Garden Delights Services

16/10/2026

Jobs for October: Ponds
General maintenance
Place nets over ponds to prevent autumn leaves falling in.

Lift out tender water plants and remove any dying foliage. Place the plants in trays of deep mud or damp sand, or even in a bucket of water. Keep them in a frost-free place such as a conservatory or greenhouse, until the risk of frost has passed in late spring.

If you did not tidy up the pond last month, then clear out any debris, w**ds and excess oxygenating plants now. Leave all removed material on the side of the pond for 48 hours before composting it so that any wildlife has time to escape back to the pond. For any marginal plants that haven’t collapsed, you can delay cutting back until late winter to provide maximum protection for invertebrates.

Remove pumps or fountains and removable lighting systems, clean them, and store over winter in a safe place.

Problems
Continue to look out for waterlilies affected by fungal problems, and cut off any affected foliage.

14/10/2026

Jobs for October: Lawns
Maintenance
Carry out autumn lawn care, as long as the soil isn’t waterlogged and the weather isn’t very wet, very dry or frosty. This will improve the lawn’s resilience and appearance next year.

After scarifying and aerating, apply an organic autumn lawn feed if your grass is growing poorly. Autumn feed is rich in potassium and phosphorus, to encourage hardiness and root growth. Don’t feed with leftover summer feed, as this contains too much nitrogen, which stimulates lush growth that would be vulnerable to disease at this time of year.

Remove fallen leaves from lawns so they don’t smother the grass, blocking out light and moisture. Raking is the best option, but on large lawns a leaf-blower will make the job much easier. Battery-powered models are quieter, greener and better for air quality than petrol blowers.

Mow if necessary during mild weather, as grass continues to grow in temperatures above 7°C, on a slightly higher cutting height than in summer. Mowing will also help to reduce the vigour of annual w**ds that have sprung up in lawns sown earlier in the autumn.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs in lawns to add colour and pollinator-friendly flowers – great choices include snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils. Plant in specific areas that can be left unmown before and after flowering.

New lawns
Lay turf onto prepared soil. Avoid walking on newly laid turf – leave it undisturbed for several weeks to allow the new roots to establish.

Sow grass seed on prepared ground in warmer regions of the UK, but it’s getting too late in cooler locations – for good germination, soil temperature should be at least 7°C. A good indication is that you’ll also see w**d seedlings germinating above this temperature.

Sow a wildflower meadow in milder areas, and/or plant wildflower plugs into existing lawns.

Mow recently sown areas of grass for the first time, to thicken them up before winter. They should only need mowing once this year. Set the cutting height to at least 5cm (2in). Mowing will also help to reduce competition from w**d seedlings.

Problem-solving
Toadstools and fairy rings often appear in lawns at this time of year. Most are harmless saprophytic fungi that feed on decaying organic matter and don’t harm the lawn. However, you may wish to remove toadstools if the lawn is accessible to small children, wearing gloves.

Consider laying stepping stones through your lawn if it’s walked over regularly in wet weather, to avoid causing damage and muddy patches. Set the stones level with the soil surface so they don’t interfere with mowing.

Look out for waterlogging as the weather gets wetter. To improve drainage, spike the lawn with a garden fork or mechanical aerator, then brush a mix of sharp sand and loam into the holes. See our guide to autumn lawn care, or tackle in spring, depending on the weather.

Algae can appear on lawns with poor drainage or excessive shade, or under the drip-line of trees. Prune back any overhanging trees or shrubs to improve airflow and light. Or consider replacing the lawn with shade-tolerant groundcover plants instead.

Yellow or brown patches at this time of year may be caused by the fungal disease fusarium patch, especially in wet weather and in overfed, lush lawns that have been left a bit too long. Small patches should recover; larger areas may need re-seeding.

Worm casts are a sign of healthy soil, but if you don’t like them on your lawn, brush them off with a hard broom once they dry out.

13/10/2026

Jobs for October: Trees and shrubs
Planting and moving
October is an ideal time for moving and planting trees, shrubs, roses and climbers, as well as for hedge planting.

Bare-root deciduous trees, shrubs, roses and hedging, as well as root-wrapped evergreens, become available towards the end of the month for planting between November and March, so prepare the ground for them now. They are cheaper than plants in containers so are cost-effective when large numbers are needed, are more environmentally friendly, and often establish better.
Pruning and training
October is your last chance to trim deciduous hedges to keep them looking tidy over the winter.

