Get ready for the chill this October - Gardenscape Tips
By Alicia Paaso - Gardenscape Sales Team/RHS Level 3 Horticulturalist
October is officially here, and autumn has finally settled in. It is the highlight season for autumnal beauty, a perfect time for visiting parks and gardens to admire the trees’ gorgeous shades of orange and red. As the weather seems to be getting chillier each day, it is time to prepare your garden for the cold. Now is also the ideal time for jobs like vegetable planting, mulching, and bulb planting. Choose a sunny, crisp day, dress warmly, and enjoy your October gardening!
We have all noticed the mornings getting colder, and the air is crisp. Tender plants that have been kept outside will need to be moved indoors during this colder period. Any half-hardy plants will need to be put in a frost-free greenhouse or given extra protection by a layer of fleece in case the temperatures drop.
It's not only your plants that need protection during the colder months; your soil does too! During the colder months, there is less root growth and biological activity in the soil, making it susceptible to nutrient leaching, soil erosion, and compaction. Adding a thick layer of compost or bark mulch is an excellent solution! It helps to preserve the soil structure, suppress weeds, and keep the soil fertile by releasing nutrients. Bark mulch is also an aesthetic addition to your borders.
If your soil is especially heavy, try using a compost and grit mix to improve soil aeration and drainage. If you have soil especially prone to compaction, sow a green manure such as phacelia. The roots will break up the compacted soil and lock nutrients into the vegetation. Just remember to cut the phacelia before flowering to avoid it self-seeding, and dig it into the soil.
October marks the start of bare-root planting as it is the dormant period for many deciduous trees, such as apple and pear trees. This is a cheaper alternative to container plants, and relatively easy in terms of planting and after-care. This month has perfect conditions, as you want to avoid planting when the ground is too cold or wet.
For successful planting, make sure to soak the roots for 30 minutes before planting. The planting hole needs to be about three times the diameter of the tree’s roots. Applying a thin layer of organic matter, such as Peat Free Compost, at the bottom of the hole will give the roots an initial nutrient boost. Then top it off with a good quality topsoil like our TS1 20mm, and top it off with a layer of mulch. Avoid standing on the planting area as this can cause compaction, which prevents the roots from reaching available air and water.
This is a busy time of the year for bulb and vegetable planting. Spring bulbs such as crocuses, hyacinths and daffodils should be planted now for the roots to develop before winter. Remember that more is more when it comes to spring bulb planting! The more bulbs you plant, the more impressive your display will be. You can also plant hardy summer-flowering bulbs like lilies and alliums.
Hardy vegetables such as broad beans, onions, garlic, and peas can be planted now. As always, successful growing is heavily dependent on the plants’ growing conditions. If you are starting a new area or bed, a soil and compost mix is ideal. For young vegetable seedlings, John Innes no 1 is a great option. Our topsoil and peat-free compost mix is suitable for most planting, and you can plant into it straight away.
Enjoy the beautiful colours this month, happy October gardening!