Welcome October (Almanac 2025)
Dates and inspiration for things to see and do in Nature in October
WELCOME OCTOBER
At the start of October, we begin a phase of transition leading us towards the Winter season with the clocks going back an hour the clocks in the UK will go back by one hour on Sunday 26 October.
This is the perfect month to enjoy long walks in the slightly chillier weather to catch the morning frosts or enjoy the colourful leaves and tranquil ambience of evenings as the nights draw in. Bonfires and campfires area great way to enjoy time spent with friends and family to tell stories, roast marshmallows, sing songs and marvel at the night sky by observing constellations, planets and shooting stars.
As leaves fall on gardens, field edges and pathways, they create a soft padded cushion underfoot. In woodlands you will find the emergence of all manner of Fungi and Lichen thriving on ancient trees. All manner of birds and small creatures are busy collecting fallen nuts, acorns and seeds to store in their secret hiding places for the Winter.
We remember that on 1 October 2022, legislation was changed to protect wild-living beavers in England, making them a European Protected Species and classifying them as a native animal. Beavers are now protected under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 which means it is an offence to deliberately capture, injure, kill or disturb these treasured creatures, or to damage and destroy their breeding sites or resting places without a wildlife management license from Natural England.
We also remember our pagan ancestors who, during the month of October, celebrated Samhain when communities came together to honour and communicate with their ancestors who were never forgotten. It falls at the end of October and spills into early November, halfway between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice.
A poem - Welcome October - speaks of colourful Autumn colours through the last days before daylight saving as we celebrating the Samhain season, old Gaelic for Summer's grand finale.
This month's Almanac contains key dates and seasonal events to note for the month so that you can stay in sync with Nature's natural cycles with suggestions for ways to benefit from the natural world around you.
Moon Phases
- Tuesday 7 October - FULL HUNTER'S MOON in Aries
- Tuesday 21 October - NEW BEAVER MOON in Libra
Daylight Saving
- Sunday 26 October - clocks go back one hour at 2pm
Sunrise and sunset (Devon, British Isles)
- Wednesday 1 October - Sunrise (7.15am) - Sunset (6.52m)
- Friday 31 October - Sunrise (7.05am) - Sunset (4.51pm)
THINGS TO DO IN THE GARDEN
There is always something to do in the garden, especially as leaves continue to fall and the garden begins to die down for the Winter period.
Fruit & Gourd Picking - this is the perfect month for picking the last of the fruits and every variety of gourd
Bird Boxes - thoroughly clean bird boxes and water containers with a soapy hot water.
Composting - empty spent summer pots and hanging baskets to compost the contents and gather fallen garden leaves to make Leaf Mould (see below).
Collecting Seeds - these can be wild seeds gathered from field edges or hedgerows, or seeds gathered from hardy perennials, such as Astrantia, Achillea and Red Valerian which can be sown straight away.
Planting Bulbs - now is the time to plant drifts of bulbs to brighten your garden in early Spring including Crocuses, Daffodils, Lily of the Valley, Snowdrops and Fritillaries.
Garden Maintenance - clear and tidy the greenhouse and clear fallen leaves and debris from garden edges and guttering.
Pumpkin Gathering and Apple Picking
Visiting a pumpkin patch or apple orchard is a traditional outdoor activity to enjoy in October, especially at half-term when you can pick your own gourds or apples together, creating a great opportunity for families and friends to connect with Nature and create lasting memories.
At the Pumpkin Patch in Paignton and Newton Abbot in Devon, you can pick your own pumpkin with 20 different varieties to choose from. Every day at both pumpkin patches, five golden pumpkins are hidden and if you are lucky enough to find one you get to win any pumpkin you choose for FREE!
the
National Trust Killerton in Exeter in Devon are hosting an apple picking day on Sunday 5 October, where you can pick apples from their Sparrow Park Orchard. These delicious apples are used for Apple Juice and Cider production. On arrival you receive a bucket, some instructions and then you can pick apples for as long or as little as you’d like! This is a fun event for all ages.
Why not search for similar activities in your area to enjoy a fun day out with nutritious benefits attached?
Make Leaf Compost
Making your own compost is a great way to recycle fallen garden leaves, to get some outdoor exercise and have fun creating something that will nourish and protect your garden through the Winter months.
You can make a special compost using only leaves which is called Leaf Mould which can be used next year to improve soil quality or act as a protective mulch to keep weeds and frost out.
You will need the following:
- 4 bamboo canes, around 1.5m high
- Measuring sticks
- 4.5m biodegradable plastic netting or windbreak netting
- Thin garden wire, cut into 10 pieces each 8-10cm long
What to do:
- Push the first corner cane firmly into the ground.
- Using the measuring sticks, form a 1 x 1m square from the first cane and firmly push the other three canes into position.
- Unroll the netting and slowly walk around the four canes, so that the two ends meet and the four canes are enclosed.
- Fix the netting to the canes, by passing the wire through the net and twisting the two ends together tightly around the cane. Apply at least two pieces of wire per cane, spaced at the top and bottom.
- On the last cane, the netting should overlap and the wire should feed through both layers. The loose ends of the netting can either be cut off or attached to the other piece of netting with another piece of wire. This will form an enclosed bin ready for lots of leaves.
- Once the leaves start falling, collect the leaves and start to fill your bin.
- Water in the layers as you go, as this helps to rot the leaves down. It may take up to a year before the leaf mould is ready to dig in to improve the soil or use as mulch.
SOURCE: How to Make Leaf Compost - RHS
I hope you enjoy making the most of Nature through October for your good health, happiness and wellbeing, and look forward to seeing you here for the next Almanac on 1 November 2025.
Sue Cartwright
Spiral Leaf
Buy a book!
Books with seasonal information presented for each month of the year are available from the Spiral Leaf bookshop using the links below.
The Almanac - A Seasonal Guide to 2025 by Lia Leendertz
The Leaping Hare Nature Almanac by Raluca Spatacean
The Forager's Calendar: A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests by John Wright
Wild Hares and Hummingbirds by Stephen Moss
The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel
The Leaping Hare by George Ewart Evans and David Thomson
Meadowland - The Private Life of an English Field by John Lewis-Stempel
Spiral Leaf may earn a small commission on books sold using the above links in support of independent book sellers and bookshops at no extra cost to you!
Thank you for sharing!
for you, for me and for Mother Nature
Latest Posts
All Posts
