October and autumn can feel like a quiet season, with days getting shorter and most crops and flowers done for the year.
It’s actually quite a busy time, though, because you have to prepare your garden for winter so you can get everything going again next spring.
Here’s just a few of the jobs you need to add to your to-do list for October and early November.
- If your greenhouse or potting shed is pretty much empty now, it’s the best time to clean and disinfect it to prevent any lingering diseases or pests from surviving to spring
- Bring any half-hardy plants indoors or put them into a well-insulated greenhouse
- Sweep up dead leaves, which can harbour fungus spores and provide a haven for slugs, and use them as leaf mulch
- Lift up and divide any herbaceous perennials which have become overcrowded
- Prune any rambling roses when they’ve finished growing for the year and tie the stems up so they’re secure during winter storms
- Sweep up fallen rose leaves and petals to eliminate diseases such as black spot
- Clear up overhanging plants so that pathways are unobstructed
- Cut back any perennial plants if you wish but you might want to leave some dead foliage is useful as it provides shelter to wildlife for the winter
Jobs for your greenhouse
- As well as a thorough clean, you should remove any fallen leaves or moss that have accumulated on the roof to let in as much light as possible
- If your greenhouse is warm or heated, move any tender plants into it for the winter, but make sure there’s enough space between them to reduce the risk of disease
- Check plants for aphids before you bring them inside
- Remove dead plants and plant material to reduce the risk of fungal diseases
- If you use a greenhouse heater, set it up now so you’re ready for early frosts
Jobs for your lawn
- Rake up fallen leaves regularly so light can get to your grass
- Do a last mow of your lawn then aerate it with a garden fork to prevent compaction of soil and waterlogging
- Use dead leaves and anything else you’ve raked up as compost for next year
- Get together a bonfire pile with prunings and twigs – make sure you cover the pile to keep it dry and check for hedgehogs before you light it
- Paint sheds and fences with preservatives or fresh paint while the days are still relatively dry
