October is the month gardens start to look tired, and the temptation is to tidy everything away. Some of that is right. A lot of it isn't. Here's what's worth doing this month, and what's worth leaving.
Plant spring bulbs
Daffodils, crocus, alliums, camassias and most spring bulbs want to be in the ground by the end of October, so their roots can get going before winter. Plant them at two to three times their own depth, pointy end up. In a lawn, scatter a handful and plant them where they land, which looks far more natural than a neat row.
Tulips are the exception. Wait until November. Cooler soil reduces the risk of tulip fire, a fungal disease that disfigures the leaves and flowers.
Cut back selectively
Clear the plants that collapse into slime with the first frosts: hostas, daylilies, and anything that has gone brown and soft. Leave the ones with strong stems and good seedheads. Sedums, echinaceas, rudbeckias, teasels and most ornamental grasses look superb with frost on them, the seeds feed goldfinches and other birds, and hollow stems shelter overwintering insects. They can be cut back in late winter, just before the new growth starts.
Rake the leaves, then keep them
Get leaves off the lawn before they block out the light and leave yellow patches. Then keep them. Pack damp leaves into a simple wire pen, or into black bin bags with a few holes punched in, and leave them in a corner. In a year or two you'll have leaf mould, a dark, crumbly soil conditioner that's as good as anything you can buy.
Finish lawn renovation
If the lawn needs scarifying, aerating and overseeding, mid-October is about the last sensible point in North Wales. After that the soil is too cold for reliable germination, and it's better to wait until spring. Raise the mower blades for the last few cuts of the year.
Look after the wildlife
Hedgehogs are looking for somewhere to hibernate. Leave a quiet heap of leaves or brushwood in a corner, and always check bonfire piles by hand before lighting them, which matters most in the run-up to Bonfire Night. Net ponds to keep leaves out, but leave a gap so frogs and newts can get in and out.
Plan for bare-root season
From November, hedging, roses and fruit trees are available bare-root, at a fraction of the price of pot-grown plants. If there's a new hedge or a fruit tree in your plans, now is the time to decide where it's going and get the ground ready.
Written by Mark, The Garden Curator. RHS Level 3 qualified gardener working across Flintshire and Denbighshire.
