October Gardening Tips 2022

It feels like in a matter of days the weather in the UK has gone from extreme heatwave to the depths of autumn. Leaves are turning beautiful russet colours before falling, and the mornings feeling crisp.

There’s still lots to do and enjoy about our gardens though. Read on to find out what is on the The Magic Molecule Co. teams to do lists this month:

• Keep the lawn clear from leaves by raking them up. Even better, bag them up and use the leaf mould as a soil conditioner
• The end of this month can be the final grass cut of the year. Make sure it’s a bit higher than you would normally keep it in the summer months, giving it the best chance to survive winter
• Hedges can also be tidied to keep them looking trim over winter
• Time to do a big tidy up, especially before it gets colder and you’d rather spend longer inside. Focus on your greenhouses, ponds, gutters and water butts
• Also check for any structural damage around the garden that will need fixing before the arrival of the winter weather, such as fences, sheds and gates

• Pumpkin harvest time! If your pumpkins need encouragement to ripen, cut back the leaves to ensure the sun can reach them. You’ll know they’re ready when they sound hollow when you tap them
• There is still time to do some planting! In the veg patch you can plant some garlic
• remember to space these out by about 10cm. Now’s also the time to plant your onions and shallots
• Get planting your bulbs, including daffodils and crocuses ready for some colour in the spring
• Clean and cover, or store, garden furniture
• Bring your terracotta pots inside to prevent them from cracking, insulate outdoor containers and move pots sensitive to the cold into the greenhouse
• Top up the compost bin with your leaves and cuttings

Perhaps like us you’re enjoying seeing all the colours of the leaves and feel a bit sad to be putting them all on the compost straight away? Why not encourage the little ones in your live to take part in some autumn crafts to celebrate the changing season. We particularly like these suggestions from the Woodland Trust: Autumn Leaf Crafts and Activities for Kids - Woodland Trust

Some of the team have bookmarked the page, with plans of trying the leaf animal pictures and the leaf rubbings during the October half term.

What are you up to in your garden this month? Share with us on our social media accounts.