According to our October Newsletter, “It is impossible to rain more than it has in September…” so make the most of the weather when it allows us to spend time in our gardens. October is a mixed bag, with some days crisp and sunny, others all wind full of leaves and possibly an Indian summer might bring mild and warmer days.  

Autumn can feel like a bit of a race in the garden. There are so many jobs that can be done, but as the days get shorter and the chill creeps in, the weather will dictate your schedule.

There is still just time to take semi-ripe cuttings of verbena, penstemon, salvia, hebe, choisya …Check out the September tips of the month for details on how to take cutting.

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

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 Thursday 31st October: don’t forget to carve your pumpkin, gather friends and share your garden successes around a glass of spiced cider or mulled wine. Enjoy squash soup and pumpkin pies. 

The weather in September can vary from very warm sunshine to chilly wet days reminding us that autumn is just around the corner. 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.

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.

• 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. 

August is the month to sit back and enjoy your garden, while the weather allows. Enjoy your home grown vegetables fresh and preserve any surplus crop for the winter: freeze beans and make tomato sauce, jams, pickles and chutney. 

August is also the perfect time to plan for next year. 

Take notes and label your plants 

Make a note of plant successes and start thinking of your planting plan for next year. You might want to introduce a new colour scheme.  For this add details of the name, colour and height of your plants and keep a note of these on labels or on a note book or even a diagram.

Hardy herbaceous perennials  and summer-flowering bulbs

As they will lose their leaves and die down in autumn and winter, label any that you want to remember. Also make a note of any that have become overcrowded and will needs lifting and dividing in the autumn or to be moved to a better site.

Other jobs for August:

• Train and summer prune wisteria and rambling roses.
• Refresh and weed your strawberry patch.
• Prune raspberries.
• Tidy up hedges and shade up topiary.
• Encourage tomatoes to ripen by removing growing tip. 
• Water regularly in dry spells and make plenty fresh water available for wildlife. 
• Beat potato blight and limit it spreading by removing and destroying any affected foliage. Eat tubers from blighted crops as soon as possible.
• Harvest herbs and store them hanging them up to dry in a warm and well ventilated location.