October in the Garden: What to Plant, Prune and Pamper

October is the month the garden finally wakes up and wants your attention. The days are longer, the soil is warming and everything seems to grow while you’re making a cup of tea. This is a general guide for most of Australia, so check it against your own climate, especially if you live in a cooler region or the tropics.

Vegetables and herbs
This is prime planting time. In temperate areas, tomatoes, capsicum, chillies, zucchini, cucumbers, beans and basil all go in now, as long as the frost has passed. If you’re in a cold spot like Canberra, the Tasmanian highlands or the Victorian ranges, wait until the risk of frost is over or start seedlings inside. Warm-climate gardeners can add pumpkins, sweet corn and sweet potato. In the tropical north, use the last of the dry weather to get heat-lovers in before the wet arrives.

Colour and flowers
Sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos and marigolds are easy wins from seed, and they’re good for bees too. Dahlia tubers and gladioli corms can go in now for summer flowers. Pot up some petunias and gerberas near the back door if you want instant colour. Camellias and azaleas have usually finished flowering, so give them a light prune now, because pruning later cuts off next year’s buds.

Roses and fruit trees
Roses are putting on a lot of new growth, so feed them, mulch around the base and keep an eye out for aphids and black spot. A strong blast from the hose often deals with aphids, and removing affected leaves helps with black spot. Citrus trees benefit from a feed and a deep drink, and most fruit trees will appreciate the same. If you’re in a warm area, put up netting or traps now to stay ahead of fruit fly.

Lawn
Warm-season grasses like couch, buffalo and kikuyu are coming out of their winter sleep. Mow regularly, give the lawn a spring feed and tackle any bare patches. Cool-season lawns also appreciate a feed, but be careful not to overdo it, because a soft, lush lawn struggles when the heat arrives.

Weeds, pests and mulch
Weeds love spring as much as everything else, so pulling them out while they’re small saves a lot of effort later. Snails and slugs come out in force after rain. If you have pets, choose a pet-safe snail product, since some baits are dangerous to dogs and cats. Mulch is your best friend now. Spread a layer of about five to seven centimetres over the soil to hold moisture and suppress weeds, and keep it away from trunks and stems. If you have a dog, avoid cocoa-based mulches, which can be toxic to them.

Watering
Water deeply and less often rather than a quick sprinkle every day, which encourages roots to grow down instead of staying near the surface. Early morning is best. Water restrictions vary across the country, so check your local rules.

A note for pet owners
Some popular garden plants can be harmful to cats and dogs. Lilies are a serious risk for cats, and sago palms and oleander are dangerous for both. If you’re adding new plants this month, it’s worth checking they’re safe first.

Our October Tip
If you only have time for one job, mulch. It reduces watering, keeps weeds down and gives your garden a head start before the heat arrives.