Climbing roses and rambling roses can be pruned now.

Shrubs normally pruned hard in the spring such as Buddleja davidii, Lavatera and roses, can be cut back by half now, to prevent the wind rocking the roots and making the plants unstable.

Propagation
Take hardwood cuttings of plants such as roses, Cornus, Cotinus and Forsythia.

Check softwood and semi-ripe cuttings taken earlier in the season, which may need potting on if well rooted. Remove any dead leaves or cuttings that have rotted off.

Berries, fruits and seeds can be gathered from trees and shrubs, once ripe, for immediate sowing. This includes Crataegus (hawthorn), Sorbus (rowan), Morus (mulberry) and Laburnum.

General maintenance
If the weather is dry, keep watering early-flowering shrubs such as camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas, so that flower buds form successfully for blooms next spring. Use stored rainwater wherever possible.

Check tree ties and stakes before winter gales blow them loose and cause damage. Ensure they are secure but not too tight or allowing the tree to rub on the stake in the wind.

Collect up fallen leaves from the lawn and add to the compost heap, separate pile for leafmould, or spread on borders and under plants to improve the soil and provide wildlife habitat. Leaves that have already fallen onto borders can be left.

Problems
Rake up any leaves affected by diseases such as rose black spot, quince leaf blight and apple and pear scab, to minimise reoccurence next year. Add them to your council green waste collection. Leaves affected by powdery mildews and rusts can be composted.

Look out for honey fungus toadstools this month, which indicate possible areas of infection. If the plants look healthy, there is unlikely to be cause for concern. The majority of toadstools appearing at this time of year are beneficial saprotrophic fungi, which live on dead material and pose no threat to garden plants.

When pruning, check branches for signs of disease. Small cankers and areas of dieback are best removed before they spread.

10/10/2026

Jobs for October: Flowers

Sowing and planting
Plant wallflowers, forget-me-not, Bellis, Primula, Viola (including winter pansies) and other spring bedding plants in prepared ground or pots.

In mild areas, it is still possible to sow hardy annuals outside, to overwinter for a display next year.

Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs.

Now is also a good time to plant new herbaceous perennials, as the soil is still warm, but has more moisture than in the summer.

Lily bulbs can be planted up in pots this month.

Cutting back, pruning and dividing
Resist the temptation to cut back herbaceous perennials until March, as they will provide habitat for wildlife over winter. Any mushy or collapsed material can be cut back and added to the compost heap.

Lift and divide poor-flowering or overcrowded herbaceous plants.

General maintenance
Wait for the first frosts to blacken the foliage of dahlias and cannas before lifting the tubers or rhizomes. They may overwinter in the ground in warmer areas with well-drained soils if covered with a thick protective layer of straw or bracken.

Lift tender bulbs if you live in a cold area; Galtonia and Tigridia bulbs, for example, need lifting and storing over the winter.

Any remaining summer bedding plants struggling on in milder areas are best composted and replaced, for a fresher display.

Don’t neglect hanging basket maintenance – a little deadheading, watering and feeding can keep them going until mid-autumn. Once they are past their best, re-plant with spring-flowering bulbs and bedding plants, winter heathers and trailing ivies.

Raise patio containers onto bricks or purpose-made pot feet to avoid them sitting in water during the winter.

Move alpine troughs to a covered porch or lean-to to protect them from the rain – ask for help with lifting to avoid back injuries! Pick over alpines regularly, removing any autumn debris and covering died-back patches with extra grit to encourage their re-growth.

Make sure you have finished bringing all tender plants into a frost-free greenhouse or conservatory for the winter.

Remove stakes and other supports as herbaceous plants die down for the winter.

Planning ahead
Continue collecting and storing seed from perennials, trees and shrubs that still have ripening seedheads.

Problems
Check chrysanthemums regularly for signs of white rust – remove affected leaves and add badly affected plants to your council green waste collection.

Grey mould (Botrytis) can be problematic in wet weather. Remove affected leaves and other parts as soon as the symptoms are seen. These can be composted.

Powdery mildew may still be a problem in dryer, warmer regions. Pick off the worst affected leaves, cut back faded growth and add to the compost heap.

Avoid feeding plants late in the season, as this will encourage soft, sappy growth that is more vulnerable to damage by frost and by wet, and can encourage fungal diseases to develop.

08/10/2026

Maintenance
Carry out autumn lawn care, as long as the soil isn’t waterlogged and the weather isn’t very wet, very dry or frosty. This will improve the lawn’s resilience and appearance next year.

