As the days draw shorter, Autumn is definitely here. However there are still things you can do in the garden - so see below for hints and tips for the garden in October.
Plant bulbs
Short stemmed bulbs work well in the West Coast of Scotland. Try the following five:
1. Crocus - Remembrance
2. Narcissi – Tete a Tete
3. Iris Reticulata – Harmony
4. Hyacinth – White Pearl
5. Alliums
Buy, but don’t plant Tulips yet. Wait until November to plant. Two good choices are:
Red Riding Hood
Persian Pearl – best in a small pot
Divide perennials
Divide perennials in the garden and pot up any spare for the Plant Sale next May, or share with a friend.
Geranium
Day Lillies
Sea Holly
Spring flowering
Buy plants for Spring flowering and plant them out.
Wallflowers
Sweet William
Garden tidy up
Tidy up by weeding, collecting leaves which can be stored for a couple of years to make mulch,
Dig up Jerusalem artichokes if you grow them
Lavender and rosemary bushes can be trimmed back now. Do not cut into old wood
Weed and tidy up vegetable beds
Clear tomato plants out of the greenhouse
Earth up or stake brussels sprouts
Trim off old leaves and runners from strawberry plants
Apply an autumn feed to your lawns
Harvest your apples when the fruits come away from the tree with a light twist. If your apple trees are trained as espaliers, fans etc, prune some of the new growth now.
Cut down asparagus stems and mulch the plants with well rotted manure or compost