October in the garden

Flowers:

• Now is a great time to plant seedlings of alyssum, amaranthus, begonia, cosmos, marigold, petunia, portulaca, salvia, verbena and zinnia.

• For a splash of deep crimson in the spring garden, look for Dianthus ‘Passion’, with its clusters of miniature carnation-like blooms.

• Smarten up cymbidium orchids by cutting away dead leaves and old root growth. If they’re too cramped, divide them up and re-pot in a good quality orchid potting mix.

• Plant sunflower seeds in a sunny corner of your garden.

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Grow your own tomatoes for unbeatable flavour. Photo: Thinkstock

In the veggie patch:

• This month, plant seedlings of beetroot, capsicum, cucumber, lettuce, pumpkin, shallot, silverbeet, squash and zucchini.

• Start your tomato seeds by planting them into peat-pots (or toilet rolls) and positioning them on a sunny windowsill. Alternatively, head to the nursery for seedlings to plant.

• Beans are a great crop to sow at this time of year. Germinate in protected pots or trays in cooler areas or sow directly into a garden bed in warm areas.

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Garden maintenance:

• It’s time to spray lawn weeds like bindii, before they take over and smother your new grass growth.

• Spread a little mulch. It’s good exercise and the ideal way to retain precious moisture in the soil.

• Help along spring by fertilising your fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs and flowerbeds.

• Keep pot plants happy over the coming dry months by adding a soil-wetting agent to the potting mix.

• Set aside an afternoon to clean and sharpen your garden tools.

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