October Gardening Guide — From Frost to Feast

October is when the garden really wakes up!

The days are longer, the soil is warmer, and the frosty mornings are (mostly) behind us.

It’s the green light for gardeners to sow, plant, and get stuck in.

Think of October as the month where your garden goes from “winter nap” to “spring party.”

Jump ahead to your Favorite section

Vegetables

🥕 Vegetables to Plant in October

With the soil warming up, October is prime planting season for summer crops.

  • Beans (climbing and dwarf)

  • Sweetcorn

  • Pumpkins, courgettes, and cucumbers

  • Tomatoes (plant out once frosts are gone)

  • Capsicums and chillies (in warmer areas or protected spots)

  • Herbs like basil, coriander, and dill

💡 Tip: Before planting, give your soil a boost with DCT Garden or Lazerhume. It helps wake up the soil microbes so your plants thrive from day one.

🧺 What Vegetables Are Ready to Harvest?

  • Early potatoes (yum, dig them up gently!)

  • Broccoli, spinach, and kale

  • Silverbeet and lettuces

  • Fresh asparagus spears (cut and enjoy while they’re tender)

⚠️ What to Look Out for in October

  • Late Frosts: Some parts of NZ still get a sneaky one. Use frost cloth or cloches on tender plants.

  • Pests on the Move: Aphids and whitefly love this time of year. Check leaves often.

  • Weeds on Overdrive: They grow just as fast as your veggies right now.

🌿 Great Tips for Gardening in October

  • Stake tomatoes and beans early before they flop over.

  • Mulch around young plants to keep weeds down and moisture in.

  • Keep an eye on slugs and snails — they’ll be partying in your seedlings.

  • Plan ahead: start a planting calendar so you can stagger crops for longer harvests.

Flowers

🌸 Flower Gardening in October

Spring flowers are showing off, and October is perfect for adding colour that will last right into summer.

🌱 Flowers to Plant in October

  • Marigolds, petunias, cosmos, and zinnias

  • Dahlias and gladioli for a summer display

  • Sunflowers for height and cheerfulness

  • Sweet peas for a fragrant pop of colour

🌷 Great Tips for Flower Gardening in October

  • Deadhead early spring blooms to encourage more flowers.

  • Feed roses — they’re hungry now!

  • Add mulch around flowerbeds to keep soil cool and moist.

⚠️ Flower Gardening Precautions

  • Watch for black spot and mildew on roses. Start preventative sprays early.

  • Protect tender annuals if a chilly snap comes through.

  • Keep slugs and snails away from fresh seedlings.

Lawn

🌱 Lawn Guide for October

Lawn Care Tips

  • Give lawns a spring feed to encourage strong green growth.

  • Mow regularly, but don’t scalp it — keep the grass 4–5 cm high.

  • Overseed any bare or patchy spots.

    💡 DCT Lawn is perfect this month — it helps green things up quickly while also looking after the soil beneath.

⚠️ Common Lawn Problems in October

  • Weeds: They love popping up now. Spot treat them early.

  • Compaction: If your lawn feels hard, aerate it to help roots breathe. A little Lazerhume in the mix can also loosen things up.

  • Dry Patches: Mulch clippings or add organic matter to help retain moisture as days warm up.

🎉 Fun Lawn Activities in September

  • Mark out a mini cricket pitch or soccer field for the kids.

  • Lay on a picnic blanket with a cold drink and admire your handiwork.

  • Or, just sprawl on it like a starfish — because a healthy lawn deserves to be enjoyed.

Recipe

🍓 October Recipe: Strawberry Pavlova Jars

Spring in New Zealand means strawberries are starting to show up — and what better way to celebrate than with a light, fun twist on a Kiwi classic: pavlova!

These single-serve jars are perfect for a backyard picnic, a family treat after gardening, or just because.

Ingredients:

  • 4 mini pavlova nests (store-bought is fine!)

  • 1 cup whipped cream

  • 1 punnet fresh strawberries (sliced)

  • 1–2 kiwifruit (sliced)

  • A drizzle of passionfruit pulp or syrup (optional)

  • A sprinkle of grated dark chocolate (because why not?)

🍳 Method:

  1. Crumble the pavlova nests into the bottom of four jars or glasses.

  2. Layer with whipped cream, followed by strawberries and kiwifruit.

  3. Repeat until jars are filled.

  4. Top with a final dollop of cream, a drizzle of passionfruit, and a sprinkle of grated chocolate.

  5. Serve immediately (or pop them in the fridge for a couple of hours).

🌱 Garden Connection

If you’re growing strawberries at home, this is your first taste of the season’s bounty. And if your patch isn’t producing yet, don’t worry — October is the time to prep your strawberry beds for a bumper summer harvest. Give the soil a splash of DCT Lazerhume now to set the scene for sweet, juicy fruit later on.