Gardening jobs for October: 10 tasks to complete before the clocks change

You'd be lying if you said you hadn't noticed the shift in seasons over the last week or so. Shades of red and orange are appearing on trees, pumpkin spice lattes are back, and of course, it's constantly raining. Yep, autumn has well and truly arrived. 

As it's the 1st October, it's now time for us to go through the top 10 garden tasks for this month. We've previously rounded up the gardening tasks for September and a Bosch expert has already revealed 5 resourceful tips for autumn gardening, but now we've got even more advice. 

As always, I've been speaking to Craig Wilson, Co-founder and Director of Gardeners Dream. He's been sharing his advice for October gardening, and these are the top 10 tasks he recommended this month. 

Garden maintenance

1. Rake any fallen leaves

You’ll most likely start to see fallen leaves gathering in your garden over the next few weeks, or in other areas of your property. Make sure to rake these up as soon as possible and store them in a compost bin, as you can then use the leaf mould as mulch to insulate boarders.

2. Make sure storage is watertight

As rainfall increases, you should ensure your shed or outdoor storage is fully waterproof to avoid any damage to tools and furniture. You don't want to open them up in spring and discover everything is ruined, so it's a good idea to check now. 

3. Manage snail numbers

Increased rainfall also brings more snails, and more snails are never good for the garden. Try and go on regular snail hunts, especially when the weather is wet, and remove any snails by hand to control numbers.

Fruit and vegetables

4. Raise pumpkins and harvest before the frost arrives

If you're hoping to harvest some pumpkins for Halloween, make sure to get them raised off the ground and onto bricks or wood. This will keep them dry which will decrease the chances of rot, and will also allow them to get some additional sunlight to firm up the skin.

You’ll also need to keep an eye on the weather forecast. Pumpkins go soft quickly when left outside in frosty weather, so make sure you harvest your pumpkins before temperatures rapidly drop. 

5. Clear away any old crops

If you find yourself with old crops on plants or on the ground, now is a good time to clear them away. Leaving them to rot could encourage pests and disease which could then spread to any healthy crops. 

Flowers, plants and shrubs

6. Swap out saucers for feet

If you have any potted flowers or plants sitting in saucers, now is the time to switch them out for feet. This will prevent them from getting waterlogged throughout the winter months as rainfall increases. 

7. Tie back climbing roses

As the weather changes, we are likely to experience increased winds. It's therefore recommended to tie back any climbing roses to avoid wind damage over the next few months. 

8. Start insulating borders

Once you have cleaned up and tidied your borders, you’ll want to think about getting them insulated before the first frosts set in. Use bark, manure or leaf mould to spread across the top of the soil, this will insulate root systems.

Lawn care

9. Mow the lawn one last time

You can give your lawn one final mow before leaving it for the winter. Make sure you wait for a day when the weather is dry, or read our advice on the exact temperature you should stop cutting your grass. 

10. Aerate your lawn

To avoid waterlogging and compaction over the winter, spike your lawn with a garden fork to help improve drainage. 

Before you go, have a look at our guides to the best multi-tool, best cordless drill and best electric screwdriver if it's time to update your toolbox.