October - The First Frosts

• Start planning for the first frosts of the year and move the most precious or the most tender plants to a sheltered spot, or under cover

• Remove any pot saucers and raise outdoor pots up onto feet to prevent waterlogging over winter

• Take any final cuttings of most half-hardy or tender perennials such as fuchsias, salvias and pelargoniums, as well as semi-ripe cuttings of woody shrubs such as rosemary and lavender but provide additional heat to encourage rooting

• Fill in any gaps in the garden with spring bedding such as pansies, forget-me-nots and bellis

• Finish dividing congested clumps of many perennials after they have finished flowering. Dig up, divide, replant, and water-in well. The warmth of the soil will mean they will re-establish quickly. If the clump is very large it is usually best to only take new plants from the edge and discard the older, woody centre

• In the vegetable garden, continue to pick the last beans, peas, tomatoes, courgettes, and cucumbers

• Winter onions and garlic (hardneck) can be planted now, but not in the same location as the previous crop - ideally, rotate vegetable beds on a three- or four-year cycle: Onions and Roots > Potatoes > Brassicas > Legumes

• New areas of grass can be sown now, or thin areas of lawn raked and overseeded.

• Many hardy annuals such as cornflower, Ammi, and sweet peas can also be sown now for an early display next summer

• As leaves begin to fall in greater numbers, try to keep lawns and paths clear.  These leaves should be collected and left to transform into amazing leaf mould.

• Dahlia and Begonia tubers should be lifted once the top foliage has turned black with the first frosts of October - Lift carefully to avoid damaging the tubers, trim off the dead foliage, label, then store in dry sand or compost in a cool, frost-free place.  Alternatively, apply a thick layer of mulch over the plants in situ to protect the tubers from frost.

• Catalogues and websites for seeds, bulbs, and bare-rooted shrubs are available now so start planning how to make your garden even more spectacular, but remember to enjoy what you have now