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Gardening in the UK?→ October’s almanac for the British climate
ALMANAC · ITALIAN CLIMATE

The garden in October — Italy

October is autumn proper. In the north the first frosts become possible, especially towards the end of the month; in the centre and south it's still mild and the garden enjoys a second flush of flowers. Everywhere, it's planting season: bulbs, trees, shrubs and hedges.

It's also time to think about sheltering tender plants, which becomes urgent in the north. And don't overdo the tidying: seedheads, hollow stems and piles of leaves shelter the insects and birds that will keep pests in check next year.

Italy, from the Po valley and pre-Alps to the south and islands. Po valley: first frosts usually between late October and November; centre: November–December inland; coasts and south: rare or absent. In the mountains and cold inland valleys, frost arrives 2–4 weeks earlier.

AT A GLANCE

Spotlight: bringing citrus and Mediterranean plants under cover in the north

In the Po valley the first frosts usually arrive between late October and November, and a single night at -3°C can ruin a potted lemon. The right time to move it is before the first night below zero, not after.

Not every plant goes to the same place. Lemons, oranges, bougainvillea, mandevilla and lantana want somewhere bright and cool, between 5 and 10°C: a conservatory, a stairwell, an unheated greenhouse. Chinese hibiscus and gardenia, being tropical, need to stay above 10–13°C — indoors, but away from radiators. Potted oleanders, olives, bay and bottlebrush cope well with a few degrees of frost: they can stay outside against a sheltered wall with the pot wrapped, coming in only during hard freezes.

Before moving them, clean the leaves and check for scale and aphids. Under cover, water very sparingly and stop feeding until March.

KumquatBougainvilleaMandevillaHibiscusGardeniaOleanderOlive Overwintering tender plants ›

In your area

NORTH

Move citrus, bougainvillea, mandevilla, plumbago and lantana into a bright, cool place; stand potted oleanders and olives against a sheltered wall. Lift dahlia and calla tubers after the first frost.

CENTRAL

Sow broad beans and peas; plant garlic and onions. The olive harvest begins. Potted Mediterranean plants can stay out, but get their shelter ready.

SOUTH AND ISLANDS

The ideal season for planting trees, shrubs and perennials. Sow broad beans, peas, spinach and carrots. Olive picking, and the first citrus harvest.

Jobs this month

Shelter from the cold

Tender plants need to be under cover before the first hard frost. Borderline-hardy plants can stay out with some protection, especially in pots against the house wall.

In the north, move citrus, bougainvillea, mandevilla, plumbago and lantana into a bright, cool conservatory or room. Overwintering tender plants › KumquatBougainvilleaMandevillaPlumbagoLantana
Group potted oleanders, olives and bay against a sheltered wall; move them in during hard frosts. Protecting plants from frost › OleanderOliveBay
Lift coloured calla tubers and store them dry and frost-free. Overwintering tender plants › Arum lily
Lift dahlia tubers once the first frost blackens the foliage, or mulch them well where winters are mild. Overwintering tender plants › Dahlia

Planting bulbs

Tulips planted in October–November suffer less disease than those planted in September. The rule of thumb: plant at two to three times the height of the bulb.

Plant tulips, alliums and hyacinths. TulipOrnamental alliumHyacinth
Pot up amaryllis for winter flowers indoors. Forcing bulbs for indoors › Amaryllis
Plant garlic cloves for next summer. Ornamental allium

The autumn tidy, done right

Remove whatever spreads disease and leave whatever feeds wildlife. Diseased leaves go; healthy ones make excellent leafmould.

Rake leaves off the lawn and pile them in bags or a wire-mesh cage to make leafmould. Making garden compost ›
Collect and dispose of rose leaves affected by black spot. Rose
Cut back perennials that have collapsed after frost, but leave some seedheads for the birds. Cutting back herbaceous perennials › RudbeckiaConeflower
Cut spent flower stems of garden yuccas down to the base. Yucca

Olives and the veg patch

In the centre and south the olive harvest begins — table olives first, then olives for oil. In the veg patch, the legumes for a spring harvest go in.

Pick olives for brining as they change colour; for oil, wait until most have turned. Olive
Sow broad beans and peas in the centre and south. Propagation: sowing seed › Pea
Plant trees, hedges and roses; with the autumn rain they root in without needing watering. Bare-root planting ›
Cut watering right back: almost every plant now needs very little. Watering well ›

Sow and plant

Sow
  • Broad beans and peas (centre and south)
  • Spinach, rocket, cut-and-come-again lettuce
  • Sweet peas in pots
  • Green manures on empty beds
Plant out
  • Tulips, alliums, hyacinths
  • Garlic and onions
  • Trees, shrubs, hedges, roses
  • Violas, primroses and hardy cyclamen for winter containers

Watch out for

First hard frostIn the north, dahlias, callas and tender plants turn black and limp overnight.Slugs and snailsThey multiply under leaves and pots in the damp: protect bulbs and salads.Leaf spotDark spots on fallen leaves of roses, olives and shrubs: keep them out of the compost.

Questions

When should I lift dahlias?

Once the first frost blackens the leaves. Cut the stems to 15cm, lift the tubers, leave them upside down to dry and store them frost-free. In the centre and south, and on well-drained soil, a thick mulch may be enough.

When should citrus come indoors in the north?

Before the first frosts — usually between mid-October and early November in the Po valley. The right spot is bright and cool (5–10°C): a warm living room makes them drop their leaves.

Is it too late to plant tulips?

No — October and November are the best months. You can plant until December if the ground isn't frozen, and even later in the south.