October Gardening Tips

Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs

It is time to set out Mums and plant Pansies, Ornamental Kale and Cabbage to keep a little color in the garden for as long as possible. After planting feed with Dynamite 9 month fertilizer for winter blooms.
During the fall months, after soil temperature drops below 60°F., plant spring flowering bulbs like Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, and Crocus. Select healthy, disease free bulbs. Add Dr. Earth Fish Bone Meal into the planting hole as you prepare the soil. Most spring flowering bulbs should be in the ground by the early part of this month.
Newly planted trees and shrubs may need to be watered at least two times a week until the temperature drops below 50°.
Spread a 2”-3” layer of mulch after planting to keep the soil warmer longer, allowing root growth to continue.
Throughout the fall and winter months you can plant or transplant both evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs.
Mark your perennials with permanent tags, or create a map or take a picture showing their locations so you’ll know where and what they a r=are when they die back at the end of the season. This will help you to avoid digging up something you intended to keep when you plant bulbs and plants this gall and next spring.
Continue to scout for insect or disease damage. As precaution, treat with Bonide All Season’s Oil as necessary.

Fall Lawn Care

Put down your second application of lawn fertilizer, Jonathan Green Green-Up Lawn Fertilizer.

House Plants

The longer your house plants were allowed to remain outside in the fall, the more shock they will go through when they are finally moved indoors. If you haven’t brought them in yet, do it now!! Apply Bonide Houseplant Insecticide to kill any hitching pests.

Odds and Ends

If your summer containers are looking past their best, re-plant them with fresh winter bedding plants.
Lift and divide any overcrowded herbaceous perennials while the soil is still warm.
After tidying borders, spread shredded hardwood mulch to insulate plant roots for the winter and keep weed growth in check.
Finish harvesting beans and peas. When beans and peas finish cropping simply cut the plant away at ground level, leaving the roots in the soil. These crops fix nitrogen which is slowly released into the soil as the roots break down.
Net ponds to prevent leaves falling into them. If you need to clear pond of weeds lay them next to the pond for a day to allow wildlife to escape back to the water.
Invest in bird baths and bird feeders this autumn. Birds are gardeners’ friends and will keep pest numbers down. Don’t forget keep your bird feeders stocked with Lyric Wild Bird Food or Insect Suet.

From Your Armchair