What to Do in Your Garden in October

Fall is my favorite time of year. The autumn colors people incorporate into their landscape just make me giddy! Don’t get too wrapped up in the change of seasons that you forget to take time to prepare for Spring flowers! Here’s a handy list of things you should be doing in October. 

Plant

• Spring flowering bulbs should be planted this month, with the exception of tulips and hyacinths which should be placed in the refrigerator for 6 weeks before being planted in late December or early January.
• Pot up basil, chives, parsley, rosemary, sage, and sweet marjoram for that sunny kitchen window. Wisteria and trumpet vine can be planted this month.
• Annuals to plant are pansies, violas, pinks, flowering cabbage and kale, English daisy, wildflower planting, cornflowers, larkspur, and Queen's Anne Lace.
• Perennials to plant include asters, salvia, hollyhock, daylilies, baby’s breath, iris, Shasta daisy, peonies, and phlox.
• Many evergreens may be planted this month.

Fertilize

• Test soil in garden to monitor balance of minerals.
• Foliar feed all plantings and lawns.

Prune

• Remove damaged and dead wood from trees.
• Pick blossom-like fruit of golden rain trees and let dry for winter arrangements.
• Prune back annuals like blue salvia and dianthus to the ground and mulch, they may go through the winter and bloom again.

Miscellaneous

• Dig up caladiums now with foliage intact, allow to dry, remove dried foliage and store in peat moss in a cool dark place for replanting next year.
• Force bulbs for indoor show. Place bulb on gravel and water enough to cover the roots, keep in dark place until root system is established and sprout reaches 3 inches, bring gradually into the light and refill container with water to original level. Enjoy the blooms of paper-white, narcissus, lily of the valley, jonquil, or hyacinth in this way.
• Make sure the birds in your garden have food, shelter, and water.
• Place leaves in compost bin.

In Bloom

• Mums, marigolds, periwinkle, salvia, sasanquas, golden rain tree, roses, ageratum, aster, camellia, celosia, colchicum, dahlia, petunia, salvia, torenia, and zinnia.

Don’t forget to pick up a pumpkin or two for your front porch!

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Happy gardening!