Autumn is here which means things are slowing down in the garden but there’s still plenty to enjoy outdoors.
In October the garden is a still and soothing place to be after the busy pace of summer – but you can extend the gardening season into the autumn months by keeping up with deadheading.
Late-blooming perennials such as asters, echinacea, chrysanthemums and Japanese anemones will continue to fill flower beds and look good right up to November, as long as you continue to snip off any faded flowers and water during dry spells.
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As perennial plants die back another trick is to fill any gaps in flowerbeds and borders with soft swathes of ornamental grass, which are at peak perfection in autumn. They are invaluable for landscaping, providing structure and movement, by forming natural-looking drifts that will add interest to the garden through the cooler months. Now is the perfect time to plant grass types from cool climates, such as Stipa and Festuca, to add beautiful seasonal interest to the October garden.
Consider also if there’s enough structure to make the winter garden interesting. Add definition to your landscaping with shapely evergreen shrubs such as Pittosporum, Mahonia and Euonymus, as October is the ideal time to plant them. If you’re a fan of Japanese maples (Acers) they too can be planted from October to March, as well as many other specimen trees that will add stunning foliage, berries and bark every year.
As well as planting opportunities this month is also about tidying the garden and getting plants prepped for winter by cutting back dead foliage and adding a protective layer of mulch to improve the structure of the soil. It’s also the best time to divide perennials, both to invigorate the clumps and to get more plants for the garden.
Plants to grow in October
As October settles in, the garden begins its quiet transformation. “Brown becomes a colour in its own right, with seed heads and grasses adding texture and structure, a type of beauty that has long been championed by landscape designers like Piet Oudolf,” says Colin Gray, managing director of Lavender Green Flowers. “While you can harvest seeds from poppies, nigella and other favourites when they’re ready, it’s worth enjoying their form in the meantime.”
Dahlias, anemones and sedums keep borders glowing until the first frosts, especially with a little deadheading, says Colin. He’s also a fan of mulching. “Beneath the surface, the soil deserves care too. After a dry season, a mulch of compost will restore balance underground and create the perfect backdrop for planting bulbs, like daffodils, alliums and muscari, but it’s best to wait until November to plant tulips.”
Rebecca Ellis, of Meadow at Moss Lane, is a flower farmer based in the beautiful Cheshire countryside. “Asters (Michaelmas daisies) are the star of the show in my flower field throughout October,” she says. “There are many varieties to choose from but I particularly like ‘Prairie Purple’ for its statuesque height, and ‘Rosy Veil’, which produces mounds of frothy, arching sprays of delicate pink flowers.
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“I’m still picking grasses, especially panicum elegans ‘Frosted Explosion’. Everyone who visits the meadow falls in love with its fibre-optic plumes. Fortunately, it self-seeds freely so I always have large swathes to cut from. Bronze fennel has also been invaluable this year. I find its mustardy, brown tones really elevate the look and break up colours – which might otherwise be too saccharine.”
Rebecca also wakes up her ranunculus and anemone corms in October by rehydrating them in water for several hours, then planting them up in large module trays. “There are two rules to be mindful of when doing this. Be careful not to overwater the trays or you risk them rotting, and keep them out of reach of greedy mice who adore the plump, juicy corms.”
Vegetables to grow in October
Once the last of the summer vegetable crops have finished, it’s time to tidy up the veg patch, or at least the empty beds if you’re growing winter crops. “In October it’s a particularly busy time in the vegetable garden,” says Andrew Mills, head gardener at Blenheim Palace. “We cultivate and manure empty veg plots, take tender cuttings early in the month, and bringing tender plants indoors towards the middle of the month, or as soon as frost is threatened.”
Andrew will be cutting back the grape vines as soon as the fruit has been harvested, as well as checking the supports on trees planted this season, and weeding, feeding and mulching them. “We also wire walls for training fruit trees. These are mainly apple varieties like ‘Blenheim Orange’. We’ll be planting out container grown shrubs and trees, and gently tidying through herbaceous borders making sure we leave any architectural seedheads behind.”
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If pumpkins and squashes are still growing in your veg patch it’s important to harvest them before the first frosts. This is because they will turn mushy if left out in those conditions. Any vegetables planted for autumn and winter such as kale, winter and spring cabbage, and purple sprouting broccoli will need checking to make sure wood pigeons aren’t eating the leaves. If so, cover with netting cage.
Garden jobs for October
Make the most of sunny weather by getting your garden in shape with our list of essential jobs for this month…
Neaten up perennial beds
“One of the main October garden duties is tidying perennials to keep paths clear,” says Rebecca Ellis. “I won’t cut them back properly until spring in order to maintain insect habitats over winter.”
While you’re neatening up perennial plants don’t forget it’s the ideal time to divide them to get more plants for your flower beds. Remember to add any old plant material to the compost.
Carry on collecting seeds
Seed collecting also picks up the pace during October. “Fresh seed germinates much more reliably than store-bought packets and there is also the excitement of creating new plants for free,” says Rebecca. “I collect seeds from Echinacea purpurea and purple toadflax, as well as annuals like corncockle, zinnias and Daucus carrota [wild carrot].” Pick seed pods and seed heads, then store the seeds in brown paper bags in a cool, dry place for sowing in spring.
Replenish container gardens
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Once the summer displays have finished compost the dead plants and fill containers with fresh potting compost. Then head to the nursery and stock up on new plants for a winter display. Pansies, heathers, and cyclamen are all good choices for a pop of colour, and you can fill in with small trailing ivy plants and berried wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens). It’s also a good idea to add some spring bulbs to the mix to keep things fresh. Keep containers well watered during dry spells.
Transplant your herb garden
Carry out a stock check of herb plants to see how they’re faring. You may want to transfer herbs like basil, mint and coriander to a windowsill indoors or alternatively a heated greenhouse as they can’t withstand frost. Hardier herbs like sage and rosemary can be left outside year-round for you to harvest the leaves as required during the colder months.
Plant a green manure
Once you’ve dug over the veg patch after harvesting the last of the vegetables think about planting a green manure. These easy to grow crops contain nitrogen that feeds the soil, suppresses weeds, and stops soil erosion. Once spring arrives you simply turn them back into the soil, where they will continue to feed it with beneficial nutrients.
Watch out for first frosts
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With the cooler weather comes the risk of frost. Sign up to weather alerts and if frost is on the way move potted plants under cover such as into a porch or conservatory. Alternatively have horticultural fleece or bubble wrap on hand to wrap round plants in situ. Once dahlias have finally finished flowering dig up the tubers and store them under cover in a cool, dark frost-free space until spring.
Tend to roses
From now on until late winter is the time to prune roses, especially climbing roses. It’s also important to tie in the stems before autumn winds cause damage. “We will be pruning down our roses by 50% in height to reduce the effects of wind rock,” says Andrew Mills. It’s always a good idea to check pruning advice for each individual rose type to ensure you’re doing the job at the best time of year.
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