Jobs to do this month
Flowers
-
Sow hardy annuals, such as cerinthes, ammi, scabiosa and cornflowers, for flowers early next summer
-
Lift gladioli corms, dry them off, then store in a frost-free shed or garage over winter
-
Plant wallflowers, pansies, forget-me-nots and other spring bedding in pots and borders
-
Collect ripe seeds from your favourite flowers and store in labelled envelopes, ready to sow in spring
-
Plant up containers for autumn interest, using cyclamen, heathers, heucheras and other colourful bedding plants
-
Bring any houseplants that you moved outside over summer back indoors, before temperatures start to drop
-
Lift, divide and replant congested clumps of perennials, such as achilleas, once they finish flowering
-
Apply vine weevil control to pots if plants show the tell-tale sign of notched leaf margins
-
Fill any gaps with late-flowering perennials, such as sedums, to provide nectar for pollinating insects into autumn
-
Plant spring bulbs, including crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths, bluebells and snake's-head fritillaries in pots and borders
-
Take cuttings from fuchsias, salvias and pelargoniums
-
Keep summer bedding flowering in hanging baskets and pots until the first frosts by deadheading and feeding regularly
-
Trim conifer hedges to neaten them up and control height
-
Leave sunflower seedheads in place for birds to feed on
Fruit and veg
-
Sow hardy greens, such as kale, land cress, pak choi, mizuna, lamb's lettuce and mustard, for winter pickings
-
Prune out all the fruited canes of summer raspberries, cutting down to the base, and tie in new canes to supports
-
Pot up herbs, such as chives and parsley, and place on a sunny windowsill to use during winter
-
Start sowing hardy varieties of broad beans and peas for early crops next year
-
Plant onion and shallot sets in a sunny spot, 10cm apart, with the tip just showing above the soil
-
Cut away any leaves covering the fruits of pumpkins, squash and marrows to help the skins ripen in the sun
-
Plant saffron crocus bulbs (Crocus sativus), so you can harvest your own saffron
-
Pick apples and pears before the wind blows them down, and store undamaged fruits if you can't eat them fresh
-
Store chillies by threading the stalks onto strong cotton or wire and hanging up to dry somewhere warm and dry
-
Cut off trusses of unripe outdoor tomatoes before the weather turns cold, then ripen them indoors
-
Lift maincrop potatoes, dry off and store in hessian or paper sacks, in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place
-
Complete summer pruning of both free-standing and trained apple trees, to encourage good fruiting in future years
Greenhouse
-
Plant prepared hyacinth bulbs in pots or hyacinth glasses, for fragrant indoor flowers at Christmas
-
Take down greenhouse shade netting or wash off shading paint by the end of the month, as light levels start to fall
-
Stay vigilant for pests and diseases in the greenhouse, and treat any you find immediately
-
Plant dwarf spring bulbs in pots, including irises, crocuses, chionodoxa and scilla, for early flowers
-
Pot up tender perennials, such as fuchsias and osteospermum, from summer displays and bring indoors before temperatures drop
-
Repot moth orchids after flowering if they look like they're about to burst out of their pot
-
Water houseplants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills at night
-
Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in pots for spectacular flowers over the festive season
-
Plant Anemone De Caen corms for a vibrant indoor display in early spring
-
Pay close attention to greenhouse ventilation, shutting vents on cool nights
-
Check greenhouse heaters are in good working order
-
Maintain good plant hygiene, picking off faded blooms and dead leaves before fungal diseases can take hold
-
Look out for forecasts of early frosts and be ready to bring tender potted plants under cover
-
Move potted peaches and nectarines into a cool greenhouse or porch