Crisp air and blazing autumn leaves.

October

October can be a glorious month in the garden, with clear blue skies and crispy days. The days are shorter, so make the most of good gardening weather whenever you get the chance this month. Wrap up warm, get outdoors and enjoy your garden’s autumn display this year.  

Things to do this month
  • Remove blinds and shade paint from greenhouses so that overwintering plants get as much as light as possible.
  • Rake up fallen leaves and collect them to make leaf mould.
  • Cover waterways like ponds with netting to collect leaves and other debris which may blow off during autumn.
  • Raise pots from the ground so that excess water drains from them.
  • Clean garden furniture before you store it away for the winter.
  • As perennial weeds start to die back, this is a good time to give them a final application of weedkiller. 
What to plant 

Vegetables

  • Cucumbers
  • Potatoes
  • Garlic
  • Pumpkins 
  • Lupins
  • French beans
  • Rocket
  • Chard
  • Horseradish 

Fruits

  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • Banana
  • Butternut squash
  • Peach 

Plants and shrubs

  • Geraniums and pelargoniums
  • Crocosmia
  • Euphorbia
  • Butterfly bush
  • Bay
  • Ornamental quince
  • Dianthus
  • Baby’s breath
  • Hollyhocks
  • Magnolia
  • Gardenias 

Ornamental plants

  • Allium
  • Peony
  • Salvia
  • Geum
  • Honeysuckle
  • Snapdragons
  • Anemone
  • Sedum
  • Calathea
  • Hostas

The above information does not reflect all recommended jobs, vegetables, and other plants. The information has been sourced by Love the Garden, please visit their official Gardening in October for more details.