October Gardening Tips 2024
As I write this, the Maples in the car park that I can see from my office are starting to turn from green to gold to auburn and deep claret. They really are going to look spectacular in a couple of weeks. Don’t overlook the joy of autumn colour, there is so much to appreciate outdoors in October.
The Maples (Acers) are probably the family best known for autumn colour and many have attractive bark too. They also add a touch of Japanese serenity to a garden with their delicate leaf forms that move in the breeze. Rose hips are also an autumn treat, especially on Rosa rugosa and Rosa glauca. If you are brave enough and have the space Virginia Creeper is stunning this time of year, but must come with a health warning. It is something of a thug. The shrubs Berberis and Cotinus (Smoke Tree) also reward with vibrant autumn hues, while Dahlias, Hydrangeas, Asters, Chrysanthemums, hardy Fuchsias, Rudbeckia, and many other perennials will keep on doing their best until the cold and frost sets in.
This really is peak planting time, with perfect conditions to plant new trees, shrubs, climbers and all hardy plants, plus spring flowering bulbs.
It is also a good time to increase your stock of home grown plants by dividing and replanting clumps of perennials that have extended beyond their allotted space. We have a blue flowered hardy geranium that is about to get this treatment. It does so well that I shall be popping parts of it in some quite inhospitable areas of the garden to see how it fares next year. This really is low investment, low risk, gardening.
Over the years we have also had quite some success growing roses from hardwood cuttings. Now is a good time to prune rose bushes back, up to a third, to help them withstand the winter winds, which can cause the plant to rock and is not good for the roots. You can use the prunings as cuttings. Plants such as Weigelia, Philadelphus and Forsythia are also prime candidates for hardwood cuttings.
Of course autumn is also a good time to tidy up. Sweep up leaves from lawns and borders (where they can cover smaller plants and cause rot) and add to the compost heap with your general garden clippings and vegetable peelings. Or create the most wonderful leaf mould in a separate compost bin or even a plastic sack. Add a little water, seal the top by folding it over and placing something heavy on top and pierce the sides. Then just leave alone for 6 months or more to create wonderful, friable, deep, dark leaf mould.
Clear out bedding plants that have finished flowering and cut back dead stems of perennials. It is a good idea to put a net over a pond to catch falling leaves so they don’t all end up then the water, which makes them much harder to retrieve. Clean tools after use and put them away dry to keep them in tip top condition.
Rake debris and moss from established lawns and treat them to an autumn lawn food. This differs in formulation to spring feeds and will promote string healthy root growth, so the lawn can withstand the winter, rather than lush top growth. Grass seed can be sown and turf can be laid now too, for new lawns or just repairing worn patches. Toadstools can be an unwelcome visitor to autumn lawns. They pop up so quickly. The best solution is to brush them away before the caps open and the spores spread.
I do hope you enjoy the autumn colours this year in all their magical splendour.
