The weather is still warm but don’t be fooled, as autumn is upon us once again. Which means it’s time to start preparing for the first frosts, as well as getting ready for a bright start for spring. Here is our list of jobs for October…
Now is the time to finish harvesting the last of your beans and sweet peas. Then cut them back to their roots which you can leave in the soil. You can also start thinking about planting beans ready for next year by digging some trenches and filling them with compost or manure.
This is also a good time of year to cut back any perennials that have died down. For some garden TLC you can combine this with a general tidy up with raking fallen leaves and mowing the lawn and cutting hedges for the last time of the year.
Finish off harvesting all of your apples, pears, grapes and especially nuts before the squirrels take them all. This is a great opportunity to use your harvest to make some preserves that you can enjoy over the cold winter months.
Start thinking about your spring garden, by planting out your bulbs this month. This will give your garden a head start. With bright colours coming out as soon as the frost fades.
Move your tender plants, which include aquatic ones indoors for protection before the frost can damage them.
You can plant out garlic bulbs for a bumper crop next year, as well as planting out autumn onion sets ready for harvest next summer.
Finally as its Halloween… If you have been growing pumpkins, pick them before the first frost and get carving for jack-o-lanterns. What you scoop out works great in an autumn soup!