October 2023 Tips

Dear Gardening Friends, It seems like we’ve had October weather in September and now they are predicting a warmer than average October. This makes gardening decisions difficult. Even though there have been many nights below 50 I haven’t brought my houseplants and annuals in the house. Just couldn’t seem to make myself do it. They all look so happy outside.   Tips on bringing in plants: It’s probably too late to take cuttings from annuals but if you have some healthy plants give it a try. When you bring in any annual or houseplants, remove any damaged leaves. Rinse them off thoroughly with a gentle spray hose and check for insects. You can wash the leaves with a Dawn or other mild detergent mixed with water. This can also be used to douche the soil to help get rid of small insects in the soil. Then rinse well.  Give the plants time to adjust to the move from outside to inside by putting them in a sheltered place for a few days. Ideally the plants can be moved into the house on a day when the outside and inside temps are close. Expect some yellowing and/or leaf drop as the plants adjust to being inside. Bringing any plant in usually is accompanied by the appearance of fungus gnats, those pesky little flies that fly in your face. Keep the soil dry and water from the bottom if possible. They reproduce in the top few inches of damp soil. Letting your plants dry out between waterings really helps.   True confessions… I stopped my deer spray program (every other week) thinking the deer were used to NOT coming into my yard and I hate mixing that stinky stuff. WRONG! The first 3 weeks were fine but in the last 3 days they have eaten so much I started spraying again last night.   Start planning now for protection from rabbits, deer, and cold winds. As winter approaches you will be ready to take the appropriate steps.   Weeding is still an issue. After the rain, weeding is a much easier task.  You’ll thank yourself in the spring when those perennial weeds aren’t there. Besides, weeding is a great way to notice things that need attention in the garden. If you can’t weed at least remove the seed heads to prevent more weeds next season.   Take advantage of fall leaves.   Leave the ones that fall in the gardens. Leaves make an effective and free winter mulch. They help protect the crowns from temperature fluctuations. Gather mulched leaves for use in compost or save for mulch next spring. They can be stored in large plastic bags. If you have a mulching lawn mower leave the mulched leaves and grass in place after the last mowing of the season. It will decompose and feed the grass. If the leaves are really thick in spots spread them around.  Dividing and moving perennials can be done as long as the weather holds. Once it gets cold, I’d wait till spring. They need the soil to be warm enough to set in roots to survive the winter. Any perennials you move this fall should be well watered until the ground freezes and give them a good leaf cover to protect them from heaving.   If you have to move a perennial but don’t know where to plant it, pot it up in potting soil and winter over in a protected area. If you have an area of groundcover that is out of the wind, put the potted plants right in the groundcover and cover with leaves. Burying the pot in the compost pile and covering with leaves also works well.  If your garage isn’t heated that is another option, again cover with leaves. Cut back and remove any perennial that has had a disease like black spot or powdery mildew and remove any leaves left on the soil. Do not compost diseased plant material, dispose of it. Many perennials can be left up over winter. The crowns help protect the roots from temperature fluctuations and birds eat the seeds. There are also many beneficial insects which overwinter in the leaf litter or lay their eggs in the stems. In winter I really enjoy seeing the plants peeking up through the snow.  There’s still time to plant bulbs but do it soon as it’s best if they have time to set roots and make them strong for spring bloom. If you have trouble with critters digging up the bulbs, put a layer of pea gravel just under the soil level as you fill the planting hole. This will keep them from digging. You can also use small chicken wire.   Upcoming Gardening Events:   The Town & Country Garden Club is sponsoring my program on Using Native Plants in Your Garden, Thursday, October 12, from 2-4pm, at the Audubon Public Library, 350 John James Audubon Pkwy.  Seating is limited.  If interested call the library at 716-689-4922 to reserve a seat. October is a big month for University Express classes. Check out their full schedule online at: https://www4.erie.gov/universityexpress/  All classes are free and open to the public. I will be offering Fall Is For Gardening at the following locations: 10/2 – 1:00 PM at W. Seneca Sr. Center 10/16 – 1:00 PM at Town of Tonawanda Library 10/20 – 10:30 AM at Orchard Park Senior Center Don’t forget to contact me for a garden consultation. It’s the perfect time to plan improvements for next year. Happy gardening! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St. E. Aurora, NY 14052 [email protected] 716- 652-2432       Copyright © 2023 Lessons From Nature, All rights reserved. You're receiving this message because you requested to receive Lessons from Nature newsletters. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences