Tips for October
Trees and shrubs
Now is the time to prepare your soil for winter planting. Dig the ground over adding farmyard manure or garden compost, unless your soil is rich.
Check all tree stakes and ties to ensure they are in good order. Replace them if necessary, as the weather at this time of year can be unpredictable especially to winds. All sizes of tree stakes and ties are kept in stock.
It is the best time of year to take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs as they will be losing their leaves and will remain dormant throughout the winter. To take the cutting, take the whole year’s growth back to the old stem and cut at the base. Make the cutting approximately 6 inches in length. The cuttings can be planted straight out or stored in a pot of sand for the time being. When potting or planting the prepared cutting, apply some rooting powder and plant at 4 inches deep, with a bud just showing above the surface.
Un-diseased fallen leaves can be used as mulch around shrubberies or stacked up to make leaf mould. You can also put fallen leaves into a compost bin for composting.
Make sure climbers and wall shrubs are secure against any heavy winds.
Roses
Secure ramblers and climbers in case of severe weather conditions. Make sure that the stakes and ties for standards roses are in tact and secure them from any strong winds.
Tall shoots on most bush roses can be now shortened, when they have finished flowering.
Beds and borders
Remains of the summer bedding can now be cleared away and replaced with the winter bedding. A wide selection is now in stock.
October is also a good month for planting your herbaceous perennials in well drained soil. If the soil is heavy and wet during the winter months, wait until spring as the cold wet soil can lead to rotting of the plant.
Pelargoniums should now be brought in away from the cold nights and into a frost-free place. Also lift stock plants of early flowering Chrysanthemums and place them in a cool greenhouse or cold frame during the winter.
Bulbs
Spring bulbs are now in stock and can be planted in the garden. Hyacinths and Daffodils that may be required to flower earlier (Christmas time for example) need to be planted in bowls of Bulb Fibre and placed in a cool dark place.
As soon as the frosts turn the foliage on the Dahlias black, they need to have their stems cut off and then lifted to dry off thoroughly and placed into trays or a box in a dry frost-free place. If you pack peat around the tubers it gives them protection and prevents them from drying out too much. This can be done with Begonias and Gladioli as well.
Ponds
Gather any leaves that land on the surface of the water, as leaves smother small plants and encourage decay, which pollutes the water and it makes it harmful to plants and fish.
Lawns
If the lawn wasn’t raked and spiked in September it is recommended this is carried out early this month.
This is the ideal month for laying turf, either to make a new lawn or for patching up. Quality turf is available from our Garden Centre.
Fruit
You can still plant out Strawberries. The pruning of currants and gooseberries can be done. New plants can be propagated from hardwood cuttings.
Most soft fruit should be available for planting out. This is also the time to prepare the soil with pelleted chicken manure or farmyard manure for planting fruit trees next month.
Vegetables
Lift and store any remaining beetroot, potatoes and carrots. Digging can be started so that the ground has as long as possible to weather over the winter months and will be ready for raking down next spring.
Greenhouse and Frame
An important task is removing any dirt from the glass and removing the shading that was painted or sprayed on needs to be carried out. The best way is to use Jeyes Fluid or Armillatox, which are disinfectants and help kill any bugs and diseases that may have entered the greenhouse.
If you are storing plants in the greenhouse that need to be kept frost free you may need to put a heater in there. Another way to conserve heat is to apply bubble wrap inside the greenhouse.
You can sew Sweat Peas at this time of year to give early plants that you can ‘set out’ next spring.
House Plants
As the daytime light decreases some house plants may require more light. Many house plants may go ‘leggy’ and discolour if not given enough light.
Don’t place them in direct sunlight as most house plants don’t like it, but just bring them nearer to the light. Keep them away from any cold drafts as well.