If October starts warm it can provide a nice breathing space, to catch up late harvesting, saving seeds and generally getting the garden ready for the winter. It’s also the time to cover any bare soil, with mulches if necessary, to protect your soil structure from bad weather, and to ensure any tall plants (mainly brassicas) are staked against ‘wind rock’, which can lift their roots out of the soil. You may also need to net brassicas to stop them being munched by marauding pigeons.
Remove the saucers and trays from underneath containers, to encourage better drainage and remove the risk of waterlogging.
Once the cold weather has come there will be bare roots fruit trees for sale, which is the cheapest way to add to your orchard. Bare root trees need to be soaked in a bucket of water before planting out as soon as possible on receipt. If their permanent spot in the garden isn’t ready, or the weather is too bad for planting, they can be ‘heeled in’ – quickly planted into a slit in the soil anywhere handy. This keeps their roots moist and healthy until they can be planted out. Popping them into a container is also an option.
Did you know you can encourage wildlife, and beneficial insects, in the garden just by being a bit lazy? It pays not to tidy up too much. Seed heads can be left to feed the birds, leaf piles in secluded corners makes a cosy place to overwinter, and a small pile of logs can be called home by all kinds of creepy crawlies.
If you’re buying seeds or garden supplies then it’s worth noting that T&M is offering a £20 discount on orders over £100 this year. You can access that offer by clicking this link. It should automagically apply the right coupon code to your shopping basket. That’s an affiliate link, and if
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