As the leaves fall from their branches, our gardens are filled with wonderful, warming colours. Autumn is a wonderful time of year and there is so much that can be done in the outdoors. Here we outline what you can do in your garden in October.

Lawn Care - Remove Moss & Feed Lawn

What's the best kept secret in lawn care?
People who treat their lawns in Autumn will have the best lawns in Spring! That's it! Treat now and your lawn will turn rich green and moss free in 2 simple steps.
So if you've got green lawn envy - here's what you need to do!

If you want a rich green lawn next Spring - now is the time to take action. Autumn lawn care is probably the most important time for avid lawn keepers.

A perfect lawn can be achieved in 2 simple steps:

• Step 1: Start by removing lawn moss. We recommend using Zero Lawn Moss. Zero Lawn Moss will start to work overnight attacking moss right down to the root. Zero Lawn Moss is not a pesticide, grass cuttings can still be placed in compost. Once the treated area is dried it is safe for children and pets to use the area.
• Step 2: 24 hours later, give the lawn a good feed. Zero Lawn Feed will not only feed your lawn for the next 3 months, but it will also suppress moss creeping back. Ensuring a green lawn, with little maintenance work required.

Patio Moss - Moss on Hard Surfaces

Moss is growing fast and strong this autumn. Apply PAC to your outdoor areas that are affected by moss (patios, slates, tiles, driveways and footpaths) and watch as your moss disappears.
Simply mix the solution with water and apply to affected areas in dry weather. An application of PAC will kill any unwanted moss and lichen growth in your garden in October. For larger spaces, PRO PAC is ideal as it is a stronger mix so will cover a larger area when diluted.

Add Colour to Pots & Containers

October is the ideal time to add Winter flowering plants to your patio planters and window boxes. Winter flowering plants such as heather, cyclamen, pansies, violas and trailing ivy can all be planted now.
Before adding the plants place some spring flowering tulips and dwarf narcissus in the center of the pots for some additional colour next Spring.

Sow Wild Flower Seed

Bring a spectacular sight to your garden with wild flower seeds. Once created you will attract bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects into your garden. With easy-to-grow seeds, it is perfect for garden beds and grows well in most soils.
For biodiversity, choose a quiet corner of the garden to sow your wild flower patch. This will allow pollinators to do their thing in peace. Don’t forget to under-plant with Spring flowering bulbs like Crocus, Narcissus or Tulips to extend the flowering period. The right bulb selection mixed with wild flower seeds will provide over 6 months of colour!

Feed Garden Birds

Clean out bird feeders and boxes and prepare them for the Winter months ahead. If you start feeding & attracting the birds now, they will become a regular visitor to your garden improving your biodiversity.
During the Winter season birds will appreciate the extra nourishment and provide wonderful colour and entertainment in return.

Different Foods Attract Different Birds!
Peanuts - peanuts are a source of energy and are packed full of essential fats and oils. They attract a wide variety of birds to a garden.
Popular with the Tit family, Greenfinches, House Sparrows, Nuthatches and Siskins; peanuts may be the perfect choice for you as it attracts a diverse range of birds.

Fat Balls - fat-based foods like fat balls, bird cake and food bars are perfect for the Winter to store up the energy needed for birds. Woodpeckers, Tits and Starling are often attracted to these tempting morsels, especially when served with their peanut favourites!

Wild Bird Seed - wild bird seed comes in many varieties, all with high nutritional content. These are great to give birds a variety of food sources. These are especially attractive to Starlings, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, House Sparrows, Thrushes, Robins and Collared Doves.

Nyjer Seeds - Tiny and black in colour, these seeds are high in calories and oil. Nyger seeds are loved by Goldfinches, Siskins and Tits. If you would also love to see the rare, tiny, red-patched finch known as the Lesser Redpoll in your garden, why not try feeding these nyger seeds. You won’t regret it!

Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs

The joy about planting bulbs is anyone can do it! Provide them with a pot with good drainage, quality compost and watch them grow!

Have you heard about Lasagne Planting? This involves planting in layers - just like making a lasagne! Sometimes called 'Triffle' planting too.
Plant the latest flowering bulbs at the bottom and the earliest flowering bulbs at the top. This will give colour from January to April!

A wonderful project to complete with your children this Autumn is to plant scented hyacinths. Hyacinths offer you a wide range of colourful blooms.
If they are planted now they will reward you with a stunning show of colour and scent for Christmas and the New Year. They can be planted in baskets, pots or window boxes. What a fun and rewarding activity to get your children or grandchildren involved in.

October is also a good time to visit and tidy graves. Graves can be brightened up by planting some winter and spring flowering cyclamen, pansies and violas. Why not add a planted container? You can plant it up with colour for winter and spring.

Sow and Grow:

Onions and Garlic can be planted now ready for harvest in early Spring!

If you have apple, pear or plum trees, now is the time to pick the remaining fruit. Simply wrap the fruit in clean newspaper and store in crates in a dark, frost-free and cool location.

If you want to plant a new apple, pear or plum tree in your garden, October is a good time to do so. The Coronet Dwarf Apple Tree can be grown in a patio pot or container and will give you an abundance of fruit next summer.

Garden Care:

If you are interested in composting, now is a good time to start making a garden compost heap. Simply collect fallen leaves, lawn clippings, shredded newspapers and uncooked kitchen waste.
If you want to accelerate the composting process just apply a dressing of autumn compost maker over the layers of organic composting materials.

Plant hedging plants now to provide shelter and privacy in your garden. Large, instant mature hedging plants are now available for planting to create an instant wall of foliage up to 6 feet tall. They come in a wide selection of heights and varieties. Interested in planting a hedge?

Trees including liquid amber, mountain ash, maples, sumachs and cotoneaster offer stunning Autumn and early Winter colours in your garden.
Fruiting trees including sorbus, pyracantha, cotoneaster and malus offer your garden song birds a natural food source of delicious berries to sustain them through the autumn and early winter.

Alternatively, tune in with Paraic on "The Gardening Show" Saturday morning at 9am on Mid West Radio and Wednesday morning on Newstalk.
Paraic will be answering all your garden questions and giving his best tips for your gardening needs.

Need a hand getting the most out of your outdoor environment? Our experts are always on hand to help at your local store.
Just contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.