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 October is harvest
month. It is also planting and cleanup time. There is plenty to do in our
gardens. The first frost date for the Tidewater area is between 11-8 and
11-28.
Herbs
Indoor Plants
Lawns and Landscaping
Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
Trees, Shrubs and Groundcovers
Miscellaneous
Herbs
 | Cut back perennial herbs to encourage well-balanced growth next year. |
| Parsley, chives, sage, and thyme taken from the garden and potted will do
well all winter if watered and set in a sunny window. |
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Indoor Plants
| Bring in all houseplants before frost. Wash them down well to remove
any insects before bringing them into your home. |
| Hold off on fertilizing houseplants. Restart in March. |
| Water lightly once a month. |
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Lawns and Landscaping
| Continue your fertilizing schedule started back in September. For
example, 4 lbs./1000 sq. ft. means 1½ lbs. in Sept.
and October, and 1 lb in November or December. |
| Now is also a good time to have your soil tested
for applications next year. |
| As long as your grass continues to grow, it will
still need to be cut. |
| Remove leaves from the lawn to reduce problems.
Compost them or save them for next year's mulch. |
| Now is the time to control certain broadleaf
weeds including chickweed, white clover, dandelion, wild onion, plantain, and
Canada thistle. Call the Extension office for recommendations. |
| Continue to weed, weed, weed. |
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Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
| Ferns can be planted or transplanted in the
fall. |
| Clean up leaves and stems from around perennial
flowers. If left, they can harbor diseases and places for pests to spend
the winter. |
| Move and divide crowded perennials. Swap
them with friends. |
| Cut down stems and foliage of herbaceous
perennials when the leaves begin to brown. |
| Add mulch to your perennial borders. This
will help conserve soil moisture, protect root systems, and reduce plant loss
by soil heaving during the winter. |
| A lily bulb is never dormant and must be planted
as soon as it is received. Have beds prepared ahead of time. |
| Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs,
especially tulips, before the month ends. |
| Lift and store Begonia, Dahlia and Gladiolus. |
| Plant bare-root roses at this time. |
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Trees, Shrubs and Groundcovers
| Transplant deciduous trees and shrubs when they
are dormant. Evergreen trees or shrubs may be transplanted before they
go dormant. October and November are generally considered the best
months to plant trees and shrubs. |
| Plant trees at least 6 feet away from sidewalks
and concrete pools, so growing roots do not crack the concrete. |
| The top of a shrub's or tree's roots should be
flush with the ground, so the planting hole should be no deeper than the root
ball. |
| Your trees and shrubs have begun to harden for
the upcoming cold weather. To encourage this, remove mulch from around
the stems of shrubs and trees. |
| To minimize the look of open spaces between new
shrubs, plant a low-growing ground cover, such as bugleweed or winter creeper. |
| If your climbing roses are in an exposed
location, tie them up firmly with broad strips of rags to prevent wind damage. |
| It is too late to prune roses due to winter
injury. However, rake and clean around the plants to prevent black spot
and other diseases. |
| Water evergreens thoroughly before the ground
freezes. They tend to lose water during the winter and cannot replenish
their water after the ground freezes. |
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Miscellaneous
| Late-fall tilling will expose insect pests to
winter conditions. It also makes spring soil preparations easier. |
| Store chemicals that should not freeze in a
place where temperatures do not fall below 40°. |
| During fall, demand for garden supplies is low,
so keep an eye open for special prices on hand tools and power equipment. |
| Do not apply quick-acting fertilizers while
tilling the soil. Otherwise, the nitrogen will leach away before spring. |
| Mulch is best used during fall and winter after
the soil temperature has reached 32°. A mulch is used to keep soil
temperatures constant and prevent frost heaving, not to keep it warm. |
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