What lawn care should you do in October?
October is the last month for active lawn maintenance before growth slows for winter. Mow regularly through October but raise the cutting height by one notch compared to summer, leaving the grass slightly longer to strengthen roots. If you have not already scarified (raked out thatch and moss), early October is the final window: scarification after mid-October risks leaving the lawn exposed going into cold weather without enough time to recover. Aeration is still effective in October: spiking or hollow-tining the lawn relieves compaction and allows autumn rain to reach the root zone rather than sitting on the surface. Apply an autumn lawn feed if you have not done so in September, using a product high in potassium and low in nitrogen to harden the grass for winter rather than encouraging soft growth. Finally, overseed any bare or thin patches now while soil temperatures are still above 8 degrees, giving the seed a chance to germinate before dormancy.
What should you plant in October?
October is the best month for planting trees, shrubs, and hedges in the UK. Container-grown and bare-root plants establish quickly when planted in warm, moist autumn soil. Spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, alliums, and crocuses should go in during October for a display next year. Garlic cloves planted now will be ready to harvest next June. Hardy perennials can be divided and replanted: split overgrown clumps of hostas, geraniums, daylilies, and rudbeckia, discard the tired centre, and replant the vigorous outer sections. October is also a good time to plant new hedging. Bare-root hedging plants are available from November, but container-grown specimens can go in now. In Cambridge, consider native hedging species like hawthorn, blackthorn, field maple, and hornbeam, which suit the local clay soils and support wildlife.
What pruning and tidying should you do in October?
Cut back perennials that have finished flowering but leave structural seed heads like those on sedum, echinacea, and ornamental grasses, which look good through winter and provide food for birds. Remove dead or diseased wood from trees and shrubs while you can still see the structure through the remaining foliage. Trim evergreen hedges for the last time this season: a late October cut keeps them tidy through winter. Clear fallen leaves from lawns, borders, paths, and around drain covers to prevent smothering and waterlogging. Weed borders thoroughly before winter, pulling roots while the soil is soft and moist. Tie in climbing roses and wall shrubs before autumn winds loosen them. Compost healthy green waste but bin or burn anything showing signs of disease to prevent it spreading through the compost heap.
What garden infrastructure should you tackle in October?
October is the ideal time to repair and maintain garden infrastructure before winter weather makes outdoor work miserable. Check fences for loose panels, rotten posts, and broken gravel boards and fix them now before autumn gales cause further damage. Clean and oil timber furniture, sheds, and gates. Jet wash patios, paths, and driveways while the weather is still dry enough for the surfaces to dry properly afterward. Service your mower and strimmer ahead of winter storage: sharpen blades, clean filters, drain old fuel, and store them dry. Clear out greenhouses and cold frames, washing the glass and treating any mould or algae. Lag outdoor taps and exposed pipes against frost. In Cambridge, where clay soil movement can crack paths and push fence posts out of alignment, October is a good time to inspect for structural issues and schedule repairs before the ground freezes and softens through the winter cycle.
What should you hire a professional for in October?
Some October jobs are best left to a professional, either because they require specialist equipment or because they are physically demanding enough to risk injury. Hedge trimming on tall hedges above 2 metres needs powered tools and safe access equipment. Scarification and aeration are most effective with professional-grade machines that penetrate deeper than hand tools. Tree pruning above head height should always be done by a qualified arborist. Large-scale leaf clearance is much faster with commercial blowers and vacuums than with rakes. Garden clearances involving heavy cutting, stump removal, or waste disposal are a full day's work with the right kit but a full weekend without. ELawnCare handles all of these jobs across Cambridge and the surrounding villages, from a one-off autumn tidy to setting up a regular maintenance schedule that carries through the quieter winter months and into the busy spring season.