October Gardening Tips
In late October, cut back asparagus stalks to the ground. Mulch 3 to 4 inches with well rotted manure. Prepare your vegetable beds for spring by removing all debris and digging over the plot, leaving the soil open so the frost can get into the soil. Cover with well rotted manure.
Lift and store Begonia, Dahlia and Gladiolus bulbs if you want to replant them next year. If you leave Dahlias in the ground over winter make sure you give them a good mulch to protect them from the wet and cold. Plant your spring bulbs such as Crocus, Daffodils, Irises, Day lilies, Freesias, Hyacinth and Tulips .
There are fabulous evergreen shrubs you can use to plant up tubs and containers- Skimmias, Leucothoe, Pernettya, Euomymus to add structure and colour through the winter, add Pansies, Violas and Cyclamen for seasonal colour. Underplant with bulbs- Tulips at the bottom, Daffodils above and Crocus on top.
Plant wallflowers in bare patches of borders which will flower in April/May- they are wonderful underplanted with Tulips.
Plant fruit and ornamental trees- remember a stake and tie to avoid them being blown around too much over winter.