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Paradise Park
Avis Road
Newhaven
East Sussex
BN9 0DH
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October is a good month for gardening. It isn't cold enough to keep you indoors, or wet enough to prevent digging or planting. All in all it is one of the best months for gardening (unless there are hurricanes or floods...).

• Flowers and bedding
  The summer bedding should reach its end this month. Replace it with autumn/winter bedding but bear in mind that this will only flower in sunny periods. If the winter is wet and dreary the plants will tend to wait till early spring. You can get round this by buying odd bits and pieces from garden centres when they are in flower to brighten an area up for two or three weeks. Winter bedding is very cheap and can almost be treated like outdoor cut flowers, bought to cheer you up and moved when it has lost its colour. Wallflowers should be available until the beginning of next month but be careful they don't run out before you get there. Continue planting spring bulbs.

• Perennials
  Planting of new plants and division of congested ones can be done now. Leave on any flower heads that will be decorative over the winter. Cover with old leaves or bracken any that are slightly tender. Don't over tidy the bed unless you have had a problem with fungal diseases. As a rule the more dead material on a plant over winter the better protected the living parts will be from the frost. Dahlias can be lifted as soon as their foliage is blackened by frost. The tubers should be stored somewhere cool, dry and frost free. Bring pot grown Chrysanthemums into the greenhouse.

• Shrubs and climbers
  It is the best time for planting anything except evergreens which will do better if planted in the spring. They will not come to much harm however, if you want to plant them now providing that they are well protected from the wind. Other plants have sufficient time to develop their roots before they need to make demands on them in the summer.

• Trees and hedges
  Hedging plants should be widely available to buy from the end of the month. This is the most economical way to buy a hedge. Make sure the ground is thoroughly prepared and the plants well supported. A tree or hedge is usually in the soil for a minimum of 20 years so it is silly to skimp on preparation.

• Roses
  Keep spraying and dispose of all dead leaves rather than letting them lie or composting them. Prepare new rose beds. Bare root roses are normally available at this time of the year which is the best time to plant them. It is also a good time to plant container grown roses. Remember to prepare and support well.

• Lawns
  Keep using the autumn lawn food. It contains more potassium which helps root development rather than leaf growth. Root development will lead to a healthier lawn which is more drought resistant. Leaf growth at this time of year will be soft and unhealthy and will be prone to disease and damage in the cold weather. It is alright to seed and turf new lawns. Scarifying, aeration and top dressing should still be possible.

• Vegetables
  Plant out spring cabbages.Pick the last of the tomatoes. Plant winter and spring lettuce.Cut marrows and lift beetroots. Tidy up and clear away any plant remains. Time for digging!

• Fruit
  Prepare site and order plants if you are planning a new bed for next year. Now is the time to put greasebands on apple and cherry trees. Pick and store apples and pears. Cut out canes that have fruited on blackberries and loganberries. Keep spraying.

• Pond
  Thin oxygenators and remove old lily leaves. Tidy up and continue to feed fish if they are still eating.

• Greenhouse
  The insulation should now be in position and the heating on. Bubble wrap is an excellent insulator and allows a good quantity of light through. Bring all tender plants in to the greenhouse. Consider spraying them with a fungicide as a preventative measure.

• Indoors
  Keep plants away from cold draughts and reduce the watering.Stop feeding unless plants are flowering.