After scarifying and aerating, apply an organic autumn lawn feed if your grass is growing poorly. Autumn feed is rich in potassium and phosphorus, to encourage hardiness and root growth. Don’t feed with leftover summer feed, as this contains too much nitrogen, which stimulates lush growth that would be vulnerable to disease at this time of year.

Remove fallen leaves from lawns so they don’t smother the grass, blocking out light and moisture. Raking is the best option, but on large lawns a leaf-blower will make the job much easier. Battery-powered models are quieter, greener and better for air quality than petrol blowers.

Mow if necessary during mild weather, as grass continues to grow in temperatures above 7°C, on a slightly higher cutting height than in summer. Mowing will also help to reduce the vigour of annual w**ds that have sprung up in lawns sown earlier in the autumn.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs in lawns to add colour and pollinator-friendly flowers – great choices include snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils. Plant in specific areas that can be left unmown before and after flowering.

New lawns
Lay turf onto prepared soil. Avoid walking on newly laid turf – leave it undisturbed for several weeks to allow the new roots to establish.

Sow grass seed on prepared ground in warmer regions of the UK, but it’s getting too late in cooler locations – for good germination, soil temperature should be at least 7°C. A good indication is that you’ll also see w**d seedlings germinating above this temperature.

Sow a wildflower meadow in milder areas, and/or plant wildflower plugs into existing lawns.

Mow recently sown areas of grass for the first time, to thicken them up before winter. They should only need mowing once this year. Set the cutting height to at least 5cm (2in). Mowing will also help to reduce competition from w**d seedlings.

Problem-solving
Toadstools and fairy rings often appear in lawns at this time of year. Most are harmless saprophytic fungi that feed on decaying organic matter and don’t harm the lawn. However, you may wish to remove toadstools if the lawn is accessible to small children, wearing gloves.

Consider laying stepping stones through your lawn if it’s walked over regularly in wet weather, to avoid causing damage and muddy patches. Set the stones level with the soil surface so they don’t interfere with mowing.

Look out for waterlogging as the weather gets wetter. To improve drainage, spike the lawn with a garden fork or mechanical aerator, then brush a mix of sharp sand and loam into the holes. See our guide to autumn lawn care, or tackle in spring, depending on the weather.

Algae can appear on lawns with poor drainage or excessive shade, or under the drip-line of trees. Prune back any overhanging trees or shrubs to improve airflow and light. Or consider replacing the lawn with shade-tolerant groundcover plants instead.

Yellow or brown patches at this time of year may be caused by the fungal disease fusarium patch, especially in wet weather and in overfed, lush lawns that have been left a bit too long. Small patches should recover; larger areas may need re-seeding.

Worm casts are a sign of healthy soil, but if you don’t like them on your lawn, brush them off with a hard broom once they dry out.

07/10/2026

18/09/2026

Structures
Wooden structures
Take advantage of remaining dry weather by painting fences, sheds and other wooden features with a preservative. Water-based ones are kinder to the environment, and many of the older oil-based products (such as creosote) no longer have approval for domestic use.

Fix leaky shed roofs before the autumn rain comes.

Hard surfaces
Clean up patios and hard surfaces to get rid of moss and algae. Doing this job now will prevent them becoming slippery during the winter.

Under glass
Replace any broken glass panes in the greenhouse and also take the opportunity to check for lost glazing clips or worn putty.

As temperatures fall, greenhouse shading paint should be removed, and any blinds lifted or removed as light levels are steadily decreasing. Don’t deprive your plants of light once the risk of overheating is over.

Cleaning the greenhouse is best done before bringing in all your tender plants for the winter. Pests and diseases can hide in tiny nooks and crannies, only to come back to life the following spring. Hose down the structure with a forceful jet of water, and then use a safe cleaning products such as Citrox, and a non-abrasive scourer specifically recommended for cleaning glass.

Compost bins
Make and repair compost bins so that they are ready for the autumn, when fallen leaves will quickly fill them.

Water-saving
Install a water butt to collect water from your down-pipe, where it can be stored for use in the garden. Rainwater is particularly beneficial for watering potted ericaceous plants (e.g. rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias), and also conserves mains water, which is in short supply in several parts of the UK.

Garden furniture
Clean and store away garden furniture when it is no longer in use.

16/09/2026

Greenhouse, conservatory & houseplants
Houseplants
Plant up containers with Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs and plant prepared Hyacinths by 24 September to get flowers for Christmas.

