Things to do in the garden during October

VEGETABLES

Sow: Broad beans, Early peas, Garlic, Onion sets, Rocket, Rhubarb, Salad leaves, Spring cabbage, Winter lettuce

Pick the last of the tomatoes (place unripe fruit on a warm windowsill in the sun to ripen)

Harvest and move indoors any frost tender vegetable such as squashes.  Store them in a cool dry place

 

FLOWERS

Plant sweet peas

Get winter hanging baskets established with pansy or viola’s, ivy or the miniature trees make good greenery infill.

Dig up dahlia’s before the first frosts – cut them down to a 5 or 6 inch stem, and store them upside down in a box filled with sand/dried compost mixture, in a frost-free place ready to re-plant next Spring.  Alternatively, if they are planted very deep to start with they can over winter in situ if well covered with a piece of plastic and a good dollop of mulch over them.  Please be warned – If we get any prolonged frosts this method may not be sufficient to keep your dahlias

All of the early Spring flowering bulbs should be planted, with tulips going in about now

Wallflowers can planted out.

Late glowering chrysanthemums need bringing in – these are best grown in pots which can be moved inside to produce cut flowers for Christmas

Trim and tidy roses, a heel to the stem to ensure tight soil around them will lessen wind damage over winter.

Collect up leaves for the compost heap – except any diseased which are best on the bonfire.

 

 

 

Cookies For Comments Image