller sections with their own root system. 
3. Replant the new sections in holes enriched with well-rotted compost.
4. Backfill, firm and water well

Mulch borders: as perennials die back cover any bare soil with a thick layer of mulch (about 5 cm deep). Leave gaps around woody plants to stop the mulch coming into contact with stems and causing rot. 

Mulching will prevent erosion, protecting the soil from heavy winter rain. It will also help to suppress weeds and as it gradually breaks down, it will feed the soil and improve its structure. 

Mulch could be anything from summer containers spent compost, well-rotted bark, homemade leaf mould or compost. If using spent compost from summer containers, check for vine weevil grubs before spreading on soil. 

Alpines and succulents: alpines and some succulents will cope with winter temperatures, but they will suffer if their roots stay too damp for to long. 

1. Place a cloche over pots or a sheet of glass or perspex over pans, sink or troughs.
2. Remove pot saucers and trays and raise the pot to allow water to drain away freely.
3. In good weather remove the protection to wipe away any build up of condensation.

Make leaf mould. Leaf mould is produced naturally in woods and forests. It differs from conventional composting by the way it is decomposed. Composting uses bacteria to break down leaves while leaf mould uses fungi. It is also a very slow process that will take a minimum of 1 year to 2 or even 3 years depending on the type of leaves. It is an invaluable soil conditionner. Well-rotted (over 2 years old) it can be used as seed-sowing compost. Leaf mould that is less than 2 years old can be used as mulch and soil improver. 

So start now and welcome autumn leaves as a gift to your garden, turning them into “black gold”. 

1. Collect leaves.
2. Place the leaves into a bin liner (preferably black), moisten them if they are dry.
3. Pierce holes in the bag.
4. Tie the top loosely and stack the bags out of sight for up to 2 years. 

You can also build a storage pen from chicken wire supported at the corner with stakes. Make you leaf heap as large as possible to hasten decay and sprinkle with water in dry spells.

Don’t forget 

• Tidy your pond: Autumn is a good time to get your pond in order and improve oxygen levels to help plants and wildlife. Tidy plants, thin out growth and put netting over the surface to prevent leaves from falling into the water. 
• Return houseplants inside preparing them for winter: tidy them up removing yellowing foliage, check for pests and ease back on watering and stop feeding.
• Raise up pots: as the weather becomes damp and showery, raise potted plants off the ground to prevent them sitting in water. 
• Move pelargoniums and geraniums: place them in a sheltered spot.
• Check tree stakes and ties: to help trees stand up to winter storms. Make sure that stakes and ties are secure and that the ties have not become too tight over the years. 
• Organise your equipment: roll ups, drain, clean and store hoses and other equipment over winter to prolong their life. 
• Watch out for wildlife: leave windfall fruits for birds and other wildlife. Leave ivy as a useful late source of nectar for pollinators. 
• Halloween on Friday 31st October: don’t forget to carve your pumpkin, enjoy squash soup and pumpkin pies, and a hare a glass of mulled wine with friends.

The weather this September has been unsettled, with cooler temperatures and a mix of rain, strong wind and sunshine. Make the most of the the dry and sunny days as there is plenty to do in September to prepare for next year.  It is also harvesting time for many fruits and vegetables.

Flowers 

Dahlias are at their peak in September and if the weather is mild they’ll carry on blooming for several more weeks. Likewise cosmos, zinnias and Japanese anemones.

However, by late summer many gardens plants are starting to run out of steam. There is still plenty life left in them if you carry out few simple tasks:

• Feed and water plants during sunny spells
• Nip off spent flowers to keep the bloom coming
• Remove brown and ragged leaves
• Address powdery mildew  – a fungal disease  – keep watering and remove debris and overhanging growth to improve air circulation. 
• Stake top heavy dahlias and sunflowers especially when high wind is forecast.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs: September and October are the best times to plant daffodil, crocus and iris bulbs, tulips can wait until November. 

Saw hardy annual: Nigella, Honesty, Flax, Cornflowers, Poppies, Larkspur … Growing hardy annual flowers from seeds is quick and easy. They are able to survive frost, so can be sown outdoors in autumn. They will survive the winter to bring summer colour to your garden or even your plot. Many will attract pollinators.

