Gardening Tips for October
October is here and the days are drawing in. The weather has been kind to us so far, but evenings are starting to cool down. There are plenty of tidying jobs to do in the garden to keep you warm!
Lift tubers and corms (dahlia, begonia, gladiolus) for storage over winter. They will generally not survive an English winter in the ground, so keep them dry and frost free in a shed or greenhouse over winter.
Bulbs can be planted now for spring colour and there is a large range still instore to choose from. Daffodils, tulips, alliums are in abundance, or choose a 'bulb planter' kit that has everything ready for you to just add to the garden. Pansies, violas and wallflowers can be planted now for colour throughout the winter. They can be planted directly into the garden or in tubs - but remember to water if they are in tubs.
Prune climbing roses once they have finished flowering, to keep them manageable, trained where you want and to re-invigorate them for next season.
Your veg patch will still be offering up the last of summers vegetables. Pumpkins will be ready when the foliage dies down. Tomatoes, peppers and chillis may still be ripening in the greenhouse - cutting them and hanging them upside down in the warm will aid ripening. Plant onions and garlic now ready for next season. Garlic likes the cold to get is started.
Cut out old wood from raspberries and tie in new growth. Slow down the progress of winter moths with grease bands around fruit trees - especially apples. Take netting off fruit cages to avoid winter damage.
Clean and disinfect the greenhouse, removing any shading. Jeyes fluid is very good for this.
Cut the grass for the last time this year. Now would be a good time to aerate the lawn using a fork, or special aerating shoes. Rake any thatch off the lawn to encourage new growth and remove moss.
Enjoy the last of the warmth in your garden for this season - you'll need a break after all that work!!
