So far, through October we have largely escaped the frost and the Indian summer has seen bees and wasps still active right at the end of the month. However, change is inevitable as we march towards the darker days and those frosts will come.
A lawn of fine turf grows under conditions that are not entirely natural. The winter months will subject it to stress with the cold, wet and freezing conditions, so it needs a helping hand. You will probably have scarified, aerated and treated the lawn to a fertilizer last month.
You’re keen to grow as many vegetables as you can and you have a great lawn, but that has left you little room for fruit. Now is a good time to plant fruit trees and if you’re short on space you could try growing espalier against a wall of fence or why not grow standards in containers on a patio?
A different take on the traditional Scottish soup from Delicious Magazine
Ingredients
The long, hot summer that led to drought, brown lawns and heavy compaction was heartache for proud lawn gardeners who love their Wimbledon stripes. For many of us, hosepipe bans are still in place. But grass is nothing but resilient and the first real rains for a long time saw the lawn start to recover.
We have had had a few pretty cold nights at the end of September and in some areas frost has threatened. All the more reason to lift turnips, parsnips, carrot and beetroot. Cut the tops off turnips before storing in a frost-free place. Fork up potatoes and store them in a cool, dry place (the garage is a good idea).
The tapestry of autumn colours never ceases to delight the eye as the trees make their gradual transition into winter. October brings many jobs to the gardener, but it’s not all work. Planning next year’s borders can mean pleasant hours of drawing inspiration from visiting the garden centre or ordering from the catalogues.