• Make sure the area to be sown is weed-free.
• Dig over the soil to a spade’s depth, rake it over and firm.
• Plan the area to be sown by sprinkling grit or sand on the soil or score the ground with a cane to mark out sowing areas. Decide what should go where according to height, habit and colour.
• It is important not to sow into a soil that is too rich, since this may encourage leafy growth at the expense of flowers, so avoid using fertiliser.
• Scatter seeds thinly (or sow into drills) and cover lightly with soil or compost.
• Water well with a watering can fitted with a fine rose.

Plant out biennial: foxgloves, hollyhocks, sweet williams, wallflowers, forget-me not … If you have sown some back in midsummer, or you have young plants from self-seeding,  now is the time to plant them into their final positions.

Divide Perennials … dividing spring-flowering perennials this month, will give their roots time to establish before te weather turns cold.

• Dig around the plant and lift from the soil. Knock off excess soil so that the rootball is easier to handle
• Pull apart each section by hand. Discard old or woody growth.
• Replant each section into a planting hole with added co0mpolst in the base. Form in and water well. Keep watering in dry weather.

Leave perennials for wildlife:  when tidying up your borders, resist the urge to cut back dying perennials. Many have seedbeds (sedum and thistles) for birds  and they can provide shelter for insect as well as protecting the soil from winter weather. 

Take cuttings:  It is your last chance to take semi-ripe cuttings of verbena, penstemon, salvia, lavender to increase stocks and beat winter losses.

1. Select shoots and trim to around 5 cm just below a leaf joint.
2. Remove the lower foliage.
3. Insert around the edge of a pot of compost.
4. Keep moist and out of direct sunlight to root.

Fruit and vegetables

Harvest apples: and lay them carefully to avoid bruising into an open shallow trays. Keep them in a cool frost-free and airy environment.

Harvest and store potatoes: dig them up now and keep them for your home-grown roast potatoes on Christmas Day. 

1. Once the stems have withered, lift potatoes carefully with a fork on a dry sunny day.
2. Leave then on the soil surface to dry their skins for few hours.
3. Brush any excess earth (don’t wash them) and pack into paper or hessian bags.
4. Keep your bags in a cool frost-free, dark, dry place. 

Courgettes and aubergines: pick them regularly to encourage the remaining fruits to develops.

Pumpkins: raise them onto a piece of slate or wood to prevent them from rotting.

Winter salads: Sow lam’s lettuce, mizuna, rockets, mustard leaves.

Plant a strawberry bed: September is the perfect time to create a new patch. 

Don’t forget 

• Tidy your pond: not to allow plant debris to build up. Tidy plants, thin out growth and put netting over the surface to prevent leaves from falling in to the water.
• Return houseplants inside preparing them for winter: tidy them up removing yellowing foliage, check for pests and ease back on watering and stop feeding.
• Neaten up borders:  trim back stems that have flowered in early summer. Cut back dead or flopping stems. 
• Protect soils: spread a thick layer of mulch over bare soil to reduce weathering from winter rains. A 7.5cm-thick layer of biodegradable well-rated co post, straw or bark chips around your plants this autumn will deprive weeds of light preventing them from growing.
• Prepare for leaf fall: making a leaf enclosure to create dark, crumbly leaf mould also known as “black gold”.  More on how to make leaf mould and its benefits in the October Tips of the month. 

In a week time it will be July. Midsummer weather will bring plenty more sunshine with long sunny days and balmy evenings. July is a month of plenty in the garden: plenty summer bloom, plenty to grow and harvest and plenty more to do !

Flowers 

During July, some late spring and early summer flowering plants start to look a little bit rough around the edges with fading flowers and flopping stems. This month is all about tidying and revamping your pots and borders, especially after the very dry and hot weather we had over the last 2 months. Weekly deadheading and feeding will help to maintain healthy growth and encourage more flowers. Also cutting certain perennials back in early July, will reward you with fresh new growth and maybe a second flush of late flowers.

• Cut lavender for drying

A great way to keep shrubs neat and compact. Choosing flowers just as they mature, when they are the most fragrant. The best time is late morning – after the dew has dried but before the sun draws out the essential oil. Hang bunches upside down in a well-ventilated, warm dark spot.

