Autumn is finally here and with it a change of tempo, weather and a new set of jobs for the garden. As the striking, colourful blooms of summer begin to fade, the stunning autumnal hues of browns, golds and orange start to come through as the leaves start to fall.
The change of season also signifies a change in pace in the garden. The rush of spring and full-on growth of flowers and crops in summer, now gives way to the great autumn clean up and prep for winter crops.
October also sees the starts of the early frosts and the witching season. Now is the time to cast your spell and get pumpkins at the ready as we see a significant change in the garden this month.
A change of blooms!
- Clear faded summer bedding and plant autumn shrubs into beds and borders.
- Protect crops that are susceptible to the early frosts. Wrap banana trees, ferns etc with fleece to keep warm.
- Whilst the soil is still warm, plant evergreens and hedges. Autumn is a great time to plan and plant new hedges. To get started, take a look at the ‘Planting a new hedge’ blog.
- Replace plants in pots and planters. Empty the growing media and use as topsoil for winter crops.
- Before planting new containers, add broken pots to the bottom to improve drainage and add Vitax Q4 Rootmore with Mycorrhizal Fungi to the bottom of any compost before laying the plants roots on top to give them a strong start to battle the elements. The ‘Planting Pots for Autumn and Winter’ blog will provide inspiration as to which plants to pot.
- As the frosts start to arrive, lift dahlia tubers, dry and store for spring. If you are unsure about how to overwinter dahlias, begonias etc, take a quick look at the blog.
- Bring houseplants that have been outside over summer back indoors.
- Houseplants will require less watering and feeding over the cooler months but will still need feeding once a month in autumn. There are a range of suitable feeds available, but if you want a ‘one size fits all’ try Vitax Organic All Purpose Plant Food.
- Looking towards the festive season, plant amaryllis bulbs for a stunning display as we head towards the new year.
- Looking towards spring, plant sweet peas in deeps pots in the greenhouse. The key to blooming good, sweet peas is what goes on under the ground. The ‘Growing the Best Sweet Peas’ blog, will provide some handy tips.
Winter crops
- Harvest the remaining peas, runner beans and other vegetables before the frosts arrive.
- Once final crops have been harvested, remove canes and trellis, wash down and store.
- Harvest onions and garlic, dry and store in a cool place.
- Check potatoes and stored fruit for mould and remove any that are damaged to prevent spreading.
- Cut back fruited canes to the ground.
- Move any salad leaves and herbs grown in pots indoors.
- Plant winter and early spring crops such as spring cabbage.
- Prepare fruit trees for next season by applying a winter wash and grease band to prevent insect infestation in the spring. The ‘Protect Trees in Winter for Summer Success’ blog is a great place to start.
- Protect and nurture those pumpkins! Raise off the ground to ensure they get enough light to provide a final growth spurt before they take centre stage at Halloween.
The great clean up!
- Protect the greenhouse from pests looking for a free winter holiday! Wash trays, empty pots and workbenches with Greenhouse Disinfectant.
- If you have time, before the great greenhouse clean commences, use a greenhouse fumigator to help remove flying and crawling insects.
- Clean and disinfect bird feeders and baths before replacing with fresh feed and water.
- Rake up leaves and check for disease. Add healthy leaves to the compost bin ready to use early next season.
- If you have not already done so, remove shading from greenhouse glass.
- Check sheds, gates and posts for damage and replace.
October is a time to start winding down but also time to get the garden in shipshape condition ready for the forthcoming festivities. It is also the month pumpkins and squash become the cheerleaders of the garden as they play their part in Halloween celebrations. Remember to use the flesh for tasty treats - pumpkin pie anyone?