October offers ideal planting weather. Heat has eased, yet the soil stays warm and moist. Plant now, and roots will settle before the winter, giving stronger growth and earlier harvests next year.
Onions, shallots and garlic in before winter
Sets and cloves establish reliably in cool, bright conditions. Plant onions and shallots in the sun and free-draining soil, 10-15cm apart in rows of 25-30cm, tips just showing. Firm and label so rows are easy to weed.
Garlic dislikes acid ground below pH 6.5, so add lime if needed, then plant individual cloves 15cm apart, 2-3cm deep, in rows with a gap of about 30cm.
In heavy soils, start cloves in modules and transplant in spring.
Keep beds weed-free so the young roots don’t face competition. Cover newly planted onion sets with horticultural fleece to deter birds, then remove once shoots appear and repeat hand-weeding. Planting now means earlier, cleaner bulbs that store well.
Cold-hardysalad bowls
You can still sow hardy leaves for late pickings and early spring salads.
Choose corn salad, land cress, rocket, mizuna and winter spinach. Use containers, a sheltered bed or a cold frame. Sow thinly, water in, and pick little and often to keep plants productive.
Protect late sowings with a cloche, ventilating daily to prevent mildew, and add slug traps so seedlings aren’t nibbled. Fresh leaves close to the back door make healthy meals easy.
Soft fruit that earns its keep
Plant container-grown currants now, or order bare-root plants for delivery from November. They thrive in fertile, moisture-retentive soil in sun or light shade. Mulch after planting to conserve moisture.
Blueberries prefer acidic, lime-free conditions, so grow in ericaceous compost and water with collected rainwater in hard-water areas. Their white spring blossom and fiery autumn foliage add extra value.
Raspberries in pots can go in now, while bare-root canes follow in winter. Grow both summer – and autumn-fruiting types for a long harvest.
Learn all about growing berries, currants and more at my YouTube channel, @daviddomoney.
Small trees, big rewards
Container-grown apples, pears, cherries and plums establish well in autumn.
Plant at the same depth as in the pot, stake at planting, tie with a soft tie, and water thoroughly. Check pollination requirements. Some apples are self-fertile, though most crop better with a partner. Conference pears are partially self-fertile and very reliable.
Fit a rabbit guard and a mulch ring 5cm deep, keeping clear of the trunk to prevent rotfrom forming.
Trees planted now root deeply over winter and carry blossom and fruit with less watering next summer.
Planting pointers for success
Prioritise drainage and spacing, then let autumn do the quiet work. On wet soils, raise beds or add grit to planting holes. Keep new plants watered in dry spells while roots knit in. Label everything now to make spring jobs easier.
With thoughtful October planting now, you will secure much stronger roots, cleaner establishment and generous harvests next year.
Focus on Rudbeckia
Rudbeckias earn their keep in early October. Hardy clumps still bloom, adding colour and reliable shape.
This month is a fine time to plant container-grown rudbeckias while the soil stays warm. For borders, try Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ or ‘Little Goldstar’. For richer tones, choose R. hirta ‘Cherry Brandy’ in milder spots, or airy R. triloba for clouds of small blooms.
Small spaces suit ‘Toto Gold’. Compact forms are lovely in containers for colour. Give them moisture-retentive, well-drained soil in sun or light shade.
Flowers are best with sun, though plants cope in light shade. Water in well and mulch to settle the soil. Rudbeckias repeat well through borders. For tidy edges, line small varieties on paths or in raised beds.
Keep foliage clean with good airflow and water at the base in dry spells. Improve heavy ground with organic matter and grit to avoid waterlogging. Check container plants for vine weevil larvae. Watch for leaf spots and remove any marked leaves.
Hardy rudbeckias are tough once established. Leave seedheads over winter for birds, then cut back in late winter when new shoots appear.
Fun fact: Linnaeus named Rudbeckia after his father and son mentors Olof Rudbeck, Swedish botanists.
Top 5 Gardening Jobs:
1 Before the nights turn, run greenhouse heaters on a timer to check ignition and thermostat cut-out. Inspect cables, plugs and gas hoses, and clean fan filters. Hang a min/max thermometer at plant height and track overnight lows. Keder greenhouses insulate well because their layered cladding traps air, reducing heat loss.
2 Once frost blackens dahlia foliage, cut stems to 10cm, lift carefully with a fork and label varieties. Dry crowns upside down for several days, brush off any soil, then store in breathable crates with barely moist compost or dry wood shavingsat 5 to 7C, frost-free. Check monthly for rot. Learn more about lifting dahlias at my YouTube channel, @daviddomoney.
3 As leaves start to tumble, stretch fine pond netting over the water, peg it taut and raise clear of the surface. Skim trapped leaves weekly and leave them beside the pond so creatures can crawl back. Keep pumps running and thin oxygenators lightly to help maintain water clarity and oxygen.
4 For winter drainage, raise patio pots on feet so holes run free. Remove saucers, top the surface with a little grit to deter moss, and rotate containers after gales. Group pots in sheltered spots and stand terracotta on a mat to reduce frost damage.
5 Plant Erica carnea (heather) now while the soil stays warm and workable. Choose sun or light shade and free-draining ground, as this heather tolerates neutral soils. Set at soil level, water in, and mulch lightly. Space 30-45cm apart. Lightly trim after flowering.
Try ‘Springwood White’ to achieve a bright winter carpet.
Did You Know?
There are up to 30,000 orchid species worldwide, putting them in competition with the daisy family (Asteraceae), which has over 32,000 species. Their great diversity reflects the wide range of habitats they occupy, from cloud forests and tropical swamps to temperate woodlands and deserts, helping orchids thrive across the globe.
Botanically, bananas are berries because they form from a single ovary. Strawberries are accessory fruits with many achenes on a swollen receptacle. Cultivated bananas are usually seedless, yet faint seeds reveal their berry blueprint.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia is nicknamed the eternity plant, thanks to long-lived, drought-tolerant rhizomes and resilience in low light. In well-drained compost with occasional feed, it grows steadily indoors and shrugs off neglect with glossy foliage.
Garden ponds can outshine rivers and lakes for freshwater biodiversity. According to a 2015 national analysis, ponds supported about 398 invertebrate species, compared with around 368 in rivers. Sun-warmed shallows, still water, and varied edge habitats create the rich niches that boost those numbers.My 5 October garden jobs to make spring harvests come stronger and earlier