October’s here and it’s definitely looking like autumn in the garden now! There’s a good mix of jobs to be getting on with this month, from planting up some lovely autumn colour to preparing your garden for winter. So, without further ado, here’s my top 3 jobs for October…
Watch the weather
Keep an eye on the forecast this month and be prepared to move tender plants undercover or protect them with horticultural fleece if the temperature drops below 3 degrees.
The start of October is usually quite mild, but depending on where you in the country the first overnight frost might not be very far away.
If you’ve got young or tender plants outside it’s important to keep an eye on the weather forecast this month: if it’s going to get below 3 degrees then you’ll need to take action!
For my smaller potted plants I usually just bring them inside when it gets cold, but for bigger containers or plants in beds then it’s a really good idea to stock up on some horticultural fleece now.
There’s all sorts of different shapes and sizes of fleece you can get to suit everything from pots to veg patches.
I’m a big fan of this Extra Thick Fleece that will keep your plants nice and snug over winter!
All the Alliums!
October is the perfect time to plant up your allium bulbs.
Alliums need slightly longer in the ground than other types of bulbs, and planting them now means you’ll have stronger, longer lasting blooms next spring.
One of my favourite things about alliums – apart from how stunning they look – is that they’re really good for filling that bridge between spring and summer when the garden can look a little bare.
If you haven’t already, I’d recommend getting a bulb planter – it makes the whole process so much quicker and easier!
All you need to do is press your bulb planter into the spot you want to plant, pull out the soil, drop your bulb in pointy side up, then cover over with soil and water in well.
We’ve got some gorgeous allium varieties, along with lots of other spring flowering bulbs in-store and online now.
Plant up Seasonal Shrubs
Buy and plant shrubs whilst the ground is still warm, making sure to add good compost and water in well.
Now that summer flowers are starting to fade, our gardens can begin to look a little bare.
Thankfully, October’s a great time to plant up new shrubs to brighten things up!
While the ground is still warm enough for planting, the recent dry weather we’ve had means you need to be a bit more careful to ensure your new shrubs don’t dry out.
I’ve just planted up a lovely new Virbunum which will bring some lovely scented blooms to my garden this winter.
Here’s how I did it:
Step 1: Dig a hole
Aim for a hole that’s a bit deeper and wider than the pot your plant’s in. That’s because of the next step which is….
Step 2: Add some compost to your hole and water
Adding some good quality compost and giving it a water before planting is really important after a dry spell. Not only will this help keep the plant hydrated, it’ll also get your new shrub off to the best possible start with an extra boost of nutrients.
Step 3: Tease the roots and plant
Take your shrub out of its pot and give the roots a really good tease. This will help your plant bed in faster, as well as allowing its roots to take in more water.
Step 4: Fill in with compost, firm down well and water
After filling in your plant with more compost, give it a really good firm down to ensure its stable enough to withstand the high winds we can get at this time of year. Finally, give it a really good drink and make sure you’re watering at least once a week if the weather stays dry.
Thanks for reading.
