Jobs in the garden during October
September is still giving us a final blast of summer, but once you head into October, it really does start to feel like autumn.
But it is such a beautiful time of year, as the leaves on the trees change to all kinds of autumnal hues. Of course it also means that as they start to fall there’s an additional job of raking up all those leaves – but just keep thinking of all the leaf mould you can make to improve your soil as you’re raking away. Here are five more jobs for October:
1. Those perennials that have already died down can now be cut back.
2. Rhubarb and herbaceous perennials can be divided now to reinvigorate plants and to create new ones.
3. Identify your tender plants (remember the aquatic ones too if you have a pond) and move them into the greenhouse before they are hit by frosts.
4. Plant out your spring cabbages now.
5. Harvest pears, grapes, apples and nuts.
Veg patch maintenance
Warm yourself up by doing some digging in the vegetable garden. This is a good month to dig over any areas that are empty at the moment. Once the frosts come they will help to break down large clumps of soil – particularly useful if you have very clay soil that tends to clump together.
But there is still time to do some planting. Fruit growers can plant lingonberries and cranberries now – and you can make more fruit plants by taking cuttings of currants, gooseberres and blueberries.
Taste of Autumn, Harlow Carr, Oct 4-5
Opening times: 10:00 – 16:00
The Yorkshire RHS Garden at Harlow Carr is the place to go to celebrate all things about this time of year. Go along and get a taste of everything in the garden that is in season and really tasty during this harvest time. There will be cookery demonstrations to get your tastebuds tingling, expert advice, tasting sessions and plenty of interesting displays to inspire you.
Apple Day – A Taste of Autumn Oct 5
Opening times: 10:00 – 16:00
All the family will enjoy a day out at Rosemoor for its Apple Day, held in conjunction with the RHS South West Area Fruit Group, Orchards Live, and Thornhayes Nursery. If you have an apple tree but don’t know what variety it is – bring the fruit along and our experts will do their best to identify it for you. Then enjoy the wonderful apple displays and watch the cookery demonstrations to get some ideas of what to do with your own harvest. There will also be expert tips on cultivation and planting, recipes, talks, and trails and activities for children. Plus you can buy apple juice, fruit – and cider!
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