The Ornamental Garden in October
Overview:
Generally this month is about tidying up before winter sets in, and planting out various perennials, and shrubs before the soil cools down.
Note: As with most advice on gardening the advisors location will often influence the content of the advice.
To alleviate this problem I have produced this chart indicating how you can make adjustments to the timing of events as seen in this website.
I hope you find this useful! .......Tg
At any time this month:
Continue Deadheading and suppressing Weeds.
Cut down Dahlias if the have been blackened by frost.
Cut down Phlox paniculata after flowering.
Protect Agapanthus crowns, Crocosmia, and Eucalyptus from winter frosts with a mulch of bracken, straw or cloches.
Similarly protect Rockery / Alpine plants from the worst of the winter weather.
Prepare beds to receive Cheiranthus / Wallflowers.
Collect Gunnera seeds if required.
Week 40 - 30th Sep. to 5th Oct.
Plant out Acer, Achillea, Aconitum, Agrostemma, Alchemilla mollis, Allium, Anchusa, Astrantia, Avena, Berberis, Calluna/Heather, Centaurea montana, Chionodoxa, Clematis, Clerodendrum, Colutea, Deutzia, Dicentra, Dictamnus, Dierama, Digitalis, Echinacea, Echinops, Eryngium, Escallonia, Fatsia japonica, Genista, Hamamelis mollis, Hazel, Hellebores, Hemerocallis, Hesperis, Heuchera, Hibiscus, Hydrangea, Jasmine nudiflorum, Laburnum, Lamium, Lilies, Loosestrife, Lupin, Narcissus / Daffodil, Pansy, Papaver / Poppy, Philadelphus, Platycodon, Polygonatum, Potentilla, Pulmonaria, Roses, Rudbeckia, Saxifrage, Sedum, Sidalcea, Sweet William, and Wisteria.
Divide Aconitum, Alchemilla mollis, Alliums, Aquilegia, Blueberry, Billberry, Cranberry, Campanula, Convallaria, Dicentra, Echinops, Hypericum, Lilies, Polygonatum, and Sedum plants if required.
Apply a mulch around Aubretia, Ceanothus, Endymon, Eucalyptus, Eucomis, and Incarvillea.
Fetch potted Camellias indoors for the winter.
Ease back on the watering of plants, in particular Alstroemeria.
Spray Roses to deter mildew and Black spot.
Week 41 - 6th Oct. to 12th Oct.
Plant out Althaea and spring bulbs.
If necessary, now is a suitable time to move Evergreen shrubs, Trees and Conifers.
Remove old Rose bushes that have been reluctant to flower.
Week 42 - 213th Oct. to 19th Oct.
If not done previously, plant out Actinidia, Phlox paniculata.
Plant up bare rooted Rose plants into containers.
Divide Echinacea, Hemerocallis, Loosestrife.
Cut down Dictamnus, Digitalis, Loosestrife, Paeony and Penstemon.
Clear away spent summer plants from beds and containers.
Prepare Dahlia tubers and box them up for winter storage.
Lift Canna and store for winter.
Move containerised Zantedeschia to a frost free area for the winter.
Prepare bed for the following years Gladioli.
Week 43 - 20th Oct. to 26th Oct.
If not done previously, plant out Chieranthus / Wallflower, and Tulip bulbs.
Cut down Delphinium, Osteospermum plants to ground level.
Ensure newly planted roses have not suffered from wind-rock damage, firm in as necessary.
In colder areas it may be worth while lifting Gazania plants and potting them up to store in a frost free area.
Clean Gladioli corms and store in a cool spot.
Week 44 - 27th Oct. to 2nd Nov.
Divide Rudbeckia if required, or wait till new growth emerges in spring.
Take Bacopa plants indoors, trim and prepare for winter storage.
Cut down Echinacea, Lupin, Lychnis, Rudbeckia plants to ground level after leaves have died back.
Cut back Roses to prevent wind rock damage to roots during wet and windy weather.
Place containerised Alstroemeria into a frost free area for the winter.
Prepare / protect outdoor Containers for the winter.
Lift, box up, and store Chrysanthemum stools.
If not done previously do the same with Dahlia tubers.