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How To Garden in Cooler Months cont ...
in an airtight greenhouse or garden shed where the frost won ’ t get in . It ’ s important to note that not all plants can be lifted , so do your research as more tender plants will need to be covered in a thick mulch to protect the roots .
Move , prune and plant your shrubs While the soil is still warm , it ’ s a good time to think about planting or moving your evergreen shrubs , trees and climbers . If your shrubs have outgrown their current spot or pot , move them to an area with more room . October is also a really good opportunity for pruning , particularly hedging and climbing roses , so don ’ t be afraid to cut back ; they ’ ll thank you in the long run .
Move your pots If you ’ ve a patio full of pots that are sitting on the ground , now is the best time to think about raising them . Inevitably , the winter months will bring rain and if your pots are on the ground or sitting in saucers , you run the risk of drowning your plants - they won ’ t do well when waterlogged . Also , empty your finished summer hanging baskets and compost the remains ready for next year .
VEGGIES
Harvest your pumpkins Halloween is almost upon us , and so is pumpkin harvest . If at the start of the month they aren ’ t looking quite ready , ensure that they are getting as much sunlight as possible by raising them using bricks . Try to harvest before the first frost and store for use in the winter ; keeping them in the sun after they have been harvested will mean they keep for longer .
Plant your garlic A bit like tulips , if you plant your garlic in autumn they will almost immediately form roots . Garlic likes the cold and will need one to two months in cooler temperatures to encourage bulb development .
Wind down the veg plot At this time of year everything is slowly coming to an end , so it ’ s important to remove any crops that won ’ t survive the winter , you can also take this opportunity to cut back any plants and have a bit of a tidy up . Tomatoes that may still be growing can be cut and ripened indoors , while you may still have a late crop of beans that will continue until the first frost . In some circumstances where the soil is well drained , crops like carrots can remain in the soil through the winter . Did you know , lettuce is actually very hardy and will continue to grow right through to early winter ? Be careful though , if you ’ re sowing it late it may need a covering with a cloche to encourage it to germinate and to prolong the crop .
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Pay attention to your lawn The lawn has had a very dry summer this year , so it ’ s crying out for a good dose of rain . Before the colder months , use this as your last opportunity to improve the quality of your grass ; scarification will remove organic matter such as moss from the base of the grass , illuminating anything that will prevent good growth . As October can be mild , you can also use this as the last opportunity to sow seed and then pray for light rain to help it on its way . There are autumn feeds available to buy that will encourage growth and prevent disease during the winter months . It ’ s also a good idea to keep on top of leaves as they shade grass from light and air – so investing in a leaf blower this season could be the answer !
Fix the shed Waterproofing your shed before the winter
Autumn Gardening , Dobbies
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