Go leaf collecting, planting, pruning and shredding this month
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| Stake asters if necessary
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'Stake taller late-flowering perennials, such as asters, if the weighty flowerheads are pulling them down.'
All around the garden
DAHLIAS: We label all our different dahlia varieties before the frosts blacken them and you can't tell one variety from the other. We lift the tubers, shake off the soil and store them in trays lined with newspaper. These are then kept under the staging in the greenhouse.
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| Cut back perennials after flowering to tidy them up
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INDOOR PLANTS: Reduce watering.
LAWNS: If the lawn has compacted areas, spike with a fork, then brush sharp sand into the holes. Reduce the frequency of mowing the lawn as the grass growth rate is slowing down.
LEAVES: Start to rake up leaves and fill leaf bins with them for making leaf mould. We also separate leaves that have been collected in the mower on a high setting, and add these to the leaf bin.
PERENNIALS: Stake taller late-flowering perennials, such as asters, if the weighty flowerheads are pulling them down. Cut back perennials that have finished flowering and look untidy. Take cuttings from tender perennials to replace older plants next season.
PONDS: Cover ponds likely to collect falling autumn leaves with netting.
ROSES: Prune and tie in rambling roses if not done last month.
SHREDDING: Shred garden waste including laurel and similar prunings.
SHRUBS: Cut back half of the top growth of shrubs such as Buddleja davidii, roses and Lavatera, to prevent wind rock during winter. These can then be pruned further in spring.
Look further
Nick and Sue Hamilton run
Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, Leicestershire, formerly owned by the late Geoff Hamilton.
* Photography: Redshift Photography
* See related articles at the bottom of this page for more on jobs to do throughout the year in the garden, greenhouse and on the allotment...
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