JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK
Collect autumn leaves and add to your compost heap. Or just collect in bags punctured with a few holes.
It’s a great month for planting, the soil is still warm and will allow roots to settle in.
Fed up with your lawn? It’s also a good time to roll out new turf. Prepare ground well by removing all weeds, and rake to a fine tilth before laying new turf. Reduce mowing frequency on other lawns.
Lift tender corms and plants such as gladioli, canna and dahlia before the winter frosts. In milder places you might get away with leaving them in situ under mulch.
Any houseplants that you took outdoors for their summer holidays can be put back indoors now. Some of them may be carrying unwanted guests – check fresh growth for aphids and remove by hand.
Clean out veg beds of old material and plant out spring cabbages and winter lettuces. Raise pumpkins onto bricks to keep them dry and ripen.