Keen gardeners are being urged to complete 13 tasks in October to make sure their gardens are prepared for the winter and ready for next year.
As the colder months arrive, our gardens will see a lot of changes, including leaves turning orange and eventually falling off trees.
From managing snails to caring for your lawn, here are the important October tasks you need to do, according to experts.
Craig Wilson, co-founder and in-house gardening expert at Gardeners Dream, has shared his advice for those getting out in the garden in October.
What do you need to do in your garden in October?
Prepare your lawn
Wilson advises cutting your lawn for the last time before leaving it over the winter months.
He says it’s important to make sure your grass is dry before giving it the final trim.
You’ll also need to aerate your lawn “to avoid waterlogging and compaction over the winter.”
To do this, you’ll need to “spike your lawn with a garden fork to help improve drainage.”
BBC Gardeners' World advises gardeners to also put grit into the holes with a brush for even better drainage.
Prepare flowers, plants and shrubs
Wilson added that gardeners will need to swap saucers for feet on plant pots: “If you have any potted flowers sitting in saucers, now is the time to switch them out for feet.
“This will prevent them from getting waterlogged throughout the winter months as rainfall increases.”
If you have any climbing roses, you’ll need to make sure that you tie these back to avoid wind damage.
When it comes to climbing roses, Monty Don recommends pruning true climbers “in autumn or winter” so you can “maintain a framework of long stems trained laterally with side branches breaking from them.”
He adds: “These side branches will carry the flowers on new growth produced in Spring.
“Ideally a third of the plant is removed each year - the oldest, woodiest stems - so that it is constantly renewing itself.”
Gardeners are also urged to start insulating any borders they might have, as Wilson says: “Once you have cleaned up and tidied your borders, you’ll want to think about getting them insulated before the first frost sets in.
“Use bark, manure or leaf mould to spread across the top of the soil to help insulate root systems.”
Make sure to store cannas as they “don’t do well in cold, frosty temperatures”.
Wilson explains: “Dry off the tubers and store them somewhere cool and dry until winter passes and spring arrives.”
Fruit and veg jobs
Are you growing pumpkins for Halloween? If you are, it’s vital that you raise them before the first frost, so they don’t rot, warns Wilson.
They’ll need to be put on bricks or wood so they can dry and to reduce the risk of rotting.
This will also allow them to get extra sunlight so their skin will become firmer.
To avoid your pumpkins going soft, you’ll need to harvest them before the first frost is due, so keep an eye on the forecast.
Cut back your raspberry canes if you haven’t already and make sure the new green canes are left alone for next year's crop.
If you have tomatoes or peppers outside, you’ll need to bring them inside in October as the temperature starts to drop.
It’s also important that you harvest your last peas and beans as Wilson says: “If you want seeds for next year, leave a few to fully ripen, as you can then use these as seeds for the following year.
“Once fully harvested, cut the plant down to ground level.”
Garden maintenance jobs
Additional jobs for you to do in your garden in October include raking any fallen leaves, ensuring storage is watertight and managing snail numbers.
Wilson said leaves that fall from your trees can be stored in a compost bin and then the leaf mould can be used as mulch to insulate borders.
He added: “As rainfall increases, you’ll want to ensure that any storage, such as sheds, are fully waterproof to avoid any damage to tools and furniture you might be storing in there over the winter.”
If we get periods of more rainfall, it’s likely you’ll see more snails in your garden, but to keep their numbers under control, Wilson advises going on “regular snail hunts” and removing them by hand to control numbers, as “more snails are never good for the garden”.
Are there any other garden jobs you do in October? Let us know in the comments below.
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