Cool, misty mornings and the last leaves clinging to the trees make this a beautiful and melancholy time of year. Ensure you take time between tasks to make the most of this month.
Flowers
- Plant the last of your autumn bulbs. Tulip bulbs can be planted in pots and borders. Ensure they are covered with at least twice their depth of soil or compost
- Lift dahlia tubers after the first frost, clean them off and store them in dry compost in a cool, frost-proof place
- Leave any faded seed heads on perennials and ornamental grasses for the birds to eat
- Plant bare-root hedging, roses, trees and shrubs, before the weather turns too cold
- Move any half-hardy plants that are growing in containers to a greenhouse for the winter
- Check any stakes and ties to ensure they are secure
Fruit and veg
- Prune autumn-fruiting raspberries to the ground after they have been harvested
- Plant garlic, shallots and onions, then cover with fleece
Greenhouse
- Insulate the greenhouse with bubble wrap
- Check greenhouse plants regularly for any overwintering pests
- Thoroughly clean greenhouse staging and glazing with disinfectant
- Ventilate the greenhouse when the weather allows, particularly after watering and when paraffin heaters are used at night
Garden maintenance
- Check bonfires carefully before lighting to make sure there isn’t any wildlife sheltering inside
- Continue to mow the lawn if the grass is still growing and the weather is mild, but raise the height of the blades
- Collect any fallen leaves, especially from lawns and ponds, and place them in bin bags. Add some water if the leaves are dry, and then puncture the bag with a fork. Leave them to decompose into leaf mould
- Raise outside containers onto pot feet to prevent waterlogging, and wrap bubble wrap or hessian around pots outside to protect from frost damage
- Mulch around the crowns of perennials to give them extra protection from the winter weather. This will also help to improve the soil structure
- Try to keep off the lawn if the ground is frozen to avoid damaging the grass
There were floating lanterns on the Mansion pond and stars adorning the oak trees in the Pinetum. Lanterns taking the form of fox, badgers and various other animals were also lit up and placed strategically along the trail.
