October can bring about wholesale change often by means of heavy rains, high winds and the first of the autumns proper frosts, depending on your location. Weather depending it is a good month to get on and do things in the garden after the summer and the months when "keeping on top of things" was the most important aspect. It is also the month when it is last chance to sow anything outside and expect germination and growth before the light levels and temperature drop to where growth slows to a virtual standstill.



The first thing to do is to remove the remains of the summer bedding. Leave any seedlings that have germinated from plants such as cerinthes or nasturtiums. If they get through the winter they will make strong plants next year, if they don''t it is no loss.



LAWN

Keep working on the lawn. Rake all the thatch and moss out and put it on the compost heap, but not in heavy lumps, spread it out. Dig out any weeds with a trowel, refill the holes with soil and over sow with seed. Fork the lawn to aerate it. Keep cutting weekly on a high cut whenever the weather allows.



Hedge Pruning

In the first half of the month be sure to finish all your hedge pruning before heavy frosts arrive that may damage new shoots that have just been clipped.



Biennials

Finish planting out any biennials in the first half of the month allowing them time to root and get away. Sweet williams, wallflowers and Brompton stocks are all available as bunches for planting out from any good garden centre.



Salads

Now is the time to sow winter salads for the greenhouse. There are plenty of varieties that perform well over winter in low light levels. Cut and come again brassicas such as rocket and mizuna will continue cropping all through the dark months as long as they are rested between each harvest.