• Care for sweet peas

1. Pick often
2. Water regularly: they are thirsty plants so check the soil at the base to see if they need water.
3. Feed regularly: every 10-14 days with tomato fertiliser, seaweed or homemade liquid comfrey. 

• Provide extra support for dahlias

Heavy rain and gusty winds can be disastrous for dahlias. Add extra support and stakes if summer storms and strong winds are forecasted. Place bamboo canes around the plants with twine around them to hold them in place.

• Prune and tidy summer shrubs

July is the time to prune back early-flowering shrubs, wisteria, philadelphus, weigela. It will allow next year’s flowering wood to develop.

• Harvest cut flowers 

Early mornings or evenings are the best time when the stems are full of water and less likely to wilt.

• Collect and store seeds 

From ripe seed-heads from aquilegias, nigellas, poppies. Ensure that your seeds are dry before storing them in paper envelopes in a dark, cool and dry location.

• Begin sowing next year’s flowers 

Make a head start by sowing pots and trays of early-flowering perennials and biennials. This will give them time to germinate and become substantial plants before winter. Try aquilegia, scabiosa, echinacea, delphinium, lupin, sweet williams, foxgloves. Transplant the seedlings when large enough to handle, avoiding hot weather and opting for cooler days or early morning/late afternoon hours.

Fruit and veg

• Water thirsty plants such as celery, beans, peas courgettes, pumpkins and tomatoes regularly during dry weather. Water only in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.
• Make the last pickings of rhubarb and and leave the stems in place; this will allow the plant to build up reserves for next year. Remove any flower spikes that start to form, cutting right down at the base. 
• Thin out heavy crops of apples, pears and plums by removing malformed, damaged or undersized fruits.
• Sow a last batch of beetroots, peas and dwarf beans  before mid-July for an autumn crop.
• Sow veg to harvest during the winter months. Kale, winter cabbage spinach, radicchio, carrots.
• Sow small batches of fast-maturing salad leaves and radishes every few weeks for continuous pickings.
• Cover brassica with fine netting to prevent cabbage white butterflies laying their eggs on the leaves.
• Continue pinching out any side shoots growing from the leaf joints of cordon tomatoes, also known as vine tomatoes. This will encourage the plants to put their energies into producing flowers and therefore fruits. 
• Peg down strawberry runners into pots of compost to root new plants.

Tackle summer pests and diseases 

Pests and diseases can thrive in warm weather. 

• Keep watch for pests such as lily beetles, snails, aphids and vine weevils and remove before they do too much harm.
• Look out for clematis wilt. Symptoms are wilting leaves and black discolouration on the leaves and the stem. Cut out all affected material and dispose of it in your household waste. 
• Stop rust damaging hollyhocks by pruning out affected leaves and dispose of them in your household waste.
• Watch out for blight. In warm damp weather check for dark edges on the leaves of potatoes and tomatoes. Cut out affected leaves and dispose of it in your household waste.

Don’t forget 

• Clear weeds regularly around your crops as they can deprive your plants of water, nutrients and light.
• Continue slug hunting.
• Mulch with compost: a thick layer of well rooted compost, grass clippings or chipped bark around plants, will reduce moisture loss from soil.
• Deadhead flowering plants (unless you want to keep and store seeds): to ensure the plant keeps producing more flowers rather than putting its energy into forming seeds.
• Cool down the greenhouse:  In hot weather,  temperatures inside can rise to extremes, causing plants to become stressed and to dry out. Make sure that vents are open on sunny days. Drape shade nettings over the outside of the greenhouse. Damp down in the morning, wetting hard surfaces inside the greenhouse (floor and shelves) to help plants cope with the heat.
• Prevent powdery mildew.  This fungal disease tends to affect plants in dry spells. Give plenty of moisture in summer and mulch after watering with a compost layer. 
• Prune wisteria. Cut whip stems back to five or six leaves after flowering for healthy growth and to control the overall size. Don’t cut the woody framework. 
• Continue to tie and train new growth on climbing plants.
• Top up birds baths : providing a source of water for birds is crucial in summer, for drinking and feather cleaning.