October Gardening Jobs
As we head into October and the thick of Autumn, the focus in the garden turns to tidying and maintenance – with a smattering of bulb planting in preparation for Spring.
Take a look at this month’s top gardening jobs below…
Keep the garden free from leaves and debris
This may seem like an obvious tip, but gathering leaves and other debris is vital at this time of year. It prevents unwanted pests from making a home in your garden, as well as keeping your garden looking tidy and finessed.
There are a range of products available now that make this effortless – from as little as £3.99.
Did you know you can keep the leaves you collect to make leafmould? It acts as a brilliant soil conditioner, and all you need is a bin liner! The RHS have a full guide on how to make and use it.
Plant Tulips, Daffodils and more
It’s not all tidying and maintenance this month! October is an optimal time to plant Spring-flowering bulbs such as Tulips, Daffodils and much more.
Bulb planting is easy and incredibly rewarding come Spring, when your garden will burst to life in full colour.
Go on 'snail hunts' to control populations
Flower gardeners and veg gardeners alike can become infuriated by the antics of snails.
With damp conditions suiting them best, you may start to spot more and more of them at this time of year.
To keep their population in your garden under control, go on regular ‘snail hunts’. If you don’t wish to kill them, you can rehome them on a patch of waste ground. Just make sure it’s a fair distance from your garden – as they’re quite good at finding their way back!
Harvest pumpkins and squashes
If you have squashes and pumpkins growing in your garden or allotment, be sure to harvest them before the first frost.
They will quickly turn to mush if you leave them out too long!
Install lawn edging and make maintenance easier
Edging comes in a wide range of styles. Whether you are just looking for functionality, or you would like a decorative addition to your lawn – edging reduces maintenance significantly.
As the hard work for gardeners dies down a little around now, this is a good month to install edging. It is easy to do and you will thank yourself for it in Spring!
Cut back perennials that have died down
This one is self explanatory – it will keep your garden looking tidy and will leave space for new growth come Spring and Summer.
Apply Autumn lawn care
Trim shrub roses down
Reducing the height of your shrub roses is an important step to protect the plant from wind and weather damage over the winter months.
Simply equip yourself with a pair of secateurs and you are good to go!