Start to reduce watering of houseplants as light levels drop.



In the greenhouse
Damping down usually becomes unnecessary as the month progresses. It is best to do any watering or damping down earlier in the day, so that the greenhouse is dry by evening. Dampness during the cool nights could be a recipe for a fluffy grey mould (Botrytis) and damping off of seedlings.

Ventilate conservatories during warmer days but reduce ventilation once the cooler weather sets in. Use shading paint or blinds to help keep the area cool, but be ready to reduce shading towards the end of the month as light levels fall.

Pest and disease watch
September is an ideal time of the year to apply biological controls for use on vine weevil. Grubs will be starting to hatch, and soil and compost temperatures are now suitable for the nematodes to be effective. Target vulnerable plants, such as fuchsias, succulents and containerised plants.

When bringing plants indoors, check carefully for any pests and diseases they may have picked up outside, in particular red spider mite, mealybug and scale insect. Inspect rootballs and compost for vine weevil larvae and treat where necessary.

15/09/2026

Ponds
General maintenance
Don’t be worried if a few leaves fall into the pond. However, if leaf fall is excessive cover the surface of ponds with netting. Accumulated debris in the pond can encourage growth of algae and w**ds.

Top up water levels can drop a little at this time of year, particularly during warmer weather, but only top up if you have a fish pond – wildlife ponds will cope and can wait for the autumn rains. Continue to remove blanket and duckw**d.

Remove dead leaves from waterlilies as the foliage dies back. And cut back overgrown marginal plants. You may need to thin out submerged oxygenating plants, as they can quickly build up and crowd the pond.

A visually pleasing pond usually has around 50 percent of the water’s surface visible; it doesn't hurt wildlife to have a pond with fuller planting but remember that pond plants grow rapidly and it can be hard to remove growth once it has become very dense, especially if it has rooted into the pond sediment.

Troubleshooting
Waterlilies can be prone to fungal problems such as crown rot and leaf spot, so nip any problems in the bud by dealing with them promptly. Remove affected leaves, reduce watersplash from fountains and, if necessary, repot the whole plant in fresh compost after first removing all rotten looking bits of root, stem and leaf.

If sediment has built up at the bottom of the pond, now is the time when wildlife will be least disturbed. Lower the water levels first and any fish to a hold tank if present. Remove the mud and debris from only one half of the pond to allow creatures to recolonise.

12/09/2026

Jobs for September: Lawns
Maintenance
Mow in dry weather as and when needed, keeping the cutting height high. This will help the grass withstand the last of the warm, dry weather, and also make it more resilient to being walked on when wet weather arrives.

Add grass clippings to the compost heap in thin layers. Too much all at once is likely to cause wet, poorly aerated conditions, resulting in smelly slime rather than compost.

In Scotland and northern England, start autumn lawn care, including scarifying (raking) and aerating (spiking) the lawn, to repair summer damage, boost growth and get it into good shape for next year. You can finish by applying a soil- and sand-based top dressing to fill the spiked holes, especially if you’ve used a hollow tine aerator that removes soil cores.

Then apply an organic autumn lawn feed if your grass is growing poorly. Autumn feed is rich in potassium and phosphorus, to encourage hardiness and root growth. Don’t feed with leftover summer feed, as this contains too much nitrogen, which stimulates lush growth that would be vulnerable to disease at this time of year.

Plant spring-flowering bulbs in lawns to add colour and pollinator-friendly flowers – great choices include snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils. Remember that you’ll have to leave the area unmown in spring, from once the leaves start to appear until they die back, so it’s usually best to plant in specific areas that can be left unmown.

If you didn’t plant your meadow or mini-meadow in August, get this done before wet autumn conditions set in.

New lawns
Prepare the ground for a new lawn by forking over, w**ding, levelling and firming lightly. Doing this several weeks in advance gives the soil time to settle, so you have an even surface for sowing or laying turf.

Sow a new lawn on prepared ground when the soil is damp after rain, as the grass will have plenty of time to get established over autumn.

Lay turf onto prepared soil once the ground is moist and keep well-watered so it roots well. Avoid walking on newly laid turf – leave it undisturbed for several weeks to allow the new roots to establish.

Sow a wildflower meadow or plant wildflower plugs into existing lawns, again when the soil is moist after rain.

Problem-solving
Lawns browned due to drought will quickly green up by themselves when autumn rain arrives and high temperatures fall.

Start repairing any damaged or bare areas using turf or seed.