What to do in the garden this month: October
October is a wonderful month in the garden. The light is low and golden, the grasses are at their best, and the soil is still warm enough for roots to settle in before winter. It's a month for planting, for planning, and for enjoying the last big show of the year. Here are the jobs that will make the biggest difference now, and the plants worth stopping to look at.
Plant spring bulbs
If you do one thing this month, plant bulbs. Daffodils, crocus, alliums, camassia and snake's head fritillaries all want to go in now, while the soil is warm. Tulips are happiest planted a little later, from the end of October into November, once the weather has turned properly cool.
My favourite bulbs to plant now are Narcissus 'Pheasant's Eye' and Allium 'Mont Blanc', with tulips 'Ballerina', 'Spring Green' and 'Queen of Night' to follow later in the month. There is more on choosing them in the best tulips for pots and borders.
A simple rule for depth is two to three times the height of the bulb, pointy end up. For a natural look in grass or a border, scatter a handful and plant them where they land. In pots, layer them like a lasagne, with the largest, latest bulbs at the bottom and the smallest, earliest at the top, for months of flowers from one container.
Plant and divide perennials
Autumn is a brilliant time to plant hardy perennials, shrubs and trees. The soil is warm and moist, so roots grow away quickly and plants are ready to romp away in spring with far less watering. It's also the moment to lift and divide clumps of perennials that have become congested or bare in the middle. Dig them up, split them with a spade or two forks back to back, and replant the healthiest outer pieces. You get stronger plants, and free ones to fill gaps or share with friends.
Leave the seedheads standing
Resist the urge to tidy everything away. Seedheads of grasses, echinacea, phlomis and sedum look wonderful with frost on them, give birds something to eat, and give insects somewhere to spend the winter. Cut back only what has collapsed or gone soggy, and leave the rest until late winter.
Sow now for early flowers
Hardy annuals sown now flower weeks earlier than spring sowings, on bigger, sturdier plants. Cornflowers, nigella, calendula and orlaya can all be sown in modules or direct into prepared soil this month. Sweet peas sown in deep pots and kept somewhere cool and bright over winter make strong plants for an early start next year.
Gather leaves and look after tender plants
Fallen leaves are a gift. Rake them into a simple wire cage or into bin bags with a few holes in, and in a year or two they become leaf mould, one of the best soil improvers and peat-free potting ingredients you can make. Keep an eye on the forecast, and once the first frost blackens dahlia foliage, either lift and store the tubers somewhere dry and frost-free or, in milder gardens, cut them back and cover the crowns with a thick mulch.
October checklist
Plant daffodils, alliums and crocus now, and tulips from late October.
Plant new perennials, shrubs and trees while the soil is warm.
Lift and divide congested clumps of perennials.
Leave seedheads standing for structure and wildlife.
Sow hardy annuals and sweet peas for an early start.
Collect fallen leaves for leaf mould.
Protect or lift dahlias after the first frost.
Plants to enjoy this month
Asters are the stars of October, in clouds of lilac, blue and white that bees adore. Japanese anemones are still going strong, sedums are turning from pink to rust, and grasses like miscanthus, molinia and pennisetum catch the low sun beautifully. Take a photo of anything that's looking good in your garden now. Next spring, when you're wondering what to buy, it's a great reminder of the plants that carry a garden through autumn.
Quick answers
Is it too late to plant bulbs in October?
Not at all. October is the ideal month for most spring bulbs, and tulips are best planted from late October into November. Bulbs bought now can go in any time before the ground freezes.
Should I cut back my perennials in autumn?
Only the ones that have collapsed or turned to mush. Leaving the rest standing gives structure, food for birds and shelter for insects through winter. Cut them down in late winter, before new growth starts.
