As the season changes, Brits will be looking forward to putting their garden tools away for the winter. However, if you have time, October is a great time to get ahead of certain jobs, according to Monty Don.
This includes sowing spring bulbs and continuing to deadhead and prune the garden. In a blog post from last year, Monty Don shared the exact gardening jobs he completes in October.
1. Deadheading
Monty wrote: “Keep deadheading throughout October, particularly the equatorial plants like dahlias. This will extend their flowering season and squeeze the last bloom from them.
“Spent dahlia flowers can be tricky to differentiate from unopened buds, but the foolproof difference is that when they have finished flowering, they come pointed and a cone shape, whereas the unopened buds are rounded.”
2. Take cuttings
It’s not too late to take cuttings from the garden either, so make sure to choose healthy non-flowering growth.
Plant in peat-free compost and keep the humidity high. Monty said things will strike now and over winter successfully without needing potting on.
3. Sweet peas
Monty added: “By sowing sweet peas in October, you will have bigger plants with a stronger root system that should give flowers next spring, earlier and last longer.
“But the disadvantage is that these young plants will need storing and some protection over winter if the weather is bad. So I sow some now and another batch in February to spread the risk.”
Sow three seeds in a three-inch pot using good potting soil rather than seed compost. Put them on a windowsill to germinate, and once the first leaves grow, place them outside.
4. Grass
Monty recommended continuing to cut the grass as long as it continues to grow, usually above 10°C.
It is better to have the grass too long than too short in winter, so make sure not to cut too much at once. Rake out thatch and moss too, and add to a compost heap.
5. Gather leaves
Every fallen leaf is potential leafmould, which, unlike compost, requires no turning, mixing or knowledge to make.
Monty describes it as “garden gold”. He added: “Gather as many of the fallen leaves as possible, mow them to chop them up and then stack them in a big open heap so they can break down into a lovely, rich, crumbly texture and become an essential component of our homemade potting compost.”
If you do not have somewhere to store them, sort this out as soon as you can. A simple bay can be made with some posts and chicken wire.
6. Bulbs
A number of spring bulbs can be planted this month, such as sweet peas and daffodils, but wait another month for tulips.
