5 JOBS YOU CAN DO IN OCTOBER

1. Continue tidying up your garden
– Clean up any dropped fruit and fallen leaves – you can compost them if they’re healthy
– Cut back perennials which have died back – you can also leave the dead foliage as it is to help shelter wildlife over winter
– Pull and dispose of anything diseased or bug-infested – do NOT compost!

2. Continue weeding
– Many ‘winter annual’ weeds will already have sprouted and survive winter as small plants
– Fewer seeds now = fewer weeds next year!

3. Watering
– Keep all plants, especially those which are newly planted, adequately watered until the ground freezes

4. Plant protection
– If you haven’t already, half-hardy plants should be under cover before the first frosts – via fleece, bubble wrap or into a greenhouse if you have one

5. Prepare your garden soil for future plans
– Prepare for new beds by smothering grass and weeds with 2-3 layers of moistened corrugated cardboard or newspaper. Cover this with 2-3 inches of compost or topsoil and water it well. Top with a layer of mulch depending on what the bed is for
– Use organic amendments to improve soil structure and increase nutrient holding capacity

By Nadia Hallwood