Here are our gardening tips for October:

Falling leaves can be a nuisance at this time of year. They clog up ponds, clutter the corners of patios, make paths slippery and can even turn lawns yellow if thickly covered in leaves. A rubber rake is the best tool for gently removing leaves or a leaf blower can move them into heaps for easier collection.
You can either dispose of them in the Council’s brown bin or you might want to turn them into leaf mould. The best way to do this is to store them in black plastic sacks. If they are very dry, dampen them down with a hose. Tie the neck of the sack and make a few holes in it to let the air in. leave the sacks somewhere out of the way until they rot down.
When they are broken down into leaf mulch they will provide great compost for borders pots and containers. Use a garden sieve if necessary to remove twigs and other course material.


Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs

Now is the time to take any cuttings you need from your deciduous shrubs. After the leaves fall but before any frost.

Consider taking cuttings from bushes such as Buddleia, Forsythia and Roses. It is also a good time to consider climbing plants such as Honeysuckle and Vines. Also fruit bushes such as gooseberries, black currants, and raspberries.
Select vigorous healthy shoots from the current year’s growth and cut off sections about six inches to one foot (15-30 cm). With a sharp knife or secateurs make a sloping cut just above a bud. Dip the cut end into rooting powder (£6.49 from Amazon).
Next plant the shoot in a prepared trench which should contain some garden compost or other organic matter. If you already have some leaf mulch you could use this. About two–thirds of the cuttings should be below the surface.
Then leave them alone until the Spring when hopefully the rooting powder will have stimulated root growth and you may see the first green buds above ground. Alternatively you can consider planting into containers but ensure that they are deep enough to allow root growth.

Plant Spring flowering bulbs

If not already done there is still time to plant bulbs such as daffodil, crocus, snowdrop, and tulip. Plant in sunny areas and dig a hole approximately two to three times the size of the bulb. So for a 3-inch sized bulb dig a hole of about 6-to-9 inches deep.


Lift and divide any congested clumps of herbaceous perennials

Summer flowering plants can be successfully divided provided the soil is reasonably dry. If it is very wet, it might be better to delay until the Spring.
Plants to consider dividing include Agapanthus, Hosta, Iris and ornamental grasses.
Lift plants gently with a garden fork shaking off excess soil. Then either split the roots up or cut with a sharp knife. Plant the divided roots as soon as possible and water well. Alternatively pot individually to build up size and over winter in a frost-free environment.