October is a beautiful month of autumnal colors and first frosts. Crisp, blue-sky days are the perfect time to tidy up and cut back in the garden. If you grow fruit and veg, there’s still plenty to harvest and store for the cold winter months ahead.
- Divide established rhubarb crowns to create new plants.
- Hang any tomato or pepper plants with green fruits upside down indoors to ripen.
- Cut back perennials that have died down.
- Divide herbaceous perennials.
- Move tender plants, including aquatic ones, into a greenhouse or conservatory.
- Plant out spring cabbages.
- Harvest apples, pears, grapes and nuts.
- Prune climbing roses.
- Finish collecting seeds from the garden to sow next year.
- Last chance to mow lawns and trim hedges, clear fallen leaves regularly.