Gardener's Diary is a regular feature of Age-Net run by our Deputy Editor

Rosemary Martin

 

October 2009

 

I quite like autumn, it's usually such a colourful season, and this year there is an abundance of berries on the trees and shrubs, due to the warm spring we had.

Picking blackberries from the hedgerows has always been a joy, but this year we went a step further and picked rosehips which made about 4 pints of rosehip syrup - it's beautiful! If frozen in ice cube trays it makes a healthy drink that will last through the winter. You can still make rosehip syrup in October if the birds have left any rosehips on the bushes! We found the large rosehips (see photo above) much better for ease of use and nicer tasting than the smaller rose hips...

Is your garden boring and cheerless in the winter? I've put together some ideas for making it more colourful.

  

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Jobs for the month - October

 House plants

Houseplants that have spent the summer outside should be brought back indoors, before any early frosts kill them. Reduce watering to a minimum this month. Check all houseplants for any pests and diseases and treat accordingly, referring to your gardening books.

Lawns

There is still time to give your lawn it's autumn 'weed and feed' and a good raking.. Follow instructions regarding the composting of treated clippings. Try not to walk on worm casts, instead wait for a dry day when you can brush them with a stiff yard brush to disperse them. Don't try to discourage worms, they are the good guys..

Herbaceous borders

Continue dead-heading, weeding and hoeing, to keep the borders looking neat. The mild weather has ensured a stunning late display of Chrysanthemums and Dahlias so the garden is still a blaze of colour.

Ponds

Put a wire mesh lid over the pond to keep the falling leaves from adding to the rotting plants and producing gases that can harm the fish. This is a good month for building an extension to an existing pond, or creating a new one. It can then have a chance to overwinter and be ready for occupation next spring. 

Wildlife

Dozy hedgehogs can be encouraged to spend the winter in your garden if you provide shelter in a container for hibernation. Squirrels hibernate on and off, sleeping for long periods, but waking when refreshed. Rabbits, foxes and moles don`t hibernate at all, but forage what they can during the winter months. Foxes are now becoming an every day sight as are the gulls which used to be just seaside birds. Keep bird feeders topped up and provide water for the birds.