Top 10 jobs this month (source: RHS)
- Divide herbaceous perennials
- Pick autumn raspberries
- Collect and sow seed from perennials and hardy annuals
- Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damage spoils them
- Net ponds before leaf fall gets underway
- Keep up with watering of new plants, using rain or grey water if possible
- Start to reduce the frequency of houseplant watering
- Clean out cold frames and greenhouses so that they are ready for use in the autumn
- Cover leafy vegetable crops with bird-proof netting
- Plant spring flowering bulbs
September and October are great months in which not only to maintain your garden before the winter but also for planning ahead to spring and summer. It’s the best time of the year to fill in gaps in the beds and borders or to tackle new projects. As temperatures drop to reduce plant growth and the need for watering but before the frosts make the ground hard to dig in.
If you plant only one thing this month we suggest you invest in some bulbs, which can be planted this autumn for colour in your garden next spring. Nothing cheers the spirit like a snowdrop or daffodil greeting you after the long cold, wet winter months!
