October Weather Statistics
Average daily high: 71.7 degrees
Average daily low: 47.8 degrees
Average rainfall: 3.17 inches
•
Expect the first frost around the middle of October. Before
that night, bring in houseplants that have summered
outdoors. Inspect them for unwanted arthropods and place
the plants in a bright spot for the winter. Also on your
“to do” list before frost: harvest sweet potatoes, gourds
and winter squash. Pick green tomatoes and wrap them
individually in newspaper to ripen at room temperature.
• Think spring when in the vegetable garden this month.
Unless your fall garden prevents it, this is a great time
to till in compost and lime and get it working over the
winter. You’ll be ready to plant those sugar snap peas when
February 2010 rolls around.
• For a great lawn without excessive mowing, feed
established cool-season lawns just three times – September,
October and December OR September, November and February.
Apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of
lawn area at each feeding.
• To determine how much fertilizer you will need to spread
to get one pound of nitrogen, you’ll need to do a little
garden math: The three numbers displayed on a bag of
fertilizer represent the percentages of the three main
nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) contained in
that bag. For example, a bag of 17-17-17 fertilizer
contains 17 percent Nitrogen, 17 percent Phosphorus and 17
percent Potassium. To apply one pound of actual nitrogen,
divide 1 pound by the percentage contained in the bag; in
this case, 0.17. (1 ÷ 0.17 = 5.88) You will need to apply
5.88 pounds of 17-17-17 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet to
achieve the recommended 1 pound of actual nitrogen.
• October is the right time to plant new trees and shrubs.
Dig the planting hole at least twice as wide, but no deeper
than the root ball of the plant. Loosen a tight root ball
and plant just a little high to allow for settling. Check
for good drainage and water plants thoroughly as you
backfill.
• Dig, divide and replant spring and summer-blooming
perennials now. Daylilies and hosta will benefit from this
attention, but hellebores (Lenten rose) resent division.
Luckily, these plants readily reseed themselves, so look
for seedlings to transplant.
• Cold-loving annuals can be planted now. Sweet peas,
poppies, Bells of Ireland, forget-me-nots and larkspur are
just a few that can’t take the heat but shine when there’s
a chill in the air.
• Take cuttings from woody herbs, dip in rooting hormone
and plant in moist, well-drained medium. Lemon balm,
oregano, sage, rosemary, tarragon and thyme are all good
candidates for your windowsill garden.
• Move permanent potted water garden plants to deeper water
by the end of the month. Keep leaves and debris out of the
water, but don’t overdo it. A thin layer of decomposing
matter on the bottom of the pond is actually beneficial.
• Begin to plant spring-flowering bulbs now. Jonquils and
daffodils are virtually vole-proof, but tulips bulbs are a
favorite vole snack. Try planting them in strawberry
baskets buried in the ground or surround the bulbs with
hardware cloth.
• Plant green manure this fall and your garden will be more
productive and healthier next season! For a small garden,
annual crimson clover is a good choice. Plant five ounces
per 1,000 square feet. If your garden is larger and you
have access to serious equipment to till in the dense root
systems, try a small grain such as oats or wheat. If you’ve
ever reseeded a bare patch in your lawn, you can plant a
cover crop. Work up the soil gently with a garden rake,
broadcast the seed over the soil, then rake it in. In the
spring, till the cover crop into the soil to enrich and add
organic matter.
• Plant pansies now, adding a slow-release fertilizer for
better flower displays during warm spells over winter. Wait
until after the first freeze to mulch the beds.
• For a great lawn without excessive mowing, feed
established cool-season lawns just three times – September,
October and December or September, November and February.
Apply one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of
lawn area at each feeding. To minimize mowing chores even
further, fertilize just once a year - in December.
• October is the right time to plant new trees and shrubs.
Dig the planting hole at least twice as wide but no deeper
than the root ball of the plant. Loosen a tight root ball
and plant just a little high to allow for settling. Check
for good drainage and water plants thoroughly as you
backfill.
• There is a lot to get done in the garden before first
frost! Harvest sweet potatoes, gourds, pumpkins and winter
squash. Pick green tomatoes and wrap them individually in
newspaper to ripen at room temperature.
