Getting your Kent or Sussex garden ready for winter: the October checklist

October is the gardening month that most people underestimate. The summer display is over, the days are shortening, and it's tempting to close the garden gate until spring. But the work you do now — or don't do — will determine how your garden performs next year.

In Kent and Sussex, October is usually mild enough to keep working comfortably outdoors. The soil is still warm from summer, which means roots establish quickly. Rainfall is increasing, reducing the need for watering. It's the ideal window for planting, dividing, and improving.

Cut back perennials — but not all of them. Hollow-stemmed plants like echinacea, sedums, and ornamental grasses provide winter habitat for solitary bees and overwintering insects. Leave these standing until late February. Cut back the soft, floppy growth of hostas, dahlias (after the first frost blackens the foliage), and annuals.

Apply a mulch layer now. A 5–7cm layer of well-rotted compost or bark mulch applied to borders in October insulates roots from frost, suppresses winter weeds, and feeds the soil as it breaks down. On the heavy Wealden clay soils common across the Low Weald, this annual mulching is the single most effective thing you can do to improve your soil over time.

Lift and store tender plants. Dahlias, cannas, and salvias that are borderline hardy in our region should be lifted after the first frost, dried off, and stored in a frost-free shed or garage. In the sheltered coastal gardens of East Sussex and south Kent, many can be left in the ground with a thick mulch — but it's a gamble in colder inland sites.

Plant spring bulbs. October is the ideal month for most spring bulbs — alliums, narcissi, crocus, muscari, and hyacinths. Leave tulips until November to reduce the risk of tulip fire disease. On chalk soils, bulbs establish brilliantly with no additional preparation. On clay, add a handful of grit to each planting hole to improve drainage.

Clean and oil your tools before putting them away for the season. Sharp, rust-free tools make every job easier — and a well-maintained spade or hoe will last a lifetime.