Monty Don names one garden task that's 'most essential' in September and October

Monty Don has revealed the garden job he considers the "biggest and most important" for September and October.

The 69-year-old gardening guru has disclosed he's been mixing grit into his compost as he prepares to plant his bulbs. He insists now is the perfect moment for gardeners to start preparing their bulbs for next spring's display.

Speaking on Gardeners' World, Monty explained: "We're at that time of year when planting spring bulbs is the biggest and essential job for the rest of this month and throughout October."

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I try and get in all my spring bulbs both into the ground, into grass, into pots - except for tulips. So daffodils, irises, scillas, muscari. And some hyacinths."

Monty stresses that proper drainage is crucial for all spring bulbs, reports the Express. He chose to use a container with a substantial drainage hole at the base plus side drainage, deciding to cover the bottom with a crock.

The gardening specialist also issued a caution to anyone considering purchasing hyacinths for Christmas. This is because they're naturally spring bloomers, which means forcing them to flower in December requires heat treatment.

Monty highlighted that autumn provides ideal conditions for bulb planting since the soil remains warm. This allows the root systems to begin developing before the winter months arrive.

He previously stated: "And really, most bulbs are better planted in September, if you can get it done. It's not essential; you can plant in October, and tulips shouldn't be planted till November and December."

Monty advises that bulbs ought to be planted with at least their own height of soil covering them. Preferably, he suggests the soil should be double the bulb's height.

He positioned his hyacinths by placing six in each pot, as they require "room to grow". The bulbs were finished with grit to prevent compost from "capping" - developing a crust of mixed hard and soft compost.

Monty has previously suggested using a planter in the ground to achieve the correct bulb depths. He explained: "A good bulb planter, if you're planting any amount of bulbs, will be worth its weight in gold and will last for years and years because the important thing with bulbs is you do need to plant them at the right depth."

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