Garden Calendar - October

October, with its abundance of colors, is one of the most visually beautiful months in the garden. Tree leaves turn into various shades, the last unharvested apples and pears sway on branches. Gardeners prepare their kingdom for the arrival of winter. October is also the ideal month for planting most ornamental trees and shrubs, as well as the queens of flowers - roses. Perhaps the most work this month comes from the slowly falling leaves that need to be collected. There's still plenty to do in the garden in October.

What seeds to sow in October?

October is a month when only a few types of plants are sown. For October sowing, for example, winter onion Hiberna is suitable, which overwinters in the field without problems after autumn sowing. The cold winter weather will also be survived by parsley for leaves and winter head lettuce variety Humil. Plant these vegetables in beds in October and you'll be able to enjoy an early spring harvest. Do you know common field-madder - Moravian? October is the ideal time for sowing it. This perennial, heat-loving and drought-resistant medicinal herb is used for respiratory diseases, to stimulate appetite, to improve digestion. It has beneficial effects on heart function and relieves vascular spasms. Of course, in October you can also sow plants suitable for indoor cultivation. Year-round, you can sow cress and chili peppers.

Common field-madder is beneficial for health, sown in beds in October.

What garden tasks not to forget in October?

The main tasks awaiting growers and gardeners in October are the last harvests, planting ornamental trees and shrubs and roses, preparing the garden for winter, and gradually leaf raking begins. In October, you should harvest even the latest varieties of pears and apples from the trees. Proceed very carefully during harvest so that your harvested fruit lasts long and doesn't start rotting. From the beds, harvest the last heads of Chinese cabbage, head cabbage and lettuce. On the other hand, you can leave frost-resistant vegetable types - Brussels sprouts, spinach, winter leeks... October is the ideal month for planting ornamental trees and shrubs as well as fruit trees. When selecting plants, don't forget to consider the climatic conditions where you want to plant the ornamental tree or fruit tree. For harsher conditions, choose more resistant plant species. When purchasing, it pays to invest in disease-resistant varieties. If deer can access your garden, protect newly planted trees against browsing.

At the beginning of October, don't forget to plant winter garlic varieties.

If autumn is warm, you can still plant spring bulbs in the first half of October. Plant tulip, grape hyacinth, hyacinth, outdoor ranunculus and daffodil bulbs in flowerbeds or directly in the lawn. You can partially protect bulbs from rodents by planting them in special plastic baskets.

Fighting diseases and pests is necessary all year round - what to do in October?

In October, fighting diseases and pests is not as demanding as during the full growing season. Most crops have already been harvested, so diseases and pests don't have their host plants and cannot cause damage. Prevention shouldn't be forgotten even in October. Regularly check overwintering plants for any pests. Collect fallen fruits under trees to prevent the spread of mildew and other fungal diseases. Raking fallen leaves is also important. Don't forget to thoroughly examine the tubers of plants that you'll store in the cellar for winter. Forgotten pests would have plenty of time over winter to multiply and destroy entire tubers.

Give attention to ornamental plants in October too.

Most plants grown in window boxes or hanging containers have long since finished flowering, so you no longer need to protect them from possible frosts. Remove window boxes from windowsills and discard frozen plants - overwintering would often be more expensive than growing new seedlings in spring. If you don't want to have empty window boxes, ornamental cabbage is an ideal solution, shining in various colours and lasting a very long time. Ornamental plants aren't only those in window boxes or hanging containers, don't forget those in flowerbeds either. After frosts arrive, you need to cut back the frozen parts of some plants. Remove dahlias from the ground and let them dry out in an airy place, only then store them in their winter location. Dig up gladioli, begonias and cannas from the soil. In October you can plant the queens of plants - roses. Experiment and plant different types of roses, your garden will be more diverse.

Ornamental cabbage will brighten up every window box in October.

What to do with indoor plants during October?

Indoor plants don't need any special care in October. Water them regularly, fertilising is not necessary as the plants would stretch unnecessarily. Even in October, houseplants can be attacked by diseases and pests, so occasionally look under the leaves to check if any parasites are preparing to attack your indoor plant.

Even Cacti and Succulents Follow the Calendar - What Benefits Them in October?

In October, the growing season definitively ends for cacti and succulents, and they settle into winter dormancy. Most cactus species are not frost-resistant, so bring them indoors from outdoor locations before the frosts arrive. Well-matured cacti (those not watered for a longer period) can be placed without problems in a dry, cool cellar with minimal light. Temperatures around 10 °C pose no problems for most commonly cultivated cacti. If you cannot provide such a cool wintering location for your cacti, place them at least in the coolest room (hallway, bedroom...). Remember that cacti overwintered in cool conditions don't need even a drop of water throughout the entire winter. If you leave cacti on a windowsill in warmth even through winter, give them an occasional light watering.

What Else is Good to Know in October?

One of the common mistakes many gardeners make in October is pruning ornamental grasses. Although it might seem logical to cut back ornamental grass because it has long since finished flowering and its leaves are no longer attractive, this shouldn't be done. The drying leaves actually protect the living center of the plant during winter from frost, snow, and water seepage. More delicate perennials should also not be pruned in autumn.