Please add image or text logo
Here is our monthly round-up of news, tips and ideas to make the most of your garden this October!
October marks the heart of autumn, bringing cooler temperatures, colourful foliage and plenty of opportunities to prepare the garden for winter. It’s also an ideal time for planting, improving your soil and laying the foundations for a spectacular spring.
Whether you’re planting bulbs, creating a wildlife-friendly garden, stocking up on firewood or enjoying crisp woodland walks with the family, Earnshaws has everything you need to make the most of the season.
Before winter arrives in earnest, tick off these essential gardening jobs:
• Prune climbing and rambling roses – Remove soft growth but save harder pruning for late winter.
• Plant spring-flowering bulbs – Daffodils, crocus and alliums can be planted now. Tulips can be planted later in the month or into November.
• Lift pots onto pot feet – Improve drainage and protect roots from sitting in water.
• Protect tender plants – Use horticultural fleece or move plants into a greenhouse or sheltered position before the first frosts.
• Clean greenhouses, cold frames and bird feeders – Cleaning now helps reduce pests and diseases over winter.
• Mulch borders – Use compost, bark or well-rotted manure to protect roots, improve soil and suppress weeds.
• Collect fallen leaves – Gather leaves to make nutrient-rich leaf mould for next year’s garden.
• Install or empty water butts – Make the most of autumn rainfall and collect water for use around the garden.
You’ll find compost, bark, garden tools, raised beds, water butts and winter gardening essentials at both Earnshaws centres.
Explore our gardening range.
One of the biggest gardening trends for 2026 is creating gardens that support wildlife all year round.
Simple jobs can make a huge difference:
• Leave a small pile of logs or branches – Place them in a quiet corner of the garden where insects and other wildlife can shelter.
• Stack fallen leaves beneath hedges – This provides valuable shelter for hedgehogs, beetles and other garden visitors.
• Add bird feeders – Put feeders out before natural food supplies become scarce during the colder months.
• Plant berry-producing shrubs – These provide valuable winter food for birds.
• Leave some seed heads standing – Finches and other garden visitors will enjoy the natural food source.
Not only will your garden become more biodiverse, but many of these helpful visitors will repay the favour next spring by naturally controlling pests and pollinating flowers.
Vegetables
October remains one of the best months for establishing hardy vegetables.
Plant now:
• Garlic – Varieties such as Kingsland Wight and Caulk Wight.
• Autumn onion sets – Including Radar and Senshyu Yellow.
• Broad beans – Aquadulce Claudia is a reliable choice for autumn sowing.
• Winter salads – Lamb’s lettuce, winter lettuce and land cress can all be established now.
• Spring cabbage plants – Plant now for an early crop next year.
Raised beds and well-drained soil are especially beneficial during the wetter northern autumn.
Fruit
Now is the ideal time to establish fruit that will reward you for years to come.
Plant:
• Bare-root apple, pear and plum trees
• Raspberry canes
• Gooseberries
• Blackcurrants
• Redcurrants
• Rhubarb crowns
Adding compost when planting helps roots establish before winter.
Edible hedging continues to grow in popularity as gardeners look for attractive boundaries that support wildlife while producing seasonal harvests.
Rather than relying solely on ornamental hedges, why not introduce productive native planting?
Excellent choices include:
• Blackthorn – Famous for autumn sloes.
• Crab Apple – Spectacular blossom followed by fruit for delicious jellies.
• Hazel – Attractive screening with edible nuts.
• Dog Rose – Colourful hips packed with Vitamin C.
• Elder – Spring flowers for cordial and autumn berries for preserves.
• Hawthorn – Wonderful for wildlife and a classic native hedge.
If you already have quality timber fencing from Earnshaws, edible shrubs planted in front create a softer, more natural appearance while increasing biodiversity and seasonal interest.
Browse fencing, posts, sleepers and landscaping materials.
Instead of sending autumn leaves to waste, turn them into one of the finest soil conditioners available.
Simply collect fallen leaves into a compost bin or hessian sack, keep them slightly damp and leave nature to do the rest.
Within 12–18 months you’ll have rich leaf mould that’s perfect for:
• Improving heavy clay soils
• Mulching borders
• Potting compost mixes
• Retaining moisture around shrubs and trees
We stock compost bins, composters and garden storage solutions. Browse our range here to make the job simple.
There’s still plenty to enjoy from the vegetable garden as autumn settles in.
Harvest:
• Tomatoes – Pick before the first frost.
• Chillies and peppers
• Spinach
• Late apples
• Pumpkins
• Beetroot
• Carrots
• Leeks
• Parsnips – These become sweeter after the first frost.
Store apples somewhere cool and dry, and leave pumpkins in the sun for several days after harvesting to harden their skins for longer storage.
Autumn is one of the most beautiful times to visit our Midgley Centre.
Take time to:
• Explore our woodland nature trails.
• Visit the Little Acorn Coffee Stop for homemade cakes, hot drinks and treats.
• Complete the free Name That Footprint trail with the children.
• Browse our extensive range of fencing, landscaping products, gardening supplies and seasonal displays.
It’s the perfect family day out while enjoying Yorkshire’s spectacular autumn colours.
With colder evenings arriving, October is the perfect month to replenish your log store.
Our quality air-dried logs offer excellent heat output with low moisture content for cleaner, more efficient burning.
Available from both Midgley and Brigg, our firewood can be delivered throughout our normal delivery areas.
Don’t wait until the first cold snap – stock up early and stay cosy all winter.
From October through to March our seasonal opening hours apply.
Midgley
Monday–Friday: 8.00am – 4.30pm
Saturday: 8.30am – 4.30pm
Sunday: 10.00am – 4.00pm
Brigg
Monday–Friday: 8.00am – 4.00pm
Saturday: 8.30am – 4.00pm
Sunday: Closed
Whatever your autumn gardening plans, Earnshaws has the products, advice and inspiration to help you make the most of the season. Whether you’re planting for spring, preparing for winter or simply enjoying your outdoor space, we’d love to welcome you to our Midgley or Brigg centres.
For more seasonal inspiration, gardening advice and our full range of products, visit https://www.jobearnshaw.co.uk.
Book of the Month
RHS The Winter Garden: Celebrating the Forgotten Season by Naomi Slade.
Available from Amazon.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower” — Albert Camus
Sales and advice 
01924 830055
