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Things to do in your garden in October

October 14, 2014 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

The days are getting shorter and it’s cool and damp out there, but by way of compensation there are glorious autumn colours out there.

what to do in your garden in October, autumn colour

Japanese maple tree

It’s a month of change in the garden and there’s lots to look forward to as the season changes. These are some of the things to do in your garden in October.

Rake up leaves

Maybe not your idea of fun, but leaves can be turned into leaf-mould which your garden will love and repay you with healthier happier plants.

Simply gather them up and pen them in a chicken-wire structure, they don’t even need a cover. If this type of container seems a bit ambitious, storing them in bin-liners with holes in will do. It takes about 2-3 years to be ready, but if you do it every year you eventually have an annual supply. It’s sustainable too, which makes us very happy.

Prune climbing roses:

  • Cut out any dead or diseased stems
  • Prune side-shoots that have flowered by two-thirds
  • Tie in new growth, it flowers better if it grows horizontally rather than vertically

Tuck-up tender plants:

Move tender plants like Pelargonium and Eucomis into an un-heated greenhouse, cool porch before the frosts come and do their damage.

Things to do in your garden in October, Pelargonium Ardens, www.growingnicely.co.uk

Plant bulbs:

There are masses to choose from, tulips, crocus, muscari, tiny Iris reticulata and daffodils. You’ll be so glad you did this next year, they make such a cheery sight. I like to plant mine in pots and it’s nice to have  few small extra pots to give away.

Plant trees and shrubs:

This is a perfect month for planting trees and shrubs, the soil is still warm and damp so they have the chance to extend their roots which will stand them in good stead next spring.

Have a look here at this earlier post for more information about planting spring flowering bulbs.

This post is all about planting up pots to last through winter.

Happy gardening.

Jill

all images: Jill Anderson

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Related posts:

Let’s make bee friendly gardens make a bug house for pollinating insects-www.growingnicely.co.ukAttract pollinating insects & pest controllers into your garden. Prunus serrula, Tibetan cherry,Trees for small gardens Feed garden birds with style
Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Recycling & Sustainability Tagged With: make leaf-mould, plant bulbs, prune climbing roses, things to do in your garden in October

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Comments

  1. Clive Stone says

    December 4, 2014 at 12:15 pm

    Great article really informative thoroughly enjoyed reading it

    Reply
    • Jill Anderson says

      December 4, 2014 at 5:23 pm

      Thanks Clive, I’m pleased that you found it helpful! Jill

      Reply

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Hello, I’m Jill Anderson.
This is where you’ll find good, solid information about gardening, growing fruit & vegetables and how to keep it all looking good.
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The healing, calming power of nature in one photo. The healing, calming power of nature in one photo.
These wonderful autumn colours won’t be around for much longer. But that’s ok, because now is what matters, & their fleeting beauty makes them even more precious.
It’s easy to see how being among trees & nature is so beneficial for our health & wellbeing. 
Have a great Sunday.
Savouring all the autumn colour, & doesn’t it lo Savouring all the autumn colour, & doesn’t it look spectacular with this bold front door.
Today has been hard work, after a lovely time last week in Norfolk. The north coast there is spectacular. Realising these last few months, that there are so many beautiful places here. 
Have a nice evening.
Charming glasshouse at Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Vis Charming glasshouse at Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Visiting to see the Anish Kapoor sculptures, which are amazing, but unprepared for the beauty of the grounds & garden. 
Such a treat, worth coming to Norfolk for this alone!
Hope you’re keeping well, & managing to smile some of the time. x
P.S. more of Houghton Hall & Anish Kapoor on my stories
We stopped off on the way home to pick blackberrie We stopped off on the way home to pick blackberries, after coffee & cake, sitting in the churchyard - the cafe was full, & the churchyard is a quiet, peaceful spot..... as you’d expect.
-
One little advantage of lockdown is walking so much more, rather than using the car. Though it shouldn’t have taken something as momentous as this, for me to change bad habits 🙁
Hope you’re weekend is going well.
My hazel arch, a bit lopsided 🙄 using wood from My hazel arch, a bit lopsided 🙄 using wood from a random clump of hazel on the garden. Now looking much better covered in winter squash plants, so you can’t see just how ramshackle it is. I like to think it has a certain home-spun charm .

Great for small space gardening, imagine how much room you need to grow these without vertical supports.

I’ve got 2 Uchiki kuri, lovely nutty flavour.
1 Turks turban, for its flamboyant shape & colours, though it also tastes good.
One unknown, grown by my grandsons in their homeschooled science lesson.
Close-ups of the squash over on my stories.
Stay cool my friends x
I wanted to show you this lovely lily ( Lilium reg I wanted to show you this lovely lily ( Lilium regale) which is flowering right outside our bedroom window. 
It gets sun for about 4 hours only, you can order the bulbs now for planting in September. It’ll reappear every year & waft delicious scent around your garden, or through your windows.
Have a very happy Monday x
It’s British Flower Week, there’s a lot to be It’s British Flower Week, there’s a lot to be said for fabulous seasonal flowers that haven’t travelled thousands of miles ...... & are wonderful for biodiversity
A bit of rain, nice long days (it’s almost mid-s A bit of rain, nice long days (it’s almost mid-summer!) & it’s, mostly, all growing nicely.

Spinach, courgettes & garlic in shot here. 
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday x
Hope is a decision I’ve thought long & hard abou Hope is a decision
I’ve thought long & hard about how to view the tumult in the world we’re living in now. 
The only thing that works for me, is to choose hope.

It’s a tall order, but avoiding mainstream news & speculation helps avoid the anxiety, that’s often waiting in the wings.

One day soon there’ll be grandchildren clambering over this again.
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