{"id":953,"date":"2025-10-11T11:52:35","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T11:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.andrewgardener.co.uk\/?p=953"},"modified":"2025-10-11T12:08:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T12:08:28","slug":"october-gardening-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andrewgardener.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/10\/11\/october-gardening-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"October Garden & Greenhouse Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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October Gardening Guide<\/h2>

What to plant, prune, protect and prepare this month<\/em><\/p>

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\ud83c\udf38 Flowers & Borders<\/h3>

  • Plant spring bulbs<\/strong> like crocus, daffodils and fritillaries in lawns for a natural look.<\/p><\/li>

  • Lift tender cannas<\/strong> and store tubers in a cool, dry place.<\/p><\/li>

  • Fill pots with winter colour<\/strong> using cyclamen, heathers, pansies and skimmia.<\/p><\/li>

  • Pot up tender perennials<\/strong> (e.g. chocolate cosmos, coleus) to protect from frost.<\/p><\/li>

  • Plant evergreen shrubs and conifers<\/strong> while soil is still warm.<\/p><\/li>

  • Raise pots off the ground<\/strong> to prevent waterlogging.<\/p><\/li>

  • Move deciduous shrubs<\/strong> if they\u2019re outgrowing their space.<\/p><\/li>

  • Wrap banana plants and tree ferns<\/strong> with fleece or straw for frost protection.<\/p><\/li>

  • Collect and sow seeds<\/strong> from hardy perennials like astrantia and achillea.<\/p><\/li>

  • Take hardwood cuttings<\/strong> from ornamental shrubs and trees.<\/p><\/li>

  • Shorten shrub roses<\/strong> to prevent wind damage.<\/p><\/li>

  • Clear out summer pots and baskets<\/strong>, compost spent plants.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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    \ud83c\udf4f Fruit & Veg<\/h3>

    • Take herb cuttings<\/strong> from rosemary, thyme and lemon verbena.<\/p><\/li>

    • Remove unripe figs<\/strong>, leaving small fruits for next year.<\/p><\/li>

    • Sow green manure<\/strong> (e.g. winter rye) to cover bare soil.<\/p><\/li>

    • Cover salad crops<\/strong> with cloches to extend harvest.<\/p><\/li>

    • Keep sowing broad beans and peas<\/strong> for early spring crops.<\/p><\/li>

    • Plant garlic cloves<\/strong> 15cm apart, tip 5cm below surface.<\/p><\/li>

    • Finish harvesting beans<\/strong>, save seeds from mature pods.<\/p><\/li>

    • Cut back asparagus<\/strong> once foliage yellows.<\/p><\/li>

    • Divide herbs<\/strong> like chives and lemon balm to replant or share.<\/p><\/li>

    • Wrap grease bands<\/strong> around fruit trees to trap winter moths.<\/p><\/li>

    • Clear old crops<\/strong> to reduce overwintering pests.<\/p><\/li>

    • Cut back fruited raspberry and blackberry stems<\/strong> to ground level.<\/p><\/li>

    • Raise pumpkins and squash<\/strong> on bricks to ripen and stay dry.<\/p><\/li>

    • Order bare-root fruit trees and bushes<\/strong> for winter planting.<\/p><\/li>

    • Plant spring cabbages<\/strong> in prepared beds.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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      \ud83e\udeb4 House Plants<\/h3>

      • Feed weekly<\/strong> with liquid fertiliser until late autumn.<\/p><\/li>

      • Repot moth orchids<\/strong> if roots are overcrowded.<\/p><\/li>

      • Reduce watering<\/strong>, and move plants off cold windowsills at night.<\/p><\/li>

      • Plant amaryllis bulbs<\/strong> for festive blooms.<\/p><\/li>

      • Bring outdoor house plants back inside<\/strong> before temperatures drop.<\/p><\/li>

      • Repot top-heavy or root-bound plants<\/strong> into larger containers.<\/p><\/li>

      • Maximise light<\/strong> by moving plants to brighter spots.<\/p><\/li>

      • Wipe dusty leaves<\/strong>, especially on snake plants.<\/p><\/li>

      • Take leaf cuttings<\/strong> from African violets, begonias and succulents.<\/p><\/li>

      • Check for pests<\/strong> like aphids and mealybugs.<\/p><\/li>

      • Hose down large-leaved plants<\/strong> outdoors to clean foliage.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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        \ud83c\udf3f Greenhouse Tasks<\/h3>

        • Clean out debris<\/strong> to prevent pests and diseases.<\/p><\/li>

        • Wash glazing<\/strong> to boost autumn light levels.<\/p><\/li>

        • Bring in tropical plants<\/strong> like bananas and brugmansias.<\/p><\/li>

        • Plant amaryllis bulbs<\/strong> for Christmas flowers.<\/p><\/li>

        • Move citrus and fuchsias indoors<\/strong>, keeping frost-free.<\/p><\/li>

        • Sow microgreens<\/strong> for quick, nutrient-rich harvests.<\/p><\/li>

        • Add bubble insulation<\/strong> to glazing as nights cool.<\/p><\/li>

        • Keep indoor azaleas moist<\/strong>, using rainwater if possible.<\/p><\/li>

        • Pot up lily-of-the-valley roots<\/strong> for winter blooms.<\/p><\/li>

        • Water sparingly<\/strong> as growth slows.<\/p><\/li>

        • Sow sweet peas<\/strong> in deep pots for early summer flowers.<\/p><\/li>

        • Force narcissus bulbs<\/strong> for indoor scent in 10 weeks.<\/p><\/li>

        • Dry harvested onions and garlic<\/strong> on staging before storing.<\/p><\/li>

        • Inspect overwintering plants<\/strong> for pests and diseases.<\/p><\/li>

        • Install guttering and water butts<\/strong> to collect autumn rain.<\/p><\/li>

        • Clear leaves from greenhouse gutters<\/strong> to keep water flowing.<\/p><\/li>

        • Clean water butts<\/strong> to prevent blockages and algae.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

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          \ud83d\udee0\ufe0f Garden Maintenance<\/h3>

          • Rake fallen leaves<\/strong> and store for leaf mould.<\/p><\/li>

          • Build a log pile<\/strong> for wildlife shelter.<\/p><\/li>

          • Check shed security and waterproofing<\/strong> before winter.<\/p><\/li>

          • Apply autumn lawn feed<\/strong> to revive tired grass.<\/p><\/li>

          • Remove old barley straw<\/strong> from ponds.<\/p><\/li>

          • Store frost-sensitive pots<\/strong> in a shed.<\/p><\/li>

          • Spike compacted lawns<\/strong>, brush grit into holes for drainage.<\/p><\/li>

          • Dig out perennial weeds<\/strong> like bindweed and horsetail.<\/p><\/li>

          • Cut back autumn raspberries<\/strong> after harvest.<\/p><\/li>

          • Store hoses and irrigation systems<\/strong> indoors to prevent freezing.<\/p><\/li>

          • Clean and disinfect bird boxes<\/strong>.<\/p><\/li>

          • Gather and store unused canes and supports<\/strong>.<\/p><\/li>

          • Go on snail patrols<\/strong> during damp evenings to reduce numbers.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

            References<\/h2>

            BBC Gardeners\u2019 World Magazine<\/strong>. (2025). What to do now: October<\/em>. [online] Available at: