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Gardening in Italy?→ October’s almanac for the Italian climate
ALMANAC · UK CLIMATE

The garden in October

October is autumn proper. The first frosts become likely, leaves fall in earnest, and this is peak season for planting tulips, trees and shrubs.

Protecting tender plants becomes urgent rather than something to plan for. At the same time, don't tidy too much: seed heads, hollow stems and leaf piles shelter the insects and birds that keep pests in check next year.

UK and similar cool temperate climates. In this reference climate the first frost typically arrives in October; colder or more exposed gardens should expect it earlier in the month.

AT A GLANCE

Spotlight: planting tulips for a reliable display

Tulips are planted later than other spring bulbs — October and November, even December — because cold soil reduces tulip fire, a fungal disease that spreads in warm, damp autumn conditions. Choose firm bulbs with no mould or soft patches.

Plant them deep: at least two to three times the height of the bulb, and in light soils up to 20cm. Deep planting keeps them upright, protects them from squirrels and helps them come back the next year. Space them about two bulb-widths apart, pointed end up, in well-drained soil; on heavy clay, add grit to the planting hole or grow them in pots.

In pots, a 'lasagne' planting gives a long display: tulips deepest, daffodils above, and crocus or muscari near the top. Many modern tulips flower well only in their first year; species tulips and Darwin hybrids are the most likely to return. If you want reliable colour every spring, treat the showier varieties as annuals and plant fresh bulbs each autumn.

TulipDaffodilCrocusGrape hyacinth

Jobs this month

Frost protection

Tender plants must be under cover before the first hard frost. Plants that are borderline hardy can stay outside with some protection, especially in pots against a house wall.

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

Planting bulbs

Tulips planted in October or November suffer less from tulip fire than those planted in September. Plant bulbs at two to three times their own depth.

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

Autumn clear-up, the right way

Clear what spreads disease; leave what feeds wildlife. Diseased leaves go in the bin, healthy ones make excellent leaf mould.

Rake fallen leaves off lawns and stack them in bags or a wire cage for leaf mould. Making garden compost ›
Collect and bin fallen rose leaves with blackspot. Rose
Cut back frost-blackened perennial growth but leave some seed heads for birds. Cutting back herbaceous perennials › RudbeckiaConeflower
Cut the flower spikes of hardy yuccas at the base. Yucca

Trees, shrubs and hedges

From late October the bare-root season begins: trees, hedging, roses and fruit are cheaper and establish better than container plants.

Plant bare-root hedging, trees and roses. Bare-root planting ›
Plant evergreen shrubs such as pieris in acid soil or ericaceous compost. Pieris
Cut watering sharply — most plants need very little now. Watering well ›

Sow and plant

Sow
  • Sweet peas in deep pots under cold cover
  • Broad beans and hardy peas in mild areas
  • Green manures on empty beds
Plant out
  • Tulips, alliums, hyacinths
  • Garlic
  • Bare-root trees, roses and hedging
  • Spring bedding: wallflowers, violas, primulas

Watch out for

First hard frostBlackened, collapsed foliage on dahlias, callas and other tender plants overnight.Slugs and snailsNumbers rise under leaves and pots as they seek shelter; protect bulbs and winter salads.Leaf spot diseasesDark blotches on fallen rose and shrub leaves; don't compost them.

Questions

When should I lift dahlias?

After the first frost blackens the leaves. Cut the stems to 15cm, lift the tubers, let them dry upside down and store them frost-free. In mild, well-drained gardens a thick mulch can be enough.

Is it too late to plant tulips?

No — October and November are the best months. They can go in as late as December if the ground isn't frozen.

Should I cut back all my perennials in autumn?

No. Cut back those that collapse into mush, but leave seed heads and sturdy stems: they give winter structure and shelter insects. Clear them in late winter.