October in your garden…

Autumn is upon us but there’s still plenty to do in the garden, here is just a few things to be getting on with!

Thorngrove expert Chris Francis has collated his best tips for the month, but if you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

• Divide established rhubarb crowns to create new plants
• Cut back perennials that have died down, you can also divide your herbaceous perennials
• If you have tender plants including aquatic ones move them in the greenhouse or conservatory – this will help them in the colder weather.
• Harvest your apples, pears, grapes, and nuts
• It is also time to prune your climbing roses
• Collect seeds from the garden to sow next year
• Last chance to mow lawns and trim hedges in mild areas. Also renovate old lawns and create new ones by laying turf
• Sweep up any fallen leaves that may harbour fungal spores and provide ideal hiding places for slugs and snails. Put your leaves in a heap at the bottom of your garden. As this will make good leaf mould for your garden.
• Clean up rose leaves to prevent diseases such as blackspot from over wintering to avoid the spread of damaging fungi. DON’T put them in your compost bin if your able to burn them do so or put them in your garden waste bin
• October Is also a good month to plant hedges and move trees and shrubs.
• If you are going to grow beans next year prepare the site by digging a trench and filling with manure or kitchen waste during the Winter.
• Harvest your pumpkins and squashes before the frosts as they soon turn mushy
• It’s time to put grease bands around the trunks of apple trees to trap winter moth females whose caterpillars shred spring flowers and reduce your crop .
• Also, if you had straw around your strawberries it’s time to remove it to increase ventilation and also shear back old foliage to encourage fresh growth.
• If you have a pond put a net over it to prevent leaves falling into them. Also, if you need to remove pond weed leave it by the pond for a day to allow any wildlife to escape back in to the water.