Garden tips

October

Note: those garden tips are based on the climate as we have in The Netherlands, a relatively cool climate. Most tips are to use for sub tropical and mediate climate. 

Garden tip pruning

No tips yet.

Garden tip annuals

Remove the last old parts of plants en put them on the compost heap.

Garden tip biennials

Your last chance to plant the biennials for nice flowers next year.

Garden tip perennials

Cut of the flower stems on garden plants after winter. Dead leaves of some plants you best remove now.
Some plants are not winter hard. You can cover them but you also can keep them in winter time in pots in a barn, a glass house or other light place were is temperature above 0.

Garden tip bulbs

Summer bulbs you must dig up now, dry them and keep them on a dry cool place. Fleshy tubers such as Dahlia you must keep in saw dust or in dry peat. Check from time to time if they not rotting.

Garden tip shrubs

Garden tip trees

Because the earth is still warm you can plant in October some species of trees. Only container trees are possible to plant now. All other trees we best plant in spring time when they are bald.

Garden tip conifers

No tips yet.

Garden tip de border

The border will need still some maintenance. Some plants are still flowering such as autumn Aster. 
Do not cut of all stems of old flowers. In winter time  with snow or frosted old flower stems are very nice. Also your prevent rotting of the plants.

Garden tip weed killing

Even in autumn and winter time you need to remove weed. 

Garden tip multiplying

In this time of the year the multiplying of shrubs can start.

Garden tip the pond

Clean your pond daily, remove leaves and old parts of plants. 
Water lilies must stand below ca. 60 cm. or take them out and bring them in a cold room in peat or other materials. Tropical floating water plants must find a place in a warm room in a container with water.

Garden tip the lawn 

In October you cut the lawn usually last time. It is important you make proper adjustments on the machine and not make the grass too short. 4 till 5 cm is OK. You must remove the grass from the lawn. Cut of the edges once more. October can be a very wet month, thus do not walk on the lawn. Check if there are no moles in the lawn, they can ruin your beautiful lawn totally.

Garden tip tub plants

Tub plants must be prepared for the winter. Plants who can not have temperature below zero must go inside before temperature declines below zero. A special grower can do this for you or you put your plants in a cold room. 

Garden tip Insects and protection

Check your garden plants on damaging insects and if necessary give a treatment.

Garden tip general

Falling leaves under shrubs and trees is no problem. It is also good for the life in the earth and insects. It gives new nutrition to the earth. It is very good for the worms.  do not clean the garden too much because you damage the life in the ground. (Ill leaves must be destroyed.)
Birds nest can be cleaned now.
Plants on the balcony, pots and tubs can have now new plants for winter time, nice flowering special winter plants such as: Skimmia, Hedera, Erica, Viburnum.

Tips for flower arrangers

October still is a good time for the garden. It is a challenging month for flower arrangers. The garden shows her beauty in autumn colours. We can use all kind of leaves. There are also different type of flowers and fruits. Cut the flowers in the morning and put them a few hours in water with Chrysal. After this you can make your flower arrangement or bouquet. 

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Last update of this page 23.05.2004