Landscaping Tips for the Month of October

Planning:

  • Assess areas in the garden which need additional planting
  • Continue to use garden notes and photographs to plan for future plantings
  • Prepare landscape sketches for next season

Chores and Maintenance:

  • If rain is lacking continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds and lawn areas, especially evergreens
  • Compost fallen leaves and garden debris such as annuals and spent vegetable plants
  • Continue to weed, weed, weed
  • Complete staking chrysanthemums, water and fertilize
  • Lift and store tender bulbs, i.e., cannas, dahlias and gladiolus after first frost
  • Core aerate to reduce thatch on lawns
  • Mow lawns to 1in. height
  • Keep bird feeders filled

Planting:

  • Complete planting and transplanting broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens before October 15, and water thoroughly
  • Plant and transplant deciduous trees and shrubs after leaf fall between October 15 and December 1
  • Plant spinach and garlic
  • Plant ornamental cabbage and kale
  • Complete lifting and dividing iris, lily-of-the-valley and daylilies
  • Pot up parsley, chives and rosemary to grow indoors
  • Plant bare-root roses
  • Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs; begin planting tulips before month’s end
  • Pot up amaryllis, tulips, and other prepared bulbs and store in a cool, dark place until ready to force

Pruning/Fertilizing:

  • Complete pruning of rambler roses
  • Prune late-flowering shrubs and trees when dormant
  • Fertilize deciduous and evergreen shrubs
  • Fertilize lawn with 3-1-2 plant food

Indoors:

  • Bring in all houseplants before frost
  • Hold off on fertilizing houseplants; resume in March

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