The evenings arrive earlier and are slightly cooler, a sign of the changing conditions of autumn. There’s plenty to keep you active in all areas of the garden, with fruit to be harvested, bulbs to plant ready for the spring, seeds to save from spent flowers, and perennials to plant out in the borders.
Things to do this month
- Trim evergreen hedges, such as Yew, whilst they are still growing.
- Add fallen tree leaves to the compost heap or a dedicated leaf mould pile.
- Turn the compost heap and keep adding a mixture of different materials to it. Use a compost accelerator to encourage activity in the heap and speed up the creation of compost.
- Remove unwanted plants from the pond and add to the compost heap.
- Cover ponds with netting to collect leaves and other debris which may blow in during the windier months of Autumn.
- Take down netting in the greenhouse, or wash off shade paint, to make the most of shortening daylight hours.
- Check that water butts and downpipes are in full working order ahead of wetter weather.
- Raise pots from the ground so that excess water drains from them, rather than accumulating, freezing and then cracking in very cold weather.