Garden Maintenance Tips! 

🌿 October Jobs in the Garden

Autumn has well and truly arrived, and the garden is full of gentle to-dos that help set things up beautifully for next year. The air’s a little crisper, the leaves are turning, and it’s a lovely time to potter about and enjoy the changing season. Here are a few jobs to keep you busy this month:

🍏 Harvest time! Pick those apples, pears, grapes, and nuts while they’re ripe and ready. There’s nothing better than homegrown autumn produce.

🌹 A little prune and tidy! Cut back perennials that have died down, and give your climbing roses a light prune to keep them in good shape.

🌸 Save for next year! Collect the last of your seeds to sow next spring. It’s so satisfying to grow next year’s flowers and veggies from your own harvest!

🏡 Move the tender ones! Before the frosts arrive, move tender plants — even those in ponds — into a greenhouse or conservatory for protection.

🌾 Lawn love! It’s the final chance to mow lawns and tidy hedges in milder areas. Or, if your lawn’s looking tired, renovate it or even lay new turf before the cold sets in.

Enjoy the slower pace of October! — a perfect month to reflect, refresh, and ready the garden for its winter rest. 🍂

Don’t forget to check out the Pots & Trowels video below for more great autumn garden tips!

Hedge Trimming 

To effectively trim hedges in the UK, check for nesting birds and delay trimming if you find any. Ideally, trim in late spring to early autumn or autumn/winter for native hedges, using either a pair of shears or a mechanical hedge trimmer. 

How to trim: 

Create a Taper: Make the base of the hedge slightly wider than the top to let sunlight reach all parts of the plant, keeping it bushy.

• Use Guides: Use a string line for a straight top or canes and stakes as a guide for height, with the edge of the lawn serving as a guide for the base.

• Trim Arching Movements: Start at the base of the hedge and use arching movements.

• Check Progress: Regularly step back to check the overall shape and straightness from a distance.

Safety & Equipment

• Always wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Wear gloves, long sleeves, and trousers to protect your skin from sap and flying debris. 

• Sharp Tools: Ensure your shears or hedge trimmers are sharp and clean.

• Ladder Safety: For tall hedges, use a cordless long-reach trimmer to avoid ladders. 

Lawn Care 

For lawn care, we recommend you mow frequently but not too short, especially in hot weather, and leave clippings on the lawn as mulch. Fertilise seasonally, with a high-nitrogen feed in spring for leaf growth and an autumn feed high in potassium and phosphorus to strengthen roots for winter. Aerate compacted soil with a fork to help drainage and root growth, then top-dress to improve the surface. 

Mowing

• Mow lightly and frequently.

• Adjust the cutting height for the season; raise it slightly in hot, dry weather to let the grass get longer and encourage deeper roots. 

• Keep mower blades sharp: to avoid tearing the grass, which can lead to weak growth and disease. 

• Leave fine clippings: on the lawn to act as a moisture-retaining mulch. 

Feeding

• Spring feed (March/April) should be high in nitrogen to encourage healthy leaf growth for a lush summer lawn. 

• Autumn feed (September) should be higher in phosphorus and potassium to promote strong root development, making the grass hardier for winter. 

Aeration and Top-Dressing

• Aerate the lawn by pushing a garden fork into the soil to relieve compaction from foot traffic. 

• Top-dress the lawn afterwards, especially after aeration, to improve the surface and help with drainage. 

Weeds, Moss, and Pests

• Weed removal should be done with a trowel or grubbing tool. 

• For moss, you can scarify or rake it out first, then use an iron sulphate treatment, but apply it before fertilising or seeding. 

Watering

• Established lawns generally don't need much watering, even in dry spells, and should recover after rain returns. 

• New lawns: need regular watering until they are well-established. 

Seasonal tasks

• Autumn: Remove fallen leaves, apply an autumn feed, and aerate and top-dress if needed. 

• Spring: Begin regular mowing and apply a high-nitrogen feed to promote new growth