Gardening Jobs For October

October plants

• Symphyotrichum (Aster)
• Autumn crocus
• Cotoneaster horizontalis
• Virginia creeper
• Cimicifuga racemosa (Bugbane)

(all available at Palmers)

October Jobs Checklist

• Clear falling leaves & use for mulching
  
• Order next years seeds
  
• Harvest apples & pears
  
• Raise patio containers onto bricks
  
• Plant winter pansies & spring bulbs
  
• Lift & store tender plants or move to greenhouse
  
• Dead head hanging baskets
  
• Prune rose bushes
  
• Prune buddleja, cornus & lavatera
  
• Scarify lawn & rake away fallen leaves

General Maintenance

• keep on top of falling leaves; clear them up regularly and use them for mulching around plants
• order your seeds ready for next year
• harvest any apples, pears or grapes you may have
• raise patio containers on to bricks to avoid them sitting in water over winter
• remove any plant stakes as your herbaceous plants die down for winter

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Flowers and Plants

• you should now be planting your winter flowering pansies, wallflowers and forget-me-nots, all available at Palmers
• continue planting your spring flowering bulbs ready for next year
• cut back any faded herbaceous perennials
• lift and store any tender plants that might need extra protection over the cold months
• deadhead your hanging baskets and don’t forget to feed and water. When they look like they need refreshing, plant with spring flowering bulbs, winter heathers and trailing ivies
• check on any bulbs being forced in darkness. If they are showing signs of top growth and have a healthy root system then bring them into a cool, light room to encourage flowering

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Trees and Shrubs

• now is a great time to be moving and planting shrubs, trees, climbers and hedging
• prune your rose bushes, reducing the height will prevent wind rock
• if you haven’t already, prune your climbing roses
• hard prune your Buddleja, Cornus and Lavatera
• keep watering your shrubs, in particular azaleas and rhododendrons; this will help with successful blooms next spring
• check that your trees are tied and staked well in time for winter

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Lawns

• this is your last chance to scarify your lawn
• once you have scarified apply an autumn lawn feed
• rake any fallen leaves off the lawn, otherwise they will block out the light and air
• don’t mow your lawns too low – 2.5cm is a good length

Don’t Forget The Birds

• keep supplying the birds with fresh food and water daily, in cold weather water will freeze over
• check that there is no moldy food on their tables
• we have a full range of seeds, feeders and tables available at Palmers