October is finally here!  While things are cooling down, vegetable garden chores have slowed up and frost is just around the corner, there is still things that need to be done in the vegetable garden, orchard and perennial beds.

General Jobs

• Prune and tie climbing roses to prevent wind rock.
• Weed paths and garden beds. 
• Sow broad beans.
• Sow winter lettuce.
• Plant onions and garlic for harvesting next year.
• Remove spent vegetable plants and toss to the compost.
• Plant new rhubarb crowns.
• Plant spring flowering bulbs now for spring time splendor.
• Purchase frost blanket now to be prepared for early frost. 

Before Frosts

• Harvest sweet potatoes, Florence fennel, turnips, beets, kohlrabi and fruit vegetables.
• Cover parsley, late cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower with fleece.
• Bring in any green tomatoes to ripen indoors or use in chutney.

In the Orchard

• Quince should be picked just before they are fully ripe - as soon as the fruits turn yellow.
• Persimmons should be ready to harvest at the end of the month.
• Remove any broken branches on fruit trees.
• Mulch trees with compost.

Inside

• Pot up amaryllis bulbs to a third their depth and give as gifts.