LANDSCAPING : The autumn equinox brings perfect flower-planting energy! Divide overcrowded clumps of perennial asters and rudbeckias, replanting divisions 30cm apart with crowns just at soil level. / Prepare spring bulb beds by working in 5cm of leaf compost to improve drainage and soil structure. / Sow hardy annual seeds like cornflowers, nigella and calendula directly where they’ll flower next year, scattering seeds thinly and covering with 5mm of fine soil. / In heavy clay soils, add a handful of grit to each planting hole for improved drainage around bulbs.
VEGETABLE PATCH : Cooler mornings signal the transition to autumn gardening rhythms. Harvest remaining summer flowers like zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers for indoor arrangements, cutting stems early morning when stems are fully hydrated. / Direct sow sweet peas 2cm deep in groups of 5-6 seeds spaced 20cm apart for early blooms next spring. / Plant autumn-flowering crocus and colchicum bulbs immediately, placing them 8cm deep and 10cm apart in well-drained soil. / Collect seeds from mature nicotiana, cleome and poppy seedheads, storing in paper envelopes in a cool, dry place.
INDOORS : The waxing moon supports flower propagation projects. Take 10cm cuttings from tender perennials like fuchsias, penstemons and salvias, removing lower leaves and inserting into pots filled with 50:50 compost and perlite. / Bring potted geraniums and tender herbs indoors before night temperatures drop below 10°C, trimming back by a third and checking thoroughly for pests. / Repot flowering houseplants like African violets and cyclamen if roots are visible at drainage holes, using fresh compost with added perlite for improved aeration.