Gardener’s Diary – Top Tips for October 2019

Enjoy our monthly Gardener’s diary for some fantastic tips on how to keep your garden going through all of the seasons.

Care for your lawn

Now is the last chance to mow the lawn (obviously when the rain stops) as mowing is carried out mainly between March and October. Over winter it is not usually necessary unless the weather is mild and the grass is still growing. Do not attempt this if the ground is very soft or frozen, during spells of cold or drying winds – this will affect how it will grow in the future.

Time to move

If tender plants are in frost prone areas, a greenhouse or conservatory over winter is the ideal place. Cold-sensitive plants in need of good light levels and dry, frost-free conditions will also benefit. Tropical plants and exotics can be moved inside during autumn after being in the garden through the summer months.

Get ready for next year

Finish collecting seeds from the garden to sow next year. Pruning your roses ensures that they grow vigorously and flower well each year. If left, climbing roses can become a tangled mess or branches with very few flowers. Rose pruning is not too difficult and if done correctly, you should be able to enjoy their beauty year in, year out.

Perennials

Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over the winter to provide homes and food for wildlife – ready to trim back in the Spring.

Love your pond

Water evaporates during windy or hot weather, leading to the water level dropping. The reduced surface area can be damaging for fish as there’s less oxygen available. If you do need to top up your pond, ideally use rainwater from a butt as tap water can contain nutrients that can cause algae to prosper, and the treatments used to make tap water safe for drinking are damaging to the health of your biological filter. If you do have to use tap water and you keep fish, always use a dechlorinator such as NT Labs tap water chlorine remover which you purchase through our website.