In the early autumn, your garden is probably looking a little unkempt. If you don’t want to see it that way all winter long, you need to start planning your October gardening jobs now. Autumn is the perfect time to get your garden ready for the colder months ahead. After all, tasks like pruning plants and weeding are much easier in the cooler temperatures.
Working on your garden activities in October gives you plenty of time to get everything done before things get more difficult again in November and December when leaves begin falling from trees and frost sets in after dark. Jump on these tasks now so your garden will be primed for winter instead of trying to squeeze them into a hectic schedule later on.
Flowers
- Lift Dahlia tubers and remove any dead foliage to store indoors over winter months
- Lift up and pot tender perennials to protect in winter
- Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs
- Prune rambling and climbing Roses, then tie in the stems
- Clear up fallen Rose leaves, but do not add to compost bins as they can spread diseases
- Trim and clear any hanging plants from walkways
- Cut back perennial plants that have died back
- Wrap banana plants and trees in straw or fleece to protect from harsh winter weather
- Tidy borders and mulch with bark chips to insulate plant roots
- Plant hedges and move trees and shrubs
- Collect hardy perennial seeds and store
Fruit & Veg
- Harvest pumpkins before the first signs of frost
- Plant garlic in a sunny, well-drained area
- Hang tomato and pepper plants with green fruits upside down indoors to assist in ripening
- Cut down shoots of asparagus to soil level once they’ve turned yellow
- Reuse old grow bags by cutting away the top and sowing late salad crops, this can be extended into winter if grown inside polytunnels
- Divide large clumps of herbs, such as chives, lemon balm and marjoram
- Move citrus trees indoors to a bright, frost-free position, reduce watering but don’t let the plant dry out
- Clear away old crops
- Remove any diseased fruits or vegetables from branches or the ground
- Cut fruited stems of autumn raspberries and blackberries to the ground
- Apply a winter wash to the trunks and branches of fruit trees to kill off pests
Greenhouse
- Clean out any fallen debris that could contain disease and pests
- Remove any shading of covers to allow as much sunlight as possible
- Wash greenhouse glazing to allow maximum sunlight entry
- Move tender plants into the greenhouse, leaving enough space between each to reduce the chances of the disease spreading
- Check any plants being brought into the greenhouse have no pests
- Plant Amaryllis bulbs in pots near windows for Christmas flowering
- Regularly remove any fallen leaves
- Move potted citrus and fuchsias into the greenhouse
- Prepare greenhouse heaters for later in the month when colder weather could harm plants
- Line windows with bubble wrap at nighttime to reduce the temperature from dropping too much
- Water plants sparingly
October Garden Maintenance
- Allow more sunlight to the grass by removing fallen leaves regularly
- Rake fallen leaves from grass, paths, driveways and borders, storing in bin bags to rot down to leafmould
- Cut the grass one last time before winter
- Create areas for wildlife to take sanctuary in winter – such as a log pile at the back of borders
- Cut any lawn edges if needed and set up lawn edging to support future maintenance
- Check any sheds or storage areas are waterproof and repair any needed areas
- Aerate the grass to help soak up rainwater quicker
- Apply lawn feed in areas that were damaged during the summer heat
- Lay fresh turf or grass seed if needed
- Store hoses and drip-feed systems indoors so they do not freeze and damage in winter
Houseplants
- Decrease watering
- Move plants to sunnier areas, such as windowsills
- Slow down fertilising (but don’t stop suddenly)
- Trim dry, yellowing leaves
- Prune overgrown vines and stems
- Don’t repot – this could cause them to go into shock
- Check for pests
- Remove unwanted plants
- Try to keep houseplants warm, wrap pots in bubble wrap if needed
October Planning
- Order spring flowering bulbs
- Order raspberries and blackberries to plant next month
- Order hedging and shrubs
- Write a list of larger jobs that need to be done whilst most plants are dormant or have died back
- Consider revamping your garden and looking at how to incorporate a different garden style
- Check out our garden style articles to get some inspiration for the future
Download our October Gardening Jobs Booklet
We hope you found this list of October gardening jobs helpful. Please download our booklet to print out and keep for future years.
Note
When starting in any garden it is always important to understand the unique conditions of your garden space. No two gardens are identical, with every garden having its special microclimates, soil, and growing conditions. All our guides and information are provided as general guides, and garden owners need to do their own research for each and every plant before planting. We cannot accept responsibility for plant establishment and survival in individual gardens.
