Spring has officially sprung, and October is one of the most exciting months in the garden. Plants are bursting with new growth, flowers are opening in vibrant waves, and the soil is warm enough for sowing and planting. Whether you’re refreshing your shade garden, feeding your fruit trees, or coaxing your lawn into lushness, here’s a comprehensive list of October garden tasks to keep your outdoor space thriving.
🌸 General Tasks
Refresh containers: Trim specimen plants like lollipop standards back into neat shapes, then replace the top layer of potting soil with fresh compost.
Add shade colour: Brighten shady corners with impatiens, begonias, coleus, or the ever-reliable Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’.
Feed potted blooms: Apply a liquid or water-soluble fertiliser like Starke Ayres Nutrifeed to flowering plants in pots and containers.
Mulch after spring rain: Lock in soil moisture by spreading mulch around shrubs and trees.
🌱 Sowing
October is prime sowing season. Sow the following Mayford, Starke Ayres or Kirchhoff’s seed:
- Ornamental flowers: Sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, marigolds, and portulaca thrive when sown now.
- Summer annuals: Sow or plant out marigolds, celosias, and begonias for long-lasting colour.
- Edibles and herbs: Sow borage, chervil, dill, fennel, coriander, nasturtiums, and basil. Bonus tip: borage flowers, nasturtium blooms, and young leaves make a pretty, edible addition to salads.
🌼 Planting
With the heat of summer approaching, choose hardy performers from your local GCA garden centres that won’t wilt under the sun.
Ornamental grasses: Add texture and drama with young grass plants that will look spectacular in summer and autumn.
Annuals: Marigolds, celosias, portulaca, salvias, and verbenas are tough and colourful.
Shrubs: Plant near your bedroom window or in a patio pot for year-round fragrance.
Bulbs and perennials: Plant summer-flowering bulbs, plus favourites like Alstroemerias, Agapanthus, Penstemons, Anemones, Aquilegias, and Echinaceas.
🌿 Feeding
October is a month of energy and growth—help your plants keep up!
- Shrubs and borders: Prune and feed to encourage neatness and fresh growth. Add hardy summer annuals to brighten dark spots and mulch generously to combat weeds and conserve moisture.
- Azaleas and Hydrangeas: Feed now with Wonder Colourburst Azalea, Camellia and Hydrangea food or Starke Ayres Hydrangea Food to set them up for a spectacular Christmas display.
- Fruit trees: Nourish litchis, pecan nuts, and mangoes for healthy crops.
🐛 Pest Control
- Veggie garden: Check under leaves for pests and act quickly with organic sprays like Bioneem or Organicide Plus.
- Strawberries: Protect fruit with Zero Snail and mulch (straw, clippings, or weed matting) to keep berries clean and encourage more fruiting.
- Soft growth: Watch for aphids, mealybugs, and whitefly on ornamentals and treat with the correct insecticides.
Final Thoughts
October is all about preparation for the warm summer months ahead. By sowing and planting now, feeding generously, and staying on top of pruning and pest control, you’ll set your garden up for months of lush growth and vibrant blooms. Whether you’re cultivating a veggie patch, pampering fruit trees, or just after a rainbow of annuals, October is the month to roll up your sleeves and dig in.
