The leaves have turned golden yellow, the fall colors are fabulous, and pumpkins can be found everywhere. It’s harvest time, and the weather is great!
October is upon us and it’s a busy time in the garden. Though most people think of October as a month to clean up after the summer growing season and that is true, but it’s also a wonderful time to continue to plant. The ground is still warm but the air is cooler and this lessens the shock of transplanting on trees, shrubs and perennials. Get those items in the ground soon though, for best results.
Many trees and shrubs are at their peak now. With the leaves changing and showing color, it’s an easy time to choose exactly what colors and looks you want for your yard. Cooler days mean less watering and easier temperatures in which to work as well. Now is the time to put tree wrap around the trunks to protect young trees from sunburn over the winter. Even though the temperatures may be cold, the sun in this area stays strong throughout the winter and can easily damage them.
Perennials can also be planted, or dug up and divided and transplanted now. Plant bulbs after the first frost in your area. Amend your soil when doing so and add a little phosphorous to the hole before planting to give your bulbs the boost they need for a healthy start. When planting your spring bulbs, remember that a mass planting of one kind of bulbs will have a much greater impact than scattering many types throughout a large area.
Get ready to protect your roses for the winter. Use rose collars or mulch and mound them up to 10-12 inches with dirt or mulch to protect the graft union. Be sure to remove any leaves that have built up around the base before doing your mulching in order to prevent diseases from taking hold over the winter.
Clean up and mulchGather up leaves and extra organic matter than may have blown onto your yard and into your garden and remove it. Diseases from dead and rotting material will linger over the winter and could cause problems in the spring if not dealt with now. And to the delight of many, mow your lawn for the last time this month or in early November. When doing so, mow it down to 2 inches for the last cut of the year.
Spread winter mulchesA good top dressing of mulch now helps to ensure healthy plants in the spring. Keep in mind the purpose of mulch, however. It is used mainly to keep soil temperatures constant and prevent frost heaving, not to keep it warm, so do not mulch too early. Wait until the soil has cooled down. You can use commercially prepared mulches, or wait and use evergreen branches and boughs from your Christmas tree. If you are planning on purchasing a live tree for the holidays it’s also a good time to dig and prepare a hole in which to plant it once the season is over. Dig the hole, then cover with plastic until it’s time to plant after the holidays. The ground will be frozen later and would make this a much harder task.
Late-season wateringAlthough we’ve had great rains already this fall, keep watering when the soil is dry. Water is probably the single most important thing you can do for your garden throughout the year, even during the winter months. A good rule of thumb is to water each holiday between Halloween and Easter, which works out to about once a month. Water deeply during the warmest part of the day.
Get a little helpAnd finally, it’s a great time to let your little ones help in the garden. What’s more fun than jumping in a big piled of freshly raked leaves? It’s a great season in which to introduce them to the joys of helping in the yard. With most things preparing to die back for winter anyway, there’s virtually nothing that they can hurt. And children love to help in the planting of bulbs- make a game of it by seeing who can remember where they were planted and spot the first blossom of spring!
Enjoy the autumn weather, the fresh, crisp air, all the wonderful fall decorations and the pleasure of working in your yard before the snows of winter set in. There’s still lots to do in order to get ready!
Gail Vanik can be reached at 970-565-8274 or by email at fourseasons@animas.net.