• Dig, divide and replant spring and summer-blooming
perennials now. Daylilies, hostas, Shasta daisies, iris and
peonies will benefit from the division and have time to
become established before spring.
• Cold-loving annuals can be planted now. Sweet peas,
poppies, Bells of Ireland, forget-me-nots and larkspur are
just a few that can’t take the heat but shine when there’s
a chill in the air.
• Take cuttings from your woody herbs; dip in rooting
hormone and plant in moist, well-drained medium. Lemon
balm, oregano, sage, rosemary, tarragon and thyme are all
good candidates for your winter windowsill garden.
• If you have had a soil test done and the results suggest
the addition of lime, this is an excellent time to do it.
Winter rains and alternating freezes and thaws will help
incorporate the lime into the soil.
• Begin to plant spring-flowering bulbs now. Jonquils and
daffodils are virtually vole-proof, but it’s hard to deny
the splendor of tulips! Try planting them in strawberry
baskets buried in the ground, use hardware cloth to exclude
the critters or mix PermaTill - a sharp, pea-sized gravel -
into the fill around the bulb.
• Colorful displays next spring begin with bulbs planted
this month. Because many spring bulbs are a favorite food
of deer and voles, you will be glad to know that members of
the genus Narcissus, including jonquils and daffodils, are
distasteful to both of these critters. There are many
daffodil cultivars to choose; a range of heights, different
bloom periods for extended display, and colors that extend
beyond the usual yellow trumpet.
• Harvest gourds, pumpkins and winter squash before first
frost. Pick only solid, mature fruit, leave a few inches of
stem intact and be careful not to injure the rind. Dip the
fruit in a solution of four teaspoons of chlorine bleach
per gallon of water. Allow fruit to dry but don’t rinse
until ready to use. Cure at room temperature for a week to
harden the rind then store in a cool place.
• Spray indoor plants that have summered outdoors with a
pyrethrum-based insecticide a week to ten days before
bringing the plants inside. This will discourage any
potential hitchhikers.
• Plant pansies now, adding a timed-release fertilizer for
better flower displays. Wait until after the first freeze
to mulch.
• Plant seeds of cold-loving annuals such as sweet peas,
poppies, cornflower, bells of Ireland, forget-me-nots, and
Johnny jump-ups.
• Before first frost, this is expected after mid-month,
harvest sweet potatoes and pick green tomatoes. Wrap the
tomatoes individually in newspaper and store in a cool
place to ripen.
• The feeding schedule for established cool-season lawns is
as follows: Apply one pound actual nitrogen per 1,000
square feet of lawn three times – September, October and
December or September, November and February. Remember to
keep leaves raked off seeded lawns to prevent smothering
the baby grass.
• If you have had a soil test done and the results suggest
the addition of lime, this is an excellent time to do it.
Winter rains and alternating freezes and thaws will help
incorporate the lime into the soil.
• This is a good time to dig, divide and replant spring and
summer-blooming perennials. Cut the foliage of peonies to
within 4 inches of the ground, then gently lift the entire
clump with a spading fork. Use a sharp knife to make
divisions that have at least 3 to 5 dark red ‘eyes’, or
growth points, each. Allow the divisions to cure in a warm,
dry place for a day or two, then plant so that the eyes are
no more than one inch below the surface of the soil.
Peonies that are planted too deeply will never bloom. Water
well and mulch lightly.
• October is the right time to plant new trees and shrubs.
Remember to dig the planting hole at least twice as wide
but no deeper than the root ball of the plant. Loosen a
tight root ball and plant just a little high to allow for
settling. Check for good drainage and water plants
thoroughly as you backfill
• Divide and replant spring and summer-blooming perennials.
Daylilies, hostas, Shasta daisies, iris and peonies will
benefit from the division.
• Plant seeds of cold-loving annuals such as sweet peas,
poppies, bells of Ireland, larkspur, Johnny-Jump-Ups and
forget-me-nots.
• Plant pansies, adding a timed-release fertilizer for
better flower displays. Mulch the beds after the first
freeze.
• Begin planting spring-blooming bulbs this month. Jonquils
seem to be unaffected by voles, but protect other bulbs by
planting with pea-sized sharp gravel intermixed with the
soil. Other deterrents include planting in baskets sunk
into the ground or surrounding the bed with hardware cloth
buried to a depth of 6 inches.
• Spray indoor plants that have summered outdoors with a
pyrethrum-based insecticide a week to 10 days before
bringing the plants inside to discourage hitchhikers.
• Harvest gourds, pumpkins and winter squash before first
frost. Pick only solid, mature fruit and leave a few inches
of stem intact. Be careful not to injure the rind. Dip
fruit in a solution of 4 teaspoons of chlorine bleach per
gallon of water. Allow fruit to dry but do not rinse until
ready to use. Cure at room temperature for a week, then
store in a cool place.
• Before first frost, pick green tomatoes, wrap
individually in newspaper and store in a cool, dry place to
ripen.
• For a winter herb garden indoors, take cuttings from
woody herbs, dip in rooting hormone and plant in a
well-drained medium. Try lemon balm, marjoram, oregano,
rosemary, sage, tarragon and thyme.
• Feeding schedule for established cool-season lawns is as
follows: Apply 1 pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of
lawn three times Ð September, October and December OR
September, November and February. Remember to keep leaves
raked off newly seeded lawns to prevent smothering of the
baby grass.
• Plant a winter cover crop for better soil next spring.
Home gardeners may plant 5 ounces of clover per 1,000
square feet of garden and till under in the spring.
• Expect the first frost around the middle of October.
Before that night, bring in houseplants that have summered
outdoors. Inspect them for unwanted arthropods and place
the plants in a bright spot for the winter. Also on your
“to do” list before frost: harvest sweet potatoes, gourds
and winter squash. Pick green tomatoes and wrap them
individually in newspaper to ripen at room temperature.
• Think spring when in the vegetable garden this month.
Unless your fall garden prevents it, this is a great time
to till in compost and lime and get it working over the
winter. You’ll be ready to plant those sugar snap peas when
February 2010 rolls around.
• For a great lawn without excessive mowing, feed
established cool-season lawns just three times – September,
October and December OR September, November and February.
Apply 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of
lawn area at each feeding.
• To determine how much fertilizer you will need to spread
to get one pound of nitrogen, you’ll need to do a little
garden math: The three numbers displayed on a bag of
fertilizer represent the percentages of the three main
nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) contained in
that bag. For example, a bag of 17-17-17 fertilizer
contains 17 percent Nitrogen, 17 percent Phosphorus and 17
percent Potassium. To apply one pound of actual nitrogen,
divide 1 pound by the percentage contained in the bag; in
this case, 0.17. (1 ÷ 0.17 = 5.88) You will need to apply
5.88 pounds of 17-17-17 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet to
achieve the recommended 1 pound of actual nitrogen.
• October is the right time to plant new trees and shrubs.
Dig the planting hole at least twice as wide, but no deeper
than the root ball of the plant. Loosen a tight root ball
and plant just a little high to allow for settling. Check
for good drainage and water plants thoroughly as you
backfill.
• Dig, divide and replant spring and summer-blooming
perennials now. Daylilies and hosta will benefit from this
attention, but hellebores (Lenten rose) resent division.
Luckily, these plants readily reseed themselves, so look
for seedlings to transplant.
• Cold-loving annuals can be planted now. Sweet peas,
poppies, Bells of Ireland, forget-me-nots and larkspur are
just a few that can’t take the heat but shine when there’s
a chill in the air.
• Take cuttings from woody herbs, dip in rooting hormone
and plant in moist, well-drained medium. Lemon balm,
oregano, sage, rosemary, tarragon and thyme are all good
candidates for your windowsill garden.
• Move permanent potted water garden plants to deeper water
by the end of the month. Keep leaves and debris out of the
water, but don’t overdo it. A thin layer of decomposing
matter on the bottom of the pond is actually beneficial.
• Begin to plant spring-flowering bulbs now. Jonquils and
daffodils are virtually vole-proof, but tulips bulbs are a
favorite vole snack. Try planting them in strawberry
baskets buried in the ground or surround the bulbs with
hardware cloth.
