What’s the best way to water plants in October? One wrong move and it’ll be a tough time for your garden.

Autumn is still a great time for harvesting flowers and vegetables from our gardens. We’re still getting a harvest of cabbages, radishes, pumpkins, courgettes, carrots and parsley. You can still plant some vegetables. It’s also true that the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder. What impact does this have on plant care? In October, it’s time to adjust some of the standard watering practices for crops. If we make a mistake here, it could have a big impact.

Autumn is a busy time for gardeners. It’s time to start harvesting, pruning and mulching. Some plants are still in the growing season. These need to be looked after in a completely different way to how we would in summer. October is a different month for watering crops. Some plants actually benefit from not being watered at all. We’ll run through what this is all about.

How do you water plants in October?

As any gardener knows, plants need water and nutrients to thrive. They simply can’t survive without it, let alone bear fruit. We need to think about watering our plants differently in October than we would in summer.

• Now is the best time to water crops in the afternoon.

Mornings and evenings are too cold for this and the plants are easily exposed to fungal diseases.
Water temperature is an important aspect when watering plants in October.

• Carefully captured rainwater tends to be ice cold after a night’s sleep, so wait until it has warmed up a little in the sun.

Watering with very cold water can slow down the growth of plants, which will get the signal that frost is on its way. As autumn sets in, we see more rain and the morning dew lasts longer. It’d be a good idea to cut down on watering here so the plants don’t get waterlogged. Obviously, it all depends on the weather.

• If the autumn is exceptionally dry, the crops must be watered.

Which plants should not be watered in October?

As autumn sets in, some plants are already getting ready for hibernation. Their branches need to toughen up before winter arrives, so they can make it through to spring. So, it’s best to avoid watering some plants in October. This includes:

• Lilacs

• hydrangeas

• magnolia

• roses

• fruit trees and shrubs.

Watering will let these plants know that the growing season is still going strong and new shoots might start to grow, but they probably won’t make it through the winter and will be exposed to frost.