TALKING GARDENING with DOUG – October Gardening Tasks

THESE TASKS WILL HELP PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR WINTER AND FOR A SUCCESSFUL SPRING.

What a difference a year makes –  besides being a year older.  Last year we were experiencing a dry period.  From mid-August through the entire month of September we only received 1-½ inches of rain.  Obviously, this is not the case this year.  Our average rainfall total for a September is 4.1 inches of rain.  Some of us exceeded this monthly average in just a few days because of Hurricane Florence, not to mention all the rain we had before and after Hurricane Florence.  Matter of fact, I cross the James River coming to work every day and it has been muddy and high for most of September.

October is here and the first week we are having some unseasonably warm weather.  Next week we are to cool down and feel like fall.

Don’t put your hose away yet.  There are a number of important tasks to be done in the garden before we finally close the door on October.

CLEANING UP

Tree leaves are beginning to fall and you may have already started to rake or leaf blow.  Don’t forget to clean fallen leaves in your garden beds.  We have had a very wet summer and we are dealing with a lot of fungus issues on the leaves of our plants.  It is a good practice to clean up leaves out of the landscape.  If you allow infected leaves to remain on the ground over the winter, there is a good chance your plants will be re-infected the following season.  This is especially true for roses.  Good fall clean-up can greatly reduce the prevalence of black spot on roses the following season.

CUTTING BACK

While you’re cleaning up your garden beds you might be tempted to prune your trees and evergreen shrubs.  I strongly advise against this.    It’s just too early.  We haven’t even had a frost.  Pruning now could encourage new growth.  You don’t want this to happen this time of year.  This new growth will not have ample time to “harden off” before we do have our first killing frost.

LAWN FERTILIZER

Now is a good time to give your lawn a second application of fall fertilizer.  Following the S.O.D. fertilizing schedule you can substantially improve your lawn’s winter hardiness.

FALL IS FOR PLANTING

Just because it is October and tree leaves are just beginning to fall does not mean the end of the planting season.  Now is a great time to be planting trees and shrubs.  We have warm soil that helps encourage root growth.  We certainly have ample moisture in our soil.  And, we have fewer pests to deal with this time of year.  Plants that are planted now have 8 months to become more rooted and established before the stress of next summers’ heat and possible dryness.

8 key steps to planting properly:

1. Water the new plants well before planting.
2. If in a container, be sure to loosen the root system before placing in the hole.  If balled & burlapped, then untie the string that may be tied around the trunk of the plant.  Leave the burlap on the rootball.  Burlap will rot and decay in time.
3. Dig a hole that is about twice as wide than the root system.  Amend the soil with compost.  Let the new root growth grow outward into this amended soil.
4. Add some ESPOMA BIO-TONE in the hole.  Bio-Tone is a root stimulator.
5. Have the plant slightly mounded out of the hole.
6. Water the shrub or tree as you plant.  The weight of the water will help eliminate any air pockets in the soil and help compress the soil firmly around the root system.
7. Newly planted plants will need to be watered 2 or 3 times a week.  Be sure the watering is deep and thorough around the root structure.
8. Add a fresh layer of mulch.  Mulch is great for water retention, but in the winter it also doubles as an insulator.

A few more quick October gardening tasks:

1. Now is a good time to replace your summer annuals with the winter hardy pansies.
2. Now is bulb planting time – daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, and other minor bulbs can be planted now.  Hold off on planting tulip bulbs until mid-November when our soil temperature has cooled.
3. Try to keep water gardens free from falling leaves.
4. Pine trees are beginning to shed needles.  Pine needles make great mulch.  And, they are free from Mother Nature.
5. October is when we take down our hummingbird feeder and hang our regular bird feeder.
6. It is time to prep houseplants for coming inside.  Read my blog from last week for details.

Enjoy October – it’s a great month for be a gardener and a great month to be living in Virginia!!