As the autumn colours deepen into a fiery glow, the garden is ablaze with colour in a grand finale to the year. Winter is just around the corner now – so get the garden ready with our jobs to do this month.
General tasks:
- Clear dead plant material including fallen leaves, dead stems and spent flowers to prevent disease
- Sow or turf new lawns on well-prepared, raked and trodden soil that's completely level for a perfect finish
Ornamental garden:
- Get planting new perennials, shrubs and trees: autumn is by far the best time to plant as they have time to put down enough roots before spring
- Move evergreen shrubs with as much of the rootball intact as possible. Cut back top growth by a third after replanting to reduce the stress on roots
- Lift and divide overgrown perennials splitting clumps into three or four pieces and discarding the old, dead centre before replanting
Kitchen garden:
- Harvest marrows once they're fully ripened in the sunshine: they'll store for several months
- Plant out spring cabbages for a delicious seasonal treat to enjoy next March and April
- Sow winter lettuces in trays or modules to plant out next month under cloches: you'll be picking